Kloster Andechs Head of Public Relations Martin Glaab Talks Andechser Weissbier Hell

We spoke with Kloster Andechs Head of Public Relations Martin Glaab about Andechser Weissbier Hell.

Who was responsible for the recipe for this beer?
In the Andechs monastery brewery, the tried and tested tradition of new beer creations growing out of collaboration and trust between the Benedictine monks and the master brewers is is alive and well. It was Andechs Abbot Odilo Lechner (+2017) who initiated the production of wheat beer at the Andechs monastery brewery in the early 1990s. Previously, the monastery brewery had only brewed bottom-fermented beers. In other words, a Benedictine abbot and studied philosopher was the driver of innovation for his own monastery brewery.

What sets this beer apart from other examples within the style?
What distinguishes Andechser Weissbier Hell from many top-fermented beers is its enormous complexity of flavor, which at no time overwhelms the connoisseur's senses, but on the contrary invites them to discover yet another side to this special wheat beer.

What makes this beer truly World Class?
As a connoisseur of top-fermented beers and a friend of our monastery beers from the Holy Mountain of Bavaria, I think what you can really “taste” from our pale wheat beer is our love of the real craft of brewing and the centuries-old art of brewing in this very special place.

We are also so pleased to receive this award because it shows us: The courage to create wheat beer full of character that is recognizable and does not conform to mainstream tastes is rewarded.

This is all the more important for us because, as a small-to-medium-sized monastery brewery, we don't have the backing of a large brewing group that would take risks if necessary for our courage to brew real character beers.

What is your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, mouthfeel, etc.)?
I find it difficult to single out a “favorite aspect” of our pale wheat beer. It is so much more than the sum of its appearance, smell, taste, aroma and mouthfeel. First of all, there is the light honey color. The yeast turbidity is opal and finely structured. A very creamy and fine-pored head invites you to take a closer look at the pale wheat beer from the Holy Mountain.  If you then concentrate on the olfactory experience, the nose needs several attempts. After striking fruit aromas such as banana and honeydew melon appear, fine cloves follow.

Andechser Weissbier Hell is very lively and refreshing to drink, revealing its full and soft body. What’s truly notable about this pale wheat beer from Bavaria's Holy Mountain is its finish. Here, a complex yet balanced interplay of a light honey sweetness and an elegant acidity is combined with a subtle hop bitterness, which quickly fades into a harmonious aftertaste that makes you thirsty for more.

How popular is this beer among your faithful fans?
Our pale wheat beer is one of the most popular varieties of our Andechs monastery beers. When we ask why, we always get answers that tell a story rather than describing the taste of the beer: For many, it is simply a wheat beer with which to taste a piece of unmistakable Andechs hospitality and way of life: Delicately yeasty, tangy and sparkling, it refreshes and makes you thirsty for more. For many of our connoisseurs, drinking our pale wheat beer brings back memories of an unforgettable visit and a special time with us on Bavaria's Holy Mountain.

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