Innstadt Brauerei Passau
Passau, Germany
Imported by: Morandell Imports
Gardena, CA
Available: CA, OR, WA, AZ, IL, PA, IN, ID, CO, MD, NV, NY, FL
Beer has been brewed in Passau in westernmost Bavaria since 1318.
Alcohol (vol): 5.3
Alcohol (wt): 4.22
Color: pale
Bitterness: 17
Original gravity: 1050
“Noble brew” by name, a pale gold helles beer from Bavaria with a rich corn and light spicy hops aroma. Toasted malt dominates the palate but there is a good balance of hop resins and a hint of citrus fruit. The lingering finish has juicy malt, peppery hops and a continuing touch of tart fruit. Well-made, impressive south German beer, wonderfully quenching. A good companion for smoked cheese, roasted vegetables or hearty Bavarian dishes.
Germany has a thousand breweries you’ve never heard of, and this is one of them. The aroma shows what helles, the everyday beer of Bavaria, is all about: bready malts, pungent hops, and wonderful whiff of fermentation-room sulfur. The well-tuned moderate bitterness balances perfectly against the sweet malts. The finish is short and clean. This sample isn’t even fresh (the brewery is good enough to provide freshness dates) and it’s still better than 95% of the lagers you’ll have in the U.S. We have to face facts — we may be good, but the Germans are brilliant at pale lagers. Grill yourself some shrimp with Thai spices and go to town.
Roger Protz is the author of Complete Guide to World Beer and 300 Beers to Try Before You Die. He is a respected beer authority and editor of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.
Internationally recognized brewer and expert on traditional beer, Garrett Oliver is the brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery and the author of The Brewmaster's Table.
