Tasting

What does the Andechser Doppelbock Dunkel taste like? Sweet and soft at first, then cocoa and dark chocolate come through, leaving a dry, slightly bitter finish. It's a beer for sipping, and the warm feeling in your belly comes from the more than 7% alcohol by volume.

Three beers from the monastery brewery serve as good examples: the Doppelbock Dunkel, the Bergbock Hell at 6.9 percent, and the Spezial Hell at 5.9 percent. The brewery calls the Spezial Hell a festival beer, golden in color with a light caramel and vanilla note. As always, alcohol figures come from the label, not from a style chart.

At the Bräustüberl, beer is served in stoneware or glass steins, with the classic measure being the Maß, a full liter. The Weißbier gets its tall glass with the slender waist, which holds the foam and keeps the yeast visible. For bockbier, smaller glasses make sense, since it's a strong beer.

Temperature makes a big difference. Too cold, and a doppelbock closes up, with the chocolate disappearing. Roughly cellar temperature suits dark and strong beers better than ice-cold serving, while a Weißbier can be served cooler. The glass should be clean and free of grease, or the foam will collapse quickly and the beer will taste flatter than it actually is.

When pouring, tilt the glass and let the beer run down the side, straightening it only at the end and crowning it with foam. For Weißbier, the remainder in the bottle is swirled and poured in last, so the yeast doesn't settle at the bottom.