It’s hard not to get excited by the modern craft beer industry, with thousands of breweries around the country cranking out small batches of hyperlocal, high-quality beer. This is a reality that the pioneers of the industry would’ve had a hard time imagining when they were practically begging consumers to try beers that were dark or hoppy or far too boozy when compared to mass-produced watery lagers. Yet, in the swirl of excitement that comes with being a beer lover in our current era, it’s easy to overlook the beers and brewers that made this all possible. But many of these beers are classic for a reason, and while they may not be as attention-grabbing as the latest hazy juice bomb from your local brewery, their continued availability is a testament to their influence and their timelessness. In our monthly column The Beers That Made Us, we talk with brewers about the beers that have made the biggest impact on them in terms of their personal taste and love of craft beer, as well as how it inspired their personal approach to brewing. Hopefully their perspective will inspire you to take your own trip down beer memory lane. 

Few Pacific Northwest breweries have played as large of a role ushering in the modern era of craft beer as Ninkasi Brewing Company. Founded in 2006 in Eugene, Oregon, Ninkasi quickly garnered favorite status in its home state and beyond as it become one of the fastest growing breweries in the country. Despite the ups and downs of the industry, Ninkasi is still one of the largest breweries in a state that is saturated. Much of their success is due to the brewing talent of Jamie Floyd, who co-founded Ninkasi with Nikos Ridge. Floyd, who started as a homebrewer, is responsible for the dank and piney Northwest IPAs that put Ninkasi on the map alongside straightforward lagers, stouts and numerous other offerings. Interestingly, many brewers of a younger generation would likely cite several of Floyd’s beers as an inspirational part of their journey. For this edition of The Beers That Made Us, Floyd selected one of the beers that played a major role in his path as a brewer.      

Beer: 

Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel

Jamie Floyd: When asked about beers that made me a better homebrewer, I tend to say Jubelale by Deschutes. But a classic beer that influenced me heavily as a professional brewer and the beer I will focus on for this piece is Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel. This is a Munchner style Dunkel, which was the predominant lager brewed in the Munich area until World War II.

Your first time:

Jamie Floyd: As a home brewer in Oregon in the early 90’s, we had access to some craft beer for sure but Eugene had a history of having good import beers. I had tried most German beers available in the early days, but once I got hired as an assistant brewer at Steelhead, the head brewer Sean Donnelly was in love with Ayinger Urweisse, another delightful Ayinger classic beer. We tried Urweisse, Altbairish Dunkel and their Doppelbock Celebrator in one sitting and talked about the beers in-depth. Retasting these beers [at a point when] I was making wort on a 10-barrel versus 5-gallon batch size really expanded not just my knowledge but my love of making these styles of beers, especially Munich style Dunkels.

What makes it special:

Jamie Floyd: There are a number of things that are special about this beer:

It’s the number one style in Munich and still a favorite in gasthauses and breweries in the region and has been around for hundreds of years long before Pilsners and Octoberfest

The beer was designed to be consumed by the liter stein. I feel like Munich style Dunkel and Helles are historically and to this day are still the most drinkable styles of beer in the world. The beer is delicious when cold and carbonated and still mighty good warm and flat. Few beers can match that, including the Weiss beer that is also popular in the region that loses life above the half liter pour in most cases like most other beers.

The malt complexity of the beer is juxtaposed to a clean simplicity of the style overall. It is pleasant for the general drinker but offers a range of malt subtle complexities that are incredibly flavorful and satisfying that brewers can bring and still keep it in style. Toast, dark bread, crust, chocolate, nutty, even mild coffee notes emanate from the glass and Ayinger Altbairsch does a great job of highlighting each of these flavors layered into a smooth mouthfeel. Also, Ayinger’s Dunkel comes across with a touch more acidity and crispness versus some of the softer Dunkels like Hofbräuhaus.

Ayinger started operating when Johann Liebhard started brewing and serving his own beer on February 2nd, 1878 when Dunkel was the predominant style. I was born on February 2nd, so my love of this beer is just meant to be. They have an Altbairsch Unfiltriert release they do in honor of their anniversary and tribute to their grandfather released to remember the first brews.

Why this beer is influential:

Jamie Floyd: Ayinger has been around for over 140 years. They came up when Dunkel was the beer of the region and still make it in a way that ships well for those of us who can’t drink it in Bavaria often. As far as influence, their own words I think get at why this beer is a timeless classic to this day:

Welcome to Ayinger

Beer in Bavaria has had an exceptionally high value since time immemorial. It is not just the proverbial “liquid bread” alone, but rather also the social “cement” of our culture, in which values such as conviviality, community, honesty, reliability and solidarity with the homeland play a major role. The deep roots in our region, continuously deepened over generations, form the nutrient base of the Ayinger Brewery. The quality of our beer, consistently awarded numerous prizes for its excellence, is consequently not just based on the select ingredients of our region and the capacities of our brewing art. Equally important is the spirit, the mindset, the very values with which we have performed our craft for over 130 years. Strong financial, social and cultural commitment for the well-being of all concerned is therefore firmly incorporated into the production of our Ayinger beers – in the company, in the community and in the entire region.

Ayinger has wrapped itself into more than just a business but has a responsibility to its employees, its town, and its larger community. We started Ninkasi knowing the close ties humanity has had with beer and Bavaria is a region of the world that has celebrated life in this fashion for a long time. Beer for us is not just what we make but how we can also bring people together and Dunkel is how Ayinger brought people together for all those years.

Why beer drinkers should pay attention:

Jamie Floyd: Hops will always remain near and dear to my heart and I love to continue to play with their flavors and aromas, but malty drinkable beers are delicious and Altbairisch Dunkel brings drinkability, sessionabilty and flavor all together on the other end of the beers flavor pendulum. Drinking liters of them helps me appreciate those hoppy beers even more.

How this beer inspired your brewery:

Jamie Floyd: The 8th batch of beer I made at Ninkasi was Lady of Avalon Dunkel. Batch 7 was my Helles and I used the yeast to make our first batch of Lady of Avalon. I had won a trip to Germany ironically for getting 10 out of 12 IPAs correct in a blind tasting at Oregon Brewers Festival (OBF) and went to Germany with a tour of many brewers and the folks who put on OBF while that first batch was lagering at home. I was able to drink some of my favorite styles of beers fresh for the first time and it was the Dunkels that I savored the most. Lady of Avalon is a beer we make annually. Its logo was designed by our friend Anabelle Garcia, who also helped us with our Maiden the Shade original art. Brewer Karl Pionke and I are brewing it next week on the pilot and it will be available likely the first week of January. A literal Toasty Toast to Malt in the New Year! How I wish I was going to be in Bavaria while its lagering this year too!

The Beers That Made Us is a monthly column exploring brewers favorite underappreciated or simply classic beers that they find essential drinking. Read past entries into this series with the likes of Russian River Brewing founder Vinnie Cilurzo, Chuckanut Brewing founder Will Kemper, Cloudburst Brewing brewmaster Steve Luke, Hair of the Dog Brewing founder Alan Sprints, The Alchemist founder John Kimmich, and many, many more.