Professor Fritz Briem 13th Century Grut Bier - Professor Fritz Briem

jwc215

New Jersey

3.4/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours hazed lemon-drop yellow with a fizzy white head that thins and stays a bit before disappearing.

The smell is herbal/medicinal - bay leaves, rosemary, a touch of anise - other spices that blend. Potpourri-smelling. Interesting.

The tase is herbal, medicinal and perfumy. The herbs blend together. Some lemon tartness gives balance. Finishes with an herbal bitter dryness.

Light-bodied and almost effervescent.

An "interesting" historical brew. Too overboard on the spices for me. A beer to share with a beer friend as a "conversation piece". I've had gruits that were more enjoyable, but this one goes in a different, interesting direction.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2008 20:10:43 | More by jwc215

thekanna

Maryland

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a slightly pale, thin-looking yellow with a bit of head.

Smell: Very complex. Aroma of mead mulling spices (cloves, coriander, cinnamon, anise, fennel, etc). Strong yet subdued hints of rosemary. Slight honey sweetness.

Taste: Tropical fruits, especially longans. Some fresh pine scent in there too.

Overall: Very interesting beer; fruity, carbonated, they threw everything they could think of in there but the hops (as synonymous with this style).

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2008 06:02:43 | More by thekanna

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My first Gruit, I received this bottle as a most generous extra. Glad to cross this one off the list. Served cold and poured into a pint glass, this one was consumed on 12/08/2008.

I poured this very cloudy and pasty looking yellow liquid into a pint glass. Very thick and dull yellow in color. Small fizzy white head reached up and settled rather quickly, leaving just some token lacing behind in its wake,

The aroma was really odd. Lots of spice, random fruit notes, and truly a kitchen sink like feel to it. Following over into the flavor,it was an odd conconcotion. Lots of ginger like flavors, hints of nutmeg and cinnamon, light lemon like zest and some earthy tones. Thin and very well carbonated feel here, really a soda lke consistency. Smooth and very drinkable.

Overall this was an intresting beer if you can call it that. Not at all what I was expecting, though very nicely done. I could see this fitting in quite well and was a nice change of pace.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2008 01:49:24 | More by mikesgroove

emerge077

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pastel yellow body, it just glows when backlit. A fizzy flurry of bubbles flock to the surface, settling into a white blanket of foam, that settles out soon enough. As this sits and opens up, there's a complex array of spices out there. Lots of floral and citrus, daffodil, coriander, anise, plenty of stuff i'm missing, due to not knowing my specific spices (bottle also lists caraway, bay leaf, rosemary, and gentian). Maybe ginger root, even though I hate ginger, it smells pretty good.

Leafy, herbal taste, core root beer spices without the sweetness, mild popcorn kernel, all on a soft bed of wheat. So fresh smelling, like fresh cut herbs. Really something unique, it's hard to describe. Dry aftertaste that has a natural sweetness to it. Lots of character, and i'm at a loss for words this time. It's really effervescent and that carries it along well. Easy to finish the 16 oz.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2008 04:10:38 | More by emerge077

ATPete

New Jersey

3.83/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

500ml bottle

Pours a hazy pale yellow color with a medium sized fluffy white head with lots of suspended floaties throughout. Tons of spice and floral yeast esters make up the huge nose, notes of cinnamon spice, pumpkin pie, ginger, nutmeg, all spice, banana bread, white grapes and lemon zest. Crisp in body initially but rounded out by a semi-sweet and coating toasty wheat backbone. Lots of floral and grassy aromas and flavors going on also, herbal and slightly medicinal. Different, no doubt, but overall very pleasant, light and refreshing. Im a fan of gruit's but i must say beers that fall into this style may not be for everyone.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2008 00:20:40 | More by ATPete

nick76

Florida

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

The aroma is nice and floral with herbs, spices, bread, yeast, ginger, fruit, and barley malt. The appearance is cloudy and gold with a large white head. The flavor is slightly watery but balanced and complex with a hefe like bubble gum, clove, and banana taste. The palate is thin but OK. Overall a very very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2008 05:14:59 | More by nick76

shadow1961

Minnesota

3.93/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This is an interesting one. The label of Dr. Fritz Breim's 13th Century
Gruit Bier says it's flavored with Bay, Ginger, Rosmary, Caraway, Anise,
and Gentian. This kind of spiced ale, a Gruit, was very common before
brewers learned how to spice beer with hops.

It pours a couple fingers of loose foam which collapses into a flat disk
pretty quickly. Carbonation doesn't seem particularly active, though it
is hard to guage in this cloudy orange brew. The nose is an interesting
combination of all those herbs and spices, the bay predominant but with
notes of the ginger and anise. The flavor is tart malts, bay leaves, and
something vaguely medicinal. Mouthfeel is crisp and dry. This is not
something I would have as an everyday brew, but I think it would be killer
with all kinds of heavier winter fare, like roasts, or goulash, or thick savory
stews.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2008 07:03:40 | More by shadow1961

MaltyGoodness

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16.9oz bottle

Pours a hazy pale straw color with a thick white head. Mild lacing on the glass. Looks like a white ale.

