Pagosa Brewing Company

Pagosa Springs, CO
118 N. Pagosa Boulevard
http://www.pagosabrewing.com

Last fall my wife and I decided to head south to Pagosa Springs to enjoy a relaxing weekend before I was to start a new job.  This trip had been on our schedule for years.  Pagosa Springs is a beautiful little town sandwiched in the mountains and surrounded by the San Juan National Forest.  It is home to a spring much celebrated for its therapeutic powers - one of the largest and hottest natural springs in the world.  It is also home to the Pagosa Brewing Company.  (PBC)

[caption id="attachment_432" align="alignright" width="414" caption="Pagosa Brewing's 5 BBL System"][/caption]

The brewery and pub are what you think of when you think of the rural west.  On one side there is a small, cozy restaurant offering a simple menu  (the salmon fish & chips are highly recommended), and right around the corner is the bar for those that want to belly up with a view of the brewhouse.  A mobile home parked on the premises serves as the kitchen since the main building is not large enough to house both that and the brewery.   The fit staff has to shuttle food and plates back and forth.  PBC’s courtyard is much bigger than the brewing building itself.  It offers a pleasant outdoors atmosphere - well sheltered by mature, towering pine trees.   There are several fireplaces outside to take the chill off on cool days/nights.  The entire place has a very mountain community western feel to it.  Locals flock there, kids and all.

Pagosa Brewing Company features a relatively small five-barrel system.  They have seven of their own beers on tap as well as two guest taps – one from Dry Dock in Aurora, CO, and the other from Ska Brewing down the road in Durango.  A sample tray gave me a good feel for all of their excellent offerings.

Favorite Beer

My favorite PBC beer was their “Poor Richard’s Ale.”  This beer originated as a recipe challenge five years ago to develop an authentic beer for Benjamin Franklin’s 300th birthday celebration.  Head brewer, Tony Simmons, researched the Colonial era in his quest for a suitable beer recipe fit for Benjamin Franklin.  He discovered that brewers of that time most likely used creative ingredients in their beers due to shortages of imported hops and malted barley.  Along those lines, Tony’s recipe included ingredients available to brewers of the time such as corn and molasses.

Tony must have done his homework well, because his recipe for Poor Richard’s Ale was awarded the most authentic Colonial Ale.  In recognition of the honor, his recipe was brewed by over 100 breweries for the big birthday party.  Tony was even flown out to Philadelphia, Franklin’s hometown, to brew his own recipe at one of the local breweries.

[caption id="attachment_431" align="alignleft" width="379" caption="The Springs"][/caption]

Poor Richard’s Ale is now a regular offering at PBC.  I would classify it as an Old Ale.  It was dark red with a nice thick head.  There was malt and a slight molasses note on the nose.  The body was thinner than expected - probably due to corn being included in the mash.  The flavor was dominated by malt and a strong dark sugar flavor, and it finished with dark crystal malt and a slight roasted note.  This beer very much reminded me of a beer I’ve brewed for years called “Old Rabbit.”  I call it Old Rabbit because it is an Old Ale brewed with Brer Rabbit molasses.  (added to the boiler)  My Old Rabbit may be a touch fuller-bodied than Poor Richard’s Ale, but other than that, very similar.  I serve the Old Rabbit out of my Angram Handpump in my basement.  PBC has a rotating cask offering, and their Poor Richard’s would be a great candidate to be served “warm and flat” out of their Beer Engine.

Worth Noting

One thing that really impressed me about PBC was a commitment to educate their patrons about beer and brewing.  I just missed it, but they hosted a four-year vertical tasting of their Nipple Mountain Barley Wine.  It takes forethought and patients (and discipline) to save beer for events like this.  But when done right, such tastings can be very educational and display how strong beers mature over time.  Nice job guys!

While in Town

If you get to visit Pagosa Springs, make sure and take time to relax and enjoy the springs at the resort.  You can also take the beautiful one-hour drive west to Durango and visit their wonderful breweries - Carver, Ska, Steamworks, and Durango Brewing.  And don’t forget to visit the PBC and have a Poor Richard’s Ale in the courtyard around a fire.

