Leipziger is famous for its Leipziger Gose. Gose is brewed in various specialized breweries in and around Leipzig and is a rather unexpected experience in terms of taste.
Origin of Leipziger Gose
Gose is a traditional, top-fermented wheat beer that originally comes from the town of Goslar, hence the name. The first documented mention of Gose dates back to 1332, making it one of the oldest types of beer in existence.
In the 18th century, Gose found its way to Anhalt, where Leopold von Anhalt-Dessau had it brewed as his “favorite drink” in the Glauzig domain. The prince introduced Gose to the Eutritzscher Schenke in 1738 and obtained permission to serve it from the Leipzig Council.
In the 19th century, the beer became a Leipzig specialty. The people of Leipzig seemed to like the beer so much that local breweries copied the style in order to meet demand.
By the end of the 19th century, there were numerous Gosenschenken in the city.
After the closure of the last Gose brewery in 1966, the beer fell into oblivion. Two decades later, an attempt was made to reopen the old brewery and pub “Ohne Bedenken” and revive the old art of Gose brewing. Today, Gose is once again an integral part of Leipzig’s beer culture.
What makes Leipziger Gose so special?
Gose is a top-fermented, sour and slightly salty-tasting specialty beer. It is a sour beer in which bacterial lactic acid fermentation takes place in addition to the alcoholic fermentation.
The beer is brewed with at least 50% wheat malt and contains coriander and salt, which are added during the boiling process. Classic hop and malt aromas are barely perceptible, only the hoppy bitterness is slightly stronger.
Gose is an unfiltered, unpasteurized beer that is left to mature in bottles. It has a moderate alcohol content of around 4 to 5%.
And what does it taste like?
The beer has a yellowish color and is cloudy in the glass. Before you take your first sip, it smells slightly of plums, herbs and coriander. The first sip was a surprise for me. I knew it was a sour beer, but my taste buds still tightened slightly. Only the second sip allowed me to taste something. A slight acidity, some citrus fruit and little bitterness – actually the ideal summer beer.
Breweries
One brewery that produces Gose is Brauhaus Goslar. They brew their Gose according to the traditional recipe from 1520, which is characterized by the addition of salt and coriander. The Ritterguts Gose brewery in Chemnitz also produces the original Rittergutsgose. This type of beer has been brewed there since 1824 and is the oldest existing Gose brand in the world. It is still produced according to the traditional recipe and brewing process, which gives it a special, refreshing yet full-bodied character.
A well-known brewery that produces Gose in Leipzig is Bayerischer Bahnhof, which produces the Original Leipziger Gose.
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