THERE is a common misconception in the UK that all German beers are pale lagers. Not only are they not all pale, they are not all lagers either.
This week’s feature is a dark version of weissbier, the wheat beer style popular across Bavaria, and increasingly beyond. It is brewed by Paulaner, the largest of the Munich breweries, with monastic origins dating back to the 17th century, though secularised in the 1800s and now part of the Heineken conglomerate.
The beer is mid-brown in colour, with a deep, foamy white head, and a yeasty haze. There is plenty going on aroma-wise with wholemeal bread, ripe banana and stewed apple all quite prominent, but clove, brown sugar and nutmeg detectable too.
The banana and clove carry through into the flavour, where they are joined by some chewy malt, sweet, yeasty bread dough and a little strawberry fruit. The texture is soft and foamy, with a hint of yogurty sourness in the aftertaste, and a gentle, warm gingerbread finish. Not pale, and definitely not lager.
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