Tasting

What does beer from Straubing taste like? The Festbier is full and soft, with plenty of bread crust and honey on the nose, and the bitterness stays in the background. The Helles tastes leaner, while the Weißbier is fruity with banana and clove and a creamy head.

Three beers from the city make good examples. From Brauerei Röhrl, the B1881 Gäuboden Festbier and the Straubinger Weisse, both pale and dark. From Karmeliten Brauerei, styles brewed along the lines of old cloister recipes. Exact alcohol content is listed on each respective label, not covered in this guide.

At the folk festival, Festbier is served in the Maß, a one-liter glass stein. Weißbier is drunk from the tall, flaring Weißbier glass, which supports the foam and concentrates the aroma. Helles comes in the smaller half-liter Halbe.

On temperature: Festbier and Helles taste best served cool, but not ice-cold — roughly 6 to 8 degrees Celsius. Weißbier can handle a bit more warmth. Too cold, and all the aromas go dormant.

When pouring Weißbier, tilt the moistened glass and pour slowly. Swirl the remainder in the bottle and add it last, since that's where the yeast settles. Festbier is drawn steadily, until a firm, fine head of foam forms. Good foam smells of malt, stays creamy, and holds until the glass is empty. If it collapses within seconds, the glass usually wasn't clean or the beer was too warm. Tasting means smelling first, then taking a small sip, then waiting for the finish.