Spaten Production / Availability Problems?

I just received a mail directly from the Spaten-Franziskaner brew house a week or so ago confirming that they still brew there. Not sure where the claims of sacrificing quality come from either.

 

I'm not aware of declining quality at this time either, but am concerned that over time there will be much temptation to start changing things to squeeze more profits out of some products. Corporations exist to maximize profits. I'm glad they're still brewing in Munich.

 

Not sure if this is a sign of losing control, or just a sign of my local distros making waves, but the only Spaten I can find within a 10 mile radius of me (staying in the state) is over a year old by 2 months -- and believe me, the quality has suffered.

I'm planning to point this out to the retailer where I purchased, but they're well known for the big shoulder shrug. With Okto season right around the corner, I fear for my traditional, favorite Amber Märzen -- and there are no Total Wines in my area.

I'm going to have to head north into Wisconsin (another 10 miles on top of the original 10) to find my favorite beer. Then again, there's that 800 number on the back label...

 

I've seen you mention this before, but it might just be regional, unfortunately for your area. We're usually swimming in the stuff, and their Amber Marzen is the only one of that type that I get every year (depending on how one classifies Ayinger )- and it's always a 'new' shipment.

Here's hoping you find it in WI. FWIW- driving 10-20 miles for beer is something I'll do once a month or so (up across the NY border). Somehow that seems like a reasonable distance to me to have access to a whole other slew of options.

 

I've always loved the Spaten line-up, but always noticed an occasional availability problem. I think that they have never quite figured out how to do stateside distribution. Containers of Spaten in single markets around the country would only make for old beer in many places. My real thinking is that some folks underestimate the size of America.

 

Spaten was exporting quite successfully for many years, hence the creation of the year-round amber Oktoberfest. Not to diss on any colleagues, but the problems began when ABInbev and the Budweiser distribution channels took over the import and sales. Here in CA they were being imported by Chrissa Imports and distributed by Wine Warehouse, which are both very import-oriented distributors, and they were both wildly successful with Spaten, and probably more so Franziskaner. Both brands are slowly fading away, sorry to say. I suspect that they will be brewed in St Louis or other AB breweries within the next few years, with another sort of promotional kickstart from the marketing team after sales slump to a trickle.

 

After a blind taste test, we figured out that my wife actually likes Sam Adam's Okto even better than Spaten's. So, I stock up up on Sam Adam's with a few cases to make it thru at least March (Marzen?) and then switch back to Spaten when I can find it.

 

Given that they've done this with Bass and Beck's, it's hard to argue with your point. However, the wildcard for me is that if they cease to brew the beer in Munich, wouldn't that mean no Spaten Oktoberfest tent? That's a good chunk of change for them every year. I'd have a hard time believing that InBev would give up that yearly money-maker.

But then again, if you'd have told me a few years ago that Bass and Beck's would be brewed in the US, I'd have said you were crazy.

 

Well, there were actually two Spaten tents on the Wies'n at one time: The Ochsenbraterei and the Schottenhamel. The Schottenhamel is now a Löwenbräu tent...* telling? Can't say -- I wish I had an insider at Spaten like I used to -- @einhorn


*Hmm, or is it? http://www.festzelt.schottenhamel.de/en/**
**And it looks like the Hippodrome is Spaten branded now too -- used to be HB.

 

Valid point. But I don't think they would stop brewing in Munich, just transfer those export hectoliters to a stateside brewery to save on transport, customs, etc.

And who knows.... that might even free up some capacity to brew Goose Island IPA in Munich

 

Now you're just trying too hard to be scary.

 

True enough, but I don't see what the point would be in doing so. If their exports here are already so small that it doesn't make sense to continue sending it over anymore, I don't think it'd make sense to transfer production here. To me, Beck's and Bass make more sense as they presumably sell a lot more beer here than Spaten does. I wonder if the bean counters at InBev would think it was worth it.

I guess time will tell, even though I hope you're wrong. I have no problem finding Spaten here in the Twin Cities and it's usually fairly fresh. I guess I'll just have to do my small part by continuing to buy plenty.

 

Talk about thread re-revival...

@TongoRad & @herrburgess
So I jumped the border today and found some Spaten Premium -- bottled late March of 2015 (and bottled in Munich), not too shabby. Crazy thing was, there were other 12 packs on the shelf that had late 2014 dates on them. Maybe the distro doesn't care much in Wisconsin because it sells better? Dunno.

Also found (wait for it) Spaten Okto Märzen! Bottled early May of 2015!! Yikes. 6 packs only, so the retailer must be asking for the year-round stock because I think I've heard that the 12 packs are only available in the fall (anyone confirm?).

To the most important point: both beers taste very fresh and good. The Premium (Helles) doesn't have the big melanoidin hit it used to, but it really hasn't since Spaten stopped decoction mashing it. But it's still nice and malty.

OTOH -- the Okto is quite nice -- still copper-brown color, good toasty malts that scream Okto to me -- my favorite beer of all time... and I have it for one more year. At least.

 

Wait one fucking second. If you are saying that Spaten has sacrificed quality in an effort to make more profits, I've got to call bullshit. Yes, there have been some ownership changes over the past several years. That's how mature, free markets work. Let's not confuse a perfectly linear corporate history with the ability to brew fantastic beer.
Spaten invented the Munich Helles in 1894 and are, in my opinion, still making the best Munich Helles that there is. Let's see how many of your beloved "craft" breweries have uninterrupted private ownership 120 years from now (let alone 20 years from now).

And for the bullshit about funneling money into fewer hands... do you know what Spaten pays their brewers? I guarantee they bring twice as much money home each week than your average craft brewer. If occasional consolidation and reorganization means that the guys that make the beer I drink can have a decent middle class lifestyle with a nice benefits package, while giving me a reasonably priced, high quality beer, then I'm a fan of the system.

And what type of "marketing faux products" are you talking about. I have never seen a Spaten advertisement. Ever. I live in Munich. They don't market their beer. And "faux"? What. the. fuck?

 

Hey Matt -- what's your opinion on the HB Helles in comparison to the Spaten? After having found some very fresh Spaten, I'm starting to wonder if I don't like the HB more these days -- albeit, what I'm getting is Pasteurized and thrown on a boat to get to me, and you're right down the street(s) from the source.

 

Enjoy! I don't recommend waiting a year with those beers, but they will still be very be nice at the 4-5 month range like you found.

 

Matt (@MattRiggs).

It would appear that you are well informed here.

It has been my impression that after the Interbrew purchase of Spaten in 2003 there were a number of brewing process changes made to create some production economies. Can you confirm this?

I would not necessarily equate brewing process change to mean a lowering of beer quality but it seems to me that there is a possibility in this regard.

Cheers!

Jack

 

LOL! Not bloody likely.

 

Yeah, I know, but sometimes you'll see Best By dates a year out on continental lagers like that.

 

Yeah, but I like the beer too much not to enjoy it -- I'm not much of a "hoarder."