Falcons and coolers

I stayed in a holiday flat in Falkenberg. The basement of a lovely couple's house. We chatted while I paid the pittance the night had cost.

I mentioned the castle. The magnificent castle on the rock. "Would you like to see inside it?", the husband, a tanned and nimble 50-something, asks.

"I thought it wasn't open to the public?"

"It isn't. But my brother's the mayor. He has the key. We can pick it up on the way there."

This sounded good. I cautiously said about being in town for Zoigl.

"I know who's got the key to the brewery, too. Would you like to look in there as well?"

See the advantages of a small town? Everyone literally knows everyone else.

My host is remarkably well-informed about Zoigl. 20 years ago the tradition had almost died out in Falkenberg. Only three families still brewed and there was talk of giving up the communal brewery. Luckily, they didn't. Interest revived and now there are around 30 brewers, though only 3 sell their beer. The others brew for their own consumption.

As we enter the brewery, he tells me that they don't brew in the summer. The wort won't cool quickly enough when the night-time temperature is over 15º C. Autumn and spring are the most favourable seasons, brewing-wise.

The equipment is charmingly rustic, with the exception of the stainless steel cooler (coolship). That was installed pretty recently. The copper is fired directly by a wood-burning furnace. All the machinery is powered by belts and wheels driven by an electric motor. I guess in the old days a steam engine was at the heart of the system. (As is still the case at Brauerei Schmitt at Singen in Thüringen.)

Some brewers ferment their beer in cellars cut into the rock under the castle. Unfortunately, my host doesn't have the keys for these doors. I'm sort of surprised. He seems to have the keys to everywhere else.

The key for the castle's front door is suitably massive and rusty iron affair. This is exciting. Unlocking a castle.

Having already heard somerthing of the castle's history, I know it won't be stuffed with armour, swords and four-poster beds. It lay derelict for centuries after being burned by the Swedes during the Thirty Years War. In the 1930's a German diplomat bought the ruin with the intention of restoring it and turning it into his retirement home. The jammy bastard. Getting a castle of his own.

Most of the rooms are bare. Just the few used for occasional functions are furnished. When the family living in the castle left, they took most of the contents with them. God knows where they'd find room for so much stuff. The castle has dozens of rooms.

Since 2008 the castle had been owned by the town of Falkenberg. They plan opening it to the public, but need to install an emergency exit first. Bloody health and safety.

A lot of effort was put into renovating the building in an historically accurate way. You can see that up in the attics, where the solid craftsmanship of the rafters is plain to see. But what's that funny screeching noise outside? I notice when we get back down to the bottom of the rock. Falcons circle the castle. I suppose it is called Falkenberg, after all.


Back to the lucky owner of the castle, diplomat Friedrich Werner von der Schulenburg. He was German ambassador in Moscow when operation Barbarossa kicked off. Being more connected to reality than Hitler, he'd tried to prevent the invasion. He wasn't quite so lucky after all. Implicated in the 1944 plot to kill Hitler, he was executed. He never got to retire to his dream castle.

"Would you like me to drive you to Windischeschenbach?"

"Yes, please." I said, remembering the hill up to my hotel there.

Lovely people, these Bavarians.

Look away

Look away . . . . look away . . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . .

look away . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . .look away . . . . ..

Straight to Zoigl

That's the way to start. Straight into the heart of darkness of Germany's beer Urwald. Only pausing to pick up a couple of bottles of beer and some impulse schnapps on the way. Just to make the train journey go that bit quicker. Medicinal, really.

Falkenberg isn't just exceptional because it's one of the handful of towns in the Oberpfalz that retains its communal brewhouse. Nor only because of the three Zoigl Stube that sell beer brewed in that brewhouse. There's an amazing castle. One of the most impressive I've seen. And I've seen a lot of castles. It's stuck on a  huge rock, right in the middle of town. (It is technically a town, depite only being home to 750 souls.) At its foot is that brewhouse.

I was surprised to learn that all the Zogl Stube had opened in the last few years. Where I headed that first evening, hasn't been open two years yet. I'd never have guessed.

People go on about family businesses. In many, a family may own, but not actively participate in, the business. Zoigl Stube aren't like that. They're proper family businesses. Two or three generations divide the work. Family members, proud of their beer and their traditions, are happy to pause at your table and chat. Friendly, relaxed, domestic almost. It's hard to think of a better place to while away a few hours than a Zoigl Stube. They're dirt cheap, too. Pay more than 1.70 euros for a half litre and you're being robbed.

