A dark beer from the Weihenstephaner stable in Bavaria, who claim to be the oldest brewery in the world, dating back to 1040, although until the 1950s they claimed their founding date to be 1146. A document purporting to be the Bishop of Freising bestowing brewing rights on the Weihenstephan Abbey in 1040 is believed to be a forgery dating from the 1600s. The earliest written record of the brewery dates to 1675. 

This all being said, it is true that these guys really know how to make beer, and this example is no different. This brew has won the AIBA 2018 Bronze Medal and the Winner of the 2016 World Beer Germany award. 

Korbinian is named after Saint Corbinian, a Frankish Bishop. He is said to have suffered a bear attack on the road to Rome and the wild animal ate his pack mule. The Bishop then tamed the bear and got it to carry his pack to Rome and back before releasing him back to the wild. 

The colour is a deep, satisfying brown and it pours with a lovely copper foam. The nose is delicate with touches of caramel and the taste is suprisingly light with hints of toffee and malt. As it approaches the back of the throat a chocolatey, coffee taste comes to dominate. The aftertaste still manages to find some bitter notes despite these gentle notes and smooth texture with minimal carbonation.   

At first we were suprised and considered this much lighter on the stomach than we anticipated. Even suggesting that it could accompany food or be a staple for several rounds in a session. That was perhaps a little eager, as it certainly is a heavy brew, despite not having the thick consistency of a stout or a porter. It slips down easy but leaves you feeling satisfied. With a 7.4% ABV, this is no bad thing either.

Visit the Weihenstephaner Brewery website here