Austrian Stiegl Brauerei in Salzburg has more than great beer to offer

November 25, 8:45 PMBeer ExaminerCharlie Papazian

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Salzburg, Austria offers Stiegl beer as one of its
attractions

While Columbus was sailing to America a brewery was founded in Salzburg, Austria.  The Stiegl Brewery   is an independent family run company founded in 1492.   There is a wonderful museum at the brewery called “Brauwelt.”   

     My wife and I recently spent 2 to 3 hours soaking in all the beer culture on display in one of the largest beer museums I’ve encountered.  Pleasantly, it’s not only about Stiegl.  It has some great displays and presentations on world beer culture and beer making.  English translations are offered throughout the exhibition area.  There’s a 9 Euro entrance fee.  It’s great value and not only gets you into the museum, but also samples of three of their 6 beers and a gift from their shop. 

     We indulged, tasting all six beers and enjoyed beer cuisine for lunch.  The quality is superb.   The museum, beer and dining areas are spacious and offer several choices in ambience.  There’s even a jazz cellar offering live music from top jazz artists from time to time.  

     There is one down side.  Almost all areas permit smoking.  For me it would not be pleasant to hang out in the often intense haze of cigarette smoke.  Lunch was smoke free, but you probably won’t find me at dinner or in the jazz cellar in the evening.  This depresses me because the quality of the ambience, beer and food is excellent.  

 We tried their beers:

• Weizengold - 100% all wheat malt Hefeweizen; A mellow banana aroma and flavor with a subtle spiciness of clove; Fruity with sweet and delicate malt flavor.  Pleasant hop bite but not bitter.  5.1% abv
• Dunkel Weizen - A bit drier than their Weizengold.  Slight roast malt character.  Banana character seems at first to be subdued by roast malt character but then emerges more strongly as flavors linger.  5.1% abv.
• Monat Series –  Each month a special beer is offered.  For November it’s “Emmer-Einkorn-Dinkel Bier.”  It’s a blend of three grains:  heritage wheat, rye and dinkel (spelt) grain.  Brewed with ale yeast (not wheat beer yeast).  Very fruity, very much like apricot and to a lesser degree like apple.  Light body and dry.  Slight hop bitterness in flavor which subdues first impression of apricot.  Spicy rye character is a pleasant surprise.  
• Goldbrau - This is their Helles light lager beer.  Wonderfully alive, full malt flavor with nicely done hop flavors and balance.   In my opinion, fresh, it’s a classic.  Mild predicated hop flavor and bitterness; exceptionally smooth and satisfying.   4.9% abv.  
•  Paracelsus (Kellerbier [cellar beer]– implying unfiltered) - Similar to Goldbrau but with a yeasty, fruity and drier character due to additional attenuation (more complete fermentation) from the presence of yeast.   Very clean aftertaste with a slight fruity/acidic bite, but not assertive at all.  5.1% abv.
•  Pils - Malt aromatic present with evident hop bite expected of a traditional pils.  Not a complex pilsener.  Malt character is slightly honey-like.  There is a mysterious citrus-like hop aroma … This intrigues me.  4.9% abv.