KOTBR #119 | A Toast to the Original - The KOTBR & Paulaner Salvator

The story of Paulaner Salvator--"Savior"--was one that took my love for beer and expanded it into a fondness for history as well.  The Paulaner story starts back in the 17th century, when the Paulaner monks of Munich began brewing a version of Salvator for consumption during Lenten times, when they needed sustenance during their Lenten fasting. While food was off limits, liquids were thought to provide clarity to the body and soul. And the more they drank, the cleaner their bodies and souls became.

While the monks were “cleansing their souls”, some of them were concerned that their beer consumption could be leaving their bodies more soused than doused. To set their minds at ease, they sent a cask of the beer to the Pope for his blessing. During the approximately 600 mile trip to Rome, the beer was subjected to poor weather and travel conditions and ended up becoming spoiled by the time it reached its destination. The Holy Father tried the horrible-tasting stuff. Thinking that suffering through such a rough-tasting brew would be good for the monks' souls, the Pope returned word to the monks that it would benefit them to brew and drink as much of this concoction as they wanted.

And so the Paulaner monks brewed this beer year after year and it undoubtedly got stronger. Now keep in mind that this beer was supposed to be for the monks to drink during Lent to provide nutrition during fasting, but the public caught wind of the brew (literally, perhaps) and the monks began selling it from the monastery. Now, this was illegal, and they wouldn’t receive a permit to lawfully sell the beer for another 30 years. Then, in 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte (who was a bit of a bastard) dissolved the monastery and took the brewery as state property. The brewery was later sold and reopened in 1806. Though the monks lost ownership of the brewery, the beer remained (and still remains) essentially the same. Also since then, there have been homages and reproductions of the beer numbering in the hundreds that contain the -ator suffix, but the original is Paulaner Salvator.  

And what’s better than an original? We didn’t do it on purpose, but for this roundtable we were joined by original KOTBR--our friends and Knights Emeriti, Chris M. and Kelly--at the Rathskeller.

The Godfather (Chris M.): Look, these folks can tell you all you want to know about this beer,  Paulaner Salvator.

It’s a doppelbock, which I typically don’t like. I did, however, like this one. It was a dark amber (though it was dark in the bar, so that’s all I could make out), it had a nose with hints of cherry and roses, had a medium-thick mouthfeel, and had some wood elements in the taste. Just for shits and giggles, I’m going to give it a 3.77 mug rating.

There. That’s my review.

Now let me talk about other stuff. I was honored that the KOTBR invited Kelly and me back for a guest review, and I felt as though I was sitting among craft beer royalty or rock stars. Jason kept taking off his underwear and throwing them at Mike. So Mike is a rock star, or Jason is just a perv. Sadly, both are probably true.

Seriously, though, it was nice to be back among the OGs, just like back when the old stuff was new. You know, when we only went to Deano’s Vino (unfortunately, they closed down after the KOTBR started to go to other bars – coincidence?), no one had ever heard of the site, when we still had Renee, and no one had ever given me a free beer (to be truthful, the reason I started this site was in the hopes of eventually getting free beer).

I’m really amazed at how far these chumps have taken this thing, and I’m so damn proud to have had a little part in them becoming what they are today. Their events are packed, the major beer festivals run smoothly because of them, and people actually seek out their opinion and advice on all things craft beer. They’ve come a hell of a long way since the very first review that Jason and I did while sitting at my dining room table. These guys are really good shits. But not in the “beer shits you get the next morning” kind of way. Those are bad.

(Of course, it helps that they are all so supportive of Dads Inc., whether selling our pretzel necklaces at the beer fests or naming us as the charitable recipients of the anniversary party. Do you know just how much funds they’ve raised for the community, and specifically for Dads Inc.? A lot. And they just let me put in a plug. That helped, too. Otherwise, I might have talked about the real bastards they are. But I would just be talking about Mike & Jim. Gina’s wonderful, and Jason is just a little bitch.)

!Viva Hoosier Beer Geek!

