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For a long time, the fronts were quite clear: beer was something for the regulars' table, the building site, the football evening, the barbecue afternoon, beer was the profane thirst quencher that always had something proletarian about it. Good wine, on the other hand, was and is for many the epitome of high culture; even the most debauched bacchanal acquires the air of distinction if the wines are only noble enough. Above all, wine has been the only accepted beverage for upscale cuisine - along with water and perhaps a fine distillate. If a few ambitious brewers have their way, that will soon change.

Especially in some European countries and in North America, more and more small breweries are standing up against the progressive concentration of the beer market on a few large companies and the accompanying banalisation of this millennia-old beverage. Traditional styles and brewing methods are cultivated and perfected by them, and many a master brewer is not afraid to try out new things and to vary and add to the ingredients. As with wine, the taste of top-quality beer depends to a large extent on its origin, the quality, but also the character of its ingredients. Water, barley malt and hops are the basic ingredients for all beers. But even the choice of hops has a decisive influence on a beer, not to mention the malt, but the list of possible other ingredients and production processes is long - and by no means everything that is not listed in the German Purity Law is also detrimental to the result.

The Frankfurt-based company Braufactum has set itself the task of revolutionising the now rather stodgy German beer market a little. To do this, it not only brings together some of the finest beers from the world's most dedicated brewmasters, but also has beer brewed again itself according to old recipes. The makers and distributors do not want their beers to be understood primarily as counter drinks, but also as sophisticated accompaniments to good food. From light aperitifs and hors d'oeuvres to highly concentrated and heavy dessert beers, the range of styles includes almost everything we know from wine.

We had the opportunity to sample some of the beers in the current Braufactum range, and although we were determined to be as neutral as possible in our approach, some of the samples confronted us with deep-seated prejudices - to be thoroughly dispelled!

The rehearsal took place in our tasting room in Erlangen. The order of our listing corresponds to that of the tasting and therefore starts with the lighter, straightforward examples and ends with the concentrated heavyweights.

Colonia, Braufactum, Germany, 5.1%

Colonia% Braufactum (Source: Braufactum)
Top-fermented bitter beer brewed in the traditional "Rhenish brewing style" exclusively from water, barley malt and Hallertau sapphire hops.

Golden yellow. Distinctly honey-like aroma with floral and herbal aromas, lots of hop blossom as well as juniper and essential oil. In the mouth creamy and very tart at the same time, clearly marked by hop bitterness, some smoke, yeasty aromas and herbs, creamy foam, citrus nuances, some depth, very good finish,

Progusta, Braufactum, Germany, 6.8%

Progusta% Braufactum (source: Braufactum)
Brewed from water, barley malt and the hop varieties Magnum, Citra and Hallertauer Mittelfrüh in the style of India Pale Ale, which once had to survive the sea route to India and therefore had a high original wort and was added extra hops.

Amber to rust red. Caramel and yeast in the nose, some honey, tropical fruits and a hint of malt, but above all a rather warm, very spicy hop aroma. Also spicy and almost a little sweet in the mouth, aromas of hops, malt, dried flowers and bitterish spices, plus notes of dried stone fruit and citrus fruits, also clearly dark tones, rather complex, deep and long.

Sorachi Ace, Brooklyn Brewery, USA, 7.6%

Sorachi Ace% Brooklyn Brewery (Source: Braufactum)
A "seasonal beer" or also called Farmhouse Ale. It was traditionally brewed in the cold season to stock up for the summer and preserved by strong hopping. The bottle-fermented beer gets its name from the originally Japanese hop variety used.

Dark blond to golden. Intense, rather idiosyncratic, almost quirky, yet subtle aroma of light honey, unripe mango, celery, bamboo, lemon and citrus peel, soy and light flowers. In the mouth delicately creamy and elegant, finely fruity and tartly spicy, fine hop and herbal aromas as well as sweetish floral traces, also candy tones and aromas reminiscent of old Madeira, quite complex, certain depth, in the very good finish a very animating bitter. Due to the rather idiosyncratic aroma, you will either love or hate the beer, there is little in between.

Nora, Baladin, Italy, 6.8%

Nora% Baladin (Source: Braufactum)
Spiced beer in which the spices are co-fermented. Other ingredients: Barley and wheat malt, kamut, an ancient Egyptian wheat variety, hops and rock candy.

Bright gold. Sweet and spicy grain aroma with yeasty aromas, notes of dried apricots and candied citrus, some banana and sweet herbs in the background. Fruity, sweetly melting and delicately spicy in the mouth, a hint of honey, fine yeasty tones, creamy, restrained foam, moderate hop bitterness, good persistence, but only limited depth, very slightly hazy flavour on the palate, very good finish.

Rodenbach Classic, Rodenbach, Belgium, 5.2%

Rodenbach Classic%Rodenbach (Source: Braufactum)
Very special red beer from West Flanders, brewed using top-fermenting yeast, but where lactic acid also builds up during the maturation process, reacting with microroganisms in the wood. Other ingredients: Barley malt, corn, fructose, hops.

