Posts under ‘Europe’

Today we feature a beer which is a bit different, it is a Saison Ale, which is a term we have never heard of before at Hoppsy, but by the taste of this magnificent beer there are bound to be more stoires of Saisons in coming months if this is any indication- it is sensational. The beer in question is Saison Dupont which is produced by Brasserie Dupont which is located in Tourpes in Belgium. The brewery only dates back to the 1950′s and is found on a farm which dates back to 1759. The Dupont Beer is a 6/5% alcohol volume beer and like many great Belgium beers is fairly cloudy and light yellow in colour- not unlike Hoegaaden and has a fruity and spicy aroma and taste- and being bottle fermented is well carbonated, and there’s a cork like champagne to pop when opening the bottle. The beer is available outside Belgium and is a popular Belgium beer in the USA, and we found it here in Australia at one of our specialty beer stores. Look out for it when you are wanting something a bit special. Read the rest of this entry »

Before the Bavarian beer purity laws beer was often brewed using Rye Malt, but some bad harvests meant rye was only allowed to be used in bread production making such breads as pumpernickel. But in recent years rye beers have reappeared and once again the Bavarian’s are back in force producing this interesting stlye of beer. The rye beers range from a light lager style color right up to a dark beer not unlike porter. Like all grains the rye is toasted to various darkness to produce the required color and flavor. Popular Munich brewer Paulaner make a lovely rye beer called Roggen. It contains a 5.3% alcohol content and is quit dark using a dark roasted rye, it has a gingery, liquorices even nutty in taste. This beer goes great with all things German, like cheeses, cold meats, mustards, pickles and of course rye bread. Look out for it and give it a go.

Bok style beers are popular throughout Europe and like many beer styles date back to Germany but the Dutch sure do know how to brew a fine Bok. One we have found is made by Heineken called Heineken Tarwerbok. Brewed using all natural ingredients this beer features a ram on the label, which is common for a lot of Bok style beers. Some use rams others use goats- we don’t know why. The beer has a 6.5% alcohol volume and gives a good kick, especially on a cold winter’s night. These Bok styles of beers are usually only brewed for the winter market and you can see why because they sure do warm you up. The beer has a strong liquorices and even smoky flavor it is sweet although bitter, the first mouth full is a bit of a challenge but once you get into it you will really enjoy it and go back for more– trust me!. The beer is not a beer you can drink like a normal lager or pilsner, you need to really relax and enjoy it. It goes lovely with some chocolate by the open fire. Look out for a Bok beer next winter.

The 2008 Munich Oktoberfest is only weeks away and one of the big tents everyone will be flocking to is the Hacker Festzelt which can cater for 9300 seated guests in any sitting. The tent is huge and is decked out with clouds and really makes you feel like you are in heaven, especially with a few litres of ice cold Hacker Pschorr beers. The blue skies and clouds with traditional Munich skyline were painted by artist Rudolf Reinstander and are huge, with the tent stretching nearly 100 metres by 45 metres. The centerpiece of the tent features a huge revolving band stand which not only features a traditional Bavarian brass band ‘Die Kirchdorfer’ but ‘Cagey Strings’ which are a more rock n roll style band which will perform each night from 6 pm. The cuisine is just what you need to accompany the best of beer, with chicken and plenty of ox, pork and even duck. The tent specializes in some pretty tasty sausages and some of Oktoberfest’s best platters with hams, cheese, breads and other tasty treats. Remember to book your reservation to the tents well before your visit to avoid disappointment!

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Smithwicks pronounced without the ‘W’ is Ireland’s oldest ale dating back to 1710 when it was first brewed at the St Francis Abbey Brewery in Kilkenny Ireland which is Ireland’s oldest brewery and the site of a 14th century abbey. It’s a red style Irish Ale and is now brewed in both Kilkenny and in a higher strength (4.5% instead of 3.8% form) for the exported market in the Irish city of Dundalk in Louth County close to the border of Northern Ireland. The beer has been a popular Irish beer in many markets around the world expecially Canada, but it has only recently been distributed in the USA where Diageo launched it in 2004. It is making major inroads and is fast becoming one of the favorite Irish beers in America especially in New York. Read the rest of this entry »

