Favorite European breweries or beers.

HaandBryggeriet.

Speaking of smoked beers from European breweries, I'll beat herrburgess to the punch and throw out Aecht Schlenkerla. Of course, there are tons of great European breweries -- too many to list, really.

 

Brewery Haand is an awesome brewery. I had a bunch of there non-imported stuff at Borfets and I was really impressed. There sours in particular. There is a certain distinctive rot gut funk to there sours which I really enjoy. Great down to earth guys and one of the brewers plays a mean Ukelele!

My top foriegn brewers:

Struise (1# in the world)
Kernel
Narke
De Molen

All of these guys do a ton of different stuff very very well.

I love Schelkerla but they only do one style. Granted it is the pinicle of that style but they are one one trick pony. lol

 

They do many styles, they just all happen to be smoked.

I'm a smoked beer fiend, so I love all of their offerings.

 

Nils Oscar.

 

Don't get me wrong... There is nothing better than a Urbock with a grilled Chorizo sausage. I freaking love there beers. But for me to be a GREAT brewery you have to be diverse. It's very hard to do 10+ styles and all the beers be great.

I need to get to Bamburg. I hear that the Schellkerla out of the wood barrels at the brewery with a Bamburg Onion is a life changing experience.

 

I have 2
First -Augustiner Bräu easily found in most bottle shops
Second-http://www.augustinerbier.at/ Can not get in States

 

Yes you need to get to Bamberg.

One can argue that a great brewery can only make a handful of beers. The Trapists and many of the German and Czech breweries fit this model.

 

One of my favorites but you can't get in States
http://www.augustinerbier.at/

 

I can see that argument and it is a valid one. I see things a bit differently. A lot of the Trappist breweries, German and Czech breweries have been brewing the same exact beers for decades if not centuries. It does mean those beers are bad by any means. In many cases they are world class.

A lot of the time these are regional specialities. For example Bamburg was the home of the smoked beer and you wouldn't see that style anywhere outside of that town/region. Bascially a closed beer community. A lot of them don't know anything else outside there regional style. Besides if that is what your local community likes and buys and they are you customer base why innovate? I get that.

As the beer world has become more globalized breweries are combining styles and techniques and coming up with inovative new stuff. There was no such thing as a Belgian IPA 10 years ago. Brewers over there tasted the overhopped American stuff and started using a high amount of hops and american varieties of hops and Belgian IPA was created.

So for me the best breweries are the ones that are inovating and taking advantage of all the different brewing influences and traditions and not staying stagnent with brewing. Also making quality beers in the process. The sad thing is that there are a lot of American brewers that brew a style just to get out a "hyped" style and there is a lot of crap out there. I can think of 5-10 shit American Saisons wild ales that are on the store shelves by me right now. Quality and inovation are the key for Tender!

 

Pretty much all of the breweries in Bamberg make at least one A+ beer with Mahr's leading the pack for me.
Kellerbier fresh from the tap is something magical that just can't be re-created.
I don't think Kloster Andechs makes anything I consider less than wonderful, either.

 

This conflicts with your avatar

 

Augustiner Helles
Paulaner Hef
Orval
Cantillion
Westmalle
Bitburger Pils

 

I too was impressed with the stuff they brought to Borefts...the "sours" were pretty solid.

 

Favorite breweries:

Brasserie de Rochefort
Brouwerij St. Bernardus
Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan
Brauerei Aying
Samuel Smith Old Brewery

 

I was wondering how long that was going to take

My choice as well, along with 3 fonteinen, and De Molen

 

Brasserie de Rochefort
Brouwerij St. Bernardus
Fantome
Samuel Smith
Brouwerij Verhaeghe in Vichte (duchesse)
A couple that I consider to be European brewery's even if they aren't:
Mikkeller
Evil Twin
Unibroue
Dieu Du Ciel

 

Damn....makes me realize how "narrow" my palate actually is. I can't do the "Belgian" styles. I've tried and occasionally will..only barely able to tolerate the "funk". Westy... Whatever,, my buds dig it but so far.. No fireworks. DESCHUTES, RUSSIAN RIVER, Founders, BC...for me and my American taste profile. Enjoy.

 

Barbar Belgian Honey Ale. My favorite beer. Going to have one tonight, actually and I can't wait.

 

So far, I have liked what i had from the following:

Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan
Brouwerij Van Steenberge
Brauerei Aying
Spaten