Ayinger Kirta-Halbe (Autumn Beer)

Brewed by Brauerei Aying
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Aying, Germany

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Stein

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   add pic

Draft at Map Room. I’d call this a Landbier, but whatever. Unfiltered Festbier. Pours a deep reddish brown with an offwhite head. The nose is bready, lots of bread crust and melanoidins. Faint hops with a yeasty note. On tasting, on the sweeter side and a crispness to it. Medium-full bodied. Lots of the bread character that sticks through the finish. A touch oxidized as well but a pretty interesting beer overall.

Name: Kirta-Halbe
Date: July 28, 2011
Mode: Draft
Source: Taco Mac, The Fred
Appearance: cloudy orage, fine beige head
Aroma: sweet bready aroma, touch of caramel
Flavor: rich malt flavor, bready sweetness, lightbalancing earthyness
Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 14/20
Rating: 3.3/5.0
Drinkability: 9/10
Score: **+ /4

Draught in Munich. Head is mostly lasting. Body is medium amber. Aroma is moderately malty (toasted grain, caramel), lightly to moderately hoppy (flowers), with a light note of DMS. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, moderately bitter, slightly unclean. Medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation. Decent enough balance, but quite dull and not particularly clean.

Draft. Pours amber with an off white head. Toasty and sweet malty aroma with some light nutty notes. The flavor has sweet malts, toffee, nuts, toast, and a light floral hoppy bitterness. Good stuff.

draft at Blue Monk, Buffalo. copper-brown colored pour. Nutty malty flavor, some cardboard like aspect. Pretty flat flavor. Somewhat disappointing considering this breweries reputation

I have generally been fond of this brewer but this beer was underwhelming. +++ Sampled on draft at 3R6P this beer poured a dark orange-caramel color with a medium sized foamy tan head that faded and left no lacing. The aroma was sweet and tangy iced tea. The flavor was tangy and sour malts with nut and light ripe fruit undertones. Medium finish and body. Disappointing.

[Tap] Pours a bright orange color with a cap of white head. Aroma of caramel malts, grains, light grass and dust. Grainy and malty taste includes biscuits, toasted bread, light nut and mild hops. Dry finish was a tad grainy. Decent mouthfeel, but not quite as good as some of the other Ayinger offerings. Prickly carbonation. Not bad overall. I was pleasantly surprised to find this on tap.

On draught at Winking Lizard. This brew pours a clear amber-copper color with a medium foamy white head that dissipates steadily to a film. Aroma of toasted malt, caramel and hops. Medium body with flavors of sweet caramel malt, grain, hops and yeast. The finish is malty and sweet with a light grassy hops aftertaste. Above average overall.

16 ounce pint - $6.75 at Taco Mac in Woodstock, Georgia.

Appearance: Arrived at my corner of the bar a hazed, amber-hued body with a slimming, bone white head.

Smell: Modestly sweet-scented toffee flecked toasted grains with an element of dark fruit as well as ripe orchard fruit.

Taste: Lightly grainy, lightly toasted sliced bread given a touch of sweet toffee candy. Fruitiness of golden raisins with more than a hint of apple peel. Small measure of yeastiness. Slightly steely, herbal hops with a subtle, balancing bitterness. Drying, malty finish with a continued accent of mild dried herbs.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium-plus carbonation.

Overall: Packs more punch than their Oktober Fest-Märzen, so, yeah, can’t we just dump that brew in favor of this one? No rush, simply a suggestion. It’s just something to think about, really.

From notes. Bottle purchased in Partenkirchen, at Fristo I think. Pours amber, nice white head. Malty, bready aroma. Basically typical marzen flavors, toasty and malty, light caramel, subdued spicy hops. Medium body and carbonation.