Introduction to German Beer

I don’t think I’ve ever paid more than 12$, but usually around 10$ on any German beer, Rothaus excluded, they run 15$ or so here. 20$ seems crazy so I don’t blame you.

Thanks for the update and also if nothing else this thread produced some good conversations and I’m sure will continue to.

 

Honestly, you're probably best off waiting for a chance to visit a fine establishment where you can try some things on tap or exploring the styles as produced by some of your local/regional brewers.

If you find that helles or dunkel or pilsner really tickle your fancy then it is absolutely worth dusting off the decoder ring and figuring out who has the fresh stuff. Many German brands are well worth the cost of entry

 

Bought a six of this year's HB Maibock and a 12-pack of Trumer Pils on Friday. $22.* If you really want to get into German or German-style beer, it's not that difficult.

*Both delicious, BTW.

 

You took the blue pill

anyone confused see post #12

 

My favorite German styles are the Wheat beers-weizens....hefe(light colored)and dunkle(dark).
I like the funky banana/clove. To me, Weihenstaphaner is the standard for wheat beer.

 

Hefe means yeast in German. Helles is light.

 

It would be easier, and cheaper, to learn the codes yourself. It's really not that difficult.

Plus, you can start with good brands that have clear dating: Spaten, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr.

 

Or find a respectable bottle shop that sells singles w/o a significant mark up.

 

OP, if Frankenmuth (the town) is convenient to you, see if you can find any Maibocks in bottles or on tap somewhere in town. (The Castle Shops in the basement of the Bavarian Inn includes a small bottle shop, and maybe you'll get lucky there.)

It's after May 1st now, so if anyone in town is being traditional about it, they didn't make the Maibocks available until the first of the month. Maybe they will be fresh (as fresh as what imports can be expected to be). Maibocks are my favorite style of all beers, whether domestic or import, so I drink them whenever I find them. Even those that I suspect are last year's batch are still pretty good. I think it's a style that ages pretty well, although I think there are exceptions too.

If any of the stores that you visit sell German imports as singles, buy at least one of whatever style or brewery that you want to try. It can be educational to experience what a 'marginal' version of a certain style can taste like if it turns out to be an old one. Keep notes of the date codes so that it doesn't get too complicated in your quest.

 

Deep Ellum was my favourite US bar. Had so may good times there. Especially when they had Barclay Perkins 1837 XXX Ale on cask. Possibly my best time ever in the US. Or maybe it was when Dann had a cask of Whitbread Double Brown in the Pretty Things office.
I've had some great times in Boston. And elsewhere in the US. Hoping I'll be able to visit again before I die.

 

My Costco had Trumer pils from California a couple few years ago. It was clearance priced so I grabbed a case. Went back the next day and bought like 4 more. Costco seems to like to move product quickly - probably a good source for fresh European beers, if in stock

 

Ron, I hope to see you at HomebrewCon 2022. I will make sure to bring you some homebrewed Czech Dark Lager.

Cheers!

 

I keep seeing you talk about Trumer @steveh and your story to @Effinwill i really wish we had them in NJ. And maybe we do I just haven’t seen them ever.

 

Something I’ve noticed is a Kolsch is not an easy beer to find. You absolutely need it within 3 months of age and the German imports are expensive and if u can find the US stuff you have to be careful. They can be called golden ales as well. Some great examples though are Schlafly Kolsch and Lancaster Kolsch. Goose Island Summertime used to be very good I think it’s discontinued and Gaffel is also great but pricey.

 

Trumer is brewed on the West Coast (Berkeley, CA) and I do not think this beer makes it to the East Coast now. Years ago (10ish years ago I believe) this beer was available in Delaware and I used to purchase six-packs of Trumer at my 'local' Total Wine & More (Claymont, DE).

Maybe some day Trumer will once again distribute to the East Coast?

Cheers!