Spezial Ungespundet

Brewed by Brauerei Spezial
Style: Zwickel/Keller/Landbier
Bamberg, Oberfranken/Bayern, Germany

Malt, coriander and pepper aroma; bitter taste wirh pepper, wood and citrus aroma; bitter finish with spice, butter and hop aromas. A very pleasant hoppy beer with a nice blancing butteriness. Their only unsmoked beer.

Bottle (bought at the brewery): Hazy, visible carbonation (?), thin but firm white head; sweet malty, grainy and dusty nose, a tinge of caramel and a touch of barrique, too, rounded by the aroma of hops; moderate bitter flavour, creamy mouthfeel; long and lingering hoppy aromatic finish with a distinctive touch of grains and a very, very faint touch of smoked malts in the background. Superb, great stuff. One of the best in good, old Franconia !

Draught @ Spezial. Cloudy, golden “U” with a creamy, rocky head. Huge aroma, yeast, some barnyard chalk, unidentifiable funk, wheat. Very dry, very malty, lots of funk and character. Creamy medium body, end bitterness, a mix of sourness and bitterness in the middle. Some chalkiness, slight herbiness. Way too complex for the style. I think this has the potential to be rather bland after a while, but it has good character. Bit of breadiness, too. Layered, just needs a bit more body and a bit more kick. Hoppy end, good, worthy Seidla.

(bottle) Hazy golden colour with a rather small sized foamy head. Slightly sweet malty nose with a fruity and yeasty tinge with a distinctive herbal hoppy note. Bitter flavour, medium body, smooth mouthfeel. Dry malty and slightly fruity taste with herbal hops, long lasting bitter and dry hoppy finish. Very good.

Pours a huge, frothy head. Cloudy with bits of yeast floating. Milk and cheese in the aroma. Very complex flavor with oak, chesse, hops, vanilla and a hint of smokiness. Very unusual, but well made and pleasant lager.

At the brewery tap Creamy, off-white head. Almost no lace. Sligtly hazy, golden body. A fresh aroma of flowers, orange, lemonade, ... There’s a medicine, called lycomucil, that smells like. Very well balanced fruity flavour. Lightly sweet, moderately bitter.

Hazy dark yellow with creamy white head. Aroma filled with orange marmalade - nice! The flavor is mild fruity and again some marmalade kicking in, followed by chewing gum and pepper - very complex for a German lager. Lightly bitter with acidic finish that ends with a slight burn - almost chili like.Well balanced and pleasant, and by far the best from Spezial.

On tap at the brewery on 6/7/07: Pours a hazy golden with a wispy-lacing white head. Aroma of fresh, earthy grassy hops and light pale malt. Body starts fairly full with nice carbonation and good, lightly sweet pale malt along with big floral earthy herbal hops. Nicely balanced, full-bodied and refreshing.