Identifying the Taste-German Lager

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Somerville

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Last night I had a Spaten. It seemed to be a more creamy version of Heinneken. I need some help identifying the bittering taste in these beers. Pale Ale's bitter taste is something you can easily identify and call it bitter. But Hennieken and Spaten--its more of a "funk" than a bitter. "Funk" in a good way though. Is this "funk" a result of the type of hops being used? Is is the cold fermentation? Does anyone know what I'm talking about when I say "funk"? One person told me it was a result of the bottles being green and their exposure to light--but I wouldn't trust his beer knowledge at all (MGD drinker :p ).
 
Somerville said:
Last night I had a Spaten. It seemed to be a more creamy version of Heinneken. I need some help identifying the bittering taste in these beers. Pale Ale's bitter taste is something you can easily identify and call it bitter. But Hennieken and Spaten--its more of a "funk" than a bitter. "Funk" in a good way though. Is this "funk" a result of the type of hops being used? Is is the cold fermentation? Does anyone know what I'm talking about when I say "funk"? One person told me it was a result of the bottles being green and their exposure to light--but I wouldn't trust his beer knowledge at all (MGD drinker :p ).
You can get skunking of beer due to it being light struck when
clear or green glass is used to keep beer in. I assume this is
what you are referring to.
 
I have asked this same question in the past. I came to the conclusion that it is a bit of sulpher characteristics that is common with bavarian style beer that it is exported to the United States. I think it is a natural occuring characteristic rather than skunkiness due to the green bottles.
 
Somerville said:
It's definitely evident in henieken...anyone else have some opinions on this?

Only the American version of Heinecken. If you drink it in Amsterdam, it's not skunky or sulfuric. It's freakin' brilliant over there. Get the cans sometime and taste the difference. Sitting on an ocean liner for a few weeks can really make beer taste like doo-doo.
 
Probably skunking. Germany actually has laws regulating brewing... Water, Hops, and malt I believe, are all they are allowed by law to put in the brew. I'll be in Germany in a couple weeks, I'll drink some and let you know :mug:
 
I never had any skunky beer in Germany (or any part of Europe) in all my nine years living there and several vacations...

Even Heinie tastes different there.

Must be a by-product of pasteurization....(maybe something from the pasture fell in it...:D )
 
budbo said:
Probably skunking. Germany actually has laws regulating brewing... Water, Hops, and malt I believe, are all they are allowed by law to put in the brew. I'll be in Germany in a couple weeks, I'll drink some and let you know :mug:
That law is now outdated . It changed when Germany joined the EU.
:mug: Think of us poor souls when you have a few in Germany.
 
Haha, ya I've been to Amsterdam but when I went I hadn't fully been trained in the ways of beer and most likely took no notice to the difference in taste.
Or, my memory was blown away by the Delirium Tremens bar...so awesome!

Back on subject, I wasn't actually saying that there was something wrong with the beer, I was just trying to identify it's usual taste and the first words that came to me was a funk, but, a delicious funk. Not bad funky...I think I'm decribing it all wrong :eek:
What I'm trying to say is that the two lagers I had, Heine and Spaten, has a bitter taste completely different than a pale ale (such as Sierra). Now I know I know, totally different, but the bitterness in Heine and Spaten are so different from the bitterness I imagine when I think of hops I can only think, what's making this really different after taste?
 
It's all the different hops and yeast, oh and water, and, well yeah, the grains, but you already knew that.....hmm, just have a homebrew and we'll talk about it tomorrow. What you say?


Yeah, tomorrow it will all seem bettttttter.



:tank:
 
I never had any skunky beer in Germany (or any part of Europe) in all my nine years living there and several vacations...
True me either, but If you want a Heine in Europe to taste like one here show it to the sun for a few minutes.
 
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