Phil Farrell – 2011 Beerdrinker of the Year

[caption id="attachment_422" align="alignright" width="300" caption="2011 BDOTY - Phil Farrell"][/caption]

He finally did it.  On his fourth trip to the National Finals, Phil Farrell of Cumming, Georgia took the title of Beerdrinker of the Year at Saturday’s competition held in the Mercantile Room of the Wynkoop Brewery.  All three finalists (the other two being James Clark of Springfield, Virginia and Mike Dixon of Wake Forest, North Carolina) proved that they were more than worthy to be on the national stage with their deep knowledge of all things related to beer.  But in the end Phil emerged putting in a strong and consistent showing from his opening statement to the finish.  He nosed ahead during the “nasty round” of questions, as well as the sensory perception segment.

This was possibly one of the most entertaining finals in years, with each of the three having the standing-room-only crowd in tears laughing at times.  Mike played his southern accent to the delight of the audience, and James’ start to finish theme of Kama Sutra and beer was one of the more creative things the competition has ever seen.

Phil is a commercial pilot, homebrewer, and BJCP certified judge.  In 2010 he advanced to Grand Master Beer Judge Level II – an accomplishment only 15 people have ever attained in the 25-year history of the BJCP.  He has tasted beer in every country in Europe, all 50 states, and every US territory.  His basement beer pub features six taps, three refrigerators and a 15-gallon brewing system.  In 2010 alone he visited 32 states and 18 countries in search of beer, and logged 11,000 miles on his family’s RV.

As the winner Phil will receive, among other things, $250 to spend at his home pub (Five Seasons North in Alpharetta, Georgia), a beer brewed in his honor by the Wynkoop for next year’s competition, free beer for life at the Wynkoop Brewery, and worldwide recognition.  It is always tough to not win, but Mike and James should be very proud of their performance too.  I am sure both will be back in the finals in the future.

In the 90 seconds Phil had for his closing statement, he pulled out his harmonica and sang a parody of Bill Joel’s “Piano Man” renamed “Chicken Man.”  For those that know Phil, they understand the chicken reference.  I’ve posted Phil’s lyrics below.

Congratulations Phil, and welcome to this elite club!


Chicken Man

by Phil Farrell, with apologies to Billy Joel

Its four o'clock on a Saturday,
The Beer Judges all shuffle in,
There's a rubber chicken sitting next to me,
Asking "Phil when are you going to win?"

He says Phil will you brew me that Barleywine?
I'm not really sure how it goes,
But it was big and bold before you got so old
Back when I wore feathers for clothes.

la di da diddy da......etc

Brew me a beer you're the Chicken Man,
Pour me a beer tonight,
'Cause we're all at the bar in the Wynkoop,
And beer gets us feeling all right.

2011 Beerdrinker of the Year Festivities

This coming weekend is the National Finals for the 2011 Beerdrinker of the Year competition.  If you are in the Denver area, or have the means to travel, don’t miss this event – it is the most prestigious title in the country for beer aficionados.  This year’s three finalists are James Clark of Springfield VA, Mike Dixon of Wake Forest NC, and Phil Farrell of Cumming GA.  Being involved in the selection process, and having reviewed numerous resumes, I can guarantee you that these three are on a different level when it comes to beer knowledge and appreciation.  (more about James, Mike and Phil below)

The competition will be held in the Wynkoop Mercantile Room on Saturday, February 26th starting at 2 pm MT.  Get there early to nab a seat and have time to enjoy happy-hour priced beers, including the Strong Scotch Ale brewed to honor last year’s champion Bill Howell.

Also this year, for the first time, there will be Beerdrinker of the Year Beer Dinner on Friday night, February 25th.  The Friday night before the competition is always reserved as a meet and greet for the judges and the three finalists – an opportunity to let everyone settle in, relax, and get to know each other.  But this year Wynkoop marketing and idea man Marty Jones decided to open up the event to the public.  There will be a special four-course dinner hosted by the three finalists (since they don’t have enough to worry about already) and the 2010 champion Bill Howell.

