Beer of the Week! 12/11/23
Schneider Weisse Tap 6 Mein Aventinus
Normally $16.99 / Now on Sale for $15.96
Weizen-Doppelbock
Who is that handsome sucker? Gasp! Is that Lil’ Jojo?
Coming out of the 1500s, wheat beers were much sought after in Bavaria — one, because they’re tasty but also because the aristocracy consumed them exclusively. Whatever the nobles keep to themselves, the commoners very much want. However, trends, by definition, are not eternal, and by the end of the century, people were becoming enamored of brown biers. After another century or so, Lagers appeared and began asserting their dominance. The poor Bavarian wheat ale was shuttled off to the sidelines.
It’s at this time, in 1872, going against the way the wind was blowing, that Georg Schneider secures the rights to be the first commoner to brew wheat beer for commercial distribution. Schneider and his son, Georg II then take over the abandoned Zum Maderbräu brewery in Munich and George Scheider & Sohn is born. Today, a hundred and fifty years later, it’s still going, having passed down (amazingly) from Georg to Georg. (Seriously, Georg VI is the current owner with George VII as his brewery manager.)
Scheider & Sohn brewed Bavaria’s first Wheat Doppelbock in 1907. Both Georg II and Georg III had died two years prior, survived by a, now, eight year-old Georg IV and his mother, Mathilde. Well, Momma dusted off her skirts, rolled up her sleeves, and managed the brewery until her son could come of age. So, it was under her reign that the Aventinus was born.
Doppelbocks are sweet lagers, so it’s fascinating that Mathilde’s Schneider (probably looking to compete against the popular brown lagers of the time) decided to make a wheat ale that mimicked the Doppelbock style. It’s even more fascinating that they decided to name it after Bavarian medieval philosopher Johann Georg Turmair, who called himself, “Aventinus” (‘cause it was the Middle Ages and half a millennium before it would be cool to call yourself “Lil’ Jojo”).
Though the Aventinus is pretty darn old school (with a recipe that hasn’t changed in over a hundred years) it’s still a beautiful brew. At first you get a vegetative wheat tang, and the joy is it never goes away as you get into the sweeter caramel flavors. It’s as if Triskets, Cheerios, and Cream of Wheat had a baby … and then you poured maple syrup on top. Drink it just on the edge of cold and feel classy and cool.
Bonus Beer of the Week! (‘Cause we’re already here; we might as well.)
Benchtop Proven Theory
Normally $16.99 / Now on Sale for $15.96
New England Style IPA
Benchtop Brewing Company, the passion project of Eric Tennant, is a family owned craft brewery that has had its home base in Norfolk since 2015. For years, Tennant “… worked as [a] food scientist and spent years in the research and development, quality control, process improvement, and consumer Insights fields.” However, he quit that life to start Benchtop Brewing as co-owner and head brewer. Three years later, Eric’s wife, Talia, quit her nursing gig to become Benchtop’s operations manager.
The Proven Theory is their flagship IPA (with a name and design you’d expect from a former scientist). It’s got zesty tangerine citrus on the nose that continues to your tastebuds, broadening out into an almost satsuma orange juiciness.
Give this brew some space and time. We weren’t impressed with it the first time we tasted it, but then we hit it again later when we weren’t as distracted and really appreciated its quiet, persistent juiciness.
Remember!
You can see our entire beer inventory on Untappd.com!