Neuzeller Original Badebier (Bathbeer)

Brewed by Klosterbrauerei Neuzelle
Style: Schwarzbier
Neuzelle, Brandenburg, Germany

(500 ml bottle: $2.49 at Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido, CA) Having just finished Neuzeller’s Black Abbot, any beer would seem miles apart. The aroma of this Neuzeller beer presents very strong bread and toast, moderate sweetness, and a light sourness for balance, like the Black Abbot, but obviously quite a bit less sweet overall. The flavor is also much less sweet, but make no doubt about it, this is still fairly sweet too. Moderately sweet and sugary, but with moderate cola, strong toast and bread, a mild roast and some bitterness, this beer shows quite a bit more balance and diversity in flavor, though it easily remains on the sweet and malty side of the spectrum. That light sourness in the nose also follows through in the flavor to give you something more to think about as you’re drinking this beer. As with the Black Abbot, fairly light carbonation makes the beer seem somewhat flat, and overall body is light-medium. Opaque and nearly black in color, except at the edges, where it’s ruddy and translucent. Light tan head struggles to get to a quarter inch in height, settling quickly to a thin ring while leaving some spotty lacing on the glass. Compared to the Black Abbot, it’s not nearly as egregious in its unabashed sweetness, and the breadiness is vaguely reminiscent of Samuel Adams Black Lager. So while more balanced and interesting than the Black Abbot, and I do like this beer quite a bit, I still like the wanton "dessertiness" of Black Abbot better. But I readily admit, I’m a weirdo when it comes to really sweet beers.

(Bottle 50 cl) Pitch black - almost opaque - with a weak, reddish glow. Handsome, light brown head. Very soft and pleasant, without the sharp, ashy edge that sometimes haunt Schwarzbiers. Has added alcohol! Neuzeller never really cared too much about the Reinheitsgebot.... 100203

Draught. Dark red brown colour with a tan head. sweet light roasted caramel malty, grainy aroma and a dry thin taste. Light body and a medicin like finish.

Bottled @ Fynske Øldage: Reddish brown coloured. Light brown head. Is a little bland. Light roasty and sweet. Has some vague caramel notes. Flavour of grass, malt, light roast and light cocoa. Is sweet in the end. Medium bodied.

You supposedly could take a bath in this beer. Seems like a waste of money. Good aroma (bittersweet chocolated), little head. A decent beer and certainly out of the ordinary. Apparently doesn’t pass the German Purity Law (or any of these Neuzellers).

Tasted at Fynske Øldag 2005, Reddish brown colour with a small tan head. Light roasted malty aroma with a faint coffee note. Sweet malty flavor, artificial caramel note, almost coca cola like.

Draft. Clear brown coloured with a small off white head. Roasted aroma of malts with notes of grain. Roasted flavour of malts with hoppy notes.

Tasted at Fynske Øldage.Almost black colour with a medium sized head. Aroma of coffee and caramel.