#7 - Avery The Kaiser

The Kaiser

by mr. weiz guy

Oct 16th, 2008
http://52brews.com/?p=565

Right about now, the leaves are changing color, the days are shorter, and the evenings are particularly cooler- at least that how it goes in our neck of the woods. October is on its way out as quickly as it came in, and we consumers face more pumpkiny products and spiced goods than we could ever dream of cramming down our throats.

The opinion of this blogger is that pumpkin and spice have their place in baked goods, but have no business in beverages; but that, perhaps, is a topic for another day. The good news is that October brings us Oktoberfest, and Oktoberfest means more beer.

Oktoberfest style beers are also known as Marzen, in reference to March - the month in which they were originally brewed. The beer is then stored through the summer months and enjoyed in the fall.

Wikipedia tells us more:

Märzen or Märzenbier (German: March beer) has its origins in Bavaria, probably before the 16th century. A Bavarian Brauordnung (brewing ordinance) decreed in 1539 that beer only may be brewed between St. Michaels Day (29 September) and St. Georg Day (23 April). The reason for this requirement was the increased danger of fire during the warm and dry summer months.

Over the summer months, beer had to be lagered (stored) in Lager caves or stone cellars, sometimes built into the sides of mountains or hills. Frequently these locations were chosen because there was a pond nearby. During the winter, when the pond had frozen, blocks of ice would be cut and put into the cave or cellar. This was usually possible until March, when the beer was brewed to be stored there for months to come.

'The original Märzen was described as 'dark brown, full-bodied and bitter'. As intended, the beer was often kept in the cellar until late in the summer, and remaining bottles were served at the Oktoberfest. In order to last so long, either the original gravity and alcohol were increased or the hopping was strengthened.

The folks over at Avery must have really taken that last sentence to heart when they created this Imperial Oktoberfest. The Kaiser has varied in alcohol percentage from year to year, and this 2008 version weighs in at a hearty 10.08%, one of the most potent permutations of this particular beverage to date.

The (not-so) Oktoberfest Research shows public perception and feedback on this beer to be incredibly varied; one might think we were actually dealing with largely controversial subject matter. Then again, perhaps we are.

Opposition tends to point out this beer's adversity to the Oktoberfest style guidelines, pinging its syrupy-sweet body as the mark of Cain - unwarranted and inappropriate categorization of style. Others seem to think that the unique character of this anti-Oktoberfest earn it a spotlight apart from mundane, repetitive iterations of the standard song.

Personally I lean towards the opinions of the latter crowd, and I've made my thoughts known about brewing in accordance to style - that it's not necessary or pertinent as long as the beer is good. I can see why one might take offense to the aggressive nature of this beer, it can be rather surprising if s/he is looking forward to something a little lighter, softer, smoother, and more balanced. Perhaps that's why Avery went so far 'outside the box,' to deliver something special to the fans.

According to the brewer's website, however, it's just business as usual:

'We took all that is good in a traditional Oktoberfest - gorgeous, deep copper sheen, massive malty backbone and spicy, floral, pungent noble hops - then intensified each into this, an Imperial Oktoberfest.'

Really, is that all'! Your run-of-the-mill Oktoberfest, simply 'imperialized'? [Side note: I borrowed that word from fellow Twitter pal and beer blogger ChipperDave who runs the Fermentedly Challenged blog].

I suppose if the Oktoberfest style definition was not drastically different than the resulting Kaiser from Avery, everything would be just fine and dandy; but when we consult our trusty Wikipedia entry one last time, we are confronted with this glaring discrepancy:

The German style is most often characterized by a medium to full body, a malty flavour balance, a wide range of colours, and a clean dry finish, though wide variations are notable amongst German breweries marketing Märzen. Amongst these variations are colors ranging from pale to dark brown.

The North American style normally exhibits a stronger, though not aggressive, hop aroma and bitterness balance.

Despite the American style guidelines allowing for a more assertive brew, the argument lies in the intensity of Avery's interpretation- which happens to resemble neither of the above descriptions. Our experience with The Kaiser paints a new light on this hard-to-place lager; this Imperial Oktoberfest is quite possibly a castaway with no proper parents - an orphan brew. (Hmm, too dramatic??)

Experience First and foremost, it is only proper to note that The Kaiser is the first lager featured on this website. I don't want the beer community to think that I have a vendetta against lagers, but I will admit it has been difficult to find one that is truly deserving of its place in the sun. After all, we're looking for 'talkable' beers here.

Lagers make up the huge majority of worldwide consumer beer sales, undoubtedly dwarfing the percentage of ale sales. Plain and simple, one thing lacking in most mainstream lagers happens to be a prerequisite of placement on 52BREWS: flavor. It just so happens this Oktoberfest is overflowing with flavor, screaming with personality, and anything but mainstream. So begins our tasting.

I do believe my wife spotted The Kaiser at our new favorite shop. She picked out this beauty mainly because we have enjoyed a few of Avery's other products, White Rascal especially.

Poured into (you guessed it) tulip glasses, we enjoyed the glowing dark amber-ruby facade, albeit adorned by minimal head and a rather underwhelming (and perhaps almost a tad funky) aroma. The taste is sweet, tangy and fruity.

Somehow, in the spiraling labyrinth of twisted logic and Escher-meets-Kubrick dream worlds that exist in my head (it's not as much fun as it sounds), the words 'Belgian apples' came to mind. I don't even know what that means, or even that such a thing as a Belgian apple exists' rather the phrase seemed an amalgamation of independent thoughts: fruity, appley (or darker, mellow fruit) flavors, crossed with a full, syrupy, candy-like flavor profile found in some Quads or traditionally Belgian-yeast ales.

And bang that's when it hit me: this is a lager! Finally, a very special, intensely layered, full-bodied lager, complete with a lingering, bitter, fruity finish and a hell of a warming aftermath. This was exactly what I needed to restore my faith in lagers, and I couldn't have been happier with another find. Well, actually my wife found it. Perhaps I should take a page from North Coast and name a beer after her someday.

Final Thoughts The Kaiser was not originally my choice for the #7 spot on this site, but my wife and I were quite pleased we came across this brew when we did. For one, it's October - the most fitting time of year for the style. Secondly, this is a beer that's worth talking about. The Kaiser is provocative, controversial, bold, and we thought it to be quite tasty.

This beer helped me to see the potential range for style interpretation, and actually gave me new found insight and optimism regarding variation in complexity of lagers. Now, keep in mind we aren't sticklers for guidelines, and we may be more interested in 'shock and awe' than 'by the book' - but this is an interesting conversation piece. You're not going to find a study group discussing the flavor and intensity of a mainstream lager, but give the Kaiser to five different people and prepare for a rather diverse set of reactions.

I have little hesitation in saying that this beer is now my favorite Oktoberfest. I don't think it's for everyone, nor is it an every day drinker. I agree the moniker 'Oktoberfest' is a bit misleading, and there may even be a bit of an 'edge' that could use the accompaniment of some well-tended cellar time (nothing crazy- 6 months?). Those items aside, this beer bounced around my taste buds like a firecracker: a well-supported full body hosts a plethora of bold, exciting flavors- blended well and finished meticulously; a pleasant surprise on an otherwise ordinary evening.

So folks' In our current economic climate, with money perhaps a little tighter than usual, you may find yourself in the dilemma of being able to choose only one interesting beer to celebrate the season with. Do yourself a favor and make the bold move: put down the pumpkin and pick up The Kaiser.