November 2, 2023
Octoberfest has come and gone, but many beers of the annual event that originated in Germany are still available in retail stores. If you want to find some special brews, heed the recommendations of Anne Becerra, the first female Cicerone in New York City.
Becerra, the beverage director for Treadwell Park, which has two craft beer halls in Manhattan, says she loves the German beer culture as much as the beers.
“I love the pride, the attention to detail, the consistency, the glassware, the camaraderie — all of it,” she says. “I especially love the unpasteurized, unfiltered, delicate zwicklelbiers and kellerbiers that are really at their best when you get them straight from the source. The same goes for some of my favorites that export to the states.”
Becerra’s first recommendation is Schlenkerla Weichsel, which has been brewed since the 15th Century in Bamberg, Germany, by the Schlenkerla brewery.
“It’s a rotbier or red lager — a style particularly popular in Nuremberg and Franconia,” she says. “Schlenkerla is a brewery known for rauchbier or smoked beer. The brewery smokes its malts over beechwood fires, which imparts wonderful smoky, campfire qualities to the finished beer. The Weischel is smoked over high-quality cherrywood, imparting slightly sweet and fruity notes alongside the rich smoke. At just 4.6% ABV, it’s perfect for an extended celebration.”
Becerra also recommends three German dunkelweizen beers brewed in Bavaria: Ayinger Urweisse, Andechs Weissbier Dunkel and Schneider Weisse Original. The Ayinger brewery has been operating for more than 140 years in Aying, halfway between Munich and the Alps. Andechs is a Benedictine monastery brewery that has brewed beer in Andechs since 1455. Schneider Weisse is in Kelheim near the Danube River.
“Dunkelweizen is a style that’s not only great for Octoberfest celebrations but one of my absolute favorite types of beer to drink during fall,” Becerra says. “Dunkel means dark, though dunkel beers are typically not very dark but often faint amber to dark chestnut in color. Weizen means wheat. So, if you’re familiar with the classic golden hefeweizen style, a dunkelweizen is a slightly darker, richer, spicier version. Notes of red fruits, baking spices and homemade banana bread are balanced with an explosive carbonation that cleanses your palate and is supremely refreshing — absolutely perfect for the season.”
Many American beer drinkers may not know the differences of beers brewed in various European countries. Becerra provides her knowledge.
“Generally speaking, German and Czech beers mostly follow the Reinheitsgebot, or the Purity Law of 1516, so you’ll often see wonderful classic styles such as lagers being made consistently well,” she says. “English beers often lean more toward malt flavors or traditional English hops that have lovely earthy, herbal notes. Cask beer or real ale is a big part of English beer culture — unfiltered, unpasteurized beer served directly from the vessel it’s fermented in, traditionally hand drawn from kegs in a cellar. The carbonation is natural and softer than a traditional American lager. Cask beer is not meant to be served ice cold but rather closer to cellar temperatures, so the flavors are much more nuanced.”
Belgian beers are very different from those brewed in Germany, the Czech Republic and England.
“Beers in Belgium are known for their highly explosive yeast and fermentation character, as well as the inclusion of a handful of exciting ingredients from fruits to spices to candy sugar,” Becerra explains. “You’ll often see champagne-like carbonation alongside higher-than-average ABVs and very little bitterness compared to styles like American IPAs.”
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