There's only one beer. But that doesn't worry me a bit. One good one will do me. Which is what Schwoazhansl has. A hazy golden delight of a beer, that slips down as effortlessly as the sun behind the garden's trees. This is exactly what I've dreamt about the last few months. Me, a defenceless beer or two, a few lumps of pork and a mountain of rest.

No music, no TV, no drooling drunks nor obnoxous nerds. Just calm and simple pleasure. No, something even greater than pleasure: delight.

It would be hard to beat day one. Nought to delight in 8 hours.

Zoiglstube Schwoazhansl

Tirschenreutherstrasse 7

95685 Falkenberg

Handy: 0172 / 9106756

Mail: info@schwoazhansl-zoigl.de

http://www.schwoazhansl-zoigl.de/

Opening Times:

17:00 Friday, 14:00 Saturday. (Obviously only the 50-odd days a year they open .)

Boring technical post again

Not a proper post . . . Not a proper post . . . Not a proper post . . . Not a proper post . . . Not a proper post . . . Not a proper post . . . Not a proper post . . . Not a proper post . . . Not a proper post . . . Not a proper post . . .

Fullers Pale Ales 1914 - 1920

Time for part two of my series on Fuller's beers during WW I. And yes, it is their Pale Ales. All three of them.

Funnily enough, Fullers started the war with only two, PA and one of my favourite obsessions, AK. As you can see, there was quite a gap in gravity between the two, with PA at 1054º and AK at 1044º. In the late 19th century they had made four Pale Ales. In descending order of strength IPA, XK, AK and KA. Sometime between 1902 and 1910 IPA was renamed PA and XK and KA were phased out.

At the outbreak of war, AK was the lowest-gravity beer Fullers brewed, 5 points lower than X Ale and 1 lower than Porter. As with X Ale a few points were knocked off the gravity in the early war years, but the biggest changes were in April 1917 and April 1918. First reducing the gravity to around 1036º and then to 1026º. After April 1917, its gravity was pretty much identical to X Ale, even though before the war it had been lower. By 1920 both X Ale and AK were around 1030.

In a similar way to the introduction of XX Ale, in 1919 a slightly stronger Pale Ale called XK was introduced. And while AK remained around 1030º, XK had risen to the dizzying height of 1037º by 1920. AK limped along through the 1920's and 1930's, being brewed in quantities so small that you wonder why they bothered. Sometimes it was as little as two barrels. Too small for any of the normal fermenters as it was fermented in puncheons. It disappeared for good early in WW II (unless I can persuade Fullers to brew it as a Past Masters beer).

PA came through the war almost unscathed. It was over 1050º right up until April 1918. No mean feat, that. What it looks as if they did was to drive down the gravity of AK as far as possible so that they could keep up the strength of PA. In 1918 the average gravity of all beer produced in a brewery had to average no more than 1030º. To be able to brew PA in the high 1030's there had to be a considerable amount of beer with a gravity well below 1030º. Even in early 1919, it was still around 1039º - a very respectable strength for that time. And by the end of the year it was back up to its pre-war strength.

Now let's look at the recipe. I won't say recipes, because all of the Pale Ales were parti-gyled together. The flaked maize disappeared, too. The pre-war recipe was pretty typical: pale malt, sugar and flaked maize. If you've been paying attention you'll remember that crystal malt was rarely found in a Pale Ale before WW I. Fullers first used it in theirs some time between 1962 and 1968.

As with X Ale, there was a big change in the recipe in 1917, presumably as a result of difficulties in obtaining ingredients. For a while they were all malt, except for the primings. In 1920, the same main ingredients were being used as pre-war, but in different proportions. Pale malt remained at 78% to 80%, but the amount of flaked maize had more than doubled at the expense of No. 2 invert sugar and glucose.

Fullers were big fans of glucose. Between the wars all their beers except Porter and Stout contained it. Of course, that includes OBE. Which is how come I got to taste glucose. They'd bought some in for the Past Masters brew of OBE. It's a very different beast to invert sugar. While No. 2 and No. 3 invert have lots of dark fruit flavours glucose is just, well, sugary. Straight sweetness without much anything else.

