German Beer

[BigBruce]

My time in Bavaria Germany is being cut short by a year. As I leave here in October I think about all the good German beer I've had. I plan on shipping back a ton as it tastes great and doesn't give me a hangover. My question is what do you guys think of German beer? I know most stuff in the states is expensive and not the same, however just want to know your opinion.

I've already started to look into home brewing as I can't go back to American beer. It is going to be hard after being somewhere the beer is cheaper than water. So let me know what you think. If your around fort hood Texas I'll let you try some of the good stuff.

[pnoon]

I love well crafted German beer. American craft brewers can't come close when it comes to lagers and pilsners.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by pnoon

I love well crafted German beer. American craft brewers can't come close when it comes to lagers and pilsners.

Totally agree. We are about Ales in the US.

[Porch Dweller]

I loved the pils and bocks. My wife liked the weizens, although I never cared too much for them because of their inherent sweetness. When we came back to the states in 2009 we shipped about two dozen cases of beer, almost 100 bottles of wine, and a couple dozen bottles of whiskey. It was a great day when Uncle Sam amended the JFTR to include alcohol as part of the weight allowance and not a separate shipment.

[T.G]

Originally Posted by pnoon

I love well crafted German beer. American craft brewers can't come close when it comes to lagers and pilsners.

KMA.

[pnoon]

Originally Posted by T.G

KMA.

I was speaking in generalities. There are always exceptions. Sudwerk comes to mind.

[T.G]

Originally Posted by pnoon

I was speaking in generalities. There are always exceptions. Sudwerk comes to mind.

I agree. Taking off the corporate hat for a moment, I have to honestly agree, there are not that many good traditional pilsners made here. I wish there were, but it seems like there aren't and the breweries who do make a good one, don't really distribute it. Traditional German lager, like a Munich Helles, isn't that popular over here so no one wants to make it. Even we stopped making it and reformulated it as a dry hopped lager. It's flying off the shelves now. Let's face it, American craft beer drinkers like hops.

[tsolomon]

We have friends who live in Bavaria (Rosenheim) who we visit every other year. We were there last September in time for the Rosenheim Herbstfest where we sat at the community tables and had a great time with all the locals. My wife and I favor the Weissbier while our German friends prefer the Helles. Our first and last stop when visiting is the Ayinger Brewery for beer and lunch. The beer is great and I just haven't found anything that really compares to what you can get over there. Prost!

[Ken]

Originally Posted by BigBruce

My time in Bavaria Germany is being cut short by a year.

Any good liquor store will have a supply of that nector you crave. Unfortunately it doesn't come with the experience of sitting in an old kantine or German pub.

As far as I'm concerned when it comes to wheats and bocks I am strictly imported German beers. I enjoy many craft beers, just not in this area.

[kydsid]

Originally Posted by T.G

I agree. Taking off the corporate hat for a moment, I have to honestly agree, there are not that many good traditional pilsners made here. I wish there were, but it seems like there aren't and the breweries who do make a good one, don't really distribute it. Traditional German lager, like a Munich Helles, isn't that popular over here so no one wants to make it. Even we stopped making it and reformulated it as a dry hopped lager. It's flying off the shelves now. Let's face it, American craft beer drinkers like hops.

I dont. Never liked any IPAs etc. German by heritage so maybe thats why. Im not the only one by far. To me the presuure to drink hoppy beers is the same pressure that mad Budweiser dominant.

[kydsid]

Originally Posted by Ken

Any good liquor store will have a supply of that nector you crave. Unfortunately it doesn't come with the experience of sitting in an old kantine or German pub.

As far as I'm concerned when it comes to wheats and bocks I am strictly imported German beers. I enjoy many craft beers, just not in this area.

Not so much in Texas. The alcohol board here is very backwards. There is a very limited supply of approved German brews in Texas. It has gotten better over the last few years.

