German craft beer

Hair of the Dog is a brewery in Portland, Oregon, which, admittedly, makes some fantastic barrel aged beers, usually strong ales, but they usually cost $8-$14/ 35.5cl bottle, and often have carbonation issues, and are completely unapologetic about it, even though they have been doing it for over 20 years, and beer freaks seem to mostly give them a pass for some reason; just ask any of the Belgian or Dutch hotd apologists err fan boys

 

That actually kinda sounds like a deal breaker. I mean, I wouldn't want to gamble with my money on whether I've had a "lucky" grab or not. Consistent quality should be a top priority for a good brewery IMO.

I think I actually read something similar about certain The Bruery beers, although I think they're equally expensive.

 

...or $2000 a 35.5 cl bottle (depending on the bottle)

 

If you like sugar, diabetes and love wasting your money then you'll love the Bruery

Though admittedly I have had 1 sour beer from them, sour in the rye with peaches, and a hoppy lager they made that were good. A lot is just preference, I personally love lagers and well made cask beers and am not at all into 18% syurpy, sugary stouts that cost $40.

 

I've had two German made IPA's that I'd happily buy again, Höppe Bräu's Vogel Wuid IPA and Camba's Pale Ale. Both were bought in a small "craft" bottle shop Munich. Faust's barrel aged Eisbock is definitely worth the price for a special occasion (and, at 750 ml, is better shared).

 

I have not had either of the IPAs, but I agree on the Faust Eisbock, that is fantastic, I split one 4 ways and that was perfect. But that was a 750ml beer, which was very well made, and the same price as the 33cl Braukunst stout. I should also add I really like everything I have had from Faust and think they are very reasonably priced. Their NA Hefe is my favorite NA I've had; I drink them after sports often. I am probably the only person who has more than once ordered a case of NA beers from them online

 

I have not had the "pleasure" of seeing Braukunst's products, but it does seem the way many German brewers are going with their "craft" offerings, to try to sell them as an expensive "gourmet" option.

 

wax is expensive I feel there needs to be Portlandia-esque sketches making fun of the current state of beer. So instead of "put a bird on it" you'd have "put some wax on it".

 

I've only ever seen one season of Portlandia, but it was remarkably accurate. True story: Die Frau's favorite handbag was purchased in Portland. It has a little bird on it.

 

[completely besides the point remark]Contrary to popular belief, sugar is actually not a causal agent of diabetes.[/completely beside the points remark end]

Yeah, I guess my inner homo oeconomicus will keep me from trying such things (I mean holy sh**, 40$) - particularly when I can probably get a few bottles of Cantillon, 3 Fonteinen, Dupont or a whole bunch of other goodies for that kinda money (which I also haven't tried yet but I love me some lambics).

Camba generally seems to be quite consistent, haven't had any of their IPA/PA styles so far though.

Ugh. Nothing worse than empty pretense. And this is coming from someone who's all for badass label art. (Pax Bräu, anyone?)

 

After visiting Portland this summer, I tried to watch Portlandia. I think I made it through 3 episodes. The skits were similar from show to show and they were all about annoying people. I usually try to avoid annoying people.

 

One of the pilsners I rave about all the time, and one of my favorite breweries in the world, just got beer of the year for Oregon! pretty nice to see a pilsner, which is draft only, be voted the best beer in Oregon.
http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-24089-2015-beer-of-the-year-engelberg-pilsner-(upright-brewing).html

 

Article is actually pretty good, and while, like any list, I do take issue with some of the Top 10 and some omissions (no De Garde, Barley Browns, The Commons, though their regular farmhouse won last year, etc...) It is interesting to note that 3 of the top 10 beers are German lagers: pilsner, schwarzbier and an alt.

cheers

 

I'd like to try that alt!

 

My rating of German versions of IPAs:

1. Pax Bräu's Cissy IPA. Münchnermalz, Rauchmalz, Pilsnermalz & a little Choco malt. Cascade, Perle & Saphir hops. Still the best beer almost ever. I rebrewed it this month myself, WOW, my best beer. Ever. Mine was actually better IMO b/c I dry-hopped with Citra. Sweet caramels, a undertone of smoke, and all the best of American C-hops and German hop spiciness.
2. Backbone Splitter. All the above malts minus the Rauchmalz, but more C-hops. Maybe the best non-Rauchmalz IPA in Germany. All the fruity complexity from the hops and really caramelly but grounded withe the Pilsmalz.
3. BrauKunstKeller's Amarsi IPA. Almost the same as number 2, but not as malty, but still as wonderful in all other aspects.
4. Schönramer's IPA. Lovely in memory but it's been a few years since I had it.
5. Camba Bavaria's Ei Pi Ai. Also almost 2 years since I've had it, but was good in memory.

I've never had any beers by Hoppebrau, so that's why they didn't make my list.
Also, almost every beer by Pax is one of best beer's I've ever had, but Faust's Eisbock is maybe the best beer I've ever had.

 

I really want to try the Pax Cissy, but I found their mint chocolate stout to be mediocre, and their Bitter to be good, but not great.
What, aside from Cissy, do you consider excellent?

I think instead of the Germans running after US breweries to emulate they should just look at The Kernel in London who make phenomenal pale ales and ipas.
Perhaps in a week or so I will round up ipas 2-5, pretty sure I can get those here, and do a blind taste test alongside a bottle or 2 of Kernel and something else, for research purposes.

 

I would like to try some of that monthly Pax Bräu stuff but that seems to be hardly available. I'll definitely have a crack at Backbone Splitter and some of the Camba Bavaria stuff. I'm also looking forward to opening up that Riegele Dulcis bottle, that sould be quite interesting. I still haven't really gotten at any of the Hopfenstopfer beers yet, has anyone here tried them?

 

Yeah,i enjoyed the Hopfenstopfer citra ale several times. Really good summer beer, and kinda cheap,too.
I remember having a Hopfenstopfer beer when it still was kind of a experiment by Häffner Bräu, in one of this 0,75l bottles,and still was kind of expensive.Dont remember which one,sadly.

 

I've heard they've been pretty damn consistent in terms of quality for German hoppy stuff. Definitely also on the more acceptable end of the price range. I'd actually be interested in trying the Citra, Red Temptation and Incredible PA.

 

i had the citra ale (multiple times) and the seasonal special.

the citra ale is a damn god easy pale ale.
the seasonal special was nice,id compare it to the amarsi,just a tad thin on the back-end keeping it a notch below.