We've returned to the Rathskeller, the place where the HBG adventure began in earnest, the place where the Godfather (as Chris M. has become known) began to expand the Knights of the Beer Roundtable beyond just himself and Jason. Six original Knights, a dark German beer to review, a five-mug rating system to apply, and conversation veering from sports to music to movies (specifically, that John Hughes is the greatest auteur of the '80s) to politics to bodily functions. Yes, just like old times. In fact, roundtables are what I've always enjoyed most about being part of the KOTBR. Sure, we talk about the beer at every roundtable--we have to--but rarely is the beer we're reviewing the primary focus of our get-togethers. No, roundtables are more than just about the beer. They're about levity, smiles, and a forgetting of the anxieties of the day, at least for a little while. So we've gone from one German classic in that first roundtable at the Rathskeller--Spaten Optimator--to another: Paulaner Salvator. Salvator, the exemplar of doppelbocks. Salvator, with its melding of raisin, cherry, wood, molasses, Scotch, and snickerdoodles (yes, snickerdoodles). Ein bock, a goat, one that lightly butts you with its horns, but in a good way if you follow me. Not too powerful to put you down for the count, but not too meek to be forgettable. It's a memorable beer, as memorable as that first gathering of the KOTBR at the Rathskeller four-and-a-half years ago.

A throwback review.
No innuendos found here.
Return of haiku!

Beer Geek Reunion:
A very special episode
(not Seventh Heaven)

Chris has returned.
Kelly has too. Happy Day!
Where is dog Humphrey?

At the Rathskeller,
the place where it all began
for us: HBG

Paulaner gives us
salvation in Salvator.
Sing Hallelujah!

King of Doppelbocks.
Malt, dark fruit carmelized.
Call me mesmerized!

It's easy to drink,
harder to put down; so don't!
Order another!

Paulaner Salvator Doppelbock
Chris M.: 3.75 Mugs | Jason: 4 Mugs | Jim: 4 Mugs | Kelly: 3.8 Mugs | Mike: 3.6 Mugs | Gina: 3.8 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 3.82 Mugs

Cheers! and Prost!

Water makes up 55 to 60 percent of the human body. In me, at least half of that water is in the form of German beer.

Like so many others, my ethnic heritage is made up of bratwurst and sauerkraut, polka bands, and invading France. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Rathskeller in downtown Indianapolis became my first better beer bar of choice with Warsteiner Isenbeck in big frickin' mugs being my first better beer of choice.

Over time, my tastes have diversified. Beers from Belgium, England, and Ireland, plus plenty of American craft brews, take up plenty of beer fridge space. The number of "pubs" in Indianapolis have grown, providing English, Irish, and Scottish themed foods and booze.

During the past couple of months, I have re-discovered Broad Ripple Brew Pub. I have made five different trips to this granddaddy of Indiana microbreweries in the past six weeks. And I don't even live in Broad Ripple. I love the beers that come out of here. And the food is great. The Scottish egg pizza is my new favorite pizza.


But what I love the most is the pub snug, a small area near the bar that warm and cozy and exactly what you imagine when you think of English pub. The wood panels and trim, the dark paints, the metal ceiling, the booths. It is intimate and communal and a wonderful experience. It had become my favorite place to be when I'm drinking.

Or so I thought.

This week, I met up with some college buddies at the Rathskeller's Kellerbar. I dined on German sausages and Ochsenschwanz Suppe. I drank beers with names like Warsteiner, Weihenstephaner, Spaten, Schneider, and Klosterbrauerei. And despite the 70's music channel being pumped in through the speakers, Johann Strauss and son were ringing in my ear.


My German blood was flowing. Even though I really enjoy the quaint and quiet style of an English pub, my heart belongs to a long room with high ceilings where the wooden beams soar and hunting trophies stare at you begging for a drink as you clink your steins together. And the recent stretch of warm weather is making me itch for the biergarten's spring opening.

Where does your soul desire to drink?

