Aventinus

One of the world’s truly classic weizenbocks, in constant production since 1907, the Schneider Aventinus throws around gobs of prune, banana, and warm, exotic spices as the aroma billows from the glass. Tim enjoyed the “enticing hints of clove laced with a faint herbal, heather-like” hop note, backed by substantial malt sweetness, almost candy-like. It reminded him of a “rainy day deep in the forest.” While he also picked out the clove-like aromas, Pete found traces of mace, and even a hint of cinnamon floating just beneath the surface. Pete did, however, feel the malt wasn’t quite strong enough to keep the alcohol in check. The beer pours turbid, dark amber and sports a dense, creamy tan head that hangs in to the very end. As promised in the aroma, this is a brew laden with rich flavors of plums, black cherries, and ripe bananas, woven through with spices and rich caramel malt. Tom praised the interweaving of a “bold hint of nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove” all drifting atop a blanket of sweet, caramelly malt. A pronounced yeastiness caught Lee’s attention, but he thought it blended well with the spritzy spice and creamy banana flavors. A brawny, complex brew, redolent of exotic spices and warm biscuits, Aventinus clocks in at a respectable 8.2 percent ABV and will help keep a winter evening’s chill at bay.