Cervejaria Sudbrack Ltda. - Eisenbahn S.A.P.A.

A South American beer brewed in strict accordance with the 1516 German Reinheitsgebot (an ancient beer purity law?). It would seem so, but this sucker tastes more Belgian than German. S.A.P.A. stands for South American Pale Ale, which is an interesting title considering the fact that this is actually a Belgian-style Pale Ale. The word Eisenbahn is German for railroad, and the original Brazilian labels for the Eisenbahn beers depict classic train engine cars. The new US labels embody the South American spirit, capturing an animated train car cutting through a vibrantly colored landscape of dense forest as it trail-blazes its way out of South American (en route to the US beer market no doubt).

If you’re expecting a classic Pale Ale, you’re in for a shock. We didn’t know what to expect when we popped these babies open for review. Here’s an excerpt from one of our beer panel reviewer’s notes: “Absolutely unexpected Belgian yeastiness strikes me instantly. This pale ale smells like a witbier or fruity hefeweizen with its big bubble gum notes and suggestions of candied banana bread. A major departure from the US and English Pale Ale style, and distinctly Belgian.” Expect Belgian yeast flavors (banana, cloves) as well some horse blanket notes, similar to a farmhouse ale (also known as “Saison”). The finish is a mix of sweetness, cereal graininess, smokiness and yeastiness.

Try this one with a Greek or Mediterranean salad loaded with Feta cheese and olives.

Thanks to the microbrew renaissance of the 80s and 90s, Americans have literally thousands of choices for beer. For "real beer" fans, life, as they say, is good. The craft brewer spirit has spread outward from the US, too, which is not to say we created it; craft brewers have been at it in parts of Europe since at least the 11th century. But some efforts in the US have actually led to the resurrection of styles of beer that were nearly lost to history (porter is one example that comes to mind). There's a definite contagiousness surrounding the enjoyment of microbrewed beer. In fact, it's not limited to the US; it's spreading throughout the continent. But what about our southerly neighbors? Well, truth be told, the craze has yet to really take hold. While there are some true brew craftspeople in South America, pallid pilsner beers (mainly cheap, adjunct versions) are king. Hey, let's not kid ourselves; the same is (sadly) true in the states – and worldwide, for that matter. But thanks to a handful of truly dedicated brewers, better beer is getting noticed down there. The folks at Cervejaria Sudbrack have been brewing quality ales and lagers in accordance with traditions of European masters. Their true-to-style beers so closely emulate the best British, Belgian, and German beers, that in a blind taste test, you'd be shocked to discover they came out of Brazil. But, interestingly, the region of Blumenau, in which they make their home, is no stranger to European tradition. Beginning with the Portuguese Azors, who colonized the land many centuries ago, European traditions were brought to this region of South America. These early settlers certainly left their mark (the national language of Brazil remains Portuguese). Immigrants from the heartland of beer culture, Germany, also took up residence here in the 1800s, when they colonized the region. They, too, left their mark. Blumenau, in the province of Santa Catarina, Brazil, where the Sudbrack brewery is located, is home to the world's second largest Oktoberfest outside of Munich. Despite the beer-loving roots firmly planted here some 200 years ago, local craft-brewed beer has been difficult to find. As Cervejaria Sudbrack cofounder Juliano Mendes puts it, “[Brazil is] twenty-five years behind where the United States is today. The US has already created a relatively large group of interested and educated consumers of craft beer. In Brazil, we are only at the beginning of the ‘craft beer revolution’ and we have a lot of work in front of us in order to create this type of ‘craft beer culture’.” To hammer home the point, consider this: today, craft brewers in Brazil hold about 0.05% of the market (the figure hovers just above 4% in the US, an 8-fold difference). While studying in Boston, and taking inspiration from the craft brewed beers made by The Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams), Juliano and his brother decided that they'd return to Brazil and start a brewery. In 2002, Juliano, his brother, father, and a fellow associate founded Cervejaria Sudbrack. Aided in no small part by a brewing engineer who was educated in Berlin and their brewmaster, who studied at the legendary Brauerei Weihenstephan, the brewery has developed full-bodied, world-class brews that are quickly garnering critical acclaim. We were floored by how well made their beers are, not to mention how true to style their Belgian- and German-inspired beers are. Interestingly, the brewery has its own theme song, which you can listen to at: www.eisenbahn.com.br/mp3/01_Hino_Eisenbahn.mp3. We spent hours trying to figure out a way to get the tune to play as you opened your monthly shipment, but we couldn't get our finance department to share our enthusiasm. So, pop open one of these beers, pour into the appropriate glassware, load up that theme song and crank up those computer speakers! For more information about the brewery, visit www.eisenbahn.com.br.