Steam Brew
Brewed by Privatbrauerei Eichbaum
Style: Red Ale/bock
Mannheim, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany
The Eichbaum Brewery was founded way, way back in 1679 by Jean du Chaine (Chêne) from Southern Belgium, originally as a small brewpub, and while the exact location changed, its home and heart has always been in the city of Mannheim, a southern German city touching the Rhine. The name Eichbaum came from the translation of his family name, .du Chêne, which means “Oak tree”, or “Eichbaum” in German.
All was going well for many years, even centuries, until the Nazis got into power. By this stage the company had a substantial Jewish shareholdership, and due to the toxic political atmosphere in the country, they were all expelled and the company was nationalized.
WW2 resulted in the company ceasing to produce any beer at all, go figure! But after the war, the company reopened and did very well since they were the main beer supplier for the American army that was now based in Germany at that time! The after war boom in Germany, attributed to the rebuilding of the country and help from the Allies, especially in the 50’s and 60’s, all contributed as well.
Since the 70’s the brewery has changed ownership many times but nowadays it is operated as a private brewery, Eichbaum GmbH & Co KG.
Today, the brewery is one of the largest and most efficient breweries in the Baden-Württemberg region of Germany. Not only is it the oldest company in Mannheim but it is also one of the most modern. State-of-the-art brewing and bottling technologies make for an annual output of 1.8 million hectolitres, resulting in more than 16 different beers produced yearly for its every widening market.
This is my fourth beer that I have tried from the Eichbaum Brewery, I had their Bottle of Eichbaum Maibock, which I have to say was a bit of a disappointment for me. I found it too bitter and a real struggle to drink. On the other hand, the Steam Brew Imperial Stout was very smooth and oh so tasty and one I will definitely be returning too. Lastly I had their Steam Brew Imperial IPA which was very hoppy, full of taste, tasty and very well balanced. A recommended brew for sure. So onto my fourth, lets see how the German Red compares
Review: 05l can of Steam Brew German Red: 7.9% vol.
Bought in Lidl.
Love the Steam Brew cans, full of character and with a story behind each one. I’m fucked if I know the exact story-line, probably some bollix, but it looks well good. A logo of what looks like a very pretty lady in a top hat, surrounded by all sorts of gadgets, wheels and rusty instruments, pretty eye catching and cool. On the very noticeable red can it says “lets oil the gears of life”, yes sure why not…….
On pour looks fantastic, lovely pour, getting a nice dark red amber colour, and a brilliant frothy white head. Lovely.
Looks full bodied and ready to be devoured. Inviting on the eye.
Good carbonation. Some small lacing left on glass…………………..
Smells are the usual read ale aromas, light and lagery, caramel, grainy, malty, yeasty, dark fruity on nose, all very light though, nearly odorless, all a bit disappointing on the nose…………….
Onto the taste, getting a very full bodied beer, with caramel notes and all very filling and clean.
Very nice mouthfuls loaded with flavour, nice and sweet with caramel and malt notes hitting the spot. Alcohol can be detected.
Tastes like what a red ale should be, nice and filling. I like it.
Took it cold from fridge, and its all good on the taste. a bloody good effort of a red ale, nice and cold.
Having said all that, after a while it does get a bit dry in the aftertaste and I wouldn’t think I’d have more than two of these in a sitting.
Öufi brewery, named after the “Solothurner city number 11”, was founded on the 11th of November, in 2000 by Alex Künzle, who had had enough of his job as a mineral water sales manager and decided to concentrate on his passion, brewing beer, setting up the Öufi brewery.
On the bottle it says this is a “bio” beer, whatever that means? I think organically friendly? 
Tastes of toffee detected at times.and I am getting the hops, and I guess you can feel that it is an organic beer, but overall this is a pretty poor effort at a lager me thinks.
On the bottle there is a very distinctive portrait of General Pułaski, a Polish nobleman, soldier, and military commander, who was from Warka. He was driven into exile and ended up in North America to help in the American Revolutionary War where he distinguished himself throughout, most notably when he saved the life of George Washington. He has been called, together with his counterpart Michael Kovats de Fabriczy, “the father of the American cavalry.” as they created the Pulaski Cavalry Legion and reformed the American cavalry as a whole. A hero in both his native Poland, and in the USA. In any case, it looks pretty cool, and is a good look on the bottle.
Deep taste, and it does take a while to get the hang of it…….it is a strong Euro lager after all, not my most favourite type of beers…….but after enough of these, I eventually adapted to the kick and enjoyed this over time. 
The Old Brewery was established as the Backhouse & Hartley Brewery in 1758. In 1847, John Smith purchased the small brewery with funding provided by his father, a successful butcher and cattle dealer from Meanwood, Leeds, but soon built his own new brewery John Smith’s, close by. (the famous John Smiths we have today, as far as I can tell). John Smith’s brother William, who ran the business after John’s death in 1879, left the Old Brewery to his young nephew Samuel in 1886. Samuel enabled by the buoyant beer industry to open Samuel Smith’s Brewery under his own name and was able to compete with the established John Smith’s Brewery.
Sam Smiths pubs are somewhat seen as a throwback to years of yonder, as they are widely regarded as a very traditional and somewhat eccentric due to their continued insentience of using of dray horses, strict bans on music, mobile devices, tablets, e-books and laptops, with the aim of removing activities that discouraged conversation. The ban also includes “pictures of sport”. They also kept to low beer prices. All the better for it I say!
Russian Emperor Peter the Great, while on a trip to the UK, took a great liking to the dark beer, and requested some be sent over. So this distinctive type of beer, originally brewed as a delicacy, was made stronger to withstand the abuses of shipping in foul weather and the long journey, to the Tsar, and Imperial Russia, least it go off and upset the noble man. But he loved it and it eventfully became a favourite of the Russian nobility, its popularity lasting. 
The taste is one of dark roasted malts, with a milk chocolate and coffee variety, especially in the back end…..