KOTBR Review #28: Roll out the barrels

So why does it take two weeks to put up a review summary? Like the age old question from the Tootsie Pop commercials, the world may never know. Here are some other questions that, frankly are best left unanswered...

Mike asks where he can get his mullet highlighted?

Jim asks why do Germans love the smooth jazz genre so?

Jason asks what exactly does everybody see in the movie "Anchorman"?

And Gina asks who stole the kishka?

Oh, and some beer was consumed as well. And with it being Oktoberfest and we were at the Rathskeller, we obviously had to drink German beers. Like Weihenstephaner Oktoberfest, which averaged a 2.88 mugs rating. And Erdinger Hefe Weissbier Dark, which averaged a 1.25 mugs rating.

Roundtable #28: I'm slowly bugging the piss out of Jim and the others

First, it was my assertions that "The Breakfast Club" is a chick flick (the poll stated that 2/3's of you disagree with me, which is fine. Just remember, the majority of voters voted for W in the last election, and they were ALL WRONG!).

Then, it is because I like to sing along with the likes of Grover Washington Jr. and accompany myself on the air bass. And yes, for the record, I like Will Smith, the musician and the actor.

I topped it all off with my exclamation that I thought "Anchorman" was a stupid movie. To which all the other Knights gang tackled me and gave me purple nurples until I cried "uncle". By the way, guys, my left nipple is still bleeding a little, thank you very much.

To be honest, I think they are all trying to turn me into some zombie that worships all things they do. By this time next year, I fear I'll be saying things like:

*Molly Ringwald is the second coming of Katharine Hepburn.

*John Hughes is like a god. His movies are like video clips of my soul.

*Music isn't worth listening to unless it is difficult to find and it is only available on vinyl. A pox on FM radio! All hail CBGB!

*Richard Pryor? George Carlin? Lenny Bruce? Bill Cosby? Steve Martin? Cheap hacks, all of them. Will Ferrell is such an intelligent comedian that is very approachable to the common man.

Thankfully, despite our differences, we all can agree that drinking beer is a good thing. And drinking good beers is a great thing. So let's talk beer...

As mentioned by others, we first visited the office and warehouse of Cavalier Distributing, who represents many great beers including a ton of German beers. As Bob O. pointed out, that is probably a good thing for them, considering the number of German descended populations in southern Indiana. They served us Weihenstephaner Dunkel Weiss, which is a very pleasant beer. Very tasty. We'll have to do a further review at a later time.

After the visit, we headed to the Kellerbar at the Rathskeller to continue our German beer rampage. Next up: Weihenstephaner Oktoberfest. Now, Weihenstephaner is not one of the six breweries of Munich, so their Oktoberfest is not an official Oktoberfest beer. But it was worth drinking. One of the great things about O-fest beers is the variety (and I'll go into more detail in a later posting). This particular beer has many similarities to a Belgian. Yeasty in nose; citrusy in taste. Very cloudy to look at. Drinkable, at least to me. Not my favorite of the Oktoberfest beers, but worth ordering if you find yourself at the Rathskeller. I give it 3 mugs.

Erdinger Hefe Weissbier Dark came up as a disappointment to most everyone. From the looks and description, we should have been on cloud nine. I don't know if it is because it was served at such a cold temperature, but there was no taste or scent to the dark beer. I was just shocked. As it warmed up, some very very very very very very very very slight notes of roasted malts started to come out. But nothing too special. Again, I'm going to try this again sometime, only at home where I can control the starting temperature. And I'll make it the first beer I drink. Because I fear that perhaps with all the super strong super flavored beers that American craft breweries are coming out with, that perhaps my taste buds are numbed to more subtle flavors. Like Mike, I give it a 1.5 mug rating because it just didn't impress. But for the record, I'd take this over BudMillerCoors any day and twice on Sunday.

Post script: for the record, I don't dislike Will Ferrell. He has some very funny movies and characters. Also, I like the Clash. I also like Grover Washington Jr. Really, there isn't much musically that I dislike. And I enjoy many John Hughes movies. Just not the chick flick ones that star that red-headed devil Molly.