Salad - Scottish Bangers, malted vinegar slaw and apples served with Ska ESB

Soup - Lamb stew in a sourdough bread bowl with Wynkoop's Beerdrinker of the Year Scottish Strong Ale

Entree - Grilled Tri-tip steak, twice baked potato, roasted garlic and thyme butter and succotash served with Avery Dugan imperial IPA

Dessert - Flourlesss chocolate habanero cake and creme anglaise served with Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti and Wynkoop's The Coupler imperial barrel-aged milk stout

[caption id="attachment_409" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="James Clark"][/caption]

This is a great opportunity to mingle with the finalists, judges and other beer lovers, and enjoy a wonderful dinner.  More information about the Friday and Saturday events can be found at:

http://wynkoop.com/happenings/upcoming-events

After the dinner get a good night’s sleep, because Saturday’s competition promises to be superb with three great beer minds going at it.  Here is some additional information about the finalists.

James Clark, a Springfield, Virginia homebrewer, beer traveler and beer ambassador. In 2010 he visited 17 breweries, attended over a dozen beer festivals and held beer events at his home that welcomed as many as 160 people. In 2010 he visited 15 establishments in 4 countries on All About Beer magazine’s "125 Places to Have a Beer Before You Die" list.

His philosophy of beer drinking: "Live life to the brim! I was a late arrival to beer drinking but I caught up quickly. I didn't have my first beer until I was 31, but it was a German Pilsener in Germany. In the last 16 years I've been going full throttle; drinking, brewing, studying and visiting my way to the top of the beer expert's pyramid."

His home beer bar: RiRa's Irish Pub, Arlington, Virginia



[caption id="attachment_411" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Mike Dixon"][/caption]

Mike Dixon, a Wake Forest, North Carolina beer lover, certified national beer judge and beer organizer. Dixon has tasted beers from 44 states and 39 countries and visited over 600 beer establishments in the US and Belgium. His extensive volunteer beer work includes working to change his state’s beer laws and promoting North Carolina’s homebrewing culture. He is a four-time semifinalist, this will be his first time in the Beerdrinker finals.

His beer philosophy: "A well crafted beer is the perfect accompaniment to any meal or event. Life is too short to be wasted on beer without flavor and every glass of beer should be a new adventure. Every day I am working to improve my beer knowledge and beer experience."

His home beer bar: Horniblows Tavern, Raleigh, NC

Phil Farrell, a Cumming, Georgia commercial pilot, homebrewer, grand master beer judge and four-time Beerdrinker finalist. He has tasted beer in every country in Europe, all 50 states, every US territory, as well as 1000s of the world’s pubs, breweries and brewpubs. His basement beer pub features six taps, three refrigerators, and a 15-gallon brewing system. In 2010 he visited 32 states and 18 countries in search of beer and logged 11,000 miles on his family’s RV.

[caption id="attachment_412" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Phil Farrell"][/caption]

His philosophy about beer: "Fear no beer. All of my "beeroes" (beer heroes) were fearless. In my short beer lifetime, a wasteland has been turned into a paradise…and I live in the best beer country in the history of the planet. Beer helps connect people. Beer is the greatest gift ever given to the human race and is meant to be shared with others.

His home beer bar: Five Seasons North in Alpharetta, GA.

Schneider-Brooklyner Hopfen Weisse

Private Weissbierbrauerei G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH
Kehlheim, Bavaria, Germany
Style: Weizenbock – Collaboration (8.2%abv)
http://www.schneider-weisse.de/

Last month Joycelyn and I were in California to spend Christmas with her family in McArthur.  On the four-hour trip north from the Sacramento airport to her hometown, we stopped (as usual) at the Liquor Barn in Redding.  This liquor store has the best selection I’ve found along our path, and I always discover something new that is available in California that I cannot get in Colorado or Montana.  This year one beer really caught my attention – Schneider Weisse’s Hopfen Weisse.  I though I had tried all of Schneider’s offerings, either here or in Germany, but this beer was new to me.  It turns out Hopfen Weisse is collaboration between Schneider Weissbierbrauerei in Germany and Brooklyn Brewery in New York.