Fuller's AK 1914 - 1920
Date	Year	Beer	Style	OG	FG	ABV	App. Attenuation	lbs hops/ qtr	hops lb/brl	boil time (hours)	boil time (hours)	Pitch temp	pale malt	no. 2 sugar	glucose	intense sugar	flaked maize	primings
20th Nov	1914	AK	Pale Ale	1044.3	1009.1	4.65	79.38%	7.33	1.34	1.5	1.75	60.5º	78.89%	5.84%	5.84%	0.17%	5.84%	3.40%
8th Dec	1914	AK	Pale Ale	1044.1	1009.4	4.58	78.63%	7.35	1.36	1.5	1.75	58.5º	81.38%		5.56%	5.56%	6.26%	1.23%
2nd Jul	1915	AK	Pale Ale	1044.5	1009.7	4.61	78.22%	7.84	1.42	1.5	1.75	59.5º	78.96%	6.68%	6.68%		6.27%	1.40%
1st Jun	1916	AK	Pale Ale	1043.9	1009.7	4.53	77.93%	8.20	1.54	1.5	1.75	60º	79.27%	6.61%	6.61%		4.95%	2.56%
3rd Aug	1916	AK	Pale Ale	1042.7	1008.9	4.47	79.23%	8.13	1.46	1.5	1.75	60º	82.40%	4.85%	4.85%		4.85%	3.06%
26th Oct	1916	AK	Pale Ale	1041.0	1006.6	4.54	83.78%	8.44	1.43	1.5	1.75	59.5º	80.05%	6.47%	8.09%		4.85%	0.55%
3rd Nov	1916	AK	Pale Ale	1041.7	1005.8	4.74	86.04%	8.18	1.46	1.5	1.75	60º	80.16%	5.73%	5.73%		5.73%	2.67%
12th Jan	1917	AK	Pale Ale	1041.8	1007.8	4.50	81.44%	8.17	1.40	1.5	1.75	59º	80.82%	5.26%	5.26%		5.91%	2.76%
19th Jan	1917	AK	Pale Ale	1040.7	1007.5	4.40	81.63%	8.48	1.44	1.5	1.75	59º	82.98%	5.40%	5.40%		6.07%	0.16%
13th Apr	1917	AK	Pale Ale	1041.5	1008.3	4.39	79.99%	8.49	1.41	1.5	1.75	59.5º	83.03%	5.40%	5.40%		6.08%	0.10%
20th Jun	1917	AK	Pale Ale	1038.6	1006.4	4.27	83.51%	8.53	1.45	1.5	1.75	60º	86.64%	3.85%	5.78%			3.74%
8th Aug	1917	AK	Pale Ale	1035.4	1006.4	3.84	82.00%	9.67	1.43	1.5	1.75	60º	97.77%					2.23%
1st Nov	1917	AK	Pale Ale	1035.9	1007.8	3.73	78.41%	9.64	1.47	2		60º	92.36%			0.17%	5.23%	2.25%
14th Nov	1917	AK	Pale Ale	1036.1	1008.3	3.68	76.98%	9.66	1.43	1.5	1.75	60º	92.38%			0.23%	5.31%	2.09%
2nd Jan	1918	AK	Pale Ale	1035.5	1007.5	3.70	78.92%	9.72	2.24	1.5	1.75	60º	92.13%	5.94%		0.13%		1.80%
16th Jan	1918	AK	Pale Ale	1036.1	1011.1	3.32	69.35%	8.70	1.28	1.5	1.75	60º	91.58%	3.05%	3.05%	0.16%		2.15%
11th Apr	1918	AK	Pale Ale	1026.1	1005.5	2.73	78.81%	9.99	1.10	1.5	1.75	60.5º	74.94%	12.49%	12.49%	0.08%
20th Jun	1918	AK	Pale Ale	1026.2	1005.5	2.73	78.84%	9.68	1.11	1.5	1.75	60º	74.65%	19.14%	3.83%	0.09%		2.29%
7th Nov	1918	AK	Pale Ale	1025.7	1005.0	2.74	80.60%	9.45	1.09	1.75		60º	77.55%	18.35%		0.18%		3.92%
16th Jan	1919	AK	Pale Ale	1026.1	1006.1	2.64	76.62%	9.25	1.10	1.75		60.5º	78.14%	8.14%	8.14%	0.17%		5.41%
15th Apr	1919	AK	Pale Ale	1026.0	1004.4	2.86	82.98%	9.04	1.08	1.75		61.5º	74.21%	6.06%	8.08%	0.26%	4.54%	6.85%
19th Jun	1919	AK	Pale Ale	1028.2	1004.7	3.10	83.28%	9.72	1.14	1.5	1.5	62º	77.72%	6.76%	6.76%	0.14%	6.76%	1.86%
25th Jun	1919	AK	Pale Ale	1028.0	1005.3	3.01	81.21%	9.72	1.16	1.75		61.5º	78.01%	8.00%	6.00%	0.27%	6.00%	1.72%
27th Aug	1919	AK	Pale Ale	1030.5	1006.9	3.12	77.31%	9.96	1.28	1.5	1.5	60º	74.03%	8.80%	8.80%	0.16%	8.06%	0.16%
11th Feb	1920	AK	Pale Ale	1030.6	1007.5	3.06	75.59%	9.80	1.21	1.5	1.5	62º	78.81%	3.23%	3.23%	0.17%	13.34%	1.22%
Source:
Fuller's brewing records.

