German craft beer

19th century: you can get Bass Pale Ale anywhere in the world
20th century: you can get a bland, characterless lager anywhere in the world
21st century: you can get a badly made imperial stout anywhere in the world, in a craft beer bar that looks like every other craft beer bar in the world

 

The local differences in Germany are unlike any I've seen anywhere else. I think it's one of their beer culture's biggest charms. Germany is roughly the size of 2 medium US states. Yet you'll get a totally different experience in Munich vs. Bamberg vs. Duesseldorf vs. Koeln within that space. It's like having Boston, Denver, San Diego, and Portland within a few hours of one another.
I suppose the UK might also be similar (I haven't spent much time there, sadly) but I don't think Belgium was as diverse even with the two distinct cultures tossed in.

 

THAT takes some poor attention to brewing!

 

It finally happened: The small neighbourhood supermarket near me started carrying "craft" beer from a new regional brewery, Hops brewing from Hopstetten. They have a Pale Ale, an Imperial Stout, which are kinda average, and an "Insane Ale" which they classify as "imperial american Ale", though i would think in an american context it would be seen as a DIPA. Whatever the case,it is very,very nice-90IBUs, 8.2 ABV and just- very pleasant to drink, very nice hop aroma.I'm very happy that I can get it easily whenever I want to, though it's priced pretty steep at 2,99€ for 0,33l.….

 

Marketing pap is no different the world over.

 

That's about what I'd pay for a DIPA in the cheapest city in the entire United States.

 

When you are used to paying <1 Euro/0,5l for german styles,including Doppelbock and Weizenbock and such, it seems crazy.

 

Which region are they from?

 

I quite agree about drinkability - last night I had a fabulous 3.1% mild that was one of the most enjoyable beers I have had all year (including a trip to Brussels earlier this year). I was amazed how much flavour was in it for its strength.

 

How about this as a scheme for categorising/defining beer:

"Do I like this beer?" - If Yes, why should I care if it calls itself "craft" or not? If No, why should I care if it calls itself craft or not?

 

And you can drink it all day , every pint tastes better than the one before and you won't fall over at the end.

 

So........
I picked up a 4 pack of "Köstritzer Meisterwerke" yesterday for fair 4.99 and guess what.... they changed it! Not only is the witbier gone and replaced by a "Red Lager", but the Pale Ale is beefed up...It used to be 6.4 %abv, now its 7.0%...
I was very sceptical, both of the new beer and the changes to the pale ale..
Turns out....actually, the lager is probably the best german lager marketed as "modern craft" I ever had. It looks nice and even has a slight smoky touch to it. I was very pleasantly surprised and will pick it up aigan.
The Pale Ale was, well.....I remember the weaker version being better, but maybe that's just because I had lot of highly regarded beers in this category since then. I don't know.

Don't get me wrong, in franconia I would not touch the lager, but given the context, seeing that it comes from a bigger german brewer- not bad,not bad at all.

 

I tried it once when it was the wit/pale ale combo. Never bothered again. I am in Franken so I don't need to be tempted by the changes.

 

The Germans seem to be developing their own rules for what qualifies as "craft." increasingly it seems to be big brewers taking the reins...and all they need to do to have their beers qualify is to make them more alcoholic, more hoppy/ bold, and more expensive. As long as it tastes good I suppose...

 

Well, I personally see "craft" in a german context more of a marketing term than anything else......

 

Oh, I agree. Just interesting to see how its playing out. And kinda ironic... We "free and creative" Americans wrestle continuously -- through select "experts" at large industry organizations -- about strict definitions while those "rule-bound" Germans just accept it for what it is.

 

"Craft" in Germany is more or less code for top fermented

 

Ok, so Kölsch, Alt,Weizen are seen as "craft"?........What? Maybe ironically by the people at Uerige, but usually, no
The first things I remember being marketed as "craft",besides IPAs, were barrel aged bottom fermented Doppelbocks.

 

I'm in Bayern. What's a Kölsch?

I've had conversations with people when I've said a beer was "obergärig" and they've said "oh, Weizen." So I think the term craft does prepare people a little for something that is not the typical helles, pils, dunkles or weizen.

But I was being tongue in cheek. Hence the little green smiley face.

 

Well, in Bayern there exists Dampfbier, which is top-fermenting and isn't too far from Alt
Anyway, I guessed the tounge-in-cheeknes, but I still found it kind of a confusing standpoint.