The traditional " Starkbier" from Bavaria.
It's time for Starkbier, the thick, dark malty-flavored substance that looks more like motor oil than beer. But don't let appearances fool you. According to Erich Dillinger, the unique flavor of this beer comes from its 18 percent Stammwürze (the measurement of ingredients to make the beer). He should know: he's a Braumeister, master of brewing. "The thicker, richer malt gives it the more intensive color and taste," Dillinger says. Add to that its higher alcohol content, around eight percent, and you know why it's become a preferred beverage in Bavaria. Starkbier, also called Doppelbock, has its origins in the 1630s, when a group of monks tried their hands at skirting the rules of Lenten fasting. Not being allowed to eat, they created liquid "bread." Bavarian royalty subsequently prohibited them from serving the brew, except during the feast of Saint Franz von Paula, the founder of their order, which took place in March. Initially, only the Paulaner Brewery made and sold the beer, but other breweries produced their own brands of the strong brew, adding the suffix "ator" distinguish them. Now, with names ranging from "Salvator" to "Triumphator," Starkbier can be purchased throughout the year. But, Dillinger adds, real connoisseurs drink their malt brew in March. "It's tradition," he says. "And it just tastes better than later in the year."