Hacker Pschorr Kellerbier, Munich, Germany (Alcohol 5.5%) LCBO $2.60 (500ml can)
Ever since my originally Munich-brewed staples of Löwenbräu and Spaten began being brewed (really freaking poorly) in Canada by Labatt, I’ve been on the lookout for another reasonably priced everyday “blue-collar” German beer.
As Jordan St. John. and Robin Le Blanc pointed out in their last piece, “Hacker Pschorr Munchner Gold is a great shout at $2.40. For one thing, it’s all barley, and only uses Hallertauer hops, so there’s a pleasing sense of geography to it”, and those golden cans regularly take up real estate in my basement beer fridge, a great shout, indeed.
Today I’d like to bring your attention to another tasty brew from the same brewery of Hacker Pschorr, their blue-canned Kellerbier.
This golden amber Bavarian pours a tad darker and hazier (naturtrüb = naturally cloudy) than the aforementioned Gold, with puffy white lacing that dissipates slowly. True to form, I’m loving the 5.5% alcohol, as that’s my sweet spot when it comes to everyday beer. Quite what this says about me I’m unsure, but it’s certainly around my favoured ABV.
It’s also a malt-forward beer, a touch more so than the Munchner Gold. I find aromas of sweet malt, biscuit, dark honey, flowers, and toffee, alongside a very attractive yeast character, probably due in no small part to this beer’s unfiltered state. Whilst the Hallertauer hops, a one-two punch of Tradition and Herkules, present themselves in subtle citric/herbal notes, they are by no means the star player here, and simply add a touch of complexity with very little bitterness. The smooth medium finish is also all about the malt.
This is an excellent Bavarian beer for your hard-earned pennies.
(Four out of a possible five apples)
