Appellation Beer

Yep, exactly. And as we all know the first key ingredient to dealing with change is to recognize that it is happening and then figure out its nature, extent and how to cope with it.

 

Right. Many German brewers have lowered hopping rates to balance the decreases in OG.

It would appear that Prof. Narziss has outlined the problem and figured out its nature -- and that Germans are now listening. Although I don't know the extent of the research, it would appear that there remains to be seen the true extent of the problem. As to how to cope with it; well, it would seem that the type of balance between slightly higher OG and bitterness needs to be restored if German beer as a whole hopes to retain the "body, [...] depth and complexity" it traditionally had across the board. Luckily there remain 100s of traditional brewers who have not abandoned the methods, processes, and specifications that produce beers with body, depth and complexity and can serve as models for this type of restoration....

 

Agreed, and if he's correct the solution to the problem is not going to lie in brewing techniques but in the social and economic factors which are producing that shift that is indexed by such things as IBU metrics, OG metrics, etc. They are the symptoms of change. Worrying about them is kind of like taking Aspirin for a fever when one has Pneumonia.

Lets hope that those 100s of "traditional" brewers survive long enough to facilitate renewal.

 

Well, Germany has never been afraid of legislating social and economic factors that they feel are threatening their traditions, so that should certainly be part of any grass-roots campaign to "save real lager."

 

I certainly hope -- and trust -- they will.

Don't want to turn Germany into a Little America -- where "craft" brewers need to keep the "dumbed-down" beers from the big boys around to bash as a way of promoting their own "dumbed-up" beers

 

But it's brewed according to Reinheitsgebot so it's OK (removing tongue from cheek)

 

Agreed, but I don't think the legislation won't be the root solution to the problem. Where the difficulty is going to arise is with convincing enough customers that when you demand cheap beer and won't buy anything else that's what you're going to get, cheap beer.

http://www.funpic.hu/en/categories/...here-is-always-someone-who-will-do-it-cheaper

 

I don't think that's a danger in Germany since its not even accurate in the US. So I don't see them imitating a model that doesn't even exist.

 

Traditional breweries' beers are quite cheap.

 

I certainly see BMC portrayed here by "craft" as the big, bad bogeyman...and I see Greg Koch literally bashing "macro" beer in Germany in order to demonstrate what his big, bold beer is not.

 

Yep and they are the ones going under and/or having trouble putting together enough resources to modernize, etc. based on accounts from folks like yourself.

 

And exactly how does that involve doing anything to keep the mass market beers around in order to have something to bash and promote their own beers. That seems a commentary on the quality of beer themselves.

 

Portrayed here meaning where? On this site or in the US in general?

Yes you saw that, and exactly how does that involve doing anything to keep macro beers around in order to make that possible?

 

"Matt" being?

 

On this site, by the Brewers Association, and in innumerable "craft" brewery marketing campaigns.

If "craft" continues to define itself in terms of what it is not, then it needs macro beers by its very definition.

 

@MattRiggs

 

And how does that translate into "where "craft" brewers need to keep the "dumbed-down" beers from the big boys around to bash as a way of promoting their own "dumbed-up" beers" especially given the ongoing changing views of what beer is and ought to be? Why is that not a providing yourself a layer of protection from an "enemy" who has policies and procedures in place intended to suppress and drive you out of business?

"innumerable?" Come on now get serious, or move to a different region of the country where you'll see that things are different.

 

Thanks!