Graminger Kirta Dunkles Weissbier Beer Review

Graminger Kirta Dunkles Weissbier

Review Date 4/25/2020 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. I have managed to get my hands on one of these calendars each year since, and have never been disappointed. Overall, this is an amazing way to sample 24 German beers over 24 days, and I look forward to it every year. For the first three years, I've found these at Costco in Georgia and paid $59.95 for the box. Last year, though, we were in Spring Hill Tennessee and I saw these on a pallet at the local Costco in mid-October. I grabbed one there to make sure I didn't miss out. They were up $5 to $64.95 (and indeed, when I did see them at the new Costco in Woodstock, Georgia a month later they were the same price). This year, I found them earlier than ever (September 26th) and bought one at Costco here in Georgia for $63.95, though curiously they were down to $59.95 on my next visit.

That might sound steep, but when you distribute that price over 24 different half liter cans, it only works out to $2.66 per can. Not a bad deal at all looked at that way. It certainly does not stop these from selling; a follow up trip to my local Woodstock Costco a few weeks after I saw them and there they were: gone!

For 2019, there are six new beers in the mix and 18 returning favorites. I do like this, because there are a lot of the beers that I really enjoy, and want to enjoy again. It's like 18 old friends and 6 news ones in the same box. What's better than that?

On Day 12, December 12th of course, I opened a door to a can of Graminger Kirta Dunkles Weissbier from the Graminger Weissbräu brauerei in the Bavarian town of Altötting. On their website, Graminger says about this beer:

Das Kirta ist ursprünglich als Festbier für unser Graminger Weissbierzelt auf dem Altöttinger Kirta gebraut worden. Durch die Zugabe von dunklem Malz und Röstmalz entsteht ein satter Mahagonifarbton und ein fruchtiger, malzaromatischer Geschmack. Feine Nasen werden eine leichte Schokoladennote bemerken.

In English that means:

Kirta was originally brewed as a Festbier for our Graminger Weissbierzelt on the Altöttinger Kirta. The addition of dark malt and roasted malt creates a rich mahogany hue and a fruity, malt-aromatic taste. Fine noses will notice a light chocolate note.

Graminger Kirta Dunkles Weissbier has an alcohol content of 5% by volume. My can is stamped My can is stamped EXP 05/2021. I drank it on December 15th 2019, just a scant few days after I pulled it from the calendar. The can says this beer is Gebraut von Graminger Weissbrau KG, so does not appear to be contract brewed by Egerer.

Graminger Kirta Dunkles Weissbier pours to a cloudy brown color with a thick cauliflower head and a cookie malt and clove nose. Taking a sip, the beer is toasty nutty with hints of chocolate and powerful notes of banana and clove. Tart wheat underlines the beer and leaves it quenching in the finish.

I’m greatly enjoying my Beer Advent Calendar 2019 with the day 12 beer. Here’s looking forward to the remaining 12, and another assortment of 24 in 2020. We’ll be on the lookout next year at Costco once again! Follow them on their Facebook page.