January 2007 Archives
From the BBC and Associated Press -- a brew for man's best friend. I can't say that I'd be sampling it any time soon (beef extract isn't my flavor of choice along with malted barley, even if Guinness has been reputed to have some kind of animal component), but I certainly share the sentiments of its creator.
From Slashdot and The Register -- England Starts Fingerprinting Drinkers. I can understand some forms of crowd control, but this seems a wee bit over the top. Then again, England is reputed to be one of the hardest-drinking countries on the planet... there was a great BBC News article on the subject a few weeks back, but I can't seem to find it any more.
One of the classic lagers of Bavaria, I first experienced Hofbrau at "The Great Beer Palace" (R.I.P.) on the north side of Chicago back in 1998 when I was still primarily a Celis White devotee. I haven't ever been to the Hofbrauhaus (or anywhere else in Germany for that matter), though I will likely stop by one of its US outposts the next time I'm in Milwaukee.
Characteristics: Rich clear gold color, light body, clean and slightly bitter (but not hoppy) taste with perhaps a little caramel in the finish.
Minor Gripes: There isn't much of a "flavor" to be moderated by the bitterness -- that bite hits so quickly that the underlying malt hardly has a chance to get through.
Bottom Line: Not as sharp or crisp as the Czech pilseners, but still a substantial and worthy alternative to any "yellow" American macrobrew (and quite a few of the micros as well).
Rating: 6 / 10
