Sankt Gallen El Angel is a 10% wheat wine from Sankt Gallen, based in Hon-Atsugi, in Kanagawa, Japan. It’s part of their annual winter lineup and is mostly found in bottles, though we have come across it sparingly on tap in bars. While the base malts tend to stay the same, this 2019 edition uses Chinook, Centennial, and Loral hops. As it’s a wheat wine, Sankt Gallen El Angel has a grain bill that is more than 50% wheat and is limited to 6,000 bottles per batch, so once it’s gone, it’s gone.
Sankt Gallen El Angel Aroma and Taste
Sankt Gallen El Angel poured out a lifeless dark amberish-brown colour with no signs of an head at all – those bubbles on the side of the glass were caused by me trying to agitate some life into it as it came out of the bottle. I had to make sure there was no problem with the cap – had the carbonation escaped the bottle? The cap on the other bottle I bought was tightly closed but as soon as I put my nose into the glass, some gas escaped up it and made me sneeze. Thankfully the aroma had more life to it than the amount of carbonation – full on wheaty creamy nose, with hints of light caramel, and an interesting plummy fruitiness to it that with some citrus grapefruit that were supported with a floral noble hop-like quality to it.
At 10%, I would recommend pouring Sankt Gallen El Angel into two portions of 150ml – not that most people couldn’t handle drinking the bottle in one session, but to allow it to warm up and settle a bit. When chilled, Sankt Gallen El Angel had a very basic wheat and caramel flavour to it; however, when it had been given the chance to warm up, Sankt Gallen El Angel began to flourish. The smooth, creamy body exuded a plumminess to it that was accentuated with grapefruit and floral flavour to it. The caramel flavour was a bit on the potent side – surprising considering it’s a wheat wine – but it was still easily drinkable. The lingering stone fruit flavours were pleasant and not overpowering when warmed up.
Sankt Gallen El Angel The Bottom Line
I’d like to age this 2019 edition of Sankt Gallen El Angel to see how it holds up, but it’s good for drinking now.
Where to Buy Sankt Gallen El Angel
Sankt Gallen El Angel can be bought online at the following places:
