Riegele Brewery’s Commerzienrat Privat Named the Top-Rated Beer of 2018 by The Beer Connoisseur

From Brauhaus Riegele:

Privat receives a world-class rating of 98; two more Riegele beers recognized as exceptional

Augsburg, Germany –– Jan. 15, 2019 –– One of the world’s oldest craft breweries, Riegele Brewery is also one of the most awarded in Europe; now, this German brewery is being recognized in the United States as well. Riegele’s Commerzienrat Privat has been named by The Beer Connoisseur as the top-rated beer of 2018 with a world-class rating of 98; only 13 other beers out of 250 achieved a world-class rating.
Riegele’s most-awarded beer, Privat sets the benchmark for craft festival lagers. Crisp, elegant, and complex in character, Privat is perfectly balanced with a smooth and complex character thanks to a special, labor-intensive husk separation process. Privat impresses with flavors that form a unique harmony and balance of floral hops and freshly milled malt aromas. Like all Riegele beers, Privat uses its own exclusive yeast strain and undergoes cold cellar aging for over 60 days in the cellar.
According to Michael Bury, Grand Master II judge with the Beer Judge Certification Program, Privat is “a nigh-perfect interpretation of a Festbier that demands to be imbibed by the boot or the liter.”
Riegele also received second runner up in the Best Breweries of 2018 category with high scores for two of its other beers, Riegele Augustus, a weizenbock, and Riegele Noctus 100, an imperial stout; both beers received an exceptional rating.
Augustus gets its strength and character from a unique yeast strain, combined with Steffi, Wheat, and Munich malts, then brewed using Riegele’s two-mash brewing process. The result is a robust and smooth strong wheat beer that has established an international following. It was The Beer Connoisseur’s highest rated wheat beer of the year. 
Noctus 100 is an imperial stout that pours jet black with a thick creamy froth and a rich malt aroma of bitter chocolate and hints of coffee. Noctus drinks with a velvety mouthfeel and a deep and rich flavor profile, that is both complex and balanced. Notes of chocolate and dark fruit accompany the roasted malt and intense character.
Lynn Davis, founder, editor, and publisher of The Beer Connoisseur, stated, “Our judges review only commercial examples of beer, not specially brewed versions for competition purposes. To us, our judges’ evaluations are a true measure of the quality and care put into these beers on a day-to-day basis.”
The Beer Connoisseur magazine published its Winter 2019 edition on Jan. 7, spotlighting 2018’s top 250 beers, and offering perspectives from brewers and judges of the year’s 14 world-class rated beers. It details the best beers by style category and takes a forward look at the most important trends for the industry from the perspectives of the consumer, craft segment, beer-centric restaurants, emerging beer styles and popular hops. Readers may preview the issue at https://beerconnoisseur.com/articles/winter-2019-issue-40.
Riegele is one of the most awarded breweries in Europe, receiving the Bundesehrenpreis federal award of excellence for outstanding achievement in the DLG Quality Test for Beer in 2018 for the 11th consecutive time. Other accolades include 2018 International Craft Brewer of the Year at the Meiningers International Craft Beer Award; 2017 German Craft Brewery of the Year and 2016 German Craft Beer of the Year at the same competition; Europe’s Best Brewery at the European Beer Star and 2016 World Cup of Beer; and 2015 German Craft Brewery of the Year.
ABOUT RIEGELE BREWERY
Founded in 1386 in Augsburg, Germany, Riegele is a family-owned craft brewery that produces about 140,000 barrels per year. It is imported by Luxe Brands into the United States and is currently being distributed by Sarene Craft Beer in NY and NJ; Cavalier Distributing in OH and IN; Massachusetts Beverage Alliance in MA; Imperial Beverage in MI; Microman in FL; Lipman Brothers in TN; Savannah Distributors in GA; and Advintage Distributing in NC and SC. For more information, visit www.riegele.com or follow the brewery on Facebook @brauhaus.riegele.