I found a real treat at our local bottleshop today, a Macedonian beer called Skopsko. It’s a 4.9% very European tasting pilsner tasting lager. I have been trying to research this beer, but can not find out too much information other than the Skopsko brewery has been in operation in the Macedonian city of Skopje since 1922 and is now owned by Heineken. Many people regard it as the best of the Macedonian beers, and after tasting it, there would have to be a pretty good one to beat it.. If you have any information on this beer drop us a line in our comments box, and if you see a couple of Skopskos at the local its worth the few dollars to pick them up- you should really enjoy it. Read the rest of this entry »

When you think of great European beers you usually think of Germany or Belgium or even the UK, well have you ever stopped to think what country is in the middle of them- France they make a mighty good drop too… There’s more to French beers than 1664 Kronenberg, although it is still a good beer or should we say biere. The La Choulette brewery has an absolute gem with this Biere de Garde Blonde style ale which is beautifully bottled in 750 ml cork finished bottles. With an alcohol volume of 7.5% the beer has a delicate but complex flavour with plenty of fruity tastes and a quiet a dry and sweet maltiness with a sharp dose of hops. The aroma alone is delicious. The La Choulette brewery dates back to 1885 and is a farmhouse brewery and is located in Le Nord not far from Calais. Look out for it in your boutique beeer store, you might be lucky enough to find a bottle or two. Read the rest of this entry »

The tapping of Oktoberfest’s first barrel is only 86 days away so it’s time to talk about another of the major tents at the huge Munich festival. Other than the beer and amazing atmosphere many of the 6 million visitors come for the great food, digging in to the pork knuckles, the oxen and chicken, well that’s not why they come to the Fischer-Vroni hall- it’s for the crisp Augustiner ber and the fish- yes fish- salmon, trout, walleyed pike you name it all smoked and barbequed on long skewers, but the most popular fish is the Steckerlfisch, which is said to be quiet tasty. This beer hall is not one of the huge ones, it only has seating inside for just under 2700 people and 700 outside, but it’s not hard to find, just follow your nose to the bouquet of fish. The Fischer Vroni is also a great place for some of the best oomph music with the Sepp Folger und seine Munchner Musikanten’s entertaining every day. The Fischer-Vroni has been a part of Oktoberfest for over 50 years and is know for one of the more family friendly tents with a quaint and friendly ambience. The Augustiner beer is brewed at Munich’s oldest brewery dating back to 1328 and is one of Bavaria’s most popular beers brewing in excess of 90 million litres of beer a year. Unlike many of the other Oktoberfest tents which pour their beers from stainless steel vats the Augustiner beer is poured from traditional wooden kegs.

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This week’s Oktoberfest tent is Ochsenbraterei, which offers visitors to Munich’s massive festival a great atmosphere and plenty of partying. The huge hall is easily identifiable along the Wirtsbudenstrabe it’s the one with the giant rotisserie ox on top. THe Ochsenbraterei features Spaten beer and you guessed it the menu has plenty of ox on it, and the cooking alone is quite a spectacle. With the huge rotisserie machine last year 104 giant beasts were cooked up for the hungry visitors, being transformed into soup, roasts, grills and goulash to name a few specialties. The Ochsenbraterei is one of the festival’s most popular tents and has been a big draw card ever since 1881. Today 5900 can be seated inside and another 1500 outside making it one of the largest tents at Oktoberfest, but with all the seating doesn’t mean you will be able to get in and have a beer or some beef, you are best to book a spot to avoid any disappointment.

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Stiegal Beer is the beer of Salzburg Austria and has a rich history dating back to about nearly 800 years, the current recipe is belived to date back to 1492 brewed using the same brewing purity laws that many of the German Beers brew to, with only barley, hops and fresh mountain water used. Stiegal make a range of products including a Goldenbrau, a Pils, a leicht, a very tasty Gtielbock and quiet a range of other branded products including soft drinks like the Gaudi range, but outside Austria you will usually just see the one beer labeled Stiegl which is a very refreshing pils style of beer.  

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