[baust55]

good page on home brewing is www.skotrat.com

you can sign up for there brewer chat its more like an online pub . were all is discussed . but the members are all home brewers .

its a registered AHA club also you can get to the chat sign up from above link or directly with below link .

http://www.skotrat.com/go/default/chat/brc/#Rat_Anchor

[T.G]

Originally Posted by kydsid

I dont. Never liked any IPAs etc. German by heritage so maybe thats why. Im not the only one by far. To me the presuure to drink hoppy beers is the same pressure that mad Budweiser dominant.

Budweiser also has about 100 year head start on the craft beer industry, that kind of helps their margins a bit. Furthermore, budweiser and other majors have actually lost market share to craft breweries over the last 10 years. Mind, it's only a few points but that's actually huge when you look at the volumes of the craft industry vs the majors.

I'm not a big fan of heavily hopped beer either, but the reality is that it's a huge percentage, I believe the largest percentage, of craft beer sales.

[Ken]

Originally Posted by kydsid

Not so much in Texas. ..very limited supply of approved German brews in Texas. It has gotten better over the last few years.

I guess I shouldn't be guessing. I would have thought over the last several years states would have been opening up more to what's available to the market with the boom of micro-brews.

Never liked any IPAs etc.

There are IPA's I definitely like though I somewhat agree that there has been an odd push to like beers that taste as close to cat piss as possible. But, there are beers so smoked that they taste like bacon and people are drinking them as well, go figure.

[T.G]

I'm curious as to who is forcing you to like these beers? Are you in high school?

[kydsid]

Originally Posted by T.G

I'm curious as to who is forcing you to like these beers? Are you in high school?

It is not so much forced as it is having to wade thru 20 IPAs on the craft side of a menu etc to find the one good pilsner or ale etc.

I think the bigger picture Ken and I are referring to is the craft industries tend to keep making unique beer sometimes just to be different and not because it is good. Heck the cigar industry suffers from this also. I for one am long past chasing or trying a great nee cigar or beer only to find oh thats a one off we wont make more.

Whats worse is the one offs that are great while the mainstay is crap. Cigars and beer both too on that one

[pnoon]

Originally Posted by kydsid

It is not so much forced as it is having to wade thru 20 IPAs on the craft side of a menu etc to find the one good pilsner or ale etc.

I think the bigger picture Ken and I are referring to is the craft industries tend to keep making unique beer sometimes just to be different and not because it is good. Heck the cigar industry suffers from this also. I for one am long past chasing or trying a great nee cigar or beer only to find oh thats a one off we wont make more.

Whats worse is the one offs that are great while the mainstay is crap. Cigars and beer both too on that one

And I like IPAs.

[T.G]

Originally Posted by kydsid

It is not so much forced as it is having to wade thru 20 IPAs on the craft side of a menu etc to find the one good pilsner or ale etc.

I think the bigger picture Ken and I are referring to is the craft industries tend to keep making unique beer sometimes just to be different and not because it is good. Heck the cigar industry suffers from this also. I for one am long past chasing or trying a great nee cigar or beer only to find oh thats a one off we wont make more.

Whats worse is the one offs that are great while the mainstay is crap. Cigars and beer both too on that one

Ok, that makes more sense, and yes, I see where you are coming from and even agree to some extent.

I will say though that brewers tend to take a lot of pride in their work and turning out crap just to be hoppier (for example, you could really say just about any style there) doesn't really jive with my experience. Now, I will say that sometimes brews don't work out as planned and you just spent $9-10/gallon to make something that flopped, you have to recoup your costs somehow since you aren't budweiser rich and can't afford to dump an expensive batch. But something anyone likes, but craft brewing is not often a lucrative business. Or, as one my friends who is head brewer says "a life of poverty and free beer"

[mosesbotbol]

Had the Goose Island Octberfest and it's great German style beer. Recommended.

[kydsid]

Adam I'll concide making crap and change it to making things hoppier just for hoppier sake. I swear the next hoppy pilsner, ale (read non-ipa) etc I get served is being sent back air mail to the brewer.

Course wouldnt the cigar equivalent be lets make that a 60 rg because well why not.

And both IMO are being driven by peer pressure/perception in the market that bigger/hoppier is better.

And I unfortunately think both are complete crap. ::-D