Peak Brewery Drachenfels Lager

Brewed by Peak Brewery
Style: Kölsch
Masterton, Wairarapa, New Zealand

Bottle. Dirty orange-amber with a short-lived white head. After three sips the head is nearly gone. Spicy, yeasty, estery aroma with hints of bubblegum. Yeast-driven flavours, marzipan, lemon, lots of spiciness. Very estery. No bitterness. THIS IS NOT A KOLSCH! Belgian ale maybe, witbier maybe, but not a kolsch.

Drachenfels.... Weissbier?? Pours cloudy golden like a Weissbeir. Thin white head, lightly carbonated. Aroma has subtle banana, some coriander and orange zest. Smells like a weissbier. Taste is quite bitter, hints of banana through citric hops. Quite herbaceous. Finish is warming and spiced. I was confused with this one, but still enjoyed it.

Was pleasantly surprised with this one. Pours a cloudy gold with thin white head. Banana aromas are quite strong, but a hint of herb, orange and vanilla also on the nose. Quite a bitter beer from earthy hop characters, with banana and orange flavours to sweeten and a good malt smoothness on the finish. A bit grassy. Bitter aftertaste. Similar to a weiss beer in both the aromas and flavour.

Lot no. 20081107 I think the previous beer brewed was the weiss beer and this has infected this beer. Hazy yellow colour with fluffy white head, corriander esters on the nose. What a shame.

Bottle, pours a darkish gold with a slight haze and no lasting head. A heavy whiff of corn in the aroma. It drinks better, relatively smooth with the hops coming through nicely in the swallow.

Tasted 19/07/2008. 500ml bottle from Regionals. Hazy pale gold, loads of yeast, head vanishes. Graininess. a little dms and esters dominate the mouth. Medium mouthfeel. Medium-high carbonation. Needs work.