The best way to win bar bets with non-Germans this week is probably by making a wager as to which month most of Oktoberfest takes place. The two-week Bavarian beer-fest has already started, having opened on Saturday to take advantage of sunnier days and milder nights. So, to celebrate Oktoberfest, we’re taking a look at the Kristall Weissbier from Weihenstephan, which bills itself as the world’s oldest brewery.
The festival’s six million attendees — Oktoberfest is the world’s largest fair — will go through a lot of giant one-liter mugs of beer, and most of them will be filled with a style of lager called Märzen. That beer takes its name from the German word for March, which is the month when it was traditionally brewed. To last through the summer it was brewed at a slightly higher strength.
This weissbier is lighter in colour than most Märzens, but it does come in at a generous 5.4 per cent alcohol.
“Kristall” means that this beer has been filtered to be absolutely clear —ones that are left unfiltered, and are therefore cloudy, are called “hefe” — and that stands off nicely against the generous, snow-white cap.
The hops that went into this beer were definitely chosen for their light, floral touch. The flavour is all cloves, lightly-toasted nuts and banana bread. A fine and persistent carbonation is complemented by a dry, almost tannic lingering flavour.
That acidic finish would pair perfectly with the rich sausages and fried potatoes one would expect from a Bavarian celebration.
The LCBO’s website lists the Kristall Weissbier as discontinued, but there is still a good supply of bottles on the shelf, so as a last reminder of lighter, summer beers, pick a few up while they last.
Weihenstephaner Kristall Weissbier, $3.10 for a 500 ml bottle, LCBO #271783