Beer of the Weekend #280: Maisel's Weisse Kristall

I am dipping into my Binny’s haul tonight for a post novel-problem-solving/outlining session tasting. The beer tonight is related to last Monday’s beer: Maisel’s Weisse Kristall, brewed by Brauerei Gebrüder Maisel GmbH & Co. of Bayreuth, Germany.


I will be conducting my tasting in the living room because I have been burning Nag in my room and it will no doubt compromise my senses. My tasting notes below are transcribed from my “reporter’s” notebook. (On a side note, though I always loved the concept of reporter’s notebooks, I never liked them. They were too narrow. My current “reporter’s” notebook is technically a “steno book.”)

Serving type
: One 500 ml bottle. There is a batch code on the back label, but no freshness date.

Appearance: Poured into a half-liter weizen glass. The color is clear, light gold. Three fingers of fluffy, thick head dissipated slowly to leave a billowy lacing; eventually it settled to a thin lacing and ring around the edge.

Smell: No surprises and very straightforward. Sweet apple, banana, a little strawberry, grassy hops, yeast, and a little clove spice.

Taste: The mouthfeel is very light and refreshing, though it has a bready body to it. The yeast and bread are noticeable up front and are followed by apple, banana, and clove spice. The fruit flavors really shine after the beer has warmed.

Drinkability: High drinkability, but it lacks complexity and boldness. It is still a good brew.

Fun facts about MWK:

-Style: Kristalweizen.

-Price: $3.29/500 ml bottle at the Binny’s Beverage Depot on Illinois State Route 83 in Willowbrook, Illinois.

-Serving temperature: BA suggests 45-50ºF, but Michael Jackson’s Great Beer Guide recommends 48-54ºF. And, much like its unfiltered brother, the front label says, “STORE DARK AND COOL 46º-52ºF.”

-Alcohol content: 5.1 percent ABV.

-Food pairings: BA recommends German cuisine, salad, poultry, and fish.


The Quiet Man’s grade: B.

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