Here it is, the one and only Hofbrauhaus, possibly the most famous of all beer gardens in the world. This is where you see the photos of the lederhosen wearing serving women carrying half-a-dozen 1L steins of overflowing beer from table to table. The only way to get a stein locker and reserved seat in the garden is through inheritanc or a 20+ year waiting list, so I took a seat near the taps to watch the bartender and waitresses fill and move the massive steins to their respective customers. One of those 1L steins belonged to me.
Name: HB Dark
Origin: Munich, Germany
Style: German Dark
Appearance: This legendary beer comes in the colour of dark molasses. It came in a massive 1L stein that even intimidated the likes of me. It had a huge, over flowing head that shrunk to a more manageable size which endured the entire time it took me to drink, which was nearly 45 minutes.
Taste: The HB Dark is sweet, rich and bready. There are very definite notes of caramel and molasses sugar, with a hint of cinnamon in the background. The beer finishes with a semi-bitter, somewhat bread-like aftertaste.
Mouth Feel: This beer is soft and creamy with no sharpness whatsoever. Its refreshing and except for the volume, very easy to put down.
Final Thoughts (5 out of 5): Maybe it was beer, maybe it was the intoxicating atmosphere of the Hofbrauhaus, but this was hands down the greatest beer I drank during my trip to Germany. My only regret was not sitting around to add the other three beers they had on tap, the Original, the Whit and the seasonal Maibock, to my list of beers sampled.