Sunday 21 June 2009

Weissbiers from Kloster Andechs

I've been on somewhat of a Weissbier splurge the past few weeks, getting myself reacquainted with a type of beer I had fallen out with, and discovering some new friends. Of the selection I bought, there was a pair from Kloster Andechs.

The Andechser Weissbier has a really strong clove aroma. Quite strinking and mouthwatering really. It has a classic, sweet bubblegum aroma (reminiscent of juicyfruit really) underneath, but not much in the way of banana. The body is thinner than expected, but this is offset to a degree by a comforting, earthy flavour. Mild colves, warm spices, old hops, hay. All very subtle. The carbonation is also surprisingly low for this kind of beer. I wrote in my notes that it was OK, but not spicy enough.

Andechser Dunkles Weissbier is a lovely dark, murky brown. As with its sibling, it has a good dose of cloves in the aroma, but with some more bananas and a slight medicinal edge. The flavour is soft. As with the helles hefeweizen, the flavour is not as spicy as the nose suggests, having more of a sweetish, chocolatey undertone with green bananas. In fairness, there is a faint clove hit to the finish though. A silky-smooth easy drinker that's a bit juicy, but that's it.

My own weissbier is not finished fermenting, which, after two weeks, is kind of odd. But the temperature here has been up and down like a hoors knickers, so I blame cool temps while we were away for a few days. I'm hoping it'll give me more of the flavours I want from a weissbier than these two did.

4 comments:

Tandleman said...

I'm rather fond of Andechs pale weissbier. It's well balanced and easy drinking and, as you say, not over-carbonated.

Séan Billings said...

I've actually found that the weihenstephan yeast tends to take it's time in primary. Lot's of foam, so it looks like it's taken off like a rocket, but two weeks to attenuate would not be unusual.

Barry M said...

I can see how the lower carbonation would appeal to a cask ale aficionado, Tandleman. :)

Séan, I used that "new" Danstar Munich Wheat Beer yeast. I'm not sure of he provenance of it, but it displayed exactly the behaviour you describe. Huge kräusen very quickly, and when it did drop, it still sat as an inch or two on the surface for over a week. It's definitely slowing now though,

Tandleman said...

And I loved the views from the brewery tap too. Good beers I reckon.