Das Besondere Festbier
Review Date 10/14/2016 Updated By John Staradumsky
For Christmas of 2015, my wife bought me a really cool present: BeerAdvent Calendar 2015 from Kalea. In truth, my wife got me a lot of nice presents (she’s the best wife ever), but the nice thing about the Beer Advent Calendar is you get it early. You have to, since it’s comprised of 24 different imported German beers in a box with little doors that you open, one per day from December 1st through December 24th. All of the beers are listed on the side of the carton, however, so be careful not to look and spoil the daily surprises!
I love German beer more than beer from any other country on Earth, so this was definitely right up my alley. My one criticism of the calendar is there are no bocks or doppelbocks (not fair!), but otherwise it’s just an amazing way to sample 24 German beers I’ve never seen before. I got mine a Costco here in Georgia and paid $59.95 for the box. That might sound steep, but when you distribute that price over 24 different half liter cans, it only works out to $2.50 per can. Not a bad deal at all looked at that way.
Today is Day 19 of the German Beer Advent Calendar-only another 5 beers to go! Day 19 brings with still another beer from Brauerei Egerer: Das Besondere festbier, or in English the special festbier. The can also says "Fur den festlichen Genuss", or "for festive consumption".
As I am posting this review (I've been drinking these beers throughout the year), I just picked up the 2016 Beer Advent Calendar. Many of the same beers are repeated, but there are some new ones, too. A dark bock, a German-brewed IPA, and a rauchbier all grabbed my interest immediately. Can't wait until December 1st to start enjoying my new calendar.
Egerer Das Besondere Festbier has an alcohol strength of 5.2% by volume, it's Reinheitsgebot compliant, and like all the beers in this sampler it was packaged on 7/04/15 and suggested as best by 09/01/16. I drank mine on September 11th. A little past the suggested date, but it has been continually refrigerated and held up well.
Egerer Das Besondere Festbier pours to a light yellow color with a thick fluffy head and a light malty nose. Taking a sip the beer is very bready malt with a crisp clean maltiness, has a light perfumey hop aroma and a tangy drying lingering bitterness in the finish.
I’m greatly enjoying my Beer Advent Calendar with the day 19 beer. Here’s looking forward to the remaining 5, and that new assortment of 24 for 2016. I found them at Costco, and you can follow the beers on their Facebook page.
The beers of the 2015 Beer Advent Calendar:
Day 1 Alpinebrauerei Burgerbrau Alpen Stoff
Day 2 Ankerbrau Nordlingen Grandl Helles Lagerbier
Day 3 Herrnbrau Tradition Bayerisches Festbier
Day 4 Schlossbrauerei Herrngiersdorf Publiner
Day 5 Hofbrauhaus Friesing Huber Weisses
Day 6 Lowenbrauerei Passau Urtyp Hell
Day 7 Spath Brau Osser Osser Gold
Day 8 Hosl Marzenbier
Day 9 Wittmann Urhell
Day 10 Kloster Urstoff Marzen
Day 11 Egerer Eaglebrau Weizenbier Dunkel
Day 12 Egerer 1516 Schloss Weisse
Day 13 Barbarossa Pilsener
Day 14 Lausaria Romergold Export Hell
Day 15 Egerer Winter Weisse
Day 16 Kress Bayrisch Zwickel
Day 17 Egerer Winterfestbier
Day 18 Egerer Konig Wilhelm Ur-Weisse Dunkel
Day 19 Egerer Das Besondere Festbier
Day 20 Egerer Baren Weisse
Day 21 Bierkutscher Edel Pils
Day 22 Alpenkonig Gold
Day 23 Egerer Altbayrisch Dunkel
Day 24 Edel Bayer Urtyp Hell
Glad I tried it? T
Would I rebuy it??
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled, Canned
(D)=Draft