Replication of Authentic European Styles

When it comes to Quads my personal preference is to drink the ones brewed in Belgium. Having stated that I am also a fan of Ommegang Three Philosophers; IMO that beer is excellent.

Cheers!

 

I agree with this. I see a few breweries making traditional German lagers but not many.

 

There's certainly less English-style beers such as milds and bitters. To be fair, to bring out the best in these styles, they should be served on cask.

That being said, I still love Honker's Ale, especially when it's fresh. I've also had a few US milds on cask that were quite good, and Victory's Uncle Teddy's Bitter is always a treat when I see it on cask. Although lately I've run into a few misses unfortunately...

I dig Smuttynose Shoals Pale Ale, more of an English IPA to me, as it's hoppier and stronger than your standard low ABV UK offering.

Are you referring to Sam Adams Boston Ale?

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/35/1193/

If so, they still brew it, and if you use their beer finder you might be able to find some locally. I know of a few shops in my area that carry it, and the last one I saw it in actually had it fresh. This was back earlier in the fall if I recall correctly. This means you may have a shot at finding some that hasn't been sitting on a shelf for 8 months.

 

Yeah, cask beer is another thing I'd love to see more of in the US, particularly because it really makes English ales transcendent, in my opinion. It also works wonders on several American styles. Unfortunately, it's not all that popular here, and due to the fragile nature of cask beer (mainly the necessity of relatively quick consumption, much faster than a tapped keg) and the extra care required, it seems unlikely that cask beer and Real Ale will ever really completely take off here.

 

Years ago the taps around Boston said S.A. Stock Ale. If Boston Ale is the same animal, I'll give it a try anew. I really haven't seen it in a while. We shall see! That's true about Shoals Pale being pretty hoppy, but the distinct malt character distinguishes it from the current plethora of hop-centric IPA choices. Thanks!

 

I love Boston/Stock Ale as well, According to their beer finder I can get it in a nearby town, at a convenience store I never go to, no less.

And just to add to the choir I completely agree about Shoals, so glad to see it mentioned, haven't had one in a while, soon to remedy.

 

I'm not sure it's that American breweries overall are getting "better" at replicating the style, but rather I think there are just more breweries around now that are willing to give it a shot!

For me, the Dancing Man Wheat by New Glarus is still the shining example of the German style wheat beer brewed here in the US. That's a damned perfect wheat beer and showcases their talent.

 

Which may be a 'good thing' wrt US craft brewed English style beers. It has been my personal consistent experience that imported British beers in bottles (or cans) are often not at their peak of flavor. For the case of Pale Ales that often have a pronounced caramel-like flavor due to oxidation. In contrast the US craft brewed versions (e.g., Yards) are more vibrant and tasty since they are fresh(er).

Whenever I see a British Ale on draft I order it (in hopes that it is a fresh(er) keg). So far I have been pretty lucky here.

Cheers!

P.S. And every year I homebrew a batch of Bitter Ale. It doesn't get fresher than that!!

 

Yeah, but you have Yards available nearby, and they get the yeast signature and nuances right. Too many other American brewers don't fall into that camp, especially wrt English styles.

I'm not against putting one's own personal stamp on the English and Continental beers; I'm all for it, actually. But at least get the fundamentals right first, guys.

 

Columbia, SC, seems to be keen on our beers. We are kinda new

 

I recall buying SA Stock Ale maybe just a year ago - I think it was only recently renamed to Boston Ale. I really like it whatever its named.

 

Michael, that could be the case elsewhere. I suppose I am lucky in that it is not just Yards that properly brews English style ales in my area. There is also Forest & Main, Sly Fox (e.g., Chester County Bitter on cask), Stoudts (e.g., Scarlet Lady ESB), Jack's Best Bitter, and on and on...

Cheers!

 

I also think Ipswich Oatmeal Stout, Original Pale Ale, and Dark Ale are under-appreciated English inspired beers. I love all three of these non-typical US craft offerings.

 

"Well, yeah, but...this IS southeastern Pennsylvania, the best place for lagers outside of central Europe." -- Lew Bryson

Living right across the Delaware and being a person who drinks a lot of German and German-inspired beer, I've generally been pretty satisfied. Victory, Tröegs, Stoudts, Sly Fox, even Triumph.

I will say that there are specific styles I'd like to see more often. We're awash in good Pilsner and Helles, but I'd like to see more Dunkel. Victory's Dark Lager is great, but is no longer packaged and is only on draft for short window. Sly Fox's isn't my favorite.

 

Totally with you on the Dunkels , although the recent addition of Von Trapp and Urban Chestnut to my area has quelled that a bit for me .

 

Yes. While I can't quite get Von Trapp down here, my friend from NH brought me a variety pack and I was pleased by everything. We've recently started getting some of Urban Chestnut's stuff and they're just lovely. Especially the Zwickel.

 

Just to illustrate how blurry the situation really is -

The commercial description of Shoals calls it an "interpretation," so I emailed Smuttynose asking them if they considered Shoals to be more of an English-style or American-style "pale ale."

They responded by saying that it was conceived around an ESB template but there's nothing English in the hopping or the yeast. Therefore, it's more American, despite a tendency to describe it as English because of the malt profile and the evolution of American pale ale since 1994.

Of course, one can disagree with that position, but it illustrates the murkiness of the entire thread.

 

Good European-style beers made in the US are out there and are harder to find, but far from impossible. There are fewer of these beers, but more importantly one also has to ignore the noise coming from the brewers and fans of American IPAs, barrel-aging, beers with "innovative" additives, etc. If you have a case of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and always following the hype train, you will miss out on the good European style beers [imported or domestically-made] that are probably sitting under your nose.

Agreed with all the comments above about PA brewers and German beers - Victory, Sly Fox, Troegs, and they have the medals (GABF and others) to prove their worth. I'm also a fan of Von Trapp's lagers. I'm surprised no one has mentioned Sierra Nevada yet...their yearly Octoberfest (partnering with an actual German brewery), Kellerweis, Summerfest, Vienna Lager, and Nooner Pilsner.