STEINACKER 2016 RIESLING

Nicely presented dry white on the sweeter side of the spectrum. Half trocken or demi sec would describe it. Well made and could handle being served with ice.


GRAPE VARIETY: Riesling
REGION: Wurtemburg, Germany
A/V: 11.5% 
PRICE: 3.79 euro 
FROM: Lidl, Germany
RATING: 4/5 from me 

WHO ON EARTH THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA?

BEER 24: STEAM BREW IMPERIAL STOUT
For starters it's packed as a mixed case with their IPA and Red beer [both listed earlier]. Guess what? They don't sell at an equal rate. Which means the retail shelves have no IPA, a bit of the Red and an overwhelming excess of this abheration.  
It really is a shocker with a  nasty sweet burnt treacle flavour. It just amazes me that such a clever successful retailer makes such a mistake.

CATEGORY 2
SIZE: 500ml can
ALCOHOL: 7.5% a/v
PRICE: 69 euro cents
FROM: Lidl, Germany
RATING: 1/5

DOES THIS LABEL LOOK FAMILIAR?

Different words and one year older but pretty much the same wine as the last Gruner Veltliner posted. Seems that wherever you go in this part of the world you can score an outstanding value crisp dry white. 







WEIN GENUSS 1000ml GRUNER VELTLINER 2016
GRAPE VARIETY: Gruner Veltliner
A/V: 12% 
PRICE: 2.99 euro 
FROM: Lidl, Germany
RATING: 4.5/5 from me 

MAY BE THE BEST WHEAT BEER I'VE EVER TASTED

BEER 23 KETTERER WEISSE BIER
The kiosk at the reconstructed old German farm tourist attraction only had one beer and whoever chose it must be congratulated. Absolutely dazzling at any price. Served icy cold and that still didn't dull the flavour.

I'll be looking out for this wherever I travel.

CATEGORY: 2
ALCOHOL: 5.2%
PRICE: not known
FROM: Restaurant/bar
RATING:5/5

BEERS 21 & 22

The last of the Fristo purchases. Both very drinkable with a 4/5 rating. Both 4.9% a/v,both 80 euro cents and in 500ml bottles. Time to move on methinks. 

BEER 20: SCHINNER EDEL-WEISSE

Outstanding swing top packaging for this bargain wheat beer. Impossible to resist at this price.

CATEGORY 2
SIZE: 500ml bottle
ALCOHOL: 4.9% a/v
PRICE: 60 euro cents
FROM: Fristo, Germany
RATING: 4.5/5

BEER 19: GRAFLICHES HOFBRAUHAUS HUBER WEISSES FREISING ORIGINAL HELL

A very pleasant, quite creamy wheat beer. Not sure what the polar bear has to do with anything.

CATEGORY 2
SIZE: 500ml bottle
ALCOHOL: 5.4% a/v
PRICE: 90 euro cents
FROM: Fristo, Germany
RATING: 4/5

JUNGE WINZER 2017 WEISSER BURGUNDER

Their Pinot Blanc is exciting but for us, their Pinot Gris just isn't. 

GRAPE VARIETY: Pinot Gris
REGION: Baden, Germany
A/V: 12.5% 
PRICE: 5.99 euro 
FROM: Lidl, Germany
RATING: 3/5 from me 

LIDL GET IT MORE THAN RIGHT WITH THIS ONE

Six euro is nudging into premium pricing on Lidl shelves. And while I've been critical of many of Lidl's "premium" wines this is just the reverse.

We've tasted some outstanding whites during our time in Germany and this is up there. It's medium bodied with a complex fruit structure enhanced with subtle wood. I would expect to see a wine of this quality well above the 10 euro mark. Very highly recommended.


JUNGE WINZER 2017 WEISSER BURGUNDER

GRAPE VARIETY: Pinot Blanc
REGION: Baden, Germany
A/V: 12.5% 
PRICE: 5.99 euro 
FROM: Lidl, Germany
RATING: 5/5 from me 

GREUTHER BASTEL 2017 SYLVANER

A very disappointing wine that suggests to me that Fristo should stick to beer retailing.

It's sound and pleasant enough but we've come to expect so much better at this price in Germany.