Joining Forces

Collaboration beers are not unique.  They have been around in the US for well over a decade.  (Probably since the dawn of brewing thousands of years ago, right?)  The first major collaboration I remember was back in 2004 called “Collaboration not Litigation Ale” made by Avery and Russian River.  Both breweries had Belgian-style beers called “Salvation.”  Instead of fighting over which brewery owned the name, they decided to join forces.  Since that time I have noticed a major trend and many more collaborative offerings.  Along with wood aging, over-hopped ales, and extreme beers, collaboration beers have become the craze.

The Germans?

With all of that said, I was surprised to see the Bavarians getting involved.  Most collaboration beers I’ve seen have been US – US or US – Belgian joint efforts.  Which makes sense.  The Belgians are crazy, open-minded, “anything goes” brewers never bound by rules or norms.  And the only country in the world that tops them when it comes to creativity would be the United States.

But the Germans are anti-Belgians.  German brewers are almost exclusively classically trained (most at the world’s most famous brewing university – Weihenstephan), and with extreme discipline they methodically crank out consistent and delicious, high-quality beers within the ridged structure of the Reinheitsgebot.  The Germans are engineers that brew.  So along with another collaboration, the Boston Beer Company (Sam Adams) / Weihenstephan holiday special “Infinium,” I was a bit surprised to see Hopfen Weisse.

It is not like Schneider and Weihenstephan are renegade breweries; these two are a pair of the most famous and traditional breweries in Bavaria.  In 1872 Georg Schneider almost single handedly brought Weissbier back to popularity in Bavaria, and the brewery today is very traditional brewing exclusively wheat beers.  Weihenstephan Abby is home to the famous Technical University of Munich brewing school, and is the location of the world’s oldest continuously operating brewery – licensed in 1040 and still operating.  Two very famous and traditional breweries letting their hair down a bit.

The beer – Hopfen Weisse

Brewmasters Garrett Oliver (Brooklyn Brewery) and Hans-Peter Drexler (Schneider Weissbier Brewery) have long admired each other’s work.  (Garret is a master chef and author of “The Brewmaster’s Table” and a wonderful ambassador for the craft beer industry.)  Hopfen-Weisse (Hopfen means hops) is a collaboration between the two creating a pale Weissbock (strong wheat beer) that has been dry hopped with the noble hop Hallertauer Saphir.  It is billed as a blend of Bavarian craftsmanship and American ingenuity.  Traditional Weissbier is almost always lightly hopped (< 15 IBUs) and never employs finishing hops.  The goal is to de-emphasize hops and let the body of the wheat and the flavor and aroma of the unique yeast shine through with lots of fruit and clove.  Hopfen Weisse is not an extreme collaboration (like many), rather a “noble” deviation from a classic Weizen.

After purchasing a couple of these beers at the Liquor Barn, I finally got a chance to sample them in the small town of McArthur.  On the nose I initially detected the classic Weizen clove aroma followed by a dose of fresh, grassy noble hops.  The hops were not overpowering, but definitely there – and not citrusy like an American IPA.  The high carbonation of this beer helps drive all of these aromas out of the beer.  In the glass it was a turbid orange color – a touch lighter than Schneider’s original Weissbier despite the higher alcohol content.  Its flavor was packed with banana and clove along with pleasant, grassy hops.   It had lots of body and that silky wheat beer viscosity.  The Nachtrunk was like a standard Weissbier, but with a drier hop note.  Overall, Hopfen Weisse is not a drastic deviation from Schneider’s standard product, but definitely unique.  I never thought I would taste a “classic” German Weizen with a significant hop character!

If you get a chance to pick up a ½ liter of this beer let me know what you think.  Also, I would like to hear what your favorite collaboration beer is.  I’m always looking for new specialties to try.

Hickenlooper’s InaugurAle

Last night the Wynkoop tapped Hickenloooper’s InaugurAle, a beer brewed to honor the Koop’s founder John Hickenlooper.  For those that have not heard, the former mayor of Denver won last November’s gubernatorial election and will be sworn into office on January 11th.  To celebrate the occasion, head brewer Andy Brown created the special brew.

