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Th. König Zwickl

König-Brauerei
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🌍 Germany · Kellerbier · One of 112 Kellerbiers in hopIQ

Th. König Zwickl launched in 2016 as the first beer of the brewery's specialty line, named after founder Theodor König. It is an unfiltered, bottom-fermented kellerbier hopped only with the aroma varieties Perle and Tradition and given a long, cool maturation. Carapils and dark caramel malt give it an opaque, reddish amber colour. The nose shows grain, country bread and caramel with touches of herbs, red apple and orange; the palate is full and lively, with honey-like sweetness, almond, bread crust and a faint roast over mild hops.

ABV
5.3%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter20 IBU
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
golden8
See all Kellerbier alternatives →

AWARDS

Gold
Meininger's International Craft Beer Award
Gold — Meininger's International Craft Beer Award
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Medium body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Soft bitterness.
mildbitter
Texture
Balanced mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

Balanced backbone, with every axis close to the middle.

Nothing dominates, and that is the craft — each element gets room to be tasted.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Kellerbier.
Hop character
orange
herbal
Malt character
caramel
bready
honey
malty
nutty
toasty
Fermentation & yeast
clean

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Th. König Zwickl

Appearance

Th. König Zwickl presents a reddish amber hue, rendered opaque by its unfiltered character and the interplay of Carapils and dark caramel malts. The dense, persistent white head clings to the glass with notable adhesion, while gentle carbonation creates a soft, lively bead. The cloudiness speaks to its authentic kellerbier tradition, revealing layers of warm colour when held to light.

reddish amberunfiltered, hazydense white headlively carbonation

Aroma

The nose opens with prominent grain and fresh country bread, complemented by a honeyed caramel sweetness. Beneath these foundational notes lie gentle herbal suggestions from the Perle and Tradition aroma hops, with quiet echoes of red apple and orange zest. A soft, malty backdrop rounds the bouquet without dominating.

grain, country breadcaramel, honeyherbal, apple, orangearoma-hopped

Taste

The palate is full and inviting, with a creamy mouthfeel sustained by the beer's body. Honey-like sweetness mingles with almond nuttiness and toasted bread crust, while a faint roast character adds subtle complexity. The mild hop bitterness (20 IBU) remains restrained, allowing the malt's caramel and toasted notes to carry the mid-palate and finish cleanly.

full-bodied, vollmundighoney, almond, bread crustmild bitternesscaramel malt character

Finish

The finish is clean and moderately lingering, with residual sweetness gradually fading into a gentle, dry conclusion. The roasted and nutty undertones persist softly in the aftertaste, leaving an impression of balanced, unpretentious craftsmanship.

clean finishlingering sweetnesstoasted, nutty aftertaste
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
85
Appearance
80
Finish
78
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Th. König Zwickl

Serve at 7–9°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 7–9°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Th. König Zwickl

About Kellerbier

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Kellerbier?

Kellerbier is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Kellerbier

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same caramel, honey, full-bodied character as Th. König Zwickl will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Kellerbiers in hopIQ

Compare with another beer →Explore all Kellerbier beers in hopIQ →Browse Germany beers →