GRAPE VARIETY: Sylvaner
REGION: Germany
A/V: 12.5% 
PRICE: 7.49 euro 
FROM: Fristo, Germany
RATING: 2.5/5 from me 

THE NAME IS TOTAL OVERKILL BUT .....

BEER 17: ALLGAUER BRAUHAUS ZWICKER NATURTRUBES KELLERBIER

.... this is a dazzling, unfiltered drink now beer. It's one of the brightest cloudy beers I've ever seen. Delicious without being over the top.

CATEGORY 2
SIZE: 500ml bottle
ALCOHOL: 5% a/v
PRICE: 90 euro cents
FROM: Fristo, Germany
RATING:5/5

THIS IS A HELLISHLY BRIGHT BEER

BEER 16: BRAUEREI CLEMENS HARLE LAGER HELL

Sorry, couldn't help myself. Hell = Bright in German  and this is the best I've tasted. A delicious full flavoured lager with malt and hop characters in perfect balance.

CATEGORY 4
SIZE: 500ml bottle
ALCOHOL: 4.7% a/v
PRICE: 95 euro cents
FROM: Fristo, Germany
RATING: 5/5

BEER 15: AYINGER LAGER HELL

Worth a try but I think there are more exciting beers about. Perfectly pleasant lager with a bit of palate weight.

CATEGORY 2
SIZE: 500ml bottle
ALCOHOL: 4.9% a/v
PRICE: 85 euro cents
FROM: Fristo, Germany
RATING:4/5

BEER 14: USTERBACHER URHELL

Great value for an everyday easy drinking beer. Judging by the empty cartons it certainly has its fans

CATEGORY 2
SIZE: 500ml bottle
ALCOHOL: 4.9% a/v
PRICE: 65 euro cents
FROM: Fristo, Germany
RATING:4/5

BEER 13: OETTINGER DUNKLES HEFEWIZEN NATURTRUB

Extraordinary value for this dark, rich full on beer that is nudging into stout territory. A style that really polarises tastes - you'll either love or hate it.

CATEGORY 2
SIZE: 500ml bottle
ALCOHOL: 4.9%
PRICE: 50 euro cents
FROM: Fristo, Germany
RATING:5/5

BEER 12: JEVER PILSENER

Absolute classic unmistakeable pilsener. Steely crisp. 

CATEGORY 3
SIZE: 500ml bottle
ALCOHOL: 4.9%
PRICE: 85 euro cents
FROM: Fristo, Germany
RATING:5/5

WHEN MAPS CAN BE MISLEADING

We were staying in a campsite on the Rhine River, directly opposite the quite lovely city of Mainz. Doing the usual research I spotted "Wine Capitals of the World - Tourist Information" on my Maps.me app.

This could be good. We were in Mainz for a wine tour so this looked like an opportunity for homework. Plus it was close to the Gutenberg Museum and the Cathedral. Sadly this was all we got.

It seems that Mainz fancies itself as the Wine Capital of Germany. This was tourist information we really didn't need. 

But it was kind of funny walking in circles looking for a building hosting a mine of information and suddenly seeing this sign.

BEER 11: PATRONUS WEISSBIER

This is the cloudy Naturtrub style. There are better out there but this is still very drinkable and outstanding value. Perfect if you insist on glass.

CATEGORY 2
SIZE: 500ml bottle
ALCOHOL: 5.5%
PRICE: 69 euro cents
FROM: Lidl, Austria
RATING:4/5

BEER 9: PERLENBACHER HEFEWEISSBIER

I may be wrong but I reckon this beauty is cheaper in Austria than its home country Germany. This is an outstanding bargain priced wheat beer. Very highly recommended if you're a fan of the style.

CATEGORY 2
SIZE: 500ml can
ALCOHOL: 5%
PRICE: 59 euro cents
FROM: Lidl, Austria
RATING:5/5

PRUM 2017 RIESLING

Attractive, slightly off-dry white without being dazzling.

GRAPE VARIETY: Riesling
REGION: Mosel, Germany
A/V: 11.5% 
PRICE: 3.99 euro 
FROM: Aldi, Germany
RATING: 4/5 from me