The beer

Inaugurale is a cross between a Brown Ale and a Winter Warmer.  Weighing in at 6.8% abv, it is definitely not a Newcastle Brown Ale clone.  The beer is actually an offshoot of the former Wynkoop staple Flying Artillery Ale.  (Now a rotator.)  There are a few twists for this version, including the use of local ingredients.  Inaugurale is made with oats, honey malt, crystal malt, black patent, chocolate malt, and Colorado-grown base malts.  In addition, Colorado beet sugar is added to the boil for complexity and to boost the original gravity.  Given this beer is brewed to honor Colorado’s governor-elect, it is fitting that Colorado ingredients make up the majority of the frementables.  Andy Brown’s concoctions are consistently delicious, and Inaugurale is no different.  My friends and I had a few pints last night and enjoyed every drop. Governor-elect Hickenlooper was in the building for the tapping, and he signed a poster of the beer’s logo for the brewers.  Andy came by our table proudly showing it off and said he intended to frame the poster and hang it in the brewery.

Started a Revolution

John Hickenlooper is obviously popular in Denver and Colorado, but he is more than that to area beer lovers – he is a hero.  John and three friends (Russell Scherer, Mark Schiffler, and Jerry Williams) had a vision back in 1988 – to open a brewery in a run-down part of old Denver.  But there was a problem.  At the time, Colorado law prohibited brewpubs.  John successfully lobbied to have that law changed, which laid the foundation for the opening of Colorado’s first modern era craft brewery, The Wynkoop Brewing Company.  Now, 22 years later, there are over 100 breweries in Colorado – the “Napa Valley of Beer.”  The governor-elect was not simply lucky, being at the right place at the right time, rather he paved the way for craft brewing and started a revolution.  Now when people think of Colorado, they think of beer.  (A quick aside.  Joycelyn and I were bellied up to the bar eating dinner at a packed Czech-style restaurant in Stockholm Sweden back in 2008.  A Swede sitting next to us at the bar was eavesdropping on our discussion and found out we were from Colorado.  He excitedly butted into our conversation and went on and on about how bad he wanted to visit Colorado and travel around touring all of the breweries and take in festivals.  Not England, not Germany, not Belgium, but Colorado!  We’re big, even in Europe!)  And not only did John and his buddies create an industry, they revitalized an entire section of the city of Denver – an area now affectionately known as LoDo (Lower Downtown).  During my first visit to the Wynkoop in 1990, there was nothing except for vacated buildings and bums for blocks around crossing of 18th and Wynkoop streets.  Now that area of town is bustling with activity with restaurants, bars, clubs, and of course other breweries, at every turn.  Would this have happened anyway without John?  Maybe… eventually… probably…  But it still took someone with the vision to do it, and John was that person.

It will be great to have a friend of business and brewing serving as the Governor of Colorado.  If you get a chance, head down to the Wynkoop for a pint of the beer made in his honor.  Only 15 barrels of Inaugurale were made, so it will probably be gone before the end of January.  And while you are there take some time to walk around the halls and side rooms of the main level and upstairs of the building.  You will be able to see some great old pictures of the brewery building and the area from the late 80’s.  It is amazing how much things have changed in a little over two decades.

Old Bisbee Brewing Company

Bisbee, AZ
200 Review Alley
520-432-BREW
http://oldbisbeebrewingcompany.com

My wife and I spent a wonderful Thanksgiving in Sierra Vista Arizona with my brother and his family.  One of the highlights of the weekend was a trip to the old mining town Bisbee in the mountains east of Sierra Visa.  Bisbee was founded as a gold, silver and copper mining town in the 1880s.  The huge, and now dormant, open pit mine east of town reminded me of a smaller version of "the pit" in Butte Montana.  Now the town serves as a tourist trap and artist hangout.  A perfect place for a brewery!

