Advent Beer 1: Käuzle

Last week the postman struggled to hand over a package, once he realised what was in it. Thanks to a competition run by Felix over on Lieblingsbier, I was the lucky winner of a Kalea Bieradventskalender! 24 doors hiding Bavarian beer stuff (I got the Bavarian edition, but I have to say, their Bad Santa edition sounds very intriguing!). Free beer! And free beer surprises! Needless to say, I was well chuffed.

This morning, my son was super-excited to be opening his Advent calendar, so much so, that he wanted to share the excitement at shortly before 8am, by opening my beer calendar and bringing a bottle in to my bedroom (unopened, I hasten to add!).With bottle number one comes a leaflet about how to assess beer, and a sheet for putting down your own ratings, with an address on the other side to send it as feedback to Kalea.

Kauzen Bräu Käuzle was beer number one, a Pils-style beer described as a cult beer on the label, and as a Szenegetränk (a "scene" drink), on their website. Pouring a pale straw shade, with a fine, but short-lived head, Käuzle has a sweet nose, suggesting marzipan (hey, it's getting near Christmas), white bread, a twist of pepper, mandarin peel and a vaguely vegetal undertone. I have to admit, the first sip registered disappointment, being predominantly grainy, with  a honey-like sweetness dominating. The hops bring a mild citrus, mandarin edge which cuts the honey sweetness, and it the finish is mildly peppery, in quite a pleasant way. Quite an easy beer to just knock back, rather swiftly, but a touch dull around the edges for a Pils.

The beer blog has been dormant for a while due to other pressure, but I hope to at least blog the entire calendar, as a way to get back into training. Probably not every day, but at least every beer!