Märican Biere Bought and Drunk...

Ahh, thanks for the reminder! I really dug this beer last year....I think Troegs may be my favorite US brewery. Their pils, hefeweizen, doppelbock, and this are all my favorite US examples of their respective styles. And of course, they can still do the "hops" thing as well with beers like Nugget Nectar.

 

I would encourage you to seek out beers from Victory, Stoudts, Sly Fox, Neshaminy Creek, … as well.

In particular the following beers from Victory:

· Zeltbier (Pale Oktoberfest)

· St. Victorious (Doppelbock)

· St. Boisterous (Helles Bock)

· Schwarz Pils

· Scarlet Fire (Rauchbier)

· Kölsch Ale

· Hip Czech (Czech Pilsner)

· Gose

· Alla Spina Arso (Lichtenhainer)

· Sunset Dunkel (Dunkelweizen)

· Dark Lager (Dunkel)

· Sommerbock (Pale Bock)

· Altbier

· And many others

I have had the pleasure to drink every one of the above beers (on multiple occasions) and they are all high quality beers. The equivalent of the Troegs beers and sometimes even better.

Cheers!

 

I've heard Troegs Sunshine pils is great, but I always find it difficult to locate for some reason.

I had SN's Nooner Pilsener today. I think it's pretty good relative to to-style US takes on German pils, but like AlcahueteJ mentioned earlier in the week- sandwiched in between some Rothaus, it really doesn't come that close. It'll definitely be in the overall lineup though! I dug that SN didn't seriously overhop things and presented a pretty bitter beer relative to other US presentations of German pils.

 

I can't shake my love of Belgian beers... so here is tonite's option..

Cuvée Delphine - a Russian Imperial Stout style beer brewed by De Struise Brouwers in Oostvleteren, Belgium
13% ABV

 

Why would you want to shake it? I used to make (at least) quarterly car trips up there to stock up on my favorites -- and to drink my fill while there. This was back when Rodenbach Alexander was still being made...man, to have a case of that stuff today; I'd be much more popular with the hardcore beer geek/trader scene, that's for sure.

 

I really don't want to shake it - i just want to scratch it occasionally - it's great to be so close to so many great beers, that is for sure.

 

errr.... don't ask, don't tell?

 

While we're discussing Jack's Abby.....this is their "house lager" and they call it a Landbier, a term I'm unfamiliar with. Beeradvocate lists it as a Munich Helles. 18 IBUs at 5.4% abv, not sure about any other details. Took two pictures because the lighting was different.

Next up.....Sierra Nevada Hoppy Lager.

 

Thanks!

It's a Helles, at least that's how I'd categorize it. Low bitterness, for the most part it shows up when it lingers on the tongue in the finish. I had their Jabby Brau last night, and I'd say this was more Helles than that one. The sweetness of the German malts (pils malt in this one maybe?) came through more. Although there's a bit more weight to this one at 5.4% as opposed to 4.5% in Jabby Brau. I'd place it as a slightly above average Helles, but the best compliment I can give it is that I continuously wanted to take another sip. But by the end, I'd say it was more or less forgettable. Unlike Rothaus, which I picked up another six pack of today. And I almost grabbed another bottle of Schlenkerla Helles.

Along with the bitterness, there was an odd graininess in the finish as well, something I pick up on with many US attempts at Helles and pilsners. There's virtually none of that with my favorite German examples.

Making my way through Hoppy Lager right now....literally smells and tastes like weed right off the bat. Almost like I'm chewing on hop pellets. I have a lot more thoughts on this one, but this post is already too long...

 

The description from the Jack's Abby Web site references "using a traditional German malt variety." If I had to bet, I'd say they are probably using the Weyermann Barke Pilsner malt. I've messed around with some of these new, "traditional" malts from Weyermann and have personally been rather disappointed, to tell the truth (and I am an admitted, huge Weyermann fanboy...but much of their recent "innovation" has been kinda misguided IMO).

 

I'll attempt to contribute to this cool thread, where I have been lurking over the last few months.

Southern Tier's (Lakewood, NY) take on a Munich Helles: Where The Helles Summer.

Bottled on Jan. 16, so relatively fresh. Bready pilsner malts, mild noble hop presence, faint grass and herbal notes, touch of sweet malt (honey), getting a hint of DMS, too. Medium carbonation, dry and very smooth finish = sueffig.

Overall, a decent interpretation of a Munich Helles and I will be seeking out another six-pack soon. It's a shame this style is under-represented in my local Michigan market, albeit for a few regional releases (Odd Side's "Hells Yes!" comes to mind at the moment). Prost!

 

Same here -- on both counts -- in N. Illinois.

 

Southern Tier Goat Boy, an Imperial Weizenbock, is also out now and is available in the 22 oz. bomber format.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/3818/116590/

I thought it was a little light on the fruity esters I've encountered with other Weizenbocks, but still worth a try.

 

Polished off the final 4 of a six-pack of SN Hoppy Lager yesterday. By the end of it, the initial punch of fruity, tropical hops had diminished, revealing a base beer that honestly didn't impress very much -- especially as a lager. Kind of a chore to drink by that point.

You might say that by the end of the six-pack I had developed Hopfschmerzen.

(sorry...)

 

Not exactly that "traditional" German Pilsner everyone is saying it is, huh?

Did I just hear a different kind of implosion..?