From: hsu@pix.com (Dagwood Splits the Atom)
Newsgroups: alt.beer
Subject: Re: Paulaner....
Date: 20 Aug 92 23:51:11 GMT
Organization: Pix -- The company with no adult supervision.

In article <me.714324565@dude> me@dude.pcs.com (Michael Elbel) writes:
>In <12592@ecs.soton.ac.uk> igl@ecs.soton.ac.uk (Ian Glendinning) writes:
>>In <me.714125208@dude> me@dude.pcs.com (Michael Elbel) writes:
>>>Generally I'd say that most munich breweries don't make outstanding Helles.
>
>>Ehhh??? [Recoils in disbelief...]  Is it just that you don't like
>>Helles, or would you care to recommend a better source of the stuff?
>
>I don't think that I'm alone in my opinion. The reason is that
>the big Munich breweries are just that: BIG breweries. 
>
>Compared to American beer, Hacker Pschorr, Loewen-Braeu, Paulaner
>and Spaten are somewhat like the american Budweiser, Loewenbrau and
>Miller - Mass products that are made to fit the taste of as many
>people as possible, which results in a blander tasting beer. 

...except that you won't find Bud, Loewenbrau or Miller producing a
tasty Maerzen every autumn :-(

Which reminds me of a question that's been nagging me for a while.  Last
fall I dragged a bunch of friends out for Spaten Oktoberfest on tap.  I
ordered the first by myself, and it was a pleasing amber color and tasted
wonderful.  The other tasters agreed, and promptly ordered their own, but
none of that round (or the several other rounds) were ever quite as good.
The first round came from the same tap and keg; according to the waiter,
mine was first off the top.  Naturally, we were surprised at the variation
in taste (hmmm...maybe EKU 28 IS gathered from the residue clinging to
keg walls).  Anybody else run into this kind of variation within a single
keg?

>I fear, however, that you might not be able to get the 'better'
>bavarian Helles. It might be that Augustiner exports some, but
>I'm not sure. I tend to try out the local beers when I travel
>to foreign countries :-)

Augustiner exports both a helles and a dopplebock (Maximator) to the U.S.
The helles is good, but not nearly as good as their Edelstoff, which I
can't get here.

Requisite tasting note: over the past few days I've been finishing a
6-pack sampler from Weihenstephan, brought over by a friend.  Actually,
it was only a 5-pack, but his brother is flying back with some hefe-weiss
on Monday.  The beers were all extremely drinkable, but with varying
degrees of desirability.  I found the Export Dunkel to be competent and
tasty, but not memorable.  To be fair, I drank it a bit warmer than it
should have been, so my results were probably skewed.  The Edel-Pils was
aromatic, bitter, and generously hopped; a good example of the type.  The
Stephansquell (helles bock) was lighter in body than I'd expected, but
had a fine head and drank very smoothly, with plenty of hop character.
The Korbinian (dunkles starkbier) was great, the best lager approximation
of a Trappist style I've had yet.  Medium brown in color, with a malt
flavor balanced against more fragrant hops.  Lastly, the Original was a
wonder to behold.  It drinks well enough, but then the aftertaste sneaks
up on you two or three seconds after you've swallowed, without a hint of
excessive bitterness.  I can't really describe it, you'll just have to
try it if you get the chance.

-dave

-- 
Dave Hsu                           <hsu@pix.com> -or- <hsu@eng.umd.edu>
Caffeine and Salsa Czar	          "Yeah?  Well there are a lot of people out
Pix Technologies Corporation       there who are full of shit and making money.
Have nerds, will telnet.           And *I'm* not going to be the exception."
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