The Old Bisbee Brewing Company is not that old at all – opening only eight months ago.  The brewery is split between two buildings.  A small brewhouse contains their custom built 10-barrel mashing and lautering system as well as four fermentation vessels.  Across the narrow alley sits the taproom and all of the serving vessels.  Both buildings are fairly small, with the taproom seating only 30 people.  To transfer beer between the two locations, the owners actually jack hammered up the alley and ran lines under the asphalt.

Favorite Beer

During our brief visit I sampled Bisbee’s Copper City Ale, Wit, fine Imperial Stout, IPA, and easy drinking Pale Ale.  My favorite was their Copper City Ale  – a Nut Brow Ale.  (OG 1.052, FG 1.018, 4.5% abv) The color was blood red and it was served almost completely flat with no head at all.  The nose was of toasty malt, becoming stronger as my pint warmed.

[caption id="attachment_392" align="alignright" width="379" caption="Co-Owner Dale Fountaine"][/caption]

A strong biscuit malt character dominated the flavor with notes of dark crystal and no hop preseience at all.  Copper City finished with dry toasty malt and a touch of diacetyl.  It was dark in color, but quite light on the palate.  Copper City is definitely an “old school” Brown Ale employing dark crytal (120 L) and over 14% Victory malt (hence the biscuit and toasty flavors), so it relies on a stong dose of amber malt (Victory) instead of chocolate malt in the gain bill.  All of their beers I sampled, except for the Wit, were served relatively flat.  They were also served fairly cold.  Except for the Wit, all contained noticable diactyl.

Tours

Tours are available upon request.  The brewers are also open to letting people just walk into the brewhouse and look around.  Co-owner and brewer Dale Fountaine happened to be prescent when we visited.  He was very friendly and willing to answer any questions we had about history, process, business, etc.  Dale was proud that Old Bisbee Brewing does not have any secrets.  All recipes, mash schedules, and fermentations notes are proudly displayed for any patron to view – with a clipboard hanging on each of the serving vessels in the taproom where everyone sits.

Worth Noting

Both Dale and his partner Victor Winquist are in thier 60s.  Dale noted that they just brew and own the business to be happy, and getting big is not a priority.  Neither were homebrewers, but both had extensive experience in the wine industry.  Victor’s daughter Mindy is officially the head brewer.

Bisbee is a very eclectic tourist town and worth a visit if you are in the area.  Old Bisbee Brewing Company does not bottle or keg, so the only place to get their beer is directly from the taproom.  (growlers are available)  This young brewery is still working out some small kinks, but while in Bisbee a visit to this taproom is must for any true beer lover.

Zoiglbier

Last month I had the opportunity to visit the Vaterland again, and considering how this part of the world is the epicenter for brewing and beer culture, there are many things I could write about.  My friends, Matt & Skye, and I could not have possibly packed more beer experiences into our short eight-day visit than we did.  We attended the Wiesn Wirteinzug (opening parade of the Oktoberfest), visited Austria’s greatest brewery, beer hall and Biergarten, Kloster Mülln in Salzburg, enjoyed a Weißbier at the Watzmannhaus after a 4000 vertical foot hike straight up to some of the most spectacular scenery in Bavaria, enjoyed the famous Braüstuberl in Tegernsee, and successfully completed the eight mile walking tour of the four breweries in the town of Aufseß (so Matt and Skye could also become Fränkische Ehrenbiertrinker – honorary beerdrinkers of Franconia).  But to cap off our trip, we had a truly special and unique beer drinking experience, and that is what I will be writing about in this blog – drinking Zoiglbier and visiting authentic Zoiglstube.

What is Zoigl?

Don’t worry if you have never heard of Zoigl before… even if you are a self-identified beer expert.  Most Germans do not know what Zoigl is either – including a majority of Bavarians!  I suppose this is not too surprising.  Germans are world-renowned beer lovers, but they tend to drink local and pay little attention to what is going on down the road.  Zoigl is a very regional thing, and few outside of Oberpfalz know much about it.

[caption id="attachment_380" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Zoiglstube Schoilmich"][/caption]

Zoigl is more than beer.  The term encompasses a number of things; the brewers, the process, ancient property rights, and community - all in addition to the drink itself.  (More about that in the next paragraph.)  Zoiglbier falls into the category of what most would call Kellerbier or Zwickel.  It is a relatively flat, unfiltered lager beer that is served directly out of the keg after a maturation period that is much shorter than most traditional lagers.

