Herkimer Sky Pilot Kellerbier

by Bill Cassidy
(Beer Delegate, MN, USA)

Herkimer Sky Pilot Kellerbier
Herkimer Brewpub, Minneapolis, MN, USA

This is a beer that is truly close to my heart. I have fond memories of Sankt Georgen Kellerbier hailing from Buttenheim, Germany, mere kilometers from my German home of Erlangen. (Interesting side note: Buttenheim is also the birthplace of Levi Strauss. Let's toast to Levi for inventing pants.)

Kellerbier style is a true Frankish original. The Herkimer Brewpub's version is quite good. Lighter in color than the alt that preceded it. Sweet at the beginning, and pleasantly hoppy as the swallow continues, it brings back fond memories of wandering around the villages of Franken drinking the local, and quite indigenous beers.

This beer is really, really good, and you don't have to take my word for it; the Sky Pilot won gold at the Great American Beer Festival in 2006.