Beer Advent Calendar - December 1st

Alright! We’re officially in the month of December and it’s time to begin the German Brewer’s Advent Calendar!!

If you'd like to know more about this series, please see the intro post here.

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Schloßbräu Rheder Original Pils

It comes as no surprise that our journey begins with a keystone beer: the pilsner. If you live in America, I’ll let you know right now, this isn’t like the typical pilsner of 'murica. Rice was not used to make this beer, no no. Unlike America’s largest producer of pilsner, there’s much more to this German sample of the golden nectar.

As to be expected, it pours very clear, bearing a nice straw color. A moderate head builds with some decent retention. The glass is dominated with fast rising bubbles, persisting as long as the beer remains in the pint. It presents a soft mouth feel with restrained floral and citrus hops. The mild bread flour of the malt provides respectable flavor for a pils. Despite the busy visual carbonation, the bubbles are gentle on the palate.

This is an honorable representation of a classic German pilsner, which in my opinion is levels above a typical American pilsner. When it comes to the mass produced, NFL marketed USA stuff, I never drink it. But, I’d gladly enjoy this Schloßbräu any day.

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Rheder Brakel, Germany

In North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany, lies the quaint town of Brakel in the district of Höxter. While Brakel's population exceeds 17,000, the Rheder community is home to 324 citizens and known for the 315 year old Schloßbrauerei Rheder.

The Thirty Years’ War caused a considerable amount of destruction in Brakel and it was after rebuilding the town that the brewery was born in 1686. The Pils brewed at Schloßbrauerei Rheder is very famous locally and even considered by some to be one of Germany’s best beers.

Brakel is a picturesque, country town with beautiful architecture like St. Michael church. The charm is made complete with an amazing landscape of open, green land complete with hundreds-year old stone bridges crossing the streams.

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_{Beer photographs by me. Pictures of Germany sources 1 -- 2 -- 3}