New/Old beer styles: Adambier and Grätzer

Discussion in 'Germany' started by JackHorzempa, Apr 23, 2013.

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  1. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
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    A local (to me) beer writer, Jack Curtin, wrote an interesting article in the April-May Ale Street News newspaper entitled: Tales from the Quirky World of Beer styles.

    You can read the entire article on pg. 21 – A here: http://editions.us.com/alestreet_versiona040513_c/

    The article discusses the two new styles being added for the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) for 2013: Adambier and Grätzer.

    “Both are new/old beers, smoky ales that originated in Germany and what we now know as Poland before the Reinheitsgebot.”

    Are there breweries in Germany brewing these old styles? Has anybody drank these beers? What do you think of these beers?

    I think it great that the Brewers Association (BA) who sponsers the GABF are ‘acknowledging’ these old beer styles and I hope to be able to try them someday; either German brewed or US craft brewed versions.

    A US craft brewery local to me (Yards – Philadelphia) does brew their version of a Grätzer for an annual event called Smoke Em If Yous Got Em. I have yet to attend this event to drink their Grätzer beer:

    “Tadeusz Kosciuszko Smoked Pol

    Tadeusz Kosciuszko’s Grodziski, a Polish Smoked wheat beer we call, The Smoked Pol, is usually brewed around the time of our annual smoked beer and bbq festival, Smoke ‘Em if Yous Got ‘Em. Building off a traditional Polish wheat beer recipe, we smoke the wheat with red oak chips and go from there. The result is a smokey, citrusy ale that’s not overpowering in either way, and delicious down to the last drop. For the historians and the curious, Tadeusz Kosciuszko served as Brigadier General for the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. After helping the United States gain independence, he returned to his native Europe where he led the Kosciuszko Uprising against Imperial Russia and the Kingdom of Prussia. Na zdrowie! (That’s Polish for ‘Cheers!)

    Prost &Na Zdrowie!
     
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  2. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I did some follow-up research on Adambier (a beer style I am unfamiliar with). I was impressed to see that a homebrewing club (Maltose Falcons from Los Angeles) has already ‘recognized’ the Adambier beer style within their club homebrewing competition style guidelines. Kudos to a homebrewing club for ‘preserving’ old European beer styles!

    “14.1 Dortmund-Style Adambier
    Aroma: Intense maltiness. Caramel often present. Some fruity esters and higher alcohols often can be detected. Some examples have a smoky aroma.
    Appearance: Color is medium amber into dark amber.
    Flavor Intensely malty balanced by subdued fruity esters and alcohol. The malt character should be deep and complex with melenoidins present. Some examples have roasty or smoky notes. Hop bitterness can range from medium to fairly high, but hop aroma should be absent. Sherry-like flavor is often present. The finish should leave a long, lingering malt flavor.
    Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied beer. Deep caramels and melanoidins should leave a sense of fullness on the palate without being sweet.
    Overall Impression: Very rich and full-bodied, with the flavors of continental malt, noble hops and altbier yeast.
    Comments: Adambiers are the ale version of a dopplebock. Most are lagered for a considerable period of time and often laid down for as long as ten years. As the beer ages, it become more complex as the oxidation adds subtle flavors.
    Ingredients: German malts with significant portions of Munich and Crystal malts.
    Vital Statistics: OG 1.074-1.110, FG: 1.015-1.030, ABV: 10.0%, IBU 35-65
    Commercial Examples: Hair of the Dog Adam”

    Cheers!
     
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  3. Erzengel

    Erzengel Zealot (523) Sep 8, 2008 Germany
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  4. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
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    Thanks for that input!

    The below reviews (from ratebeer) sure makes that Bergmann Adam beer sound tasty:

    3.6
    AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 2/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20pivnizub (7949) - Bochum, Porúří, GERMANY - FEB 1, 2012

    Bouteille( kindly delivered by MoritzF!): Deeeeep amber coloured, presumably hazy, small white foamy layer; sweet caramelly and vinous ( sherry-like) nose with leather and dried fruits in the background; moderate to solid sweet-sourish flavour, a restrained bitterness is detectable; tobacco and old wine in the caramelly-fruity finish, followed by a dry malt bitterness in the aftertaste. Wow, what a goody…

    3.6
    AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20MoritzF (7756) - Bochum, GERMANY - JAN 31, 2012

    (bottle, 100cl, filled 22.XII.2011) Opaque, almost black coloured hue with a short tanned foamy layer. Sweet dark malty aroma with notes of dried fruits, coffee beans, molasses, leather and a Sherry-like cham-yeasty touch, accompanied by a whiff of alcohol. Moderately sweet and slightly bitter flavour, almost full bodied with a tame carbonation. Dark and roasty malt-character with notes of candied fruits, berries and molasses, although the mouthfeel is medium-dry; sweet and roasty bitter finish with almost vinous notes of fruit confit and a muted alcoholic strength. A very interesting Porter-like brew, tastes quite old-fashioned and rather un-commercially but hopefully will find its aficionados. 08.I.12

    Prost!
     
