Schnieder Aventinus

Have you ever sat on a waterfront deck, with a blanket wrapped around your shoulders? You breathe in the air and it’s like the first breath you’ve ever taken? The aromas of the world filter through your nose one by one giving you time to appreciate everything that’s going on. For this moment you feel what could best be described as a moment of zen that you never want to end.
The Schneider Aventinus is the waterfront deck zen experience of beer. In Philadelphia, it’s apparently only on tap at two bars (or so the fellow with the black eye tells me) and Devil’s Den happens to be one of them. The stranger with the black eye says to me, “You need to order this beer. If you don’t like it, I’ll buy it off of you.”

Not sure what to make of the description, “This is a very intense wheat doppelbock with a complex spicy chocolate-like aroma with a hint of banana and raisins,” I went for it if only to experience this banana business. To my surprise, the hint of bananas was more prevalent than I expected. It was amazing. It was Christmas morning. It was that remarkable sunset that you still remember years after it took place. It was cuddling after sex (if that’s your thing). Schneider Aventinus was the zen moment of my beer life.

At 8.2% ABV, you’re graced with the feeling that you’re getting your money’s worth when drinking this 102 year old beer (created in 1907). After getting to know this beer, I’ve learned that the banana flavor does not in fact come from bananas. The banana and spice aroma is the result of the strain of yeast used during fermentation. The complexity of the Aventinus thrills me.

After such a profound enjoyment of this banana and raisin business, I had to wonder if it was just a one night stand.

Three days later, I went to a Rogue beer tasting at Jose Pistola’s. After the tasting, I was faced with making the decision of ordering a beer. And there it was- Schneider Aventinus staring at me from the menu. But this time, it was in a bottle. Could the bottle live up to the tap version? Will it ruin my memory of such a fantastic beer experience? After realizing I was overthinking this decision, I decided to go for it- as did everyone else at my table.
I’m also happy to report that this one night stand with Schneider Aventinus has grown into a casual love affair that will be taken slow and in moderation as to not spoil the experiences we share.