Unassuming pale-blanched white-headed lark bends sweet malt stickiness into dull sour candy dreck and mild grassy hop bittering, barely beating out watery American macrobrews.
All posts by John Fortunato
PAULANER THOMAS BRAU
Worthy of a few sips despite petty 0.5% alcohol range and unobtrusive nature. Clear-toned, malt-toasted, daintily barley-tinged pale amber with sugary backdrop too slight to dent charts. Stale bread finish lowers appeal.
PAULANER SALVATOR DOUBLE BOCK
Elegant maple sugar richness firmly coats barleywine-port warmth, dark cherry pureeing and creamy butterscotch sweetness to candied molasses finish. Delicate honey-spiced mocha malts contrast back-ended musty cellar dankness. Mild floral hops soften subtle wheat biscuit spine of classic double bock jealous rivals envy.
PAULANER PREMIUM PILS
Heavily hopped citric bitterness and deep grain-roasted persistence calmed by permeating fizz of aluminum-hued medium body. Just a tad thicker, heavier, and more yeast-y than Czechvar (the original Budweiser), but less satisfying.
PAULANER OKTOBERFEST MARZEN AMBER ALE
Supposedly the world’s #1 Oktoberfest ale, offering sour citric-quince jab, dainty hop bite, mellow barleywine illusion, and dry whiskey aftertaste, but lacking pronounced up-front thrust and denied necessary full-bodied richness to earn four stars. Caramel creaminess relegated by fizz-spiced mineral water crisping.
PAULANER MUNICH PREMIUM LAGER
A classic German lager! Doughy French-breaded baguette frontage secured by musty hop spicing to honeyed wheat spine of soft-watered moderate-bodied helles lager. Crisp, clean moderation finishes with salted cracker neutrality. Thin mocha undercoating fades to oblivion. Not complex by any stretch, but its underlying barley-rice easement, buttered popcorn midst and gently bitter dried fruit banter will suit softer tastes.
PAULANER HEFE-WEIZEN DUNKEL ALE
Sophisticated dark wheat ale with copper-clouded hue, soda-like flow, and well-hopped assertion gains honeyed wheat sweetness above yellow fruit-spiced agility and caramel-crystal malting. Mild barleywine influence increases sedate warmth. Crisp, clean water texture lightens the mood.
PAULANER HEFE-WEIZEN
Enchanting lemony banana-clove essence, burrowed sourdough recline and amiable butterscotch subtlety consume hearty frothy-headed golden-clouded medium body. Natural yeast sediment coats crisp citric flourish, subtle floral bouquet and biscuit-y wheat foundation as spicy hop fizz advances. In comparison to Wiehenstephaner Hefeweiss, doughy sweetness seems creamier. The perfect German hefe not far removed from drier, fruitier Belgian ales.
PAULANER BAVARIAN ALPINE EXTREME
Fresh mountain watered helles bock brings lingering hop spice to assertive cracked barley base. However, this is nowhere near ‘extreme’ or original enough to earn its moniker. Stick with Paulaner’s better brews.
PATAGONIA LAGER
Decent pale-bodied white-headed lager will engage light-hearted pilsner drinkers due to lime-like citric aroma, dainty hop fizz, and distant wheat-barley sweetness. Smooth water softens delicate bitterness to thin malt finish.
PARK SLOPE PREMIUM PIL
Brewed in traditional Slavic process, compelling pilsner shows marvelous chameleon-like flow. Initial billowy carbonation explodes with resinous hop resilience, forming web-like Brussels lace on glass. Wheat-barley sweetness counters bitter orange-peeled lemon zest storming tannic white grape esters, creating white ale aftertaste. Recommended to experienced drinkers. Brewery defunct: 2002.
PARK SLOPE NUT BROWN ALE
One of the smoothest nut browns marketed, yet dank and dry sans advertised nuttiness. Too light and watery for distinguished tastes. Brewery defunct: 2002.