Cultural difference between US local brewery scene compared to Europe

In my opinion there is a difference in "beer scene" and "beer culture".

Due to the burgeoning US craft beer movement over the past few decades the "beer scene" in the US may have similarities to Europe but the "beer culture" of the US is remarkably different from Europe. It takes generations to develop a culture of any sort and it will likely take a few more generations of Americans drinking craft beer for us to have a "beer culture" akin to Europe.

If I were pressed to describe what is the existing "beer culture" in America it might be something like a tail gate party before a football game with lots of AAL beers being guzzled.

Cheers!

 

Neckbeards

 

Good gracious! That is an interesting question that needs a touch of nuance, to say the least. I have a strong tie to the old world but yet I'm an American from before The Revolution. I have traveled extensively, speak parts of several languages (including English), and have a very deep appreciation for many cultures that are so real to our day to day lives. My German roots are strong; Bavarian, Czech, and the old Prussia. Back in the old days the countries didn't exist. It seems that Americans are coming back around to the neighborhood commerce that is at the roots of all that we are and where we came from. I sure hope that this trend continues. If we had a place like Bamberg, I would not build a McDonalds nearby!

 

TIME.
Considering there are probably a few cobwebs in some Belgian breweries older than this country. Many hundreds of years of pretty much being left alone.
Europe also has a much different appreciation of things that allow the slowing down of time and the enjoyment of life. Take a look at the difference in traveling and vacation that Americans do, and what Europeans do. Americans still have to shake the silly puritan work ethic, and with it. The ridiculous amount of time we spend at work. We need to slow down an awful lot more to begin to develop that kind of culture. We have a scene which has the definite potential to develop into a culture. But. I think, as well, that we suffer from our own creation of sprawl which prohibits a necessary depth of community that fosters civic health in the way that Europe with its plazas have inbuilt.
We also tend to despise leisure and real idleness.

 

Complex topic, for sure. You could probably write a book on this (I think there are some around)

As far as this discussion goes, you might have it moved to Europe thread. I bet more folks will see it there and add input.

In a nutshell, I find it quite hard to compare the recent 20 year old US craft beer boom to anything like Weihenstephan (for example) which is 1000 years old. In addition, like it or hate it, the RHG celebrates it's 500th year this year. Our current boom is but a speck on the beer timeline IMO. As others have said, it must stand the test of time first. Can we revisit this topic in about 100 years or so?

 

I think that some of the points made here are definitely accurate- that while the US is starting to get up there in terms of quantity of craft breweries, the culture is still somewhat immature and that time is the most likely way to change that.

I think the big things that differentiate the US and European beer cultures right now is the voracity that most US craft beer people approach new beers. I think in Europe, regional styles and loyalties are much more engrained and I rarely felt, when I was there, that locals 'chased trucks' or did huge beer tourism adventures.

What I saw in Germany and what I do not see in America is this:
1. A willingness to slow down and enjoy the beer in front of you. To drink it in quantity and over a period of time with people. This is the biergarten- you go with your buddies once a week and you down a liter or two of the house beer and you sit outside and talk and chat for hours.

2. Drinking in public. Open container laws are not a thing in the US, which leaves drinking a private matter and, I think, encourages some more dangerous consumption. While I was weary of drunk, homeless ****s stumbling around, I think that open container laws in Germany promoted more of what I was getting at in my first point than promoting public drunkeness. I swear, it's like you literally can't drink outside in this country unless you're in your own damn backyard and have a privacy fence.

3. Brand loyalty. Honestly, most craft beer drinkers on this site are tickers who are out to get the next best thing.

4. Local loyalty. If you live in Boston, super rare Treehouse stouts don't count. Your brand is Harpoon. Who actually sticks to that!?

I think that 1 and 2 are much more likely to occur sooner than 3 and 4. I can see 3 arising within a decade as the tinier craft breweries springing up every day go belly up from lack of profit or demand, but that will take considerable time. I don't think that 4 will occur at all, in the same way it is in Germany.

 

@JackHorzempa nailed it.

I would say in addition that compared to top European beer countries, our little local places on average are not on par with theirs by any sense of the imagination. But formally speaking I prefer to not make such a direct comparison since it isn't really fair given how young our craft beer movement is.

