Beer Me, Berlin!
Filed Under: You know it’s been a long day at the beer festival when guys in lederhosen start doing the moonwalk.
-– The essence of the moment, Saturday night at the Berlin beerfest.
More than 2,000 beers from over 300 breweries hailing from 86 countries — all spread out over two kilometers in the middle of the city. No, this is not Oktoberfest.
So many beers yet so little time. That’s the Berlin Beer Festival.
While we don’t really consider ourselves beer experts, living in the Czech Republic for five years did a bit to realign our taste buds. Living thick in a beer-brewing culture tuned us onto the importance of the essence, ingredients, and dimensions of a good beer — hops, yeast, malt, foam and head, appearance, aroma and finish.
When we heard the 15th annual Berlin Bierfestival was on, we sensed a good opportunity to dip into some draft goodness — from the crafty trappist brewers of Belgium to the cuckoo beers of German monasteries.
Berlin Beerfest: A Few Favorites
After some sampling, our inclinations were confirmed. Belgian, German and Czech beers really are among the best, if not the best in the world. Sure it’s the science — the right ingredients like hops and water are important. But it’s the art, the hands of craft brewers and their tradition are what make a good beer into something truly great.
Grimbergen Optimo Bruno: Belgium. A dark, double fermented beer, Optimo Bruno quite possibly takes the golden bear award for the weekend. Weighing in at a hefty 10% alcohol content, but with a subtlety and oh-so-slight sweetness that its Grimbergen Double and Triple cousins (also tasty) couldn’t quite pull off.
Blond, Double, or Triple, Grimbergen were all worthy of a quaff. Grimbergen (and Belgium in general) clearly does something special with its brews.
Leffe Dark: Belgium. Many know the name. Perhaps you’ve had a bottle of blond. If you haven’t had a taste of the Leffe Dark, seek it out. Rich, roast-y, a bit of ale, and the tiniest bit of fruit. This is one to sit with. And so we did, for an hour-long conversation among friends.
Radigks Roggenbier: Brandenburg, Germany. Our final taste of the weekend and what a way to depart. A rye beer, creamy and rich. When the pour was finished, bubbles welled up from the bottom of the glass. An effervescent pour with beautiful foam, but quick to disappear. Soft, almost like silk. And not sweet, only the slightest bit rye. Some claim they get bananas out of a glass of the stuff, but we somehow missed that highlight.
Fuller’s Vintage Ale: United Kingdom. Of the ales we tasted, this was the one we enjoyed most. Not an exceptionally strong ale. Light, but a hint of nut. Slightly chilled, it struck us as surprisingly perfect on a warm day.
Of course, one also needs lots of bratwurst to go with all this beer.
Bernard: Czech Republic. One of our favorite neighborhood beers from our days in Prague. When served from a clean tap (not always the case), it’s full, heady, unpasteurized and just bitter enough. For a crisp, clean pilsner it’s among the best.
Katharina von Bora Kuckucksbier: Saxony, Germany. Here’s a beer with story. Named after Martin Luther’s wife, the brewery is literally run by a bunch of nuns. But they crank out some interesting barrels, including this medium brew that finishes like a dunkel with a faint touch of honey.
Zunft Kölsch: Cologne, Germany. Our first time tasting a Kölsch, the traditional beer of the German city of Köln (Cologne). Mildly grassy, grainy, hoppy. Fresh and crisp, only a hint of bitter. Traditionally served in tall, very skinny glasses (think something to hold a gin and tonic.)
Prost!
—
So next time we’re faced with 2,000 beers, where should we begin?
Where would you begin? What are your favorite beers of the world?
August 9th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
thats what you call a tall glass
August 9th, 2011 at 1:34 pm
@Henry: More like an optical illusion
That beer glass in the photo at the top is only 0.2 liters – rather small, actually.
August 9th, 2011 at 2:01 pm
Did you guys have all that beer in one sitting? One day? Or was it over the course of many days? How did you return home, is my question then…
August 9th, 2011 at 4:30 pm
Now I’m especially thirsty!
August 9th, 2011 at 4:58 pm
@Sutapa: We’re two people, so that helps – we shared the beers mentioned above (and more). Also, this was over two days and many hours. We actually rode bikes there and back…and were fine!
@Jordan: Lots of great beers in the world to help quench your thirst!
August 10th, 2011 at 12:34 am
Great stuff — another good post to read.
August 10th, 2011 at 11:46 am
I still fondly remember my very first beer in Berlin. It tasted so fresh and full of flavor!
August 10th, 2011 at 2:53 pm
@Stephanie: There’s nothing better than a freshly pulled beer!!
August 13th, 2011 at 10:37 am
WOW you lived to tell the tale? Without doubt German beer is the best in the world.
August 14th, 2011 at 7:58 pm
@Ryan: I’m sure there are some Czech and Belgium (and other) people who would argue with your assertion that German beer is the best in the world
But, Germany does know how to brew some great beers.
August 22nd, 2011 at 10:41 am
Oh Berlin, Berlin! can’t wait to visit you! btw is it only to taste beers or you can also find jägermeister or any other german unique alcohol drinks?
August 22nd, 2011 at 11:14 am
@Carlos: Although the primary purpose of the Berlin beer festival is beer, it is possible to find stalls serving other types of alcohol. But you’d have to be careful about mixing
August 30th, 2011 at 11:32 am
I was there too, and I share your opinion. So many beers, yet so little time.
Those are the beers i drank;
Weihenstephan Pils
Barbarossa Hell
Barbarossa Apfel Bier
Herrnbrau
Jogi
Hofmark
Gessner
Ur-Krostitzer
Mammut Hell
Easy Rider
Platan
Verige Dunkel
Katharina von Bora Kuckucksbier
Kreuzberger Klosterbier
Birra Moretti
Stralsunder Dunkel
Lekker Pilsener
Jever
Cubanero Fuerte
Schinner Braunbier
Schinner Honigbier
Roter Oktober
Haake Beck Pils
Fritzens Kartoffelbier
Olbernhauer Biere
Schlappe Seppel
Wernersgruner
Kasteelbier Blond
DjuDju Mango Beer
September 8th, 2011 at 5:50 am
@SvW: That is a phenomenal list. What were your favorites (maybe top 3?) from that list? Is the Kreuzberger Klosterbier an unfiltered beer? If so, I think we might have had it (not at the festival, but in Kreuzberg). A good beer. Apple (apfel) beer — that sounds unique.
January 2nd, 2012 at 2:36 am
Yes the bratwurst. Two for every jug of beer seems the right mix.Only place on earth where you get RSI from holding beer glasses.lol
January 4th, 2012 at 11:51 am
@Alf: RSI (repetitive strain injury) from holding beer glasses…love it!
January 30th, 2012 at 4:52 pm
Germany is for sure one of the best places to drink a beer
If you spend there a month you can try different beer almost every day of your stay 
January 30th, 2012 at 5:17 pm
@Mitko: 30 beers in Germany? Easy. At the Berlin beer festival, I think you could have stayed the whole year and met the goal of a beer a day.
March 9th, 2012 at 11:47 am
Love that they had foreign beers. The Germans can be pretty snobby about that. There was an EU case about it.
Leffe is one of my favorites. Good to see it have a showing.
March 13th, 2012 at 2:01 pm
@Andrew: A legal case about foreign beer in Germany? I can believe it.
Leffe is good stuff, but the Grimbergen blond, double and triples were even better. Check them out if you get a chance.
August 2nd, 2012 at 10:54 pm
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