Aroma is very light and pleasant. Mild wheat beer aroma with a light mix of spices - only the giner and anise are discernable to me in the smell.

Light wheat beer flavor upfront leading into a pleasant blend of spices. I can pick out the ginger, anise, and carraway characteristics - th others are not as distinct to my palate. Finishes rather dry with a mild lingering spice taste.

Light body, full carbonation.

Really a pleasant beer with great restraint in the uses of the spices. Could easily drink this on a regular basis.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2008 01:45:56 | More by MaltyGoodness

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.83/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

And just like that we're off to the 13th century, gruit-style!

Appearance: Pours a cloudy, pale yellow body with a tall, white head.

Smell: Anise and ginger are at the fore followed by various herbs and flowers and even a pinch of lemon peel.

Taste: Touch of soft wheat, then it's time for the spices and seasonings. Bay leaves, anise, and an assortment of herbs. Spicy ginger taste grows and accumulates on the tongue. Floral character throughout. Strong anise flavor as well. Lemony hints here and there. Finishes quite crisp and drying.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-high carbonation.

Drinkability: It's different, it's interesting, and it's even refreshing. A fine way to revisit the oft overlooked 13th century. Now I look forward to a beer representing the Protestant Reformation of the 15th and 16th centuries.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2008 01:55:37 | More by ChainGangGuy

cjgator3

Florida

3.65/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

500ml bottle

A- The aroma is a hazy golden yellow color with a large creamy white head that sticks around forever and leaves a good amount of lace around the glass.

S- The flowery aroma is filled with many different spices, most notably ginger and rosemary.

T- The taste like the aroma is dominated by the array of spices with a mild earthy hop presence in the finish.

M- The mouthfeel is light bodied with a high amount of carbonation.

D- An interesting beer from an interesting style. Another solid beer from this great brewery. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2008 22:03:55 | More by cjgator3

seaoflament

California

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazy pale yellow with about an inch of foam.

I could smell the spices as soon as I cracked the top. Anis first comes to mind, pepper, bay leaves, rosemary, cloves, gentian, caraway, and wheat. The spices really dominate this beer and prevents the malt from making much of an appearance. Sticky sweet aroma. Sweet lemons with a bit of mint and lemon grass. A bit of a medicinal aroma.

Wow, not as spicy as the aroma. Sweet wheat with hints of rosemary and anis. Some lemon, herbal tea, licorice, woodsy, and pine needles. Bay leaves in the finish.

Refreshing, mid-to-low level of carbonation, appropriate for the style it seems.

Surprisingly pleasant.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2008 01:22:51 | More by seaoflament

MSchae1017

Georgia

3.9/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours a cloudy yellow with a white frothy white head that leaves a nice ring and film across the beer with a bit of lace. The aroma is quite intense with rosemary and ginger. The flavor is not quite as intense as the aroma but displays many of the same characters along with a bit of citrusy notes and various other herbs. The body is light with lively carbonation. Overall, a fairly refreshing beer and the herbs are fairly balanced. Nevertheless, the spices would keep this from being drank on a regular basis.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2008 05:15:26 | More by MSchae1017

ATLbeerDog

Georgia

3.6/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

From a brown bottle - Pours a cloudy pale orange color. Not the prettiest to look at. Smells of flowers, spices, cloves. Below average carbonation and light on the lacing. First sip is very complex with flowey spices and herbs all making their presence known. Tastes like Patchouli or the inside of a Grateful Dead concert. A very interesting beer!

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2008 23:55:00 | More by ATLbeerDog

tpd975

Florida

4.3/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a murky straw yellow color with a nice fizzy head. It dies to a nice pad but can be brought back to life with a simple swirl of the glass.

S: Wow what a whirlwind of scents. Light wheat hints but big on the spice. Caraway and Anise lead the way. Fresh squeezed lemon juice is there as well. Think Hefe with a twist.

T: I really like this beer and will be purchasing more of it. It tastes like a good wheat beer to start which has been doused with lemon. Midway thru the spices REALLY come out. Bay leaves lead the way followed by some ginger and star anise. Faint hints of rosemary can be detected along with a touch of sugar sweetness. Unique and Good!

M: Very light in body with a blast of spritz.

D: Uber, I wish this one had hit the shelves in July. Would make a perfect drink to quench the thirst after retreating from the Florida heat.

It is one the wives will enjoy as well.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2008 15:33:18 | More by tpd975

dedrinker

Kansas

3.3/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Turbid, milky lemon juice color with a thin white head. Aromas of citrus and ginger. First taste brought the words "childhood nature hike" into my head. Then I thought of a dirty lemon lollipop. Then I tasted the ginger, rosemary, and some caraway on the finish. Kinda light bodied. I have to seriously doubt they had a beer this light in color in the 13th century. Still - it's an interesting drink.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2008 04:35:59 | More by dedrinker

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

As I am pouring this into my 25cl tulip glass I notice that it is incredibly aromatic; spicy and herbal with and aromatic turpene character. The beer is incredibly hazy with an almost white sheen to its straw color. The head starts out almost three fingers in height and is a pale, white color. A closer inspection of the aroma yields aromas of woody rosemary, spicy licorice, lemon zest, substantial ginger, an herbal bay leaf thing and a sort of earthy sage note. This is very aromatic, it practically jumps out of the glass, but it does not pick up any harsh notes and isn't all that over-bearing.

