Schneider Aventinus

Brewed by Weissbierbrauerei G. Schneider & Sohn
Style: Weizen Bock
Kelheim, Germany

It has that wheat beer zing and the fruity, heavy flavors af a dopplebock. A unique style.

The aroma is excellent. I was hit by a warm bread pudding, which is to say, nothing as simple or trite as ’raisins’ but a full panoply of such flavors, including nutmeg, raisins, cinnamon, apple cider, plus a caramel sauce and a little banana in the bread. Nice hazy brown color reminds me of the same kind of toffee syrup, only the sweetness is balanced. Some liquor-like flavors in the tasting, with a more wheat and yeast influenced finish. Perhaps some clove coming out more in the taste. Alcohol, like the sweetness, is understated. While likeable, I wouldn’t call this an easy-drinking beer--sometimes rather challenging. Perhaps, too, a bit more carbonation than is necessary.

This was extremely tasty, but not really my bag, baby. Dark and richly creamy, with a strong, very complex, and full bodied flavor. I tasted lots of rich caramel, and slightly peppery cloves and figs. I am told that every time you have this you discover something new about it, so I really look forward to the next time I can try it, but it is not something I would actively drink.

Nose was sweet, cloves and bananas; transparent highly carbonated brown body, with a thick beige head; flavor was spicy and sweet with cloves and finished with a tingle from the carbonation and a hoppy bite.

Long lasting head? There’s no head at all. The color is nice, but the carbonation is too high. Pleasant, fruity, yeasty aroma. Slight hints of fruit and yeast in the flavor. There isn’t much going on here. The body is very thin, and the finish is watery. I’m not exactly sure how this made it into the top 50.

Its not as good as I had expected, and hard to rate because it has some unusual qualities. Aroma is strong and smells like root beer and licorice. Nice reddish brown color and decent head. Taste is sweet, spicy and complex but not as good as I had hoped for. I detect some raisins and licorice, vanilla and cloves. Which you might think would be reminiscent of a Christmas beer but in this case the combination does not work very well. Also too much alcohol taste. Very much a niche beer. Aftertaste is fruity and warm.

50 cl bottle. Yeast in bottom. Aroma of yeast and wheat, hints of chocolate. Great flavour of wheat and yeast and hints of chocolate malt. Very tasteful and very drinkable.

(Bottle, Monk’s Café, Stockholm, 20 April 2007) Dark brown colour, cloudy, with huge beige head. Fruity, yeasty, estery and spicy nose with notes of dried fruit, raisins and chocolate. Fruity and yeasty taste with dried fruit (raisins, figs, prunes), chocolate and spices (clove). Full bodied, sweetish and slightly vinous. Complex and very tasty.