Braupakt is back! Yes it is! I’m talking about Weihenstephaner Braupakt, a collaboration effort between Germany’s Weihenstepahner brewery, the oldest brewery in the world mind you, and another fine brewer of their choosing. The first such beer I enjoyed was Braupakt Hefeweissbier, in collaboration with the Sierra Nevada brewery.

Mind you, this was about six years ago, but what is six years to a brewery that is almost 1000 years old? So, we now have another new collaboration, this time with the renowned Belgian brewer St. Bernardus: Braupakt Blonde Ale. The first collaboration was in a style that Weihenstephaner is of course most famous for, but a blonde ale (A Belgian-style blonde ale at that) is something entirely new for them.

Weihenstephaner says:

Braupakt 2024 is a Blonde Ale - filtered, strong and top-fermented. Yeast from Weihenstephan, hops from the Hallertau and the area around St. Bernardus in Belgium make for a spicy taste.

Weihenstephaner Braupakt Blonde Ale has an alcohol content of 6.5% by volume with 28 IBUs. I paid $3.99 for a single 12-ounce bottle from Half Time, and was glad to get it, because I never saw the beer for sale here in Georgia.

Weihenstephaner Braupakt Blonde Ale pours to a brilliant golden color with a  towering head of rocky white foam and a nose of spicy cloves and coriander. Taking a sip, the beer is light to medium in body, about right for the style I think. It’s quite spicy indeed with a little banana and more of the cloves and coriander the nose promised. It finishes dry from the spice and eminently drinkable.

Dry spicy, crisp, refreshing, highly drinkable, this one is a pure joy to drink. Don’t miss it.