Zwickel/Zwickl. The is the last piece of the Kellerbier/Ungespundetes/Zwickel confusing trio. They are related and the names are often used interchangeably, especially by large breweries trying to cash in on the old styles. In this way, Kellerbier and Zwicklbier are pretty much the same. A Zwickelhahn was a small syphon used to take beer from the fermentation barrel. Zwickl is just a dialect spelling difference with the same pronunciation. They vary in color and sometimes, a brewery will even have a dark and light variety of Zwickl. Since they traditionally weren’t stored as long, they tended to be weaker but that is no longer the case and it seems most are around 5%. These beers should always be cloudy and from my experience aren’t as hoppy or full-flavored as Kellerbiers. Well, I should probably say good Kellerbiers.
don’t let Zwickel get you in a pickel
The best one I’ve had is Dremel Helles Zwicklbier and both Nikl-Bräu Zwickl and Aufsesser Zwickl are worth trying. Confused about the difference between Zwickelbier, Kellerbier and Ungespundetesbier? Don’t get in a pickel over a Zwickel. Just ask for a beer. In Franconia, you can’t go wrong.
That was the last beer of the styles so back to Beer Styles or:
To search for breweries and learn more about them, go to Where the Brews Are.
In Franconia, the food is as good as the beer: The ABCs of Franconian Food.
For more information on hiking and breweries in Franconia and Bavaria, please consider consulting my book, Beer Hiking Bavaria oder auf Deutsch: Bierwandern Bayern.
