AK Damm 1876 was produced to celebrate the founding of the Damm brewery in (wait for it) 1876 in Barcelona by a guy called Augustus Kuentzmann. Yes, you guessed right, he wasn't a native of Catalan, but an expat from Alsace. He decided to brew a type of beer he was familiar with, but the locals weren't. And so a legend was born...or at the very least, an uninteresting story. These days, the Damm brewery produce a modest range of different beers, the most famous being Estrella Damm and Voll Damm, but here's what they say about AK Damm: "Pure malt from selected varieties and hops from the German Hallertau region give this beer its smooth personality."
Speaking of Alsations...
An Alsatian went into a telegram office, took out a blank form and wrote: 'Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof. Woof.' The clerk examined the paper and politely told the dog, "There are only nine words here. You could send another Woof for the same price." "But," the dog replied, "that would make no sense at all."
Back to the beer...
This beer pours a deep golden colour with masses of tiny bubbles rising to form a huge, rocky head of pure white foam which, with great reluctance, hangs around to the very end and coats the glass with liberal amounts of sticky lace.
The aroma has a deep malt tone with some bready dough and hints of biscuit. There's a good hop presence there too with earthy, grassy notes and a sheaf or two of mown hay.
It's full-bodied with a smooth mouthfeel and an initial sweet taste. It soon turn bitter though, with a hefty slice of citrus tang and a little hint of fruit. The flavour seems to bounce between bitter ans sweet with a strong sense of pale malt appearing midway, and a rich crunchy feel, almost like oatmeal. The finish is dry, bitter and sharp with a clean and refreshing aftertaste.
* The Verdict *
At 4.8% ABV, I liked this. It's very ale-like for a lager, and not overly carbonated making it slip down a treat. There's nothing thin or wishy-washy about it - a very satisfying, filling beer. It compares favourably to most other Spanish beers, although it was a little more expensive than the run-of-the-mill brews. Worth the extra few eurocents though. I can't say I've seen this beer in the wider world, but it was pretty easy to come by in the Barcelona area (bit of a trek for a quick pint, but if you're there anyway...). Very nice.
