Schneider Aventinus

Where Spotted: Ace Beverage, 3301 New Mexico Ave. NW

Price: $5.49/half-liter bottle

power drinking: Aventinus is an eccentric genius of a beer. It’s a wheat doppelbock, a “double” version of the already strong lager bock. With the increased alcohol comes a richer flavor and a deep ruby color that reflects a sweet palate of dark fruit, including prunes, figs, and raisins. But Aventinus’ wheat body sets it apart from other doppels, with a dry finish that will be familiar even to a Blue Moon–drinking rookie. At once powerful and complex, this beer’s brilliance is the balance of brains and brawn.

cut to the chasse: Aventinus’ dark, rich sweetness complements gamey German dishes like venison, boar, or anything else whose head you’d hang in a hunting lodge. As a digestif, a mild creamy brie or fruit havarti would work too. If your cuisine is more Franco than Prussian, Ace offers other geek-sought rarities, including Montreal’s equally epicurean Dieu de Ciel.

Seen an interesting quaff lately? E-mail beerspotter@washingtoncitypaper.com