Unlike Ben I have never been across the pond and thus have never had the opportunity to enjoy a truly authentic German beer. Of course I have drank many international brews but not without the assistance of an American distributor. Well folks my girlfriend visited Deutschland last fall and she was kind enough to bring me this beauty. It’s probably not a big deal to most but given that this is the closest I am going to get to Germany any time in the near future I’m pretty excited. Also according to other websites The Rothaus brewery has develop quite the cult following in the recent past so I’m ready to see what all the fuss is about.
If I were to judge solely on appearance this might be the cleanest beer I have ever come across. It has a VERY light, straw-colored hue, similar to white wine. There is a flurry of activity in the glass as numerous bubbles race to the top. This may in part to the unique Sam Adams glassware, but also I think the effervescence is more apparent because this beer is so clear. The smell is rather subtle and uneventful. It smells like a typical pils, no defining aroma, just cool, crisp and mildly malty. The taste is refreshing and light. There is a breadiness that washes throughout the mouth and concludes with a slight lemony bitterness. When I say slight I mean extremely slight, there are times you have to search for it. The interesting thing about this beer is that a portion of the taste camps out on the tip of the tongue. This is a simple beer, nothing exciting but more tasty than our domestic light beers, no questions asked. When I finally visit my ancestors’ homeland I will certainly seek out this beer for a night of session drinking.