 

Not that I'm a DC Comics fan but, I would describe the scene as bizarro world vs world

Yeah, people brag about how long they waited in line to buy product

 

'Murica is bestest. AMIRITE!?

 

On a more serious note-- @Beric, I like your post.

in Europe--UK, Ireland, and Germany (what I can personally speak of regarding) the location and beer seem so intertwined. I am happy to see more of a local movement but the young beer culture seems very disloyal--looking for that next big thing wherever it may be.

I will never forget my experiences in the tiny towns in the German country side, Munich biergartens, or the pubs of Galway/London. The beer was phenomenal but the experience with the people/establishment/beer all together--that what was memorable. Haven't found that combination as easy to replicate here--yet. Hoping it will follow. As @JackHorzempa says--a generational (or two) thing. Agree that our beer culture is still engrained on pitchers of AAL but changing. Just not sure the American psyche has the patience to let it evolve in any one direction.

 

Beer culture in Europe mirror their wine and food culture in that it is simply their way of life and not a "scene", as @JackHorzempa accurately put it. Also, food and drink together is the culture, weather it be wine or beer.

 

And food and drink here, by and large, is meant to be as large in quantity and low in price as possible. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Europeans eat in some perfect food utopia- they don't. I saw as many people hoarking down Currywurst, Döner, and McDonalds cheeseburgers in Germany as I see in the US.

The thing that I did see though, and appreciate, is that when Germans went out to eat--really went out to eat--they aren't going to Applebees for a burger and bucket o' fries, they're going to a place that serves more regional cuisine (something one might argue we also lack, but I tend to contest is just people being unimaginative), prepared in a more flavorful and interesting way. It was more of an experience and less about the convenience.

@surfcaster hit it on the head when mentioning patience, and I agree--I think the American consumer lacks the patience to see through the creation of an engrained food/beer/wine culture. We get obsessed with a trend and then get bored as quickly as we got obsessed. We all just gotta slow down and enjoy the good things in life!

 

I love this topic.

Europe has the history.

Our beer culture is happening now. In several hundred years we should still hear names like Stone, Sierra Nevada, memorable classic brewers

Also. America is huge with sub cultures in different regions so i don't think itll ever be the same as them, its more sub regional for us. Not as tight knit.

 

If I were to pick one set of things that indicate the differences, I'd say that it centers around television.

In the US, if I want to eat, drink and chat with friends I have to look hard to find a place that doesn't have a TV (sometimes with the sound off but often not). In the European countries I've visited (e.g., Finland, Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands, England, Scotland, Wales, The Republic of Ireland, France, Italy, Austria) I have to look hard to find a place to eat, drink and be "alone" with watching the TV (and in a few of those countries if you want to drink alone you probably need to stay in your hotel room ).

 

Mmmm, Germany has many regional foods and beers. You can go 100 km and have different dishes on the Menu, and different beers to. There are variations on a style too, a Helles in Franken or the Oberfalz might have more hop flavor and aroma than in Munich. Same for the Dunkels.

 

Having lived in Germany for 7+ years and visited Belgium many many times i can tell you with certainty that the beer culture over there is like everyday living. On that note Try to even charge the outrageous prices breweries ask over here and you will find your doors shut in no time. People have no qualms in refusing to pay exhorbitant prices for beer simply because its barrel aged. Folks....thats the norm over there and most breweries dont charge you extra for it. Its all part of putting out a great product. I mean c'mon...what does it take for your standard Cantillon Geuze, 1,2 and 3 year old lambic and they charge but a few dollars at the source. Not to forget the storage, time,etc. Sorry but having been at both side of the fence theres a lot of ripoff going on in the US.

 

I'd imagine that people in other countries don't stand in line for 8+ hours for special beer releases.

 

Having traveled a fair amount over the last 15+ years, much of it abroad, I feel that there are 2 things that embody the USA beer scene:
1. Overpriced beer in general, much of it shitty tasting but priced by demand
2. An abnormally high number of obese people

The "rare" beer culture in the USA today feels very much like a bubble. When it pops we'll just be fat.