I just barely got to taste these two beers from the Zeta Brewery while they were presenting, so this post will be a brief brush up on both of them.
The first of the two beers I tried was the limited edition Rauchbier called the Zendra.
Brewery: Zeta
Brewery Location: Alboraya, Spain
Alcohol: 7.8%
Carlos, the co-founder of the Zeta brewery and who was the one presenting the beers, said that this was a bit more salmony, but I didn’t quite get that. I am familiar with rauchbiers, though, which is maybe why I wasn’t surprised by the smokiness. For reference, “rauchbier” means “smoke/smoky beer” in German, and when you drink one, you definitely get a sense of smokiness. I love them, but they aren’t for everyone.
The bottle
The beer in a shot glass
Sight: A light, brownish color that you could see through fairly well. While looking through it, though, I noticed that it had some flakes in the beer.
Smell: Not too much to say here: it smelled like a rauchbier should – smoky. If you inhale, you really feel like you are standing next to a campfire, which may be why I love them so much.
Taste: It was also definitely smoky tasting, but it was on the milder spectrum as far as rauchbiers go. I think it would be great for someone who wants to like rauchbiers, but still hasn’t quite gotten used to them yet. This one also had a strong hint of rye to it that rye bread would give you as well as a bit of a mild bitterness undertone.
In general, I really liked it, and I would recommend it as the best stepping stone I have tasted yet for someone who wants a rauchbier, but not one that knocks you off your feet like other ones do.
The next one that I tried was the Nublar American Amber ale.
Brewery: Zeta
Brewery Location: Alboraya, Spain
Alcohol: 6.2%
I unfortunately don’t recall Carlo’s comments on it so much, but I believe he basically said that it was a standard amber ale. In any case, I did like it.
The bottle
The beer in a shot glass
Sight: Before holding it up to the light, it almost appeared dark brown or black, but after getting the light behind the glass, it was revealed to have a more, slightly opaque, brownish golden hue to it.
Smell: I actually thought it smelled pretty sweet. It also had a presence of hops, but unmistakably sweet.
Taste: It was stronger (as far as amber ales can be strong) with a mild bitterness. I felt that it left a pleasant aftertaste on my whole tongue, which is always nice, allowing me to continue enjoying the beer even after I have finished it.
I also liked this one, but I didn’t think it stood out as much as the rauchbier or the Hop did. It felt more on par with the Hell in that it was good, but not extraordinary. I would still gladly drink this one again, but that may be due to my love of amber ales.
I will skip giving either beer any actual points in this post since I only got to taste them, and I can’t do either one full justice. I did like both of them though, and I would recommend trying them both out! Salud!