Hops

No hops grow in the Fünfseenland; they come from the Hallertau region north of Freising. According to the monastery, the brewery uses exclusively aroma hops from this area. Bittering hops, which are mainly responsible for sharpness, are not used at Andechs, according to its own statement.

The Hallertau is the largest contiguous hop-growing region in the world, with roughly 17,129 hectares accounting for about 83 percent of Germany's hop acreage (figures according to industry sources, not independently verified). Hops from the Hallertau also carry a protected designation of origin, registered in 2010.

Why only aroma hops? Hops serve two purposes. Alpha acids provide bitterness, while essential oils provide aroma: herbs, grass, flowers, sometimes spice. Aroma varieties have plenty of the latter and bring little bitterness, which makes them a good match for a malty beer that shouldn't feel harsh.

Hallertauer Mittelfrüh, Tradition, and Perle are among the region's typical aroma varieties. Which of these Andechs uses in which particular brew isn't specified by the brewery here, so we won't pin that down.

In the glass, the hops in the Doppelbock Dunkel show themselves rather quietly. The malt sweetness takes the lead, while the hops tidy things up at the back and keep the beer dry enough that you don't tire of it by the second sip. In the Bergbock Hell, they're somewhat more noticeable. That's partly down to quantity: hop additions don't scale up at the same rate as the malt body in strong beers, so they stay in the background even when carefully chosen.