Märican Biere Bought and Drunk...

Most imports claim a 1 year shelf life, but still...

 

I looked for Spaten Oktoberfest yesterday when I was at the beer store. I didn't see any but bought Paulaner and they also had H-P.

 

I forgot to ask -- were these bottles imported by Spaten USA or AB-InBev? With a date that old I imagine it still has the Spaten USA labels on it (though I've heard AB-InBev was allowed to use up all the old packaging to clear their surplus).

 

Sorry, haven't had a chance to get to the supermarket yet, but I'll definitely check on it for you.

 

I think Augustiner goes for something around ~1€-1.60/0.5l bottle but don't quote me on that.

 

“She took a sip, made a face and said "Ew. Ugh. No." and handed it back to me. Then again she was never much of a Yuengling Lager fan, either.”

Matt, I think your wife and my wife could be kindred spirits. Earlier this year (Spring-time) I left to run some errands and I came home to see a half consumed Yuengling Lager sitting in the kitchen; I thought to myself: how did that get there (since we hadn’t bought any Yuengling Lager)? Soon thereafter a light bulb went off: I’ll bet the neighbor Walt gave that to my wife since she was outside gardening. It turns out I was right. Later on I saw my wife and stated: I see you have been drinking Yuengling. She replied: well I tried since Walt gave it to me but I just couldn’t drink it. I responded: Oh, a beer snob, eh?

Cheers to you Matt for not being a beer snob!

Jack

 

The label said, "Imported by Imports Brands Allicance, St. Louis, MO."

 

Well, that's definitely the new importer. Hard to believe it's that old.

 

So, I managed to swing by the local REWE and check out the price on Augustiner. Unfortunately, they have stopped carrying both the Helles and Edelstoff. They did, however, still have one case of the Weissbier (I liberated a few for my personal use...). It was €0.99 per bottle (500ml). I assume the others would be in the same price range. So, not quite in the Heidelberg Klosterhof "please-rob-me-blind" category (€1.55 per 500ml), but also not in the Oettinger "cheaper-than-water" price category (€0.59 per 500ml). Closer to Andechser (€1.15 per 500ml... I liberated a few of those too...).

Does that keep you from going crazy? If not, let me know, and I can check a Neuenheim Getränkemarkt that I know has the Edelstoff (at least) in the next few days.

 

Happy to help. I'll end up at the Getränkemarkt sooner or later, and I'll check it for you. I actually don't mind the Klosterhof Dunkel, oddly enough. Though, that may just be the appreciation of the fact that they actually make and sell a dark beer in Heidelberg (which is a rarity, sadly...). The Klosterhof seasonal or special beers (excepting the Weizenbock, which is drinkable) are nearly always drainpours. I so very much wanted to like that brewery, but they lost me when I took my parents (on their yearly visit) to the actual restaurant at the Kloster ... and they had neither their Dunkel nor their Weizen available. I don't know how a brewery runs out of 2 of its "normal" beers, but they did, and it was the last time I've bothered to drink one of their beers.

In any event, I'll report back when I run down the other beers. No problem. Hope you are enjoying the vast selection of State-side beers!

 

Maybe the number isn't the date I think it is? What do your bottles say? Mine say, "L316316"

 

No, I think that's right -- the 316 is the day of the year and the 3 is the last digit in the year (2013). Mine from this year were 0074 and 153 (or so) day of 2014.

 

Well that sucks. Before checking the date I had two bottles already. So I was not influenced by the date on the bottle either time. Like I said in an earlier post, the first bottle was damn good, tasted like it did on draft. I thought the second bottle was a step down, upon the first sip I was a bit taken aback. Unfortunately I have two more bottles in my fridge, we'll see how these held up!

 

My biggest question is -- how the hell are you getting Schlafly on the east coast when I'm just up the interstate from the brewery and I've never seen it.

C'mon Schlafly -- I need some St. Lou beer to cheer on the Cardinals!

I've read that some of the Köln breweries' beers will impart a sulfur note when very fresh. Schlafly may be doing something right.