  5. Domingo

    Domingo Grand Pooh-Bah (4,206) Apr 23, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society

    We held a Grätzer tasting here in Denver last month. We didn't get all of the ones being brewed, but we did a pretty admirable job of getting a lot of them, although some were of the similar Lichtenhainer style.
    These are the ones we got:

    • Casper the Friendly Grätzer from CAUTION
    • Sooty Brother from Grimm Brothers Brewhouse
    • Grätzer from Westbrook Brewing Co
    • 100% Brett Lichtenhainer from Westbrook Brewing Co
    • Freigeist Abraxxxas
    • Piwo Grodziskie-Grätzer from Professor Fritz Briem


    Most tended to be mild and in the 3-5% ABV range. Smoke ranged from Schlenkerla rauchbier-level to fairly mild and only on the nose.
    While some like the Casper and Sooty Brother were using a fairly neutral yeast with minimal esters, the Abraxxxas and Prof. Fritz tended to be somewhat tart and fruity. There was an article in Zymurgy about the style not too long ago and it seems like the more neutral yeast version is what they were focusing on. Funny that the two German ones were the exceptions.

    Most of us liked the Casper, Sooty Brother, and Prof. Fritz the most. The Caution one was tasty, but the smoke on the nose was borderline too strong. Sooty was one of the few that you could drink a lot of, although it was rumored to be fairly strong and the ABV wasn't listed.
    Fritz was generally considered the favorite and it was definitely the most unique, too. Not sure what all was involved in the process, but it reminded me a little of their Gruit, but with a bitter (non-beech I'd guess) smoke to give it some additional character.
     
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  6. herrburgess

    herrburgess Grand Pooh-Bah (3,053) Nov 4, 2009 South Carolina
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    What did you think of the Westbrook? (I have had it, but would like to hear your thoughts first.)
     
  7. Domingo

    Domingo Grand Pooh-Bah (4,206) Apr 23, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I thought it was okay, and the consensus is that it was the middle of the road. Probably right in the middle of the pack, although the smoke was mild. The brett version definitely didn't work and it was generally disliked. Most of us are pretty familiar with brett beers (Crooked Stave is across town), but there was something about that one that just tasted foul.
     
  8. herrburgess

    herrburgess Grand Pooh-Bah (3,053) Nov 4, 2009 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Interesting. I feel that way about most of their beers. Their Graetzer, Gose, and Lichtenhainer were all less than stellar IMO. Regardless, they enjoy a great reputation around here for all the experimentation they do.
     
  9. Domingo

    Domingo Grand Pooh-Bah (4,206) Apr 23, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I can only speak for those two beers, but I can understand that. I think places that are big into experimentation often get a free pass in the US beer community. Some deserve it (Hill Farmstead for instance) while some others seem to wish they were DFH x100 only without Sam Calagione's palate, skill, or resources.
     
  10. herrburgess

    herrburgess Grand Pooh-Bah (3,053) Nov 4, 2009 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Well, Westbrook has the "resources"...the owner's father fronted him at least $2.5 M to start up. (Yes, I am jealous :wink: )
     
  11. FrankenBier

    FrankenBier Zealot (645) Feb 4, 2003 California

    The Maltose Falcons have had Adambier as a style in their competitions going back to at least 1994 or 1995 (when I first entered a beer in their Mayfaire)

    When I visited Hövels in Dortmund in 2000 (I think) they had a large pole out front with wooden "banners" showing all the different beers they had brewed. One said "Adambier" but nobody there that day remembered it or knew anything about it. I took a picture, but I think that was on film and who knows where it is now.

    It was hard enough finding an Export let alone an Adambier :slight_smile:
     
  12. hopfenunmaltz

    hopfenunmaltz Pooh-Bah (2,611) Jun 8, 2005 Michigan
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    Isn't Adam from Hair of the Dog an Adambier?

