Brauerei Aying is located almost at the east end of Munich’s S-Bahn 6 in the village of the same name.
They are one of a few breweries around Munich just too far out to be allowed participation in the official Oktoberfest. They still make a festbier, called Oktober Fest-Märzen, an “Authentic Bavarian Festival Lager.”
The Fest-Märzen has a good tan head and clear dark goldenrod color. The nose is very malty, from good European 2-row barley. This warm, slightly sweet biscuit and toast aroma is accompanied by some earthy hops. Hints of alcohol add a spice but a bit of corny sulfur distracts.
The flavor is quite assertive. Rich malt flavor and sweetness are balanced by a significant hop bitterness. Light alcohol warming and herbal noble hop character create a wonderful complexity. Just the slightest sulfuric cooked corn flavor. Some sweetness, but not at all cloying. Rather drinkable, if somewhat heavy.
Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen
3.6 (4-6-8-4-14)
Paulaner Oktoberfest
The roasted malts make it dark, the oats make it chewy, and the rye makes it spicy.
The Bruocsella is a lightly hazy golden poppy. Just a hint of activity puts a spindly thread of straw-colored head in a ring around the glass. The nose is quite funky and sour: horse blanket, vinegar, and sour laundry. There is a bit of peanut butter. The aroma is dry and dusty. Like many lambics it is woody, but taken to a new level: it reminds me of the smell of my recorder from elementary school. Notes of cheese and gym sock. Paired with all this pleasantness is a delicate fruit character of mango, papaya, and red delicious apple.
Grand Cru Bruocsella Cantillon
The reason I mention this is that tonight the first beer I am trying is a collaboration brew from 
A bit of creamy tan head sits atop the turbid, mahogany colored Bon-Chien. Not a lot of head but what is there lasts and leaves an artistic lacing. A rich aroma wafts out: fruit, wood, malt, funk, and sour. Cherries, raisins, and blackberries with a vanilla oak character. A light caramel malt sweetness balances an acidic, cider vinegar nose. Just a bit of sweat adds a funky interest. Great sweet and sour combination.
Because of the delicate citric character and low alcohol content, Berliner weisse is the only sour beer that is best fresh. Unfortunately, I can’t get a hold of fresh Berliner weisse (at the moment at least), so I’ll have to put up with what I found on the shelf. Don’t fret, it ages well too. I don’t have any woodruff syrup so I’ll be tasting these straight.
1809 is named for the year in which Napoleon’s troops are supposed to have named Berliner weisse the “Champagne of the North”.
Iris is dry hopped just before bottling as well. It is for these reasons brewer Jean-Pierre Van Roy calls it his ‘extreme’ beer. I brought this bottle (brewed 2005, bottled 22 March 2007) back from my visit to the Cantillon brewery, and it’s the last one I have from there.
In addition to their great beers these monks make a variety of tasty cheeses. The red label is usually classified as a Belgian dubbel due to its dark color and malt character.
The summer ale of 
The beer form of Glockenspiel is a mahogany red, quite clear, with tan head. The nose, subtle at first, opens up to a big malty sweetness. Toast, caramel, and bread are accompanied by the strong cloves and hint of banana of a weissbier. Drink this from a glass with a globe, or at least a wine glass that curves in at the top to collect and amplify this fine aroma.
feed me