The Bar Towel

Anyone here know who is responsible for importing the Kostritzer black beer? Wondering if it is a standard stock item at the LCBO or if it is a seasonal that they bought lots of because it was in cans.

This great east German black beer has got to be the bargain of the LCBO beer line at 2.25 a 1.2 liter can...great for sessions and really roasty malty.

Kostritzer is a general list beer imported by Lacey Cellars, who also import Wernesgruner and Bitburger. Not much info there, but the website is laceycellars.com.

Steve Beaumont wrote:Kostritzer is a general list beer imported by Lacey Cellars, who also import Wernesgruner and Bitburger. Not much info there, but the website is laceycellars.com.

Thanks Steve I have to find out about this beer's availability as it has become a standard quaff of mine. I love German beers...we need more.

Hate it. Sorry.

Belgian wrote:Hate it. Sorry.

To each his own...your loss IMHO

pootz wrote:

Belgian wrote:Hate it. Sorry.

To each his own...your loss IMHO

And your gain. To your health!

I have to agree wth Pootz on this one. An excellent, flavourful, beer, full of real beer taste provided it is not consumed iced.

I get an anise note in the aftertaste, something quite porter-like, and good roasty notes.

I have a sneaking suspicion that German black beer is nothing other than a development of 1800's English porter as it was known in the Eastern Lands of Europe. It is more than coincidence I think that the former East Germany developed this style. The Eastern Lands famously were influenced by imported porter and many former East Bloc countries still make a beer so styled (Okocim, etc.). I theorise that East Germany was no less resistant to the charms of the style, but didn't want to use an English name to describe it. (Still, the odd Porter has survived here and there in Germany under the original name).

Of course, the systematic development of lagering in Germany changed the beer and indeed Kostritzer is a kind of porter and lager hybrid, but anyway, it's all beer and all good.

Gary

old faithful wrote:I have a sneaking suspicion that German black beer is nothing other than a development of 1800's English porter as it was known in the Eastern Lands of Europe.

Interesting theory, but I don't think that's the case, at least not according to sources I checked while researching Schwarzbier and Dunkel for an article on dark German lagers that I wrote for the Spring issue of TAPS.

Based on what I read in a couple of places, Schwarzbier was first brewed in the Thuringia and Saxony regions of Germany in the Middle Ages, with the first recorded mention of the style being reference to a quite strong and sweet version called Braunschweiger Mumme in a document from 1390.

The Köstritzer Brewery came along in 1543, and has been brewing their Schwarzbier since day one.

I'm not a fan of the kostritzer, but Paddock Wood's is quite good:
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/8203/24103

Sam Adams does a good Black Beer too (odd perhaps since its porters never struck me as that great).

Gary

I had my first Kostritzer about a week ago, and I really enjoyed it. Big coca and caramel flavours, but not remotely as heavy as I was expecting. Easily the sort of beer that you could session. Is this the schwarzbier that was featured in the Michael Jackson 'Beer Hunter' series? I watched it while I had a fever, so my recollection is hazy, but I thought how they added super heated rock to the brew was a stroke of genius.

Bobsy wrote:I had my first Kostritzer about a week ago, and I really enjoyed it. Big coca and caramel flavours, but not remotely as heavy as I was expecting. Easily the sort of beer that you could session. Is this the schwarzbier that was featured in the Michael Jackson 'Beer Hunter' series? I watched it while I had a fever, so my recollection is hazy, but I thought how they added super heated rock to the brew was a stroke of genius.

That was a stienbier from Bamberg. That brewery closed years ago. I think they continued brewing it in Austria for a while....

I really like this beer.

Is Lacey Cellars still the agent for Kostritzer?

mboadway wrote:I really like this beer.

Is Lacey Cellars still the agent for Kostritzer?

They are, according to Steve's post above. Lacey Cellars...sounds like an x-rated movie star.

Derek wrote:I'm not a fan of the kostritzer, but Paddock Wood's is quite good:
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/8203/24103

Everytime Kostritzer gets mentioned, I always say, "it's ok, but Black Cat is better." And that's not just a provincial bias, it truly is a better beer. Black Cat rules on tap, too bad it's only available in Saskatoon.