Zoigl may be a Kellerbeir-type of beer, but not all Kellerbier is Zoigl.  Zoigl is special, and is defined by a unique set of circumstances.  Authentic Zoiglbier is made by communal brewers who take turns using a town brewhouse.   Each brewer has their own recipe; so all Zoigl beers are slightly different.  Zoiglbier is brewed using local ingredients and traditional practices including the use of wood fired kettles.  At the conclusion of the brew day in the communal brewhouse, the brewer takes the wort back to their own cellars to ferment and briefly age.  The beer is then served directly in their own home.  This communal approach to brewing, as well as the brewing right itself, is very unique.  And it is specifically unique to the Oberpfalz region in northeastern Bavaria.  This Zoigl tradition goes back hundreds of years.  For example, the Zoiglbraurecht (right to brew and serve Zoigl) dates back to 1455 in the town of Windischeschenbach and to 1415 in Neuhaus.  At that time property owners received the right to brew and distribute beer in their home.  This right remains valid today and is tied to the property and house.  The Zoiglbraurecht is passed along from owner to owner in the property’s deed.

Since the late middle ages there have been dozens of communal breweries all across Oberpfalz, but over the years most have closed down due to a variety of reasons.   Today only five true “Zoigl towns” remain: Windischeschenbach, Neuhaus, Eslarn, Falkenberg and Mitterteich.   The center of Zoigl activity is in Windischeschenbach and Neuhaus – two small burgs separated only by the Waldnaab River.  Each of these two towns has seven communal brewers.  (Mitterteich has three, and Eslarn and Falkenberg have only one each.)  Zoiglbier can be found in these locations, but not just at any time.  Zoiglbier is always served over a “long weekend” that starts on Friday and lasts through Monday or Tuesday depending on the family.  Patrons are often served in the family room or kitchen, though some have a special guest rooms for the occasion.  The brewers take turns and rotate hosting with one or two Zoiglstube being open over any given weekend.

The Zoiglstern

Upon arriving in one of the Zoigl towns, there are two ways to find out where to get authentic Zoiglbier.  First, one can consult the Zoiglkalender, posted in the local newspaper, or published online in the case of Windischeschenbach and Neuhaus.  The other, old-fashioned way is to look for the Zoiglstern.  (Zoigl Star)

[caption id="attachment_382" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Zoiglstern"][/caption]

When a Zoiglstube is open, they will hang this star in front of their house.  The Zoiglstern looks like the Star of David, though there is no connection with the Jewish symbol.  The six-pointed star is an ancient, medieval sign of the brewer, and its association with beer remains today.  It can still be seen on the label of some Bavarian beers, and it is still a symbol of Zoigl in Oberpfalz.  The star can be plain or it may have a mug in the center.  It is believed that the term Zoigl actually stems from this tradition of using the star to guide locals to beer.  The star is an indicator, “Zeiger” in German, that beer is being served.  In the local dialect the word Zeiger morphed into Zeigel, and eventually Zoigl.  Many locals to this day still say, “Geh’n ma am Zeigel!”


Zoiglstub’n

It would take a month and a half to visit all Zoigl homes since they are spread across five towns and their opening weekends rotate.  This is something I want to do some day, but on this trip Matt, Skye and I had only one day, so we visited Windischeschenbach and Neuhaus where, on the Saturday we were in town, the Schoilmichl (Neuhaus) and Da Roude (Windischeschenbach) happened to be open.  This worked out well since we could visit two Stub’n without getting in a car.

Da Roude

Even though we had a map, and knew exactly where we where we were going, we still walked right by Da Roude.  From the outside the residence was very quiet.  Besides a small star hanging above the door, there was no indication of activity.  After finding the star, we tentatively

[caption id="attachment_383" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Da Roude"][/caption]

opened a large wooden door and found ourselves in a narrow court.  There were a few tables in the court available for overflow seating, or for those wanting to enjoy the fresh air on warmer days.  We soon found that a side door in the court led inside where all of the action was.

