Image courtesy of Stiegl.
It’s surprising that Stiegl Goldbräu hasn’t caught on with all the hype over lager the last few years. Austria as a whole seems off the radar for most beer drinkers. But the landlocked central European country makes world-class beer and ranks second in per capita beer consumption next to Czechia.
I doubt many Austrians are bothered by this oversight. It seems they’re content to keep their beer to themselves (this is total speculation).
By and large, the beer style they drink is their version of Märzen, a version that differs from brews that bear that name in Germany. It’s an Austrian pale lager, and Goldbräu is one example that is available in the States.
Pale lager? That’s right. If you think Austrians are drinking amber Vienna Lager, they’re not. Not much, anyway. It’s an anomaly there.
(For more reading on Austrian beer culture past and present, I recommend this post by Adrian Tierney-Jones and this one by Jeff Alworth.)
Tasting Goldbräu, one familiar with pale Czech or German lager will not find something vastly unfamiliar. Though proximity is no guarantee for similarity, the resemblance shouldn’t come as a surprise as Salzburg, where Stiegl is based, is just a few hours from Munich and Pilsen. There are subtle differences though.
Austrian Märzen is not Helles. It has a little more oomph. It’s not Czech pale lager. It lacks the character of Czech hops and likely has not undergone as much decoction. It’s also not a Maibock, lacking that deep malt character. It’s perhaps most like a modern Festbier, just a little lower in ABV.
Austrians love to use Austrian-grown ingredients, which helps distinguish their beer a bit. Goldbräu is no exception. The beer has been in production since 1912 and it features hops from the Mühlviertel region and barley from the Weinviertel region. Water is from the mountains around Salzburg.
It’s an all-Pilsner malt beer that is accentuated with a decoction mash. These days, that makes it different than most German pale lagers. Not the Czechs, though.
The beer is hopped with Magnum, Aurora and Hallertauer Tradition hops. Sure, these aren’t landrace varieties, which were decimated long ago, but as we all know, ingredients vary when grown in different regions.
The 12-degree beer (5-percent ABV) is spunded for natural carbonation and has an aroma with a touch of spice and citrus/lime. These carry through to the taste that’s supported by a pleasant bready/straw flavor. It’s crystal clear and has a nice bitter finish.
It’s worthwhile to note that Stiegl beers bear the “Slow Brewing” quality seal from the Slow Brewing Institute. The institute promotes properly brewed beer and breweries that incorporate sustainable business practices. The institute’s website states “the Slow Brewing seal of approval begins where the Purity Law ends” adding, “slow brewers are committed to slow fermentation and gentle maturation.” Cool.
Aside from the fact that all this adds up to Goldbräu being a fantastic beer, I’m drawn in by the brewery’s whole aesthetic. It feels timelessly cool. In particular, I love the brewery’s typography and its glassware. Especially its pokal-style Pilsner glass (see immediately above). However, the brewery would recommend you enjoy Goldbräu with their Stiegl Becher (see the top photo above), which is essentially the same glass. Still footed, but with no stem.
I’ve wanted the stemmed glass for a while, and my birthday is next month. Just saying.