The taste is quite dry and that seems to mute the spice flavors quite significantly (especially as compared to the aroma). Ginger flavors seem to be the most noticeable after the first sip and there is a light lemon zest note as well as an herbal, menthol sort of turpene character that is mix of rosemary and bay. Very light and quaffable, and with all the herbal notes I was actually expecting this to be quite a bit more astringent and bitter than it actually is. There is a touch of tannic character here and the beer comes off as being lightly tart (perhaps from the ginger).

This is actually quite refreshing. This would be an awesome aperitif, it gets the juices flowing and you ready for a meal. Gruit beers are novel enough that this beer gets props for being unique. I definitely enjoy tasting modern interpretations of history & I do like the mix of flavors that the specific herbs contribute to this beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2008 04:06:11 | More by Gueuzedude

Edmund

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4.2/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a pale, very cloudy yellow, with a thin head that disappears fairly quickly.

Smells strongly of ginger, almost like ginger beer, with a bit of bay and a slightly astringent finish.

The taste is maltier and slightly sour. Caraway, bay, and rosemary become much more noticeable tastes, though ginger is still present. Started drinking it at about 40 degrees but noticed it tasted much better, less medicinal, at a warmer temperature (probably around 60).

Mouthfeel is good. A little chewy and puckering, but carbonation is low and it's a rather pleasant experience once you get used to it.

Very drinkable, especially with lean red meat

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2008 03:33:25 | More by Edmund

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A 500 mL bottle from State Line.

A: The gruit is pale, a straw yellow that seems to have a minor algae-like green tinge (very, very faint). Not much head arose on any of the pours.

S: Spices galore. Cardamom, ginger, caraway, anise and peppermint all crowd the nose, desperately seeking attention.

T: The ale's malt body doesn't stand out, save for a touch of wheat tartness. Behind that tartness is the spice profile that blindsides you. The same spices from the nose, caraway, cardamom, ginger and anise, all appear in equal measure with the cardamom/caraway lasting longest. The lack of hops isn't significant because the spice profile is more than capable of preserving and strengthening the ale.

M: Complex and deep, the ale has a great taste that requires several sips just to sort out.

D: The ale is quite low and the cardamom burps that I'm having are quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2008 17:34:29 | More by akorsak

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a foggy yellow with a small white head that falls to nothing. Nose is oddly spiced and floral. Very different. Flavor is twice as strange. Weird mix of herbs and spices with a mild sweet fruity tone to it. Feel has a lower carbonation and the liquid is okay. This is a strange beer. Try it once if you're daring, but don't really go for it if your palate isn't ready for some strange vibrations.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2008 19:29:20 | More by RblWthACoz

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I picked this up at State Line Liquors - another Weihenstephaner and Doemens Institute collaboration. From the B United website:

This interpretation of a traditional Grut Bier is spiced with Lorbeer (Bay Leaves), Ingwer (Ginger), Kummel (Caraway), Anis (Anise), Rosemarin (Rosemarie) & Enzian (Gentian). It is brewed with water, wheat & barley malt, "pollinated wild hops" and fermented using top fermenting yeast.d bacteria (isolated from malt) at 18 °C (64°F).

I poured this at 40 degrees into a stange and sipped slowly as the temperature increased.

A - A cloudy pale gold like a fruit nectar w/ a thick, rocky ghost white head of approx 3 fingers. There is plenty of visible carbonation and the bead is tight while the lace is copious and clings well.

S - A slight lactic sour smell w/ instense anise aroma that wafts to my nose as the cap is opened. There is some earthy ginger notes and cooking herb blended in. I would venture to say a tart fruit note w/ the wheat yeast(I am guessing). Pretty appealing for someone who doesn't like anise all that much

M - A crisp yet tart feel, with wild yeast and full carbonation. There is a warmth of spice in the back of the throat - must be the ginger. The malt is slightly nutty w/ a phenolic and astringent qualities. There is a sulfidic yeasty note as it finishes.

T - A gentle tart and medicinal flavor starts this off w/ a big dose of anise. The ginger flavor seems covered slightly by the anise and wild yeast, but the spice is there. The caraway, rosemary and lorbeer are there in equal measure, but nvever having tasted Gentian I am unsure how it plays into the spice melange. There is a mild creamy and herbal flavor w/ some of the slightly tart berliner weiss type flavor w/ a gentle nutty wheat and caraway cushion. The seed -like taste is gently bitter w/ the yeast providing more flavor as it warms. A bit of a unique taste I might attempt to create a homebrew version.

D - This is one tasty gruit which seems like a chameleon of a style. The spice blend w/ the slight sour flavor is intriguing and the drinkability is very high for me. I could return to this multiple times since it is not a boring or bland beer. The closest thing I have tasted to this is Troeg's Scratch 10, but that is hopped - it just has a serious amount of anise. This gruit is mellower, but just as tasty.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2008 01:06:32 | More by Slatetank