    There is also the Graetzer from Choc on OK. I have had that one, it was not over the top smokey, but a nicely done smoked bier, and the hopping was low. IIRC, Choc was the brewery that talked Weyermanns into smoking the wheat malt over oak, and making it available to other breweries.
     
  13. patto1ro

    patto1ro Pooh-Bah (1,998) Apr 26, 2004 Netherlands
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Lichtenhainer and Grodziskie/Grätzer aren't very similar at alll, apart from both using smoked wheat malt. Lichtenhainer has almost no hops and is extremely sour. Grodziskie shouldn't be sour at all and is very smoky and very hoppy.
     
  14. patto1ro

    patto1ro Pooh-Bah (1,998) Apr 26, 2004 Netherlands
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    Where's the acidity? 19th-century Aambier was sour.
     
  15. Stahlsturm

    Stahlsturm Initiate (0) Mar 21, 2005 Germany
    In Memoriam

    I have never even heard of either "style" and consider the current style inflation a dangerous development. I feel that most of these are created artificially to have more potential first prices in American beer competitions and by now have about the same value as a Graduation ceremony for "graduating" from first grade to second.
     
  16. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
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    Ron, I am assuming that the question you directed to me was a rhetorical question since I am not a member of the Maltose Falcon homebrewing club.

    You may be happy to know that in the BA beer style guidelines they do make mention of “acidity”:

    “Adambier

    Adambier is light brown to very dark in color. It may or may not use wheat in its formulation. Original styles of this beer may have a low or medium low degree of smokiness. Smoke character may be absent in contemporary versions of this beer. Astringency of highly roasted malt should be absent. Toast and caramel-like malt characters may be evident. Low to medium hop bitterness are perceived. Low hop flavor and aroma are perceived. It is originally a style from Dortmund. Adambier is a strong, dark, hoppy, sour ale extensively aged in wood barrels. Extensive aging and the acidification of this beer can mask malt and hop character to varying degrees. Traditional and non-hybrid varieties of European hops were traditionally used. A Kölsch-like ale fermentation is typical Aging in barrels may contribute some level of Brettanomyces and lactic character. The end result is a medium to full bodied complex beer in hop, malt, Brett and acidic balance.
    Original Gravity (ºPlato)1.070-1.090 (17.1-21.6 ºPlato) ● Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (ºPlato) 1.010-1.020 (2.5-5 ºPlato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume)7.1-8.7% (9-11%) ● Bitterness (IBU)30-50 ● Color SRM (EBC)15-35 (10-26 EBC)”

    Cheers!

    Edit: The BA style guideline for Grätzer (Grodzisz) for completeness:

    Grodzisz
    Grodzisz (also Grodziskie, and often referred to as Grätzer since WWII) is a Polish style of straw to golden colored ale. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures. The distinctive character comes from 100% oak wood smoked wheat malt. The overall balance is a sessionably medium to medium-high assertively oak-smoky malt emphasized beer. Aroma is dominated by oak smoke notes. They have a medium low to medium perceived clean hop bitterness. European noble hop flavor notes are very low to low, and low ester may also be present. Body is low to medium low. A Kölsch-like ale fermentation and aging process lends a crisp overall flavor impression and low degree of ester fruitiness. Sourness, diacetyl, and sweet corn-like DMS (dimethylsulfide) should not be perceived. Historic versions were most often bottle conditioned to relatively high carbonation levels.
    Original Gravity (ºPlato) 1.028-36 (7-9 ºPlato) ● Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (ºPlato) 1.006-1.010 (1.5-2.5 ºPlato) ● Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 2.1-2.9% (2.6-3.6%) ● Bitterness (IBU) 15-25 ● Color SRM (EBC) 3-6 (6-12 EBC)
     
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  17. Erzengel

    Erzengel Zealot (523) Sep 8, 2008 Germany
    Trader

    There is a new Adambier out now - brewed by Vormann in Hagen - The Monarchy Methusalem Sour Altbier.
    Very nice beer - got a bottle today at the brewery, but 99% will be exported to the US :slight_smile:
    [​IMG]
     
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  18. spartan1979

    spartan1979 Pundit (946) Dec 29, 2005 Missouri

    I'm sitting at DESTIHL in Champaign Illinois drinking an Adambier. This one is definitely sour. It's not much like the description the Maltose Falcons use.
     
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