Roundtable #28 | Smooth Jazz Epidemic

"Grover Washington, Jr. (December 12, 1943 - December 17, 1999) was an American soul-jazz musician. Along with John Klemmer, George Benson, David Sanborn, Bob James, Chuck Mangione, Herb Alpert, and Spyro Gyra, he is considered by many to be one of the founding fathers of the smooth jazz genre."

This is the Wikipedia entry for Grover Washington, Jr. If you're 35 or older, you might remember Grover's greatest hit, "Just the Two of Us." If you're younger than 35, you probably remember "Just the Two of Us" as a Will Smith song, in which he sampled Grover's original.

We got a big ol' dose of Grover at the Rathskeller last night, continuing the grievous aural assault of that most heinous musical genre which began during my visit to Florida. I don't know what was more frightening--the fact that a beloved beer hall was foisting this stuff upon me and my fellow knights (after previously playing the Only Band That Ever Mattered, no less) or the fact that Jason seemed to know the lyrics and bass-line to every single Grover song. I don't know whether it was my imagination, but I seem to recall that blood was trickling out of Kelly's left ear...

Actually, I think I know what our bartender was up to with his musical selection--we were getting close to closing time, and he was simply using Grover as a hint to us to settle up and leave. He was, however, kind enough to switch to something more musically palatable upon request. Thus ended Jason's air guitar routine.

Anyway, I've paid many a visit to the Rathskeller, and most Indy dwellers are already familiar with the place, so I won't bother you with a lengthy recounting of my impressions of our physical surroundings. Suffice it for me to say that I love the place and you should visit it if you haven't been there yet.

The beers reviewed:

Weihenstephaner Oktoberfest - Cloudy golden color with no lacing. Sweet, yeasty nose, sort of Belgian in character. A pleasant, slightly hoppy flavor. High drinkability. A decent but not outstanding offering. 2.5 Mugs.

Erdinger Hefe Weissbier Dark - As Mike noted, served with an orange slice. Thick tan head, dark brown in color. I expected a chewy beer, but alas, was mistaken. Tasted like water infused with copper and zinc. So unimpressive that I couldn't finish it. I handed it over to Jason. I think that this was the only beer I've not been able to finish at a roundtable. 0.5 Mugs.

A note on our visit to Cavalier Distributing. Thanks to Bob Ostrander of Indiana Beer for inviting us and to Mat Gerdenich of Cavalier Distributing for the enlightening tour and the excellent beer. Mat gave us some Weihenstephaner Dunkel Weiss. A really unique and tasty offering. Reddish-gold coloring with an ample golden head. Had a sweet, yeasty nose and a flavor that followed suit. Definitely the best of our German beers on the night. I'm not going to give this one a mug rating in hopes that we'll review it in the future. Trust me when I say that this beer is uber pleasing (that's my feeble attempt at speaking German).

KOTBR Review #2: Spaten's Optimator

The Knights of the Beer Roundtable, with guest 3rd judge, Jim, gathered at The Rathskeller Thursday evening for a review of Spaten's Optimator. The Optimator has a higher ABV of 7.2%, so it can jump up and kick you in the ass if you drink too much or drink it too fast.

Interesting fact: Spaten beers are the No. 1 selling authentic Bavarian beers in the United States, which means that the beers are completely unaltered. They are identical to the beer you would be served in Munich. All Spaten Beers adhere strictly to the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516, or known in German as the Reinheitsgebot, which was enacted on April 23, 1516 by Bavarian Duke Wilhelm IV.

Jim: In the interest of disclosure, I have to begin by noting that Spaten’s Optimator is one of my favorite beers, and this is coming from someone who does not drink a lot of German beers. Whenever I go to the Rathskeller, it’s my beer of choice. So, what I have to say about Optimator will be anything but impartial. Before I begin, I’d also like to thank Chris and Jason for inviting me to tag along. I enjoyed finally getting to meet them in person.

