ADVENT BEER CALENDAR • THE FIRST 12

The first twelve beers of the 2019 Kalea Advent Beer Calendar.

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I'm really enjoying my Advent beer calendar. It's allowed me to try beers I normally wouldn't otherwise (mostly German lagers) and even allowed me to discover a new favorite style (rauchbier). Here are the first twelve beers, ranked from my favorite to least favorite on a scale of one (no thanks) to five stars (excellent), along with brief tasting notes.

1. Hösl Märzenbier. Smoky. Nutty. Broth. Wine. Dark fruits: cherry, fig. Light caramel. Bark. Honey. Apple. Complex. Shifting. Complex. (Day ten.) *****
2. Erlkönig Hell. "Clean" and airy nose. Floral. Fruity. Grassy. Light spices. Solid and refreshing. Sweetness that dries a bit. Excellent. (Day six.) ****½
3. Perlenzauber German Pale Ale. Hay. Grains. Citrus. Hint of berries (especially as it warms and on finish). Biscuity. Familiar. Very Good. (Day seven.) ****
4. Bürgerliches Brauhaus Altbairisch Hell. Grain. Grass. Hint of banana. Light grape. Light apple/pear. Clean and refreshing. Very good. (Day nine.) ****
5. Ladenburger Weizenbock Hell. Hay. Cloves. Hint of banana. Sage. Thyme. Hint of raspberries. Yeast. Light orange. Light caramel. Very good. (Day eight.) ****
6. Schnaitl Jubiläums-Sud. Grains. Caramel. Floral. Some sweetness. Honey. A hint of figs and dates. Very good. (Day three.) ****
7. Hohenthanner Schlossbrauerei Blau Weisse. Grains. Sage. Cloves. Banana bread. Light citrus. Light grass. Saison-like. Very good. (Day two.) ****
8. Kress Bayrisch Zwickel. Caramel. Nutty. Hint of vegetal notes. Underlying sweetness. Biscuit. Very good. (Day five.) ****
9. Grandl Bavarian Lager. Wheat. Lemon. Hint of brine. Light spiciness. Brief sweetness that dries out quickly. Very good. (Day eleven.) ***½
10. Käuzle Helles Lager. Grains. Grass. Spices. Good. (Day one.) ***½
11. Graminger Kirta Dunkles Weissbier. Broth. Cocoa. Sage. Cloves. Red grapes. Hint of wine. Earthiness. Vegetal. Hint of alcohol. Okay. (Day twelve.) ***
12. Memminger Gold Bavarian-Style. Light. Not a lot here. Hints of spices and flowers. Light sweetness that dries a bit. Okay. (Day four.) ***