Is German beer really THAT good?

“…U.S. "craft"-brewed German styles are easily on par with the originals.”

Well, what is the definition of the “originals”?

Is the definition of “originals” the majority of German beers as measured by volume? If so, let’s consider the list that Tony (@boddhitree) recently posted in a thread on the Germany forum:

“Here's a list of the top 14 selling beers from Bild Zeitung, taken from FUCKUP Weblog from this year.

Platz 1: Krombacher (Vorjahr: 1)

Platz 2: Bitburger (Vorjahr: 2)

Platz 3: Warsteiner (Vorjahr: 3)

Platz 4: Beck's (Vorjahr: 6)

Platz 5: Hasseröder (Vorjahr: 5)

Platz 6: Veltins (Vorjahr: 4)

Platz 7: Radeberger (Vorjahr: 7)

Platz 8: Königs Pilsener (Vorjahr: 8)

Platz 9: Erdinger (Vorjahr: 10)

Platz 10: Holsten Pilsener (Vorjahr: 9)”

I stopped at the top 10 for brevity.

So, do US craft breweries make beers that are on par with the above list? I would say that many US craft breweries make German style beers that are much better than the above list.

Cheers!

 

Go on, go on... Though I'd expect German beer in China before Korea.

 

If it is like what I think in terms of the angle you are on, then to most American's who are into beer... all beer... visiting a country like that where everything on the shelf is fresh and brand new is very exciting.

If you grow up living there it might get old very fast.

We don't see things here through the same lens as everyone else, this is (as we all know) a very American focused beer oriented site, mostly by design, but also by nature.

I can totally understand someone in Germany who wants to branch out and how hard it is to do so, unlike here in America where the amount of complaints we have over the choice of incredibly great and varied beer styles really isn't worth bitching about.

Like I say, at this point I feel we get the best of both worlds. That's my opinion, but some of us also don't have a lot of choice either.

 

Hey now.. I can easily get Gose, stouts, IPAs & Pale Ales (CREW out of Munich makes 3 out of 4 of those styles) at my local Getränkemarkt which is about 8 km from mi casa - coincidentally so is Porsche's HQs...

Is Frankfurt a bit behind the craft beer trend here?

http://www.heinrich3000.de/

http://www.heinrich3000.de/bier.html

 

For reference what are the top US beers as measured by volume... and is it a useful way of quantifying the definition of "originals" as it relates to a brewing style???

I don't think so personally.

 

Great link. Nice to see encouraging evidence of where the German beer scene is moving these days. Unlike the usual stereotypes from thousands of miles away.
Slainte.

 

An informative new story linked in one of those sites:

News >Wissen
Trend Craft-Bier Ein Herz für Biere
http://www.stuttgarter-nachrichten....ere.d9b3cdc4-15bc-4b8d-b55c-b4eb5fbf0dd2.html


A young German frau who loves and blogs about craft-bier in Germany:
www.feinerhopfen.com

 

Seems only fair that two groups of people thousands of miles away from each other should each have stereotypes of the other. Tha problem lies in sorting out the grain of truth that is part of or hidden in each stereotype.

 

So are there really indications that other places in Germany are moving in that same direction?

Are there indications that one day you'll not need to drive those 8 km and will be able to walk no more than 2-3 and be able find 2-3 different places to sit with friends and have a bite of food, one of those beers, and maybe even carry a couple of bottles of one or two of them back home with you?

 

Totally.
Makes me wonder how much of the world still sees American as a nation completely saturated in BMC. Seems to me that that stereotype is beginning to disappear. About time too.

 

I suspect that TV in general and possibly some Commercials sponsored by mass market brewing conglomerates have a bit to do with it.