I’ll start with the nose on this dark brown lager, which is somewhat metallic to me. Taking a sniff of an Optimator vaguely reminds me of what pennies would smell like if they were wet or what the side of a boil kettle must smell like. This might not sound like a pleasant odor, but it is actually nice. So, I would use the phrase “pleasantly metallic” to describe the nose on this beer.

As for the taste – Optimator is very malty, has little bite, and is extremely smooth. It’s a beer that rides well in the front of the mouth and leaves very little aftertaste. It has slightly sweet caramel notes to it, which makes it very easy to drink for those of us who love malty beers.

For those new to Optimator, a warning – This beer, at 7.2% alcohol by volume, can sneak up on you if you’re not careful. It will give you a nice buzz that can quickly turn into a sledgehammer if you overindulge. Therefore, if you’re ordering it for the first time at the Rathskeller, I suggest that you go for the small size and take it slowly. While a slower drinking pace will let your Optimator get warmer, this is not a beer that’s meant to be served or enjoyed ice cold. Like many ales from the British Isles, Optimator’s flavor actually improves if it’s not served super cold.

A final note – If you want to pick up a six-pack, Kahn’s Fine Wines & Spirits on North Keystone sells it cold.

Jason: I am Catholic in upbringing and German in descent; it should be no surprise to anyone that I like to drink. A lot. And it should be no surprise that a big German-American like me enjoys drinking big German-style beers. So you know that I love drinking at the Rathskeller. And most anything from the Kellerbar will get a thumbs-up from me.

The Spaten Optimator doppelbock is no exception. It has everything that I would expect from a malty beer: tastes of toffee, coffee, and chocolate. But unlike other beers where these flavors really stand out, the Optimator blends the flavors together really well into one cohesive flavor. Thankfully for me, it took a lot of beer drinking to identify those flavors!

Visually, it is dark brown and dense with a dense, foamy head. Much like the flavor, it was difficult to find a specific scent in the aroma. It was pleasing, but unidentifiable to me.

When drinking the beer, there is a fair amount of bite on the front of the tongue, which is a little surprising for a beverage as malty as this. The bite lingers in the aftertaste. Which isn’t a bad thing; it isn’t unpleasant. It’s just different. In the aftertaste, there is also a sensation in the back of the throat that I couldn’t identify right away. I found the same sensation when I took in the aroma.

It wasn’t until the next day that I figured out what I was experiencing. The sensations in my nose and in the back of my throat when drinking the Optimator is very similar to those sensations when I smoke a good cigar that has a balance of flavor and bite.

The Optimator was very creamy and easy to drink. While it wasn’t very chewy, it wasn’t a guzzling beer by any means. This beer is as enjoyable, or perhaps more so, as it warms up to room temperature. At the Rathskeller, where it is on tap, you can get it in small, medium, or wholly-hell-I-better-be-careful-not-to-give-myself-a-hernia large. If you are going to be in the Kellerbar or restaurant for a long period of time, go for the large and work on it over a long period of time.

Chris: I, too, like Jim, must confess that I really enjoy the Optimator. But in creating this blog, part of my reasoning was to educate the masses on "good beer", and the Optimator definitely qualifies.

This review is difficult for me to write because so much of the ingredients of The Optimator blend together so well that it's difficult to differentiate. That's why this beer is so good.

The color is a very dark brown, almost black - my favorite kind of beer - and definitely opaque. Very typical of the doppelbock.

The nose is muted. Again, everything blends together so well, it's difficult to pick out individual smells. I can get a slight hint of chocolate, a slight metallic, and a definite malt.

The taste jumps on on the front your tongue and bites down on those tastebuds. From there, the aftertaste aroma just bursts out of your nose. It's very malty (as it should be), and appears to be well-carbonated.

This is a good room temperature beer. It doesn't need to be iced-down, and actually shouldn't be. The taste actually improves at room temperature. Which lends itself to sipping instead of chugging, which is good because of the 7.2% ABV.

In my opinion, the Optimator is arguably one of the few perfect beers.