Bayernbiere Bought and Drunk

Chose the Bavarianbier thread for this new query because I'm asking about HB Munich... even though I'm asking for info about their import to America...

Has anyone seen HB Maibock on shelves yet this year? If so, can you tell me the code/lot number you're seeing on the back label of the bottles?

I recently saw a stack of Maibock cases at one of the bigger, good liquor chains in my area and all of the bottles (well, all I could lay eyes on) were marked L 045 R. Past research and correspondence has told us that code represents the 45th day of 2018 as a packaging date.

However, each of the cases I saw were hand-labeled with this label (from the importer, I'd guess):


So, is that date a best-by date? Is my local distro (again) trying to pass off old stock to retailers because they think no one can translate a bottle code? Do not know. Anyone seeing the HB Maibock?

 

I'm no expert, but I don't think that the importer is responsible for the case code sticker/date.

 

Judging by the bottle code, it looks like old stock from last year to me. My guess is 14.02.2019 is the best by date. I haven't seen HB Maibock in my area yet but I'll post an update when I do.

 

Based on the European order of the date, I'd presume that the case label was added at the brewery. And yeah, as @Jacobier10 says, it's probably a best-by date -- probably understood only by the brewery and the importer... and maybe the distro, but I'd bet they would deny it.

So yeah, there was a stack of 6 cases of last year's Maibock delivered to this retailer -- and I'm the only one who noticed the discrepancy.

 

We've had them for awhile, both bottles and draft if I recall correctly. I hadn't really heard of them so I haven't picked any up.

I did snag some well priced Paulaner Hefeweizen/Helles cans for $7.99 per four pack. Bottled in January.

If you read that Sixpoint thread you would have thought Alpenflo was the second coming of Jesus.

 

What did you personally think about Alpenflo?

Cheers!

@SixpointMikey

 

Lotta people in that thread who didn't know the gospel... or the style they were genuflecting over.

 

I didn’t care for it. It didn’t have that classic Pils malt forward taste to it. I kind of remember it just tasted odd, not Helles like.

Was awhile ago though, so I don’t 100% remember everything.

Wow 6 months, better than most imports. Some are 15 months.

 

That's half the reason I write reviews.

 

I can see that happening over here on the packaging that carries clear dates -- it's the mysterious codes that our distributors just love.

 

The date thing is pretty lousy. Out better stores tend to do closeout sales for bottles/cans that are out of date. I've bought a lot of closeout Salvator at $1 per 1/2L bottle.
On the other hand, we have a lot of decent beer rotting on the shelves, too. Loads of European lagers that I've never heard of. That includes a few German ones. I feel bad for anyone that ever buys any of them, because they definitely aren't getting what they hoped for.

Somewhat related - I have sometimes wondered if old IPA imports are responsible for how most native German IPA's taste. I haven't had tons and tons of them, but of the 7-8 I have had, most of them taste like a mid-00's IPA that is oxidized and the hops have mostly fallen off. If that's your exposure to a style, it would make some level of sense that's what you're probably expecting. Kind of like how I used to think all German lagers must taste like a Lowenbrau that has been sitting under the lights of a Winn Dixie for 2 years.

 

Or can't understand what they've missed.

 

Also very true. Some of that could even mirror the "conspiracy theory" about Heineken intentionally skunking their beer because that's what people expected. Some pretty reputable people (like Garrett Oliver) have even inferred that at least used to be true.

I'll never forget the first fresh and non-skunked German lager I ever had. It was an Ayinger dunkel at my local Old Chicago around 2002. That was followed up by a helles from Paulaner...which was also absolutely nothing like the skunky Lowenbrau and Beck's bottles I'd had before.

 

I mentioned this previously -- and recently, but I can remember the first Heineken I had that wasn't skunked. Well-kept at a local "fancy" restaurant and it was quite nice. It was long before the Micro Boom® and I hadn't learned a lot about beer at the time, but I always remember Heineken had a "best serving temperature" on their label and I always chalked it up to that -- too cold was skunky, 45° was nice and easy drinking. 40 years later I know better.

 

Yes, you know there's better beer than Heineken.

 

@steveh No HB Maibock yet, but I did manage to find some relatively fresh HB Original with a date code of "L 014 S" with the S for 2019. So it seems that the bottles you found were likely last year's stock.

 

Believe it or not -- I found my notes on last year's HB Maibock... with the same damned code as those I found this year.

I also "outed" another stack of old stuff to a very conscientious retailer who couldn't believe his distro was passing off old stock. Same distro who dropped the HB at the last store I saw it. When I left the store he was pulling the 5 or 6 cases from the floor.

 

That’s worrisome. Still, I got a pack without checking and it seemed to taste fresh, sweet, and fine to me. I hope those problems get fixed.