Fawn to amber. Woody, somewhat volatile and also yeasty aroma of rock candy and malt with clearly cereal to bready aromas reminiscent of sourdough as well as notes of old wine vinegar. In the mouth, clearly sourdough, dried apples, lots of fresh yeast, cereal tones and some dried herbs, has melting, but also a little tannin and old woody notes, in the finish classic "rancio" notes, as known from very old Riojas aged for an extremely long time in wood.

Oude Kriek, Boon, Belgium, 6.5%

Oude Kriek% Boon (Source: Braufactum)
Lambic fruit beer with 40% sour cherry content, produced exclusively in Lembeek in the Sennetal. It is fermented spontaneously and aged for several years in wooden barrels.

Bright, clear red. Clear, sweet-spicy bouquet, a little reminiscent of incense, with aromas of cocktail cherries and some cloves as well as a hint of raspberries and herbal aromas. Pure-toned, fine but also tightly wrought, straightforward fruit with a certain acid bite, delicate herbal tones on the palate, partly sweet spices in the background, again a hint of cloves, very fine foam, certain persistence, distinctly animating, fine bitterness that also lingers long in the finish. If this were a wine, one would hardly have resisted the temptation to turn it into a banal, sweetish-juicy children's drink with alcohol, thus thoroughly spoiling its character. This way, however, it was allowed to remain a racy, wonderfully animating, tart-fruity and finely bitter beer that already has us impatiently waiting for the next terrace season!

Cassissona, Birrificio Italiano, Italy, 7.0%

Cassissona% Birrificio Italiano (Source: Braufactum)
Classic, partly bottle-fermented fruit stout made from co-fermented blackcurrants as well as barley malt and the hop varieties Nordbrauer, Perle, Cascade, Nelso Sauvin and Nugget.

Matt orange-brown. Yeasty-spicy and cerealy on the nose, dried apple, herbs and some hop blossom. Tart and spicy in the mouth, slightly melting fruit with bitter-malty and hoppy aromas as well as some grain, very fine foam, persistent on the palate, harmonious, has fullness and some depth, very good finish, again with malty bitters.

Marzus, Braufactum, Germany, 5.5%

Marzus% Braufactum (Source: Braufactum)
Classic Märzen with a high proportion of caramel malt. Hop variety: Herkules.

Amber colour. Intensely fresh-bready and also yeasty nose with spicy hop aromas, sweetish malt tones and caramel. Tart in the mouth, malty, caramelly and clearly tobacco, in addition tart-grainy aromas and yeast, lasting on the palate, slightly creamy and quite spicy, some depth, with a little air especially bready and banana notes assert themselves, good finish.

Local 2, Brooklyn Brewery, USA, 9.0%

Local 2% Brooklyn Brewery (Source: Braufactum)
Based on Belgian Dark Strong Ale, but with honey and orange peel added to the brown rock candy. Bottle fermented. Hop varieties: Hallertauer Perle, East Kent Golding, Aurora.

Brown. Aroma of dark caramel, yeast, grain, some malt whisky, dried pears and bananas with notes of dried orange peel and a little liquorice and honey. Round, melting and almost juicy in the mouth, slightly creamy fruit with fine bitterish spice and dried fruity flavours, a hint of chocolate on the palate, malt tones and some nougat, best balance, has melting and good depth, lasting, very good finish. Quite outstanding and the pork roast beer par excellence.

Oscur, Braufactum, Germany, 6,9%

Oscur% Braufactum (Source: Braufactum)
German porter, i.e. top-fermented dark beer based on the English model, but brewed with more original wort. Hop variety: Herkules.

Dark, tobacco brown. Aroma of smoked bacon and smoked meat with very tart hoppy and malty tones, leather, bitter coffee as well as ethereal notes and liquorice. Almost a little juicy attack, then quickly a lot of bitter chocolate and coffee, again some smoked bacon, plus stewed herbs and liquorice, relatively much bitter spice, lasting, dense and melting, has depth, very good, rather punchy finish with some alcohol warmth.

Ola Dubh Special Reserve 12, Harviestoun, Great Britain, 8.0%

Ola Dubh Special Reserve 12% Harviestoun (Source: Braufactum)
Strong porter aged for nine months in whisky casks. Ingredients: Barley malt, oat malt, roasted barley and the hop varieties Galena, East Kent Golding and Fuggle.

Dark brown. Intense aroma of dark chocolate, coffee, mocha, malt whisky, some smoke and old wood with flavours of juniper and bay, thyme and rosemary. Very tart in the mouth, clear whisky note, peaty, bitter malty, in addition somewhat yeasty, again tart Provence herb notes, laurel and juniper, much Havana tobacco, some bite and harmonious foam, quite complex, dense, powerful and deep, firmly built, oxidative nuances, very good to long finish.

2007 Xyauyù Gold, Baladin, Italy, 14,5%

Xyauyú Gold% Baladin (Source: Braufactum)
Dessert beer composed according to the solera method, which can be kept for a very long time even when opened and is completely free of carbonic acid, made from the classic beer ingredients and rock candy.

Amber-brown, no foam. Smoky, candied, nutty and woody on the nose, distinct oxidative tones, some malt and caramel, ethereal notes and lots of spice. Strong, creamy and sweetish in the mouth, lots of caramel, candied nuts and nougat, also some chocolate, ethereal oils, lasting on the palate, some depth, creamy and very strong, very good, sweetish, spicy, clearly caramel finish.

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