Franconian Beer Message Board

Urban Chestnut Zwickel
Posted by Jeff Romain on 2015-01-16 11:10:54
Thanks for the words, Mark.  I'm confident all would be perfectly lovely and harmonious if we were to share a seidla or two at some of our favorite haunts!

Regarding Holzlein, my first experience was a bottle of the vollbier at Cafe Abseits about four years ago.  The beer was quite riddled with a multitude of glaring defects which were hard to overlook.  But I always extend some leniency if I find that a fresh bottle is in poor condition, since most Frankenbiers fare poorly from the bottle.  So, I decided to visit the brewpub so to have the beer fresh from the source (I always strive to be fairer than fair).  Interestingly enough, my experience didn't differ much from the bottle.  That said, despite the bockbier being quite unclean and DMS-heavy when tasted in late 2014, the Czech-inspired lager, after three weeks of lagering time, which Johann poured for us from the tanks, did show some promise.  And my dear travelling buddy and occasional contributor to this board, whose palate I trust more than anyone's, Michael James, reported that the vollbier was markedly cleaner during his last recent visit.  So, yeah, thats the way it sometimes goes when it comes to the unpredictability of the beers of this region.  Some of my favorite breweries have their off periods (e.g. Brauerei Roppelt where the Festbier from tap showed notes of red apple, wax, concrete, cheese, metal, etc....and the bottled Festbier at our beloved and generally high-quality Witzgall tasted like pear syrup, paper, yogurt, etc.) but ultimately this is what makes the beer-hunt so much fun (as frustrating as it CAN be when your favorite beer just isn't up to its usual tip-top form), isn't it?  

While I would disagree that RateBeer is basically useless, I would NOT disagree that the vast bulk of reviews are ticked in small samples often in large groups, etc. etc. and are not, as a result, much of a contribution.  Unfortunately the vast amount of reviews of Frankenbiers are of this caliber, and, more often than not, ticked from bottles.  A real loss, if you ask me.  

Prost!  
 
Followups:
                 Urban Chestnut Zwickel by Mark Andersen on  2015-01-16 20:41:44
                 Variable Festbier by Nick B. on  2015-01-17 03:19:53
                   Variable Festbier by Nick B. on  2015-01-17 03:48:03
                   Urban Chestnut Zwickel by barry on  2015-01-17 09:48:25
                     Urban Chestnut Zwickel by Mark Andersen on  2015-01-18 10:28:34
                       Urban Chestnut Zwickel by johnratcliffe on  2015-01-18 14:24:17
                         Urban Chestnut Zwickel by Mosquit on  2015-01-19 00:48:27
                       Untergärig vs. Obergärig by Nick B. on  2015-01-19 02:02:31
                           Urban Chestnut Zwickel by barry on  2015-01-19 02:05:51
                         Untergärig vs. Obergärig by barry on  2015-01-19 02:13:05
                           Untergärig vs. Obergärig by Nick B. on  2015-01-19 02:35:18
                             Urban Chestnut Zwickel by Nick B. on  2015-01-19 02:40:03
                         Untergärig vs. Obergärig - top/bottom fermenting naming + history in Czech by Mosquit on  2015-01-19 03:39:03
                           Untergärig vs. Obergärig - top/bottom fermenting naming + history in Czech by Nick B. on  2015-01-19 05:04:33
                             Untergärig vs. Obergärig - top/bottom fermenting naming + history in Czech by Mosquit on  2015-01-19 05:38:56
                               Untergärig vs. Obergärig - top/bottom fermenting naming + history in Czech by barry on  2015-01-19 06:36:34
                                 Untergärig vs. Obergärig - top/bottom fermenting naming + history in Czech by Mosquit on  2015-01-19 06:43:27
                           Urban Chestnut Zwickel by Mark Andersen on  2015-01-19 07:33:03
                             Urban Chestnut Zwickel by Mark Andersen on  2015-01-19 07:33:31
                               Correction by Mark Andersen on  2015-01-19 07:34:16
                             OT: Urban Chestnut Zwickel - homebrewing franconia beers - books ? by Mosquit on  2015-01-19 07:55:50
                             Untergärig vs. Obergärig - top/bottom fermenting naming + history in Czech by FredW on  2015-01-19 08:03:52
                               Untergärig vs. Obergärig - top/bottom fermenting naming + history in Czech by Nick B. on  2015-01-20 05:09:00
                                 Untergärig vs. Obergärig - top/bottom fermenting naming + history in Czech by Mosquit on  2015-01-20 06:27:18
                                   Untergärig vs. Obergärig - top/bottom fermenting naming + history in Czech by Nick B. on  2015-01-20 07:13:21
                                     Repitching yeast by FredW on  2015-01-20 07:35:41
                                       Repitching yeast by Mosquit on  2015-01-20 09:03:27
                                         Repitching yeast by Nick B. on  2015-01-21 00:52:36
                                           Repitching yeast by Nick B. on  2015-01-21 00:53:26
                                           Repitching yeast + cost calculation by Mosquit on  2015-01-21 02:44:18
                                             Repitching yeast + cost calculation by Mark Andersen on  2015-01-21 07:29:12
                                               Repitching yeast + cost calculation by Mosquit on  2015-01-21 07:53:28
                 Urban Chestnut Zwickel by Michael James on  2015-02-06 13:03:03