German Beer Appreciation 2025

FWIW, I have noticed that the number of German brewed beer brands available at my local Retail Beer Distributor has notably decreased over the past 10 years. My guess is that this is a combination of business reasons: not wanting their shelves 'clogged up' with so much old product due to decreasing demand plus recognition that that can provide their customers with high quality German style beers brewed locally; both by the 'old school' breweries you are familiar with (e.g., Victory, Sly Fox, etc.) but also a 'boatload' of new breweries (e.g., Von C, Sterling Pig, etc.).

I suppose that if this old beers eventually sell they may decide to still carry them? As I noted above, my local Retail Beer Distributor has scaled back on the number of German brewed brands they choose to carry.

Cheers!

 

Having my first Störtebeker/Sierra Nevada collaboration fest bier. Toasted malts and herbal hops are my primary takeaways. The bitterness on the back of the palate was surprising. For me, i find this brew quite Süffig.
Cheers!
Tom

 

For using the 'word of the day'!

Cheers!

 

If they're still on shelves, they aren't selling.

Many times it's been brought up that BA members are a small fraction of beer drinkers here in the US. The majority of beer drinkers don't know a thing about lifespans of the product and would probably look at you funny if you brought it up. I've even had retailers debate me on the validity of beer freshness.

So yeah, stale and staling beer can get sold to the unwary and they're more numerous so those selling seldom care.

 

I'm fortunate enough to have a couple good retailers around with beer-educated managers that can help the uninitiated.

But yeah, the balance of enthusiastic retailers to apathetic ones is the same as the balance of drinkers.

 

It's no wonder...Ayinger is phenomenal. It my shop this week. Instant grab!

 

It is prudent for a beer consumer to check dates regardless of beer style or domestic vs. import.

One 'benefit' of IPAs is that there are just so many choices vs. German imports that it is much easier to find IPAs that are less than 6 months old, although when it comes to hoppy beers I prefer them to be very fresh (e.g., about a month from the packaging date). When I am in a mood to purchase a hoppy beer I have a mental list of 'candidates' and I will purchase the brand that is the freshest. Last week I purchased a four-pack of Heady Topper that was canned on 7/21/25 so less than a month from packaging. I bought that Heady Topper four-pack at my local Retail Beer Distributor.

In contrast when all of the German brewed beer were packaged many months ago what are my choices then? I had a six-pack of Hacker Pschorr Oktoberfest in my hands and despite this beer being a seasonal it was bottle in February 2025 (about 6 months old at this point). I put that six-pack back on the shelf. I am sure that some other customer will buy that six-pack which is their choice/prerogative.

Cheers!

 

If I was locked away on a small deserted island and told that I could only drink beer from one brewery for the rest of my life it would be Ayinger. Since most of thier beers are seasonal you would always have something fresh.

The brewery is about an hour by car from me and 1.5 by train. A rack of 20 500ml bottles normally run under 20€. None of the restaurants in my village serve it but in Garmisch there are four that do on tap.

I do feel your pain about getting these in the USA, I truly do. But this can be easly solved..........

Move here. I did.

 

I enjoy their Brauweisse but have not seen Leichte Bräu-Weisse. Can you contrast the two?

 

Here you go now you tell me.

https://www.ayinger.de/cms/index.php/leichte-braeuweisse-268.html

 

I like their Brauweisse very much. I guess the question is how much lighter is it? Hopefully my local bottle shop will get it in someday.

 

I don't think they export that one. I never saw it in the States. I can ask next time I visit Ayinger.

 

I asked about Tucher at my local. The beer manager said his Tucher distro didn't even mention it.

Probably just what you said -- too many Festbiers, too little shelf space.