I made it through the door fine, but anyone slightly taller than me would need to duck to get through the stubby door.  We walked right into a full house.  Da Roude was a great introduction to the Zoigl experience.  It felt weird taking a seat, because we were sitting in owner’s living room next to the kitchen.  After the awkwardness wore off though, we felt right at home.  It was packed, warm, and very cozy.  As you can imagine, the setting was quite rustic with nailed down, weathered wood flooring, wainscot on the walls, arched stone windows, and dark ceiling beams.  There was a stove and small woodpile in the kitchen right next to us.  It was a very unique experience being served and drinking beer in a Bavarian home.

Here is a quick overview of their offering.  Da Roude’s Zoiglbier was a pale orange beer that was hazy, but not cloudy, with a solid cream-colored head.  It had a nose of light malt, and its flavor was snappy and spicy clean.  It finished with a light, tangy malt note and just a slight hop presence.  Overall it was very easy drinking and refreshing.  Da Roude’s Zoigl was a well-rounded tangy and smooth beer with no fruity esters.  I though of it as an unfiltered Märzen.

Schoilmichl

After enjoying a few Halbe at Da Roude, we trekked 20 minutes to Neuhaus where the Schoilmichl (pronounced with a ridiculously funny Bavarian accent) was open for the weekend.  Schoilmichl was a bit less inconspicuous.  In addition to the Zoigl star hanging from a pole mounted on the corner of the house it had a sign and large wooden keg out front.  There was seating in front of the home, though most of the people were inside and downstairs in the Schoilmichl’s guest room.  It was quite a bit larger than Da Roude, and (un)comfortably seated around 80 people.

[caption id="attachment_384" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Schoilmichl Guest Room"][/caption]

Despite the low ceiling, the room was packed with hanging decorations of hops bines, Zoigl stars and banners.  It resembled a rock the cellar of an old monetary, but packed with beer loving locals.  One patron brought his accordian and was playing German favorites by request while everyone sang along.  The atmosphere was buzzing.

Schoilmichl’s Zoigl was a hazy dark-golden color with a fresh lager nose.  The flavor was that of a light Märzen with a medium body.  The finish was well rounded and clean.  This beer was not quite as spicy as Da Roude, and a bit drier with less of a malt presence.

In addition to their beer, the Zoigl establishments pride themselves in serving great regional specialties.  Whether it is beer-garden-style cold cuts or a warm dish.  At Da Roude we saw the owner in the kitchen slaving away cooking and dishing up their daily soup special for the hungry guests.  These are very communal establishments, and their earnings go toward maintaining the town’s brewery and paying expenses.  Profit is a secondary consideration, if one at all.  The food and beer are ridiculously inexpensive.  For example, at Schoilmichl we enjoyed seven beers, all half liters, and three dinners, huge plates of sausage

[caption id="attachment_385" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Good Food, Beer and Music"][/caption]

and sauerkraut so large we could barely finish, all for less than 23 Euros.  It was almost unbelievable.  Great food, world-class beer, and a truly unique experience that one can only have in this small part of the world.

There are a few other things to note.  Some commercial breweries, especially in the Oberpfalz region, sell beers labeled as Zoigl.  Despite the name I would not consider these authentic since they are made commercially.  They are excellent beers that fit well in the Kellerbier category, just not true Zoigl.  Also, in addition to the brewer’s home, there are a few other establishments they partner with were you can find Zoiglbier.  So one may find other hotels, homes and restaurants that dispense the beer brewed by these communal brewers.  Most Zoigl establishments have more information at their premises including maps and addresses for the other dispensaries.  And to learn more you just need to travel to Bavaria and take it in.  I know I did not get my fill, and I still have a lot to learn about Zoigl, so I’ll return some day when I have more time.  I have listed some resources for your reference below.   To conclude, I would like to thank J Mark Angelus for tipping me off to the Zoigl experience!

http://www.zoigl.de/ (good starting point)
http://www.zoiglbier.de/ (Windischeschenbach and Neuhaus site – includes their calendar)