North East Beer Review

A beer I have tried before and loved it so much I had to buy it again. Stiegl Goldbräu is the subject of todays review and this is an Austrian based tipple that I 100% recommend to any lager lovers. Although, I have probably gave away my verdict on the beer, this is second to my favourite lager/pilsner/ helles and so on, of all time which is Budweiser Budvar. So, during the course of this review I will cover the history of Stiegl Goldbräu, the pour, the taste and aroma and finally my verdict. Cheers

A brewery with roots back to the late 1400’s.

Privatbrauerei Stiegl is one of Austria’s oldest and most iconic breweries. This is a privately owned brewery with roots back to Salzburg in 1492. Stiegl is German for stairs or steps which is in reference to the first site in Gstättengasse where steps led down to the Almkanal. Over the centuries, Stiegl has survived wars, fires and the rapid boom in industrialisation and it has been run by the Kiener family since 1863.

From the 1800’s the brewery expanded and built beer cellars underneath the Salzburg fortress which now exists as the Stieglkeller beer garden. Despite a major fire in 1875, production expanded and in 1912, Stiegl became the leading private brewery in Salzburg. The same year, Stiegl Goldbräu was formed which led to major success and multiple gold awards for the Märzen style beer.

Like many European breweries, Stiegl struggled through WWI and WWII due to shortages and economic disruption. After 1945, production dipped initially but recovered quickly once resources became more available.

In the modern era, Stiegl invested in many facilities such as the beer museum called Stiegl Brauwelt and by 2009, the brewery brewed its millionth hectolitre which is quite the achievement. Today, Stiegl aims to merge craft brewing with sustainable practices such as using locally produced ingredients and utilising slow brewing. This shows a quality focused and traditional method which relies on patience and effort.

Stiegl Goldbräu was first trademarked and introduced in 1912 as part of the growth and standardisation of the brewery. The name comes from the gold colour of the beer and the brewery’s knack for picking up gold medals at beer awards.

Goldbräu is brewed with a a 12° original gravity, a higher wort density than many other lagers, a measure Stiegl still adheres to even though European law allows breweries to lower gravity to reduce costs. Over 110 years, Goldbräu has continued to be a centre piece of Stiegl’s lineup.

Goldbräu by name, Gold by colour

Stiegl Goldbräu pours a golden colour which is remarkably clear. This beer has great clarity which shows the hallmarks of a decent lager. A thick creamy foam white head forms which is about 2-3cm thick. The layers of foam leading to a cracking amount of lacing down the glass. This beer was quite lively which should a stream of bubbles travelling up the glass. This is overall, a cracking pour of lager and it is everything you would expect.

An elegant taste and aroma

Aroma

When it comes to the aroma of Stiegl Goldbräu, this beer is led by a toasted bread malt with a subtle grain of sweetness. This is achieve whilst keeping this light. A hoppy and herbal aroma quickly becomes present which is very clean and adds balance more than domination. This beer allows both the light toasted malt and the hop nature to excel. Overall, a clean and balanced lager aroma.

Taste

When taking a sip, Stiegl Goldbräu opens with the malt base which is reminiscent of lightly toasted bread or crackers. This has a slight sweetness which is well controlled. Mid Palate the beer has a hoppy and herbal nature which increases the structure of the beer. This adds a bitterness which gentle enough to not become overpowering. The finish is immensely clean and dry which makes this inviting and refreshing. Overall, the taste is balanced and highly drinkable which is an amazing lager example I wish we had more often in the UK.

Time for my verdict

Although, I have already raved about this beer in the introduction, this review is entirely honest and shows my true feelings for this beer. I really love a lager as much as I love an IPA. Stiegl Goldbräu is immense, second to only Budvar in my opinion. This is perfectly balanced with the malt base and hop nature which has a great structure. The bitterness is gentle and the pour is perfect. Overall, I rate this a brilliant 4.75 out of 5.

Where did I purchase this beer?

I bought this beer from Trembling Madness in York. Tremendous beer shop and bar which I couldn’t recommend enough. One of the best in the United Kingdom.

Cheers for reading my review and If you enjoyed this beer review you will love my review of Stiegl Hells kavailable from Sainsburys.