 

Fuller's PA 1914 - 1920
Date	Year	Beer	Style	OG	FG	ABV	App. Attenuation	lbs hops/ qtr	hops lb/brl	boil time (hours)	boil time (hours)	Pitch temp	pale malt	no. 2 sugar	caramel	glucose	intense sugar	flaked maize	primings
17th Nov	1914	PA	Pale Ale	1054.2	1012.2	5.56	77.52%	8.14	1.98	1.75	1.75	59.5º	77.19%	6.64%	0.11%	6.64%		2.49%	6.93%
1st Jan	1915	PA	Pale Ale	1053.7	1012.2	5.49	77.28%	8.89	1.97	1.5	1.75	60º	85.82%			4.09%	6.13%	3.07%	0.89%
6th Jul	1915	PA	Pale Ale	1053.6	1010.5	5.69	80.35%	8.59	1.96	1.5	1.75	60º	80.08%	7.21%		7.21%		2.16%	3.33%
30th May	1916	PA	Pale Ale	1053.5	1011.4	5.57	78.77%	8.71	2.00	1.5	1.75	59.5º	78.75%	7.29%		7.29%		4.38%	2.29%
13th Jun	1916	PA	Pale Ale	1052.9	1011.9	5.42	77.48%	8.95	2.00	1.5	1.75	60º	80.29%	7.43%		7.43%		4.46%	0.38%
30th Jul	1916	PA	Pale Ale	1052.3	1011.1	5.45	78.80%	8.88	1.95	1.5	1.75	60º	82.74%	4.50%		6.75%		5.07%	0.93%
7th Aug	1916	PA	Pale Ale	1051.9	1010.8	5.44	79.19%	8.56	1.95			59.5º	77.52%	6.89%		6.89%		5.17%	3.53%
31st Oct	1916	PA	Pale Ale	1051.8	1009.7	5.57	81.29%	8.61	1.99	1.5	1.75	60º	80.91%	4.40%		6.61%		4.95%	3.13%
16th Jan	1917	PA	Pale Ale	1052.9	1010.5	5.61	80.12%	8.64	1.96	1.5	1.75	60º	81.13%	6.62%		4.42%		4.97%	2.87%
20th Jun	1917	PA	Pale Ale	1050.6	1011.1	5.23	78.09%	8.53	1.90	1.5	1.75	60º	86.64%	3.85%		5.78%			3.74%
8th Aug	1917	PA	Pale Ale	1050.5	1008.3	5.58	83.53%	9.67	2.03	1.5	1.75	60º	97.77%						2.23%
14th Nov	1917	PA	Pale Ale	1051.2	1014.1	4.91	72.43%	9.66	2.04	1.5	1.75	60.5º	92.38%				0.23%	5.31%	2.09%
2nd Jan	1918	PA	Pale Ale	1051.1	1013.3	4.99	73.96%	9.72	6.54	1.5	1.75	60º	92.13%	5.94%			0.13%		1.80%
16th Jan	1918	PA	Pale Ale	1051.2	1013.9	4.95	72.97%	8.70	1.82	1.5	1.75	60º	91.58%	3.05%		3.05%	0.16%		2.15%
11th Apr	1918	PA	Pale Ale	1039.5	1012.2	3.61	69.12%	9.99	1.66	1.5	1.75	61.5º	74.94%	12.49%		12.49%	0.08%
20th Jun	1918	PA	Pale Ale	1039.3	1009.4	3.96	76.06%	9.68	1.67	1.5	1.75	64º	74.65%	19.14%		3.83%	0.09%		2.29%
7th Nov	1918	PA	Pale Ale	1038.8	1009.4	3.89	75.73%	9.45	1.64	1.75		61º	77.55%	18.35%		0.00%	0.18%		3.92%
16th Jan	1919	PA	Pale Ale	1038.5	1008.9	3.92	76.98%	9.25	1.62	1.75		61.5º	78.14%	8.14%		8.14%	0.17%		5.41%
16th Apr	1919	PA	Pale Ale	1041.6	1009.7	4.21	76.67%	9.99	2.50	1.75		61.5º	81.48%	6.24%		7.49%	0.10%	4.68%
19th Jun	1919	PA	Pale Ale	1050.6	1012.2	5.09	75.93%	9.72	2.05	1.5	1.5	62º	77.72%	6.76%		6.76%	0.14%	6.76%	1.86%
26th Jun	1919	PA	Pale Ale	1050.5	1008.9	5.51	82.45%	9.68	2.05	1.5	1.5	62º	77.51%	6.74%		6.74%	0.08%	6.74%	2.19%
20th Aug	1919	PA	Pale Ale	1054.8	1013.9	5.42	74.73%	10.13	2.42	1.5	1.5	60.5º	72.07%	8.96%		9.77%	0.08%	8.55%	0.56%
27th Aug	1919	PA	Pale Ale	1054.2	1013.3	5.41	75.47%	9.96	2.28	1.5	1.5	61º	74.03%	8.80%		8.80%	0.16%	8.06%	0.16%
11th Feb	1920	PA	Pale Ale	1055.0	1015.2	5.26	72.31%	9.80	2.17	1.5	1.5	58.5º	78.81%	3.23%		3.23%	0.17%	13.34%	1.22%
12th Feb	1920	PA	Pale Ale	1054.8	1015.8	5.17	71.21%	9.80	2.28	1.5	1.5	59º	78.00%	3.06%			3.90%	13.76%	1.28%
16th Jun	1920	PA	Pale Ale	1054.8	1011.6	5.72	78.79%	8.82	1.93	1.5	1.75	60º	81.40%	1.52%		1.52%	0.11%	14.23%	1.22%
Source:
Fuller's brewing records.

