Tuesday Tasting: Baeren Monthly Set for September 2016

Baeren beers sell some of the best priced craft beers in Japan, make consistently good German Style beers plus they have a nice range of ciders as well. 

I signed up for a 3 month beer of the month club that will feature beers made to celebrate 500 years of the Rheinheitsgebot. Apparently, they do this every Fall starting in September and the theme changes each year.

September 2016 featured: 

On to the beers.

Wiesenbier 6%

I was expecting a straw gold but it poured a dark orange with a thick beige head. Unexpected but I think it suits Fall just fine. 

The aroma is super bready, cotton candy spice with cloves - pleasingly sweet aroma. Medium to full bodied, smooth mouthfeel and the taste is bready, spicy cloves and white pepper, tangy citrus and caramel fudge covered spongecake. I'd say this is on it's way to being halfway to dunkelweizen territory though ratebeer has it listed as an Oktoberfest/Marzen. Solid brew for Fall.

Having it again in a dimpled mug it is definitely a malt-forward Oktoberfest beer (apparently Wiesen is the field where Oktoberfest is held). Malty, sweet nutty caramel and some sharp hoppiness. It remains a nice Fall beer the second time around.

Now let's look at the two Alts which I've heard should be drunk side by side.

Baeren Herbst Alt 4.5%

A deep ruddy brown with a thin beige head. The aroma is of a sharp caramel with nuts. Medium to light bodied, it's got a bone dry finish. It goes down very smooth with a bitter caramel, brief hit of sweetness and a biting lightly bitter finish. Very crisp and well done.

Baeren Herbst Alt Celler 4.5%

A slightly lighter brown than the regular Herbst Alt with a thicker more resilient head of foam. A softer, nuttier caramel aroma greats you while the body is fuller (Med-full) and sweeter. The carbonation is a touch less aggressive and the flavor is nutty, roasty, caramel, chocolate with a herbal hop bite. The hops are definitely more pronounced in this version. 

On it's own I think I prefer the Herbst Alt but when you have them side by side it brings out an earthy bitter caramel in the Alt Celler and the semi-dry finish is quite quaffable making the Celler version go down a touch smoother and it seems a touch closer to my expectations when I think of Alt. Both are very solid brews.