Der Geist Hilft Unser Schwachheit Auf (Hey, the review's in English!)
Written: Jun 13 '01 (Updated Jun 13 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: The solid weight of history behind this beer...
Cons: ...outweighs the not-quite-as-solid malt.
The Bottom Line: You must try this beer, if only because of the history... but you'll like it, too. It's big, but it's sweet. Grapple with a bottle.
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| beerfly's Full Review: Paulaner Brauerei Salvator Doppelbock |
Well, I wasn't doing anything else tonight anyway.
This is the A side of a twin review of Paulaner Salvator and Samuel Adams Double Bock, the champ and the challenger [shortly to become a triple review--hold onto your keyboards!]. I've got two copies of Epinions open, writing both reviews simultaneously. I suspect I'll be a bit woozy by the time they're both done, so I'm going to get some tasting notes down quickly.
Salvator is a complex lager. There's a big malty pillow in the nose, tinged with caramel and alcohol. Pick it up and taste it: you get a firm malty beginning, lightly touched with decocted huskiness, followed by a huge wave of flavor, rich with caramel and some burnt toffee, bittersweet chocolate, and licorice. The unsuspected sharp finish stings with more licorice and an almost schnapps-ish alcohol heat. This would go well with ribs, something to wrap that spicy, fatty, robust taste. Big Boy Beer.
But... In memory, it is bigger. I know this is a dangerous game to play, but this Salvator seems lighter, almost amber, not the darker beer I remember.
I'm having problems tasting this alongside the SADB. There are such differences that I need calibration. It's crazy, but... the only thing to do is open another doublebock. Be right back.
Boy, this is the thing I love about my job! Always challenges to meet. I'm popping a Spaten Optimator, and opening a third review screen. Give me a second, and I'll have some conclusions.
Yup. I've got a winner here. The Spaten's not the same color as either of the others, fitting in between. It's more purely malty in aroma than either. But the taste... Check my notes on the Spaten, but I'll tell you right now: it's closer to the Paulaner. Blood (or blut) will tell, I guess.
No surprise, really. You're talking about The Original here. Nick Kirbabas, the PR man at Paulaner importer PNA, tells the story: "We date it back to 1634. A group of monks from Italy, Franciscans, settled in Germany. These monks were used to making wine in Italy, but they started brewing beer in Germany. There was a Brother Barnabas who came up with Salvator as ‘liquid bread' to get them through Lenten fasts."
That's the source of my title, by the way. "Salvator" means "Savior" in German, and the brothers viewed Salvator as a means to 'save' their weakness during Lenten fasts. My title is a choral piece by Bach, and translates to "The Spirit Helps Our Weakness." Seemed appropriate.
The beer was so well-liked that when other brewers brewed similar big beers, they used the "-ator" ending, either out of homage or a desire to be seen as similar. There is a sense of veneration towards Salvator among lager brewers, but that doesn't stop them from trying to equal or top it.
The only surprise is that the Spaten's handily finishing it off, but there are rumors in the beer world that Salvator's been 'dumbed down,' that it is a shadow of its former self. I have to say, while it's still tasting pretty darned good, it's not what I remember. Is that my memory, or is it just that I've had so MANY good beers since then that Salvator isn't as overwhelming anymore? I don't know. That bothers me, but it's not atypical.
So I can't tell you what's up with Salvator. All I can tell you is that it's still the real thing, pure malt, delicious, clean, powerful. It's a great glass of beer.
It's just that... the Spaten's better.
Here are the other two reviews:
http://www.epinions.com/content_1672716420 Spaten
http://www.epinions.com/content_27014696580 SADB
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
beerfly
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Member: Lew Bryson
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Reviews written: 88
Trusted by: 82 members
About Me:
One bourbon, one Scotch, one beer, eh? I'll take Kentucky Spirit, Scapa, and HopDevil.
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