The Best of the Hop: Grieskirchner Pils

At least that’s what it says on the label. But this Austrian beer is another proof that they know how to brew beer. And also that the German language may not be the most beautifully sounding language out there.

• Name: Grieskirchner Pils
• Brewery: Brauerei Grieskirchen
• City: Grieskirchen
• Country: Austria

What to say about this Austrian? It’s a nice pilsener, better than average, but still nothing special, nor anything offensive. Appearance: typical. Yellow/golden color with a medium foamy head which settles down quickly. Aroma: typical. A decent and mild grainy aroma along with some maltiness. Taste: typical. A mild taste that starts sweet and grainy, perhaps also with some hops, and finishes with a mild bitterness, but only just.

Overall, a pleasant and refreshing beer. As pilseners go, I would rank it slightly above average. It may appear slightly watery, but you still get enough taste. One of those beers that you could easily drink at any time.

• Style: Pilsener
• ABV: 4,8%
• Ingredients: water, barley malt, hops

RATINGS

• Appearance: 3,5 / 5
• Smell: 4 / 5
• Taste: 3,5 / 5
• Overall: 3,5 / 5

• Bottle: 3,5 / 5

A Cheap Refreshment: Pittinger Marzen

Pittinger is one of those beers that are widely spread during the summer’s barbecue season, when the focus is not on the quality, but rather on the quantity. Why is it so popular then? Well, the title exlains it – it’s refreshing and moreover it’s cheap.

• Name: Pittinger Märzen Premium Export
• Brewery: Privatbrauerei Fritz Egger
• City: Unterradlberg
• Country: Austria

This Austrian low-budget beer pours with a golden and clear color, and is topped with about a finger of white foamy head with minimal retention. The smell is pleasant and light – there are aromas of malts and hops, as well as some grains. The content runs down your throat very easy, expecially when extra cold. The beginning is sweet and malty, followed by a grainy body and a very weak finish. The body is light and quite watery, which was actually expected, considering it’s a cheap beer.

Taking into account the price, the quality of this beer is fine, but don’t expect much taste from it. But there’s still enough of it, so you know you’re drinking beer. Plus it will go nicely with some grilled meat. After that, down a couple of beers of higher quality just to satisfy your beer craving.

• Style: Pale Lager
• ABV: 5,2%
• Ingredients: water, barley malt, hops

RATINGS

• Appearance: 3 / 5
• Smell: 3,5 / 5
• Taste: 2,5 / 5
• Overall: 2,5 / 5

• Bottle: 1,5 / 5

A Glass of Joy: Zipfer Urtyp

So today, I’m bringing you my favourite beer from our northern neighbours, the Austrians. Although Austria is quite famous for their beers, Zipfer still remains my favourite one among them.

• Name: Zipfer Urtyp
• Brewery: Brauerei Zipf (Brau Union)
• City: Zipf
• Country: Austria

You can always notice Zipfer already from far away, thanks to its stout brown bottle. The content is heavily carbonated with a nice clear and golden color. The head is avergae to be fair – a finger of quickly settling white foam. The aroma, although fairly weak, features a smell of malts and some addition of hops (not very much really). The beginning is sweet and malty, followed by a grainy body, which isn’t watery, nor is there any unpleasant zing present. The finish is decently bitter, making Zipfer both refreshing and full of taste. Zipfer may not be the best beer around, but I consider it one of the best Austrian beers, if not the best (always tough to choose only the best one).

• Style: Pale Lager
• ABV: 5,4%
• Ingredients: water, barley malt, hops

RATINGS

• Appearance: 3,5 / 5
• Smell: 4 / 5
• Taste: 4,5 / 5
• Overall: 4 / 5

The Beery Beer: Puntigamer

The Austrian beer brand Puntigamer originates just north of Slovenia-Austria border, so it was pretty easy to get, since I often made short trips to our northern neighbour. Puntigamer is advertised as das “bierige” Bier, the translation of which is stated in the title. So let’s see if it’s true.

• Name: Puntigamer
• Brewery: Brauerei Puntigam (Brau Union)
• City: Graz
• Country: Austria

Puntigamer presents itself with a clear, golden color, topped by a finger of white foamy head which dies down pretty quickly. There is not much to say about the smell, thanks to the average and weak grainy aroma. The taste is in accordance with the smell. A weak and watery taste, where you can fell the sweetness of the malts. The necessary bitterness is sadly missed – it could do with more hops.

All in all, a pretty average lager, although very popular. Austria has several better beers to offer, so don’t linger too long around Puntigamer. Give it a try, it’s a decent refreshment, but move on soon.

• Style: Pale Lager
• ABV: 5,1%
• Ingredients: water, barley malt, hops

RATINGS

• Appearance: 4 / 5
• Smell: 3 / 5
• Taste: 2,5 / 5
• Overall: 3 / 5

The Mountain Flower: Edelweiss Weissbier Snowfresh

Today I’m presenting another Austrian beer (there are so many), which I actually got because of the bottle. Although it’s been long since I had it, I’ll try my best.

• Name: Edelweiss Weissbier Snowfresh
• Brewery: Hofbräu Kaltenhausen (Brau Union)
• City: Hallein
• Country: Austria

Snowfresh pours with a cloudy golden color – like all hefeweizens – and a large white head which says goodbye a bit too quick. The smell is quite complex – it’s sweet, fruity, and floraly. I could also smell a presence of yeast, but not too strong to be off-putting. The taste is sweet, slightly yeasty and grainy, with a bitter(ish) finish. Although the label claims to include aromatic taste of alpine herbs, I was unable to identify them. So, for me, it ends here.

• Style: German Hefeweizen
• ABV: 5%
• Ingredients: water, barley malt, wheat malt, hops, yeast, glucose syrup, natural aromatic substances of alpine herbs

RATINGS

• Appearance: 4 / 5
• Smell: 3,5 / 5
• Taste: 2,5 / 5
• Overall: 3 / 5

Gut, Besser, Gösser

Greetings from Austria, the country which is among the top countries on the list of beer drinking nations. Today’s beer, Gösser, is one of the several renowned Austrian beer brands, and is actually the first Austrian beer I have ever tasted several years ago.

• Name: Gösser Beer
• Brewery: Brauerei Göss (Brau Union)
• City: Loeben
• Country: Austria

What to say about Gösser Beer that will set it apart from other Euro lagers on the market? The bottle brings you a characteristic pale golden liquid which is topped with small white head that stays around for quite some time. The aroma of Gösser is also typical of this style of beers – a somewhat sweet and mostly grainy smell can be perceived at the moment you pop open the bottle cap. So far, nothing you haven’t heard before. But the taste is what sets this beer slightly above other similar types. The taste is initially sweet and grainy, as the aroma promises, and is latter followed by a decent bitterness in the aftertaste. The beer is filling and not really watery, as is the case with some others. All in all, a very nice beer.

• Style: Pale Lager
• ABV: 5,2%
• Ingredients: water, barley malt, hops, yeast

• Slogan: “Gut, Besser, Gösser!” (Good, Better, Gösser!)

RATINGS

• Appearance: 3,5 / 5
• Smell: 3,5 / 5
• Taste: 4 / 5
• Overall: 3,5 / 5