Suggestions for best German & Austrian beers?

Weihenstepaner Hefeweissbier - Hefeweizen

Ayinger Celebrator - Doppelbock

Schneider Weiss Aventinus - Dunkel Weisenbock

Jever Pilsener - German Pilsener

Aecht Schlenkerla Marzen - Rauchbier

Franziskaner Hefe-Weiss - Hefeweizen



American Versions:

Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold - Dortmunder Lager

Great Lakes Elliot Ness - Vienna Lager

 

Samichlaus is a must-try.

And these four, as well.

 

My personal favorites:

Germany:
Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen
Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock
Döllnitzer Ritterguts Gose
Köstritzer Schwarzbier
Kulmbacher EKU 28 doppelbock (eisbock?)
Schneider Aventinus Weizen-Eisbock
Schneider Weisse Tap 6 Unser Aventinus weizenbock
Tannenzäpfle pilsner
Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier
Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel
Weihenstephaner Korbinian doppelbock
Weihenstephaner Vitus weizenbock

Austria:
Bevog Ond Smoked Porter
Schloss Samichlaus Classic Bier doppelbock

 

Weihenstephaner is an absolute must try. Everything they do is great. Also partial to Aventinus.

 

Find a good bottle shop and speak with the beer manager. Make sure they rotate their stock well, and don't have imports that have been sitting there collecting dust. Specifically for Helles and pilsner you can do a quick test if you're unsure. Tip the bottle upside down and hold it up to the light, make sure there's nothing floating around in these. They should be clear as day.

After that, start sampling anything from these breweries which shouldn't be too difficult to find. Then report back about what you like!

-Weihenstephan
-Ayinger
-Andechs
-Schlenkerla

Spaten, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr and some others make some fine beers, but the four I listed above are both widely available and a notch above the Paulaner's of the world in my opinion.

 

I've been into the Kristalweizen lately. Here's a few to jump into:

Weihenstephaner Kristallweissbier
Erdinger Weissbier Kristallklar

 

if you want one from each country go with Weihenstephaner (the hefe even though all are great) and Samichlaus. Aventinus could be the bonus beer. If you are going to Germany then don't order the Beck's or St. Pauli Girl beers, nor sweet wines like Gewürztraminer (I googled the correct spelling and copy/pasted - that's how the umlaut (the dots) appeared), unless you want to stick out as a tourist...not that it matters, really.
Just a tip as most Germans, in my experience at least, regards those beers and wines as the [stuff] they sell overseas to Brits and Americans (stuff being an alternative PG noun to what they really say).

 

I didn't like Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier at all. Is there any hope for me?

(guess I need to try a different style of German)

 

Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier is my favorite. I drink it as often as I can. Simply amazing. Start with that and see if you like it. If you don't, look into all the great suggestions already posted in this thread. German beer is truly amazing and can be a ton of fun discovering. Visit Germany if you can. Try as much as you can and ENJOY!

 

Maybe try an alt-style beer...Uerige makes a couple of nice ones, if you can get them in your area

 

Anything by Ayinger; especially celebrator.

 

The critical aspect of German/Austrian imported beers is that they need to be fresh. My suggestion is that you purchase beers that have dates on them. A typical best by timeframe is 1 year which is too long IMO; use that best by date as an indication of a bottled on date.

Some comments wrt bottle dating for some of the breweries mentioned:

· Weihenstephan : has a bottled on date (confusing dating system)

· Ayinger: no bottle dates

· Andechs: best by date

· Schlenkerla: no bottle dates

· Jever: best by date

· Schneider: has a bottled on date (confusing dating system)

· Etc.

Cheers!

 

Austria: Stift Engelszell Gregorius
Germany: Schneider Aventinus Weizen-Eisbock

 

I noticed you have recently joined BA. Welcome aboard. There are good suggestions in the answers above. Try looking at the German lagers listed on BA. Find a good bottle shop with a helpful staff and a " build /craft" your own 6 pack selections.

 

Other notes check out the Germany sub forum on here, lots of us German drinking and loving beer fans hangout there...

 

Exceptions to this are Samichlaus and Samichlaus Helles. Avoid them fresh. Two years minimum for the helles, more like three for the classic.


Actually, Eggenberg Doppelbock Dunkel might be the same way. A lot of the reviews here mention it being hoppy. Hoppy doppelbock....ewww. Mine is full of bready caramel goodness so I'm guessing it's a year or two old.

 

They might just be referring to the bitterness- I don't recall much hop aroma in that one, either.

 

Yah -- methinks someone is mis-identifying a character there -- big surprise, eh?