Berghoff’s history as a beer brand goes back over 120 years, and in that time it has developed a reputation of high quality and consistency. The first batch of Berghoff beer was brewed in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1887 by Herman Berghoff and his three brothers. Herman’s desire to expand the market for the family’s beer led him to sell the product at the Chicago World’s Fair where it received high acclaim. Since then, Berghoff has continued its success and relevance in the Chicago market and beyond.
As the craft beer market has evolved, the brand has received fresh, exciting updates. Berghoff changed its brewing location and is now proudly brewed at Point Brewery in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Berghoff has also refreshed itself with updated recipes and packaging. With consulting from brewing experts Randy Mosher and John Hannafan, Berghoff’s new, top-notch beers are ready to satisfy consumer demand. As the brewery looks to the future, Berghoff beer will continue to evolve as trends change, but will always maintain its roots as an authentic German-style brew whose history and tradition will never be forgotten
Bottle. Light caramel malt , sour apple, and toast aroma. Amber with a small fizzy off-white head. Cloying sweet malt, metallic fruitiness, and a very light underlying bitter flavor. Medium body. Overly sweet for my taste.
Bottle. Sweet orange and malt aroma. No hops detectable in the aroma. Light amber with a moderate off white head, decent lacing. Light malt and vegetal flavor. No discernible hops flavor. Reminds me more of some Märzens I’ve had.
@ORD. Medium brown with thin head. The aroma is more buttery than anything else, maybe some light toastiness as well. The taste is mild with caramel, toast and diacetyl. Not much else going on.
@ORD. Golden and bright with a gentle sparkle and a thin head. Lightly malty and vaguely appley aroma. Moderately malty palate - almost all pale malts. There is a noticeable light bitterness around 20IBUs, but not really any hop character besides that
@ ORD. Berghoff Amber? Dull, dark amber. Thin head. Bland aroma leaning towards caramel. The caramel palate is pretty bland, with a hint of that caramelly sweetness. Ok, but kind of macro-ish.
12oz bottle from Woodmans poured into a shaker. Pours a cloudy golden orange with about half a finger of bright white fizzy head. Aroma is mostly off-sweet malt. Moderate banana scent. Taste is medium sweet and strongly of banana. Almost tastes like banana bread. Medium-light bodied with a creamy texture. Lively carbonation and a long sweet finish. Overall, its really not too bad. Definitely the best beer I’ve had yet from Berghoff. Also, as much as it tastes like banana bread, it is much better than the Wells version. Definitely something to try again in the future.
12 ounce bottle from Woodmans West Madison with the Rock River Red label. Pours a clear copper color with a medium sized creamy white head. Decent head retention and lacing. Aroma of caramel malts and earthy notes. The taste is caramel, berries, nutty notes and leafy hops. Medium bodied.
12oz bottle from Woodmans. Poured into a shaker. Pours a cloudy dark yellow with zero head. Some big chunks of something sank immediately to the bottom. Scent is of wheat and lemon zest. Maybe some orange in there. Taste is medium sweet and lightly bitter. Tastes kind of like a Blue Moon. Medium-light bodied with a thick creamy texture. Soft carbonation and not much finish to speak of. Overall, its not that bad. Loses some points for the random chunks in the bottom which I don’t know what they are yet.
12oz bottle from Woodman’s poured into a Shaker. Labeled as "Prairie Lager Beer". Pours a pale yellow with a small bit of fizzy white head. Smells lightly of hops and a decent amount of rotting barnyard skunk. Taste is lightly sweet and lightly sour on the aftertaste. Actually has a decent, if very light, hop flavor. I think this one may be the best of any from the Berghoff family I’ve had yet. It doesn’t have that artificial sugar taste the other ones have. Medium bodied with a sticky and oily texture. Lively carbonation and not much to speak of in way of finish. Overall, its not too bad. Nothing I would buy again but I’ll at least finish this one off.
12oz bottle from Woodman’s poured into a shaker. Bottle labeled as "Sundown Dark Beer". Pours a medium-dark brown. Almost looks like rootbeer. Small bit of bright white head that disapates slightly faster than average. Aroma is mostly malt. Has an aroma of burnt nuts. Taste is medium sweet and very lightly bitter. Almost tastes like fermenting fruit. Medium bodied with a thick yet slick texture. Soft carbonation and an average length finish. Overall, its not that bad. I’m begining to realize that I’m probably not a Berghoff fan. The last two that I’ve tried have had the same rotting flesh sickly sweet scent built right into the taste there. I won’t buy it again but I will at least finish this pint. The rest of the 6er can go to whatever unlucky sap comes to my house and forgets his own beer.