 

I am reminded of an anecdote told by Sir Edward Grey who met a wealthy man who was boasting about his riches and how every day he added to them. A fellow guest spoke up and said "I've got more than you" and when challenged he explained "You are striving for more yet I already have everything I want"
That seems to be a parallel with most Germans' approach with their beer-they are happy with the fare on offer and happily drink glass after glass of it.That the range is restricted either doesn't occur to them or simply doesn't matter.
I've long felt that choice is somewhat overrated.I cut my beer drinking teeth on a very small range of beers.We were thankfully thrice blessed with our three excellent local breweries who made excellent mild and bitter (plus a few bottled beers) yet night after night we would drink masses of them without feeling restricted or tired of them.It was interesting to go from pub to pub and see how different landlords made the beers subtly different but on the whole we were happy with our lot.
Now the range of beers in even the tiniest village pub has expanded , porters and stouts abound and the flavour spectrum is vastly wider.Yet after sampling what must be thousands of different brews I've found nothing I personally enjoy more than what I grew up with.
Regarding brewing a variety of styles, remember that these developed from local conditions.That's why British and German brewing are so different. IF you use German malt, hops , yeast and water treatment plus respect for the way it's brewed and served then you should be able to produce comparable beer to the Germans wherever you are.

 

Well, since beer is not a competition, what matters at the end of the day is whether you can find something you enjoy, regardless of where brewed or by whom.

 

American beers > Belgian beers > Danish beers > Dutch beers > Scottish Beers > Canadian beers > English beers > German beers > Mexican beers.

Hope that helps.

 

I just got back from two weeks in Germany and can tell you that the beer is NOT the same, I met with several brew meisters and while they won't directly come out and say it, the beer has change. The law in Germany is that bread and beer has to be affordable to everyone, and with a economy like theirs you can have 1 euro beers and make a profit of any sort doing it the way they use to. Ayinger is one exception and that bier is fantastic, I even got some right off the conditioning tanks and since it a private brewery it does as it likes I guess. I saw 0.5L bottles as low as .39 euro or about .50 cents that was better than some of the others at .90 euro or $1.20. They also recycle bottles the way the USA once did by washing and reusing which saves a lot of money since the packaging costs more than the bier.

 

Yea I think we all know there are great Germany beers out there . and some of the best are brewed right here in the USA

 

Y'all want to provide any specific examples (besides the one, Ayinger)?

 

After reading this, I'm gonna go with "no." Then again, I'm pretty sure American beers (or sodas, or pretty much any liquid) would fare no better.

Plastic Bits Found Floating Around In 24 Out Of 24 Samples Of German Beer
http://modernfarmer.com/2014/10/plastic-bits-found-floating-around-24-24-samples-german-beer/

 

Strangely enough Berlin prices are higher, but the most standard pils at the most costs only about €1.70 tops.

I also remember another frustrating Berliner weisse moment.

I was at a Bier Garden and looking for some new beers. They had Berliner weisse listed with of course the option of the red or green. So I asked the guy who spoke fairly good English by the way some questions.

This also reminds me that in places they rarely seem to write down what brewery the beer is from sometimes.

Me: So do you have a regular Berliner Weisse?

Guy: Ya we do, but it's sour so you may not like it, most people don't.

Me: Oh great that's perfect, do you make it in house (like their Pils and Dunkel)?

Guy: No

Me: Oh ok who makes it then?

guy: What do you mean?

Me: what brewery is the Berliner Weisse from? (honestly I am not asking really hard or complex English questions I am thinking, I am just speaking slowly and taking my time)

Guy: I don't know.

Me: Is it Berliner Kindl?

Guy: Is what Berliner?

Me: Is the regular Berliner Weisse you have, is it from Berliner Kindl brewery?

Guy: (he actually said this), I don't think you want this it's sour.

Me: No I do want to try it, but it's not Berliner Kindl is it?

Guy: (A sudden realization seems to hit his face) Ah no it's not, but it's different you sure you want this beer?

Me: (having had the already Berliner Kindl which is... ok, I was excited to maybe finding a different brand), Yes please

Guy reaches into the back of the fridge, grabs a bottle of regular Berliner Kindl Weisse and pours it into my dimple mug.

Oh well I guess some things sometimes just get lost in translation.

Strangely also while hunting around I never saw any Ayinger products in Berlin hardly ever.

 

I take it you didn't like Berliner Kindl?