Freigeist Abraxxxas

Freigeist Bierkultur
Brewed at Brauerei Göller
Style: Grodziskie/Gose/Lichtenhainer
Stolberg, Germany

Serve in Dimpled mug, English pint, Stein

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   update pic

it’s like a super-charged berliner weisse. the smoked flavor is enough to add character and a curious counterpoint to the assertive (but not aggressive) sourness.

Draft. An unclear amber beer with à lazing white head. The aroma has notes of salt,malt, and brettanomyces. The flavor is sweet with notes of salt, malt, alcohol, And caramel, leading to à dry salty finish.

Tap at Rueben’s. Pours a hazy yellow with white head, decent retention and minimal lacing. Aroma is smoky, bacon, and beechwood. Flavor is mildly smoky up front, fading quickly into sweet wheat, banana, with a smoky finish and aftertaste. Soft carbonation, medium body, and very smooth texture. The aroma and flavor are enticing, but the mouthfeel really makes this beer. A very interesting beer, well balanced, smoky, sweet and mildly fruity.

Aromas of banana waft from my Teku glass as I steadily pour this beer; this produces a three finger thick, pale tan colored head. The beer is a pale amber / gold color that shows a touch of haze and a bright gold hue when held up to the light. The aroma is a mix of banana, light smoke (which becomes more dominant the more you dig into the aroma), bright dried hay, touches of pale wheat crackers, and perhaps a touch of tart apple. The nose is fairly light overall, but it has quite a bit going on.

This has a nice tartness to it up front that accentuates notes of green apple, but then the smokiness sets into the palate and a phenolic, smoked oak character lingers on the tongue well after the beer has left. Hints of straw and pale wheat notes are found up front and in the middle, and the banana from the aroma comes back to play a prominent role towards the finish. The smoke and lactic tartness combine in the finish to provide a bite that replaces the usual hop bitterness. The body here is quite light, this is definitely a beer meant to be consumed in quantity; it definitely drinks like a beer of less strength. As the beer warms up the lactic tartness gets rounder, and more of a general fruit character becomes noticeable.

Quite an experience, I am curious to try the regular strength version of this beer; it is definitely an interesting mix of HefeWeizen notes, lactic acidity, and smokiness. It is sort of like a mash up of a HefeWeizen, a Berliner Weiss, and a Rauchbier; for those that want to drink multiple styles at once; having said that, it doesn’t come off as being a gimmick in that way.

Bottle at Sybarite Pig. Tulip. Very hazy dark yellow pour with thick white head. Aroma is bread, smoke and grains. Taste was rather flat with a weak wheat beer taste and smoke finish.

33cl botle @ Bere Buona Birra, Milan. Pours a deep golden/orageish liquid, with a clean white head. Quite sweet on the nose, smokey notes, milk (!), very clean! And very surprising in the mouth: moderate lemony sourness backed by a mild smokiness, and some funkiness as well with a little sweetness underlying which contributes to flavour cleanliness. Medium body and gentle carbonation, along with the sourness, contribute to a great drinkability. This is certainly something that you will remember, it’s love it or hate it!

Draught from Brouwerij Lane BK. Pours an almost clear copper with little head. The aroma is light smoke and lactic sourness, soft medium roast grain, some berry fruit. The flavor is reminiscent of sheep and lanolin with a medium. sourness and a light wooden finish in flavor and feel. The feel is watery with light pucker. Really interesting beer that could go well with food. Quite drinkable and not overpowering.

500mL. Pours low haze golden, larger white foam. Good retention and lacing. Nose is a bit estery with banana not mixing well with smoke. Sticky stale malt. Taste is stale malt, banana, smoke. Prickly carbonation. Sort of like banana seltzer water.

Bottle. Blonde, cloudy. Apple, citrus and a hint of smoked sausage in the aroma. Lemon, apple and smoked sausage in the moderately sour flavor. Very nice!

33cl bottle at Braustelle, Köln during FdB 25/05/2013. Pours a light cloudy faint yellow, low carb. Slightly smokey, lactic sour, faint. Wey and ash. Strong réminiscences of? Ham in buttermilk. Astringent, cultured aftertaste. Very interesting, and while being none too bold, not advisable for sensitive stomaches.