Reinheitsgebot. I love to say it. I love what it means and
represents. It is the German word for the beer purity laws passed in Bavaria in
the year 1516. It is pronounced rine-HITES-gu-boat and I say it to myself in a
thick German accent far too often. One of my favorite beers follows the rules
of the beer laws by only having the three ingredients Water, Barley, and Hops.
Of course yeast is part of the equation but it’s not a part of the actual law.
That beer is Hacker-Pschorr Munich Gold.
In the late 1700’s, Joseph Pschorr bought a brewery from his
father-in-law and named it the Pschorr Brewery. They were doing pretty well so
they opened another brewery named the Hacker Brewery. They sold beers separately
up until the mid-1970’s. After that, they merged into what they are today. Back
when they were first getting things cranking up in the brewery, a young lad
named Prince Ludwig I of Bavaria asked a few local brewers to come up with a
special brew for his wedding. From that inquiry, Oktoberfest was born. Munich
brewers are the only beer makers that are allowed at the original celebration
in Germany and Hacker-Pschorr is one of them. But, like most other brewers,
they aren’t satisfied being a one trick pony. One of their other beers is the
Munich Gold.
It tastes a little heavier than it looks. It has a slightly
pale yellow color but it is full of beery goodness. On the first drink, I
noticed a nice toasty grain flavor. It was crisp even though it had a touch of
malty sweetness. As it trailed off down the pipe, there was a grassy, happy,
hoppy ending. A tinge of spice from the low but flavorful hop content makes
this beer a terrific blend of all the things that make beer wonderful. It
clocks in at 5.5% ABV and has a 15 IBU. Grab a sixer and make a night of it!
Prost und Reinheitsgebot!
Check out their beers at www.hacker-pschorr.us
See what else is going on at www.talkingsimian.com
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