The February tasting was all about top-fermented British beer styles. The expert jury of beer sommeliers, brewers and other experts from research and academia tasted the beer styles porter and stout, as well as a range of ales - from blonde ales to amber and brown ales to dark ales.*
Internationale Braumanufacturen GmbH from Frankfurt is delighted with the title "Ale of the Year" for its "BraufactuM - The Brale". The Brown Ale from the German craft beer pioneers convinced the jury with its particularly soft malt aroma, paired with spicy-fruity hop notes and hints of hazelnut.
The beer experts awarded the "Dolden Dark Porter" from Riedenburger Brauhaus as "Porter of the Year". According to the jury's vote, the successful organic brewery from Niederbayern succeeded in creating a particularly successful blend of malt and caramel notes, in which aromas of chocolate and coffee are perfectly embedded.
The special award for "Stout of the Year" went to the young craft beer brand Zombräu, also based in Niederbayern. The brothers Tobias and Bastian Merches succeeded in achieving the highest rating in this category with their Imperial Stout "Motor Oil". An intense beer experience with 7.5% alcohol by volume, an almost oily texture and malt-dominated, complex aromas full of coffee and chocolate.
Benjamin Brouër, Meiningers Craft - Magazin für Bierkultur, und Christian Wolf, Verkostungsleiter des Craft Beer Awards, stellen die drei besten Bierspezialitäten der Februar Verkostung (Ales, Porter & Stout) vor:
