Schneider Weisse Aventinus Weizen-Doppelbock

 Schneider Weisse Aventinus Weizen-Doppelbock.

8.2 % ABV, Schneider Weisse G. Schneider & Sohn, Kelheim, Germany. 

I must make now a terrible admission. This is one of my all-time favorite beers and it has not yet properly appeared here in the nearly fourteen years of this blog. A vintage version back in 2012, yes, but not a fresh bottle.

A case showed up today after years of me wondering why we couldn’t get it at the store. Distributor issues, I suppose. And so I bought one and I’m going to drink one. 

This beer is no-brainer for me. I love doppelbocks, I love dunkel weizen. Put ‘em together, you can’t lose. 

So, even though I wrote it about it first about twenty years ago, here are fresh notes on a favorite. 

Clear, light brown to deep amber color, voluminous head that drops down in size.

In the nose: Weizen yeast notes, some spice and dark fruit. Dates, figs, plum, raisin, with clove and coriander. A rich, heady, delightfully complex mix. 

In the mouth:Smoothness itself, super smooth followed by waves of flavors. The rich darkness and the mellow grooves, it all comes together. The best of weizen beers and doppelbocks coalesce. For me, easily the greatest Bavarian beer. If you’re looking for the simple delights of pilsners, lagers, hefe weizen, sure you can look elsewhere, but when it comes to rich and robust, this is what you want. 

Banana is here, too, to join the clove in the classic hefe weizen style, but the dark fruits and the hints up cocoa raise  it up. The high alcohol elevated other things, as well. 

I really can’t remember the last time I had this beer and it’s every bit as amazing as I remember. The glass I drink it from when I had it on tap and always in bottles at the Blue Nile so many years ago. This is a beer they should teach in school. 

This is wonderful. A quick trip to Bavarian heaven. Himmel in Bayern. Or not, don’t look at me, I never took German. 

But, I’ll be drinking more of it, to prove my point to myself,and to everyone that is one of the world’s best beers. 

Ommegang Nitro Three Philosophers Quadrupel Ale

 Ommegang Nitro Three Philosophers Quadrupel Ale.  

9.7 % ABV, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY. 

I’ve had Three Philosophers before, beginning back in 2011, and in many variations. But now, it’s Nitro? Is that good? Let’s find out. 

Burgundy hue, fine cream-colored head. 

In the nose: Cherry’s hitting first, with Belgium malt joining in. Rich, caramel and toffee. Extraordinarily enticing. 

In the mouth: malty, smooth, creamy. Low carbonation, low bitterness. Exceptionally flavorful. Berries and cherries mix with dark fruits and sweet malts. High alcohol creeps to the fore. It’s all coming together now. 

There’s not as much Kriek in here as there is the Quad, and I like that just fine. 

Rich and complex, this tour de force blends quadruple ale and authentic Belgian kriek, with its malty depth and gentle sweetness. Enjoy the mesmerizing pour with its smooth cascade of bubbles that lends a lustrous creaminess to enhance the touch of cherry—the perfect beer for leisurely sipping and quiet contemplation.

Malt: Two-row barley, caramel malt, amber malt, Munich-20, extra special cara-20Hops: Styrian Goldings, Spalter Select 

Three Floyds Gumballhead Double India Pale Ale

 Three Floyds Gumballhead Double India Pale Ale.

8.5 % ABV. Three Floyds Brewing, Hammond, Indiana. 

Brand Families. It’s the latest trend. Gumballhead used to be an American wheat ale. Now, it is three more beers, all assembled in a variety pack. This is the only one you’ll see here in the Nib. One of them is a hazy IPA, and I don’t review those anymore. Another is a Blood Orange and Lemon Pale Ale, and that one didn’t work for me. I no longer review every single beer that comes my way. But Double IPAs, that’s my pork chops and potato salad. 

Lightly clouded, bold orange hue, frothy white head.

In the nose: grapefruit explosion. Big citrus, big pith, major levels of dank. 

In the mouth: powerful hops on the palate, bristling with bitterness and alcoholic heat. Malty and juicy, with a meaty burn. All the fruits make a heady stew. Highly diggable. 

As Gumballhead left the scene of the crime, there was only one thing left to do ... Find the imposter masquerading as a Double IPA, and mute that damn saxophone.