As a malt lover – albeit with increasingly hop leaning tendencies – Missoula’s Bayern Brewing Company has long been right up my alley.  From Killarney to Maibock, Oktoberfest to Doppelbock and even the new Dump Truck, an extra pale summer bock, Bayern consistently delivers great tasting, smooth, crisp, brews with plenty of rich malt flavors.

Face Plat continues this lineup with a twist, being an unfiltered, top-fermented, wheat bock beer.  Though a bit simplistic in description, Face Plant is essentially a wheat version of Bayern’s doppel bock, featuring five types of malt – wheat, pilsener, carmel, munich and chocolate – along with German Hallertauer Perle hops to produce a complex, rich, earthy taste. Bayern is one of the few breweries in the world making this style of beer due in part to the extra time, energy and labor that goes into it.  You can read more about it at Bayern’s website.

If you’re one to shy away from wheat beers served with a slice of orange (ugh), put aside those notions and pick up a Face Plant.  The wheat malt makes quite a statement, but it isn’t fruity. Face Plant pours a murky, dark brown with a thin, off-white head that disappears quickly.  The aroma is largely caramel malt with grain. The flavors are an earthy mix of wheat/grain, caramel malt, and a touch of roasted chocolate.  It is smooth and easy drinking and, at 7.5% abv, can quickly get you into some trouble.  Even my largely domestic macro drinking friends anxiously await the arrival of Face Plant each December and dive in with happy faces. We enjoyed pints at Sean Kelly’s in downtown Missoula this week and six-packs are showing up in the grocery stores.