German Beer Appreciation 2025

Good to know this is still drinking well. There are a few left at my shop, I'll have to grab one next time.

 

Cookout and pool party with my wife’s extended family.

 

Fresh festbier is most welcome summertime in TX.

 

https://ibb.co/mnRsJ0B

Well link above has the ten Märzen beers tested for the Oktoberfest here at my home bar in Bavaria. One of them stood out. Six people took part in the tasting. Two Germans, two Americans and two South Africans. We will let you guys discuss before we tell you the top three.

Now to be fair Augustiner and Weihnstephaner are not distibuted until September there will be the final Playoffs then

 

Blind tasting?

Is the Weltenburger available year-round as it is over here?

 

Except Garmisch I don't think any of them are. Blind tasting means no one knew what they were drinking until after they rated all of them.

 

To my surprise I found on tap Ayinger Jahrhundert. Cheers.

 

That's what it means, and that's what I asked -- so was it? A blind tasting?

 

Yes

 

Cool. Now I am interested in the results.

 

Well it was a runaway for first place Ayinger
Second place was Weltenburger
Third place was a surprise Paulaner

The last four years Augustiner won 3 of them and Ayinger once but we did not add Ayinger until last year.

We will have a run off adding Augustiner and Weihenstephaner when they get released. The entire town of Garmisch is only getting 20 racks of Augustiner and only in one shop so you have to be fast to get it.

 

With the color difference between Ayinger, Augustiner, and Weihenstephaner, I hope you'll be using clay Krugs for the run off.

 

Good point the Ayinger stands out for sure. My wife knew which one the Ayinger was right off. She drinks enough Ayinger to know. The only other one with the same color was the Garmischer. And the aroma was the give away there. She did not say anything at the time. But after you know someone for 40 years I could tell she knew. She picked out the Löwenbräu as well that way.

 

I had Ayinger Pils when it was first released (read: fresh) and it was just about perfect. I haven't been able to find it as fresh again -- seems to be withering on shelves around here.

 

The Germans have a word for this: süffig.

From the internet: "Süffig" in German, when used to describe a drink, generally translates to smooth, drinkable, or quaffable in English.

Prost!

 

Was fortunate a couple years ago to come across relatively fresh Ayinger Pils (a couple days under 4 months from packaging). Given the similar experience as others in that it's typically months older on the shelves, I jumped at the opportunity to purchase then. I still check dates on occasion, slightly hopeful I may get lucky again. Hasn't happened yet.

 

A number of BAs have discussed that German brewed beers are often (typically) old on their retailers’ shelves. That is the situation for me as well in my area.

To add ‘insult to injury’ Ayinger beers are priced high. At my local supermarket a four pack (small bottles) of Ayinger will cost between $13 – 16 depending on the specific brand. That is a lot of money especially considering it is likely to be old product.

More reason for me to purchase locally produced high quality German style beers. Fresh(er) beers at lower prices, a win-win!

Cheers!