Sep. 09, 2009 - Issue #725: Sex in the City 2009

To the Pint

A really good year

Naming your beer 1516 creates lofty expectations

1516 Bavarian Lager
Okanagan Spring Brewing, Vernon, BC
$12.50 for Six Pack

The year 1516 was an important one in the beer world. It marks the date that the world's first consumer protection law came into effect. In 1516, Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria passed the Reinheitsgebot, which also goes by the less intimidating "Beer Purity Law," which stated that beer brewed and sold in Bavaria could only contain three ingredients; water, barley and hops (this was long before yeast was discovered). It is a strict law, forbidding any other addition, even carbon dioxide, requiring brewers to use a delicate method (called Krausening) to carbonate their beer.

The law was passed for two reasons. First, it was to prevent brewers from scooping up rye and wheat for their brewing, as those two grains were needed for the production of bread. Second, and more importantly, it was to push out scurrilous brewers who adulterated their beer with all sorts of inappropriate additions to lower the cost of production. Such contaminants included tree bark, fruit, eggs, fish bladders and even toxic substances. By controlling the ingredients, the Duke knew he could improve the quality of beer. Penalties were harsh, and in short order Bavarian brewers learned to make "real" beer and quickly became the world's best brewers.

The Reinheitsgebot survived until the late 1980s, when EU rules struck it down. Yet even today the Purity Law is in beer circles a revered concept, and the best brewers still attempt to abide by it, especially in Germany.

Which brings us to Canada. Okanagan Spring—one of Canada's oldest craft brewers, now owned by Sapporo of japan—markets its 1516 Bavarian Lager, suggesting it is in honour of this historical law. The brewery claims to abide by its rules, which is only partially true—its carbonation process would fail the test. But the ingredients are pure. A beer with such a name has a challenging task to prove its mettle.

The beer pours a brilliant, bright yellow with a decent white head that doesn't stick around long. The aroma is subdued, showing only a touch of malt sweetness and no hop nose. The taste starts off a bit sharp and grainy with a light grassy hop. The middle softens up and the beer ends with a balanced, almost fruity finish. In the lingering aftertaste I pick up some grain harshness and a touch of hops. The beer is not very bitter but has other hop qualities, which is unusual.

If I measure the beer for its drinkability, it scores fairly well. It is a bit boring, but overall pleasant. I wouldn't turn down a pint. However, comparing it to German light lagers (called Helles), it pales, I am afraid. It lacks the crispness and nuance of a German lager.

Therefore as a beer attempting to honour the Reinheitsgebot, it falls short. Chalk this up to a case of overreaching. 1516 is a likeable beer that would be more acceptable if it didn't try to conjure up images of German artisans and historic beer laws. V 

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