Favorite Pairing Yet

Pretzels, mustard, and Maisel’s Weisse

This has been my  favorite pairing for the longest time! We have a small coffee shop and pub called the Rathskeller, affectionately named by its original owners who were lovers of all things German. It also happens to reside in the basement of one of our Main Street’s oldest buildings, and is the place where I first discovered this beautiful combination.

Mac and I would often sit in the Rathskeller, and make a meal of their fresh, homemade, soft pretzels dipped in Gulden's spicy brown mustard paired with Maisel’s Weisse. Today I most often use Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale Honey Mustard. The sweetness of the honey mustard amplifies all of the sweeter notes that the Maisel’s has to offer. For a short time, Mac and I were actually co-owners of the Rathskeller, along with some long-time friends, and although life led us in another direction, Mac spent some of his time at the Rathskeller learning to bake. This, much to my benefit, included those fabulous PRETZELS! Mac usually only makes pretzels for special occasions like my birthday, so this past Sunday must have been special. He made a huge batch of pretzel balls (which would be perfect for making a necklace for a beer festival.) Some were plain for our son who does not like salt, some were Rathskeller-style with coarse-ground sea salt and poppy seeds, and for some he used Trader Joe’s “Everything but the Bagel” seasoning. I highly recommend the latter if you’d like to kick up your flavor palate with the added garlic and onions.

Maisel’s Weisse

Maisel’s Weisse Original is a Bavarian wheat beer that pours a golden red haze and a beautiful thick white head. 5.1% ABV (alcohol by volume), 12 IBU (International Bitterness Units), brewed with wheat, barley, yeast, and hops, checking off all the right boxes for a hefe. Maisel’s is incredibly flavorful with high-hitting notes of clove and banana. While finishing with hits of citrus, coriander, and bittersweet malts

Maybe it’s the German girl in me, but there is nothing like those soft pretzels, perfectly crisp on the outside, and a tall, cold Maisel’s. Luckily our friends that still own the Rathskeller always keep Maisel’s in stock. 

If you have not had the pleasure of trying Maisel’s Weisse you MUST, especially if you like hefeweizens.

You may see this plate in other posts. It belonged to my grandmother. It says “Our Daily Bread” along the top and “Give Us This Day” along the bottom. Even though it is cracked, I still use it often washing it carefully as to not disturb the sticker on the back where she put my name to make sure that I ended up with it one day.

I like to use this plate and think of her.