Is German beer really THAT good?

I haven't seen it mentioned yet, but American cultural diversity is a huge contributor to a wildy diverse option of beer choices. I doubt that any country has ever fielded so many cultural traditions as modern day America. It's the mix that makes us innovative, creative, experimental, and evolving. Exceptionalism no, diversity yes!

 

The average American doesn't really know much about beer. The average German doesn't know much about beer.

The average American beer geek knows quite a bit about beer, including German beers. The average German beer geek...if you can find one...well, there actually isn't such a category, yet. It's becoming one. There are a few, and they know quite a bit, and most I've come across would stand aghast at your comments wishing they had such choices as that awful American craft beer market you don't care for.

Here's a little perspective:
http://andrewhammel.typepad.com/ger...ring-chemical-laced-beers-fail-worldwide.html
http://www.sensor-magazin.de/deutsche-kleinbrauer-a-beer-revolution/
http://www.europeanbeerguide.net/gersbeer.htm
http://www.europeanbeerguide.net/reinheit.htm
http://www.economist.com/news/busin...taid-brewing-business-pure-cheap-and-bit-dull

Not one of the above articles was penned by an American.

 

Well and good. But is (in your opinion, of course) German beer really THAT good?

 

There are, I believe, two or MAYBE three Gose beers being brewed in Germany. You'd have to ask a thousand Germans on the street about them before you'd find one who even knew what the heck a Gose is. Actually, probably there's only a few thousand, if that, in the entire country that will know what a Gose is. It's currently illegal to sell a Gose as beer in Germany. You'll find FAR more Gose beers in America. And far more people that are familiar with the style.

Same goes for Berliner Weisse. There's pretty much only one commonly available version, and it's an industrialized one. You'll find it's much easier to obtain good Berliners in the US.

 

Yup, and based on my own experiences I can easily put them up there with Germany, Belgium and the US. And they still do some excellent examples of dry hopping so one can look to them as well.

 

To answer the question posed in the article title: Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.

 

That's because Jack Daniel's is such a shitty, mass produced bourbon that Coke actually improves the experience.

 

Plainly put, the German beer that is really THAT good is really THAT good. Unfortunately, really good German beer is largely ignored by Germans. Mostly, they drink the cheap stuff like, you know, the rest of the entire world. (Even cheaper than the average country actually, as German beer prices are the cheapest of any Western European country.)

By the way, I'm posting this from Berlin FWIW, and it's time for me to turn in. Was at a To Øl event this eve, and had my share. Good stuff!

 

THIS.

 

????
I've had like 8 German styles myself, not sure what you were implying...

 

Just went this weekend. It's awesome

 

Good points. Germany is much less diverse than the USA. A much higher % of people here don't drink beer at all.

 

That is fine, drink your RuinTen. Other people, like me, prefer other styles. Two of them happen to be hefes and pilsners. Considering most German beers sitting on the shelves in Houston are old and out of date, I'll take Live Oak Have been to Belgium and the all over the UK, and have experienced their wonderful beer culture. Have yet to make it to Germany, when I do, I will not miss any of the IPA's or imperial this or that in America.

 

I had a little taste of that I think on the S-Bahn train a bit but made it out.

There is variety there... you just have to work harder to seek it out.

 

I say move to Belgium!

 

Germans don't need to be "beer geeks." Beer is a way of life in most places, it's not like they had to live thru the years of macro-swill that had no character or flavor -- good beer was a given.

If you haven't found enthusiasts where you've been in Germany, it's because you're expecting the crazy hop-head you encounter around brew-pubs in the U.S. Germans don't need to be that over the top.

 

So god dang true... all I could find for berliner weisse in Berlin was Berlin Kindl... which is just saturated all over

I did find/see a bottle of Leipziger though but let me tell you, I can find bottles of that with better luck in the Washington DC area than I am sure I can in much of Germany.

 

If by German beer we are talking Weihenstephaner, then yes. It is that good.

 

I think every beer has it's place- German lagers are incredibly refreshing and pair really well with a lot of different foods. It's not quite the same experience as drinking ruinten but try drinking weihenstephaner korbinian (doppelbock) with some roasted pork or lamb and you might feel differently

 

When I spent a lot of time in Germany, Late 80's early 90's, German's had Budwiser, MGD, PBR, Coors to look at when it came to "American" Beers. To them, it tasted like water. Low ABV, Champaign of beers, meh, how could you blame them?

It is a different story today as far as American Beers. I can walk down the street and find a great Pilsner or Sour, or Stout. German's don't want to call that beer, that's their problem, but I think you'll find plenty of German's who travel, and I've run into a few here in Asheville, who appreciate the explosion in Craft Beer in America.

I will say this though, one of my all time favorite beers is Spaten's, "Ocktoberfest" fresh at their tent at Octoberfest in Munchen! What a night. Prost!