Fuller's XK 1919 - 1920
Date	Year	Beer	Style	OG	FG	ABV	App. Attenuation	lbs hops/ qtr	hops lb/brl	boil time (hours)	boil time (hours)	Pitch temp	pale malt	no. 2 sugar	glucose	other sugar	flaked maize	primings
15th Apr	1919	XK	Pale Ale	1028.3	1005.5	3.00	80.39%	9.04	1.17	1.75		60º	74.21%	6.06%	8.08%	0.26%	4.54%	6.85%
19th Jun	1919	XK	Pale Ale	1030.2	1005.5	3.27	81.67%	9.72	1.22	1.5	1.5	62º	77.72%	6.76%	6.76%	0.14%	6.76%	1.86%
25th Jun	1919	XK	Pale Ale	1030.2	1006.1	3.19	79.84%	9.72	1.25	1.75		61.5º	78.01%	8.00%	6.00%	0.27%	6.00%	1.72%
27th Aug	1919	XK	Pale Ale	1033.8	1010.2	3.11	69.67%	9.96	1.42	1.5	1.5	61º	74.03%	8.80%	8.80%	0.16%	8.06%	0.16%
11th Feb	1920	XK	Pale Ale	1034.0	1008.6	3.36	74.74%	9.80	1.34	1.5	1.5	64º	78.81%	3.23%	3.23%	0.17%	13.34%	1.22%
16th Jun	1920	XK	Pale Ale	1036.8	1006.6	3.98	81.91%	8.82	1.29	1.5	1.75	62.5º	81.40%	1.52%	1.52%	0.11%	14.23%	1.22%
Source:
Fuller's brewing records.

That's it for this time. Next it definitely is Porter and Stout.