Beer – #714 – Garage Project – Spezial K

An unusual style of beer this, so I’m going with unusual beer, unusual music, usual numbers and unusual usual party things.

“the lager worlds answer to real ale.”

From the FYO station beer that is 5.1% ABV in the one litre bottle, making it 153 calories a serve size and 4.01 standard drink units.

Brewed by Garage Project in the style that we know as Zwickel/Keller/Landbier and they are in Wellington, New Zealand

Not sure about the beer but the hair is

Spezial K. It’s cool because when most people think about a German lager, they think fizzy, yellow and ruthlessly clear. But there are in fact a lot of different examples of older lager styles and kellerbier is one of these throwbacks.

It’s an unfiltered lager, traditionally aged.

Super drinkable, lovely honey colour, often a little hazy but loads of flavour

So, what could possibly go wrong?

The aroma on opening is fairly muted and reminiscent of Euro lagers, but has a pleasant fruitiness about it. It did open with quite a pop, seems to be very handily carbonated.

Pour is bright orange dazzling almost with a lovely soft fluff of head. Aroma on the glass is still that just out of reach fruity thing.

Initial test is that this is quite hoppy and has a bite, but then it also has a lovely amount of malt sweetness.

This is brilliantly drinking, A big call. But it is really nice and refreshing and has enough taste and aroma to make it pleasant trip visually and on the nose from the table to the lip.

Whilst not strong in any particular part of the profile this does have enough hop roughness, to tingle the tongue, and leaves a pleasant hoppy linger aftertaste in the mouth. Add that to the lovely honey like sugary soft pillow that this has and you’ve made something rather nice. @garage_projec

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9 of its things from the thing. What’s not to like about this, it is rather good drinking, rather easy on the palate, and far too quaffable.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? I have a smile like a a Cheshire cat.
Would I have another? I would so go another, this would be brilliant on a sunny day anywhere.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I would, easily and readily, because this is pleasant drinking beer, and gives you a bit of thinking and enjoyment and yet is happy not to be centre of attention, a great beer for a conversation over not about. Get in!

Music for this : unusual . ‘ The Walters ‘ and ‘ Young Men ‘ on Spotify. They’re a self described ‘ Cardigan Rock band ‘.

ZWICKEL/KELLER/LANDBIER

Three related, minor, lager styles most common in Franconia. Essentially, these are hoppier versions of a helles, served with natural carbonation and unfiltered – they are the lager worlds answer to real ale. Kellerbier will on average be hoppier than zwickelbier. There is also Landbier, which is more malt-accented, may be filtered, but is similarly lacking in carbonation. Gravity is standard, hop rates ranging from 22-40IBUs, the colour from pale to reddish-amber and the palate should be balanced with a hop accent.