Lagers: Funny how tastes change over time

I thought of another recommendation... since you're in NH, keep an eye out for Oxbow Luppolo. I would buy that by the case.

Also, now that you've entered this world of lagers try the classic beers again with new eyes. In my early days of craft beer I called Peroni "Italian Budweiser" and Heineken "Hiney-in-a-can" because I thought I was so fucking smart. Now, I'll take them over many "craft" beers. Fresh draft Peroni is beautiful. In my first post I mentioned Jever, which has been brewed since 1858 that even industrial beer-bashing, stone-droppin' Greg Koch gives grudging approval to. Pilsner Urquell was mentioned above and while it's not to my personal tastes, it's totally unique. There are reasons certain beers survived the test of time and now you have the mindset to discover why.

 

Yes, that is indeed the situation for much of the US. I live in the Philly area and the microbrewery situation here is a bit different than the rest of the country. The first microbrewed (now referred to as craft) beer was Stoudts Gold. I really enjoyed that beer! I did not know it at the time but that beer was a Munich Helles beer. And then I next tried Victory beers which were Festbier, Brandywine Valley Lager, and HopDevil Ale. So, yes there was an Ale there, which I enjoyed as well, but two lagers were part of their portfolio. And not too long afterwards they introduced Prima Pils as part of the mix as well. And then I drank Sly Fox beers including their Helles and Pilsner and...

It's all good!

Cheers!

 

One of our disappointments was that the 2 month tour of Germany we were starting to plan in January, will not happen.

 

I had the German version. Sometimes they were kinda "tired" and lightstruck (despite the high-sided sixpack carrier and foil around the neck) but, as other said above, the draught was great stuff if you stumbled upon it. But, geez, I'm no Rockefeller - who could afford those prices?

A "giant schooner " (probably 14 -16 oz) of the beer cost more than a !@#$ bleucheese burger! (Musta been the added utility expensive of freezing those big glasses).

Imports were still a tiny factor in the US beer market in the mid-70s - probably only around 1%. Miller at the time was growing incredibly for a multi-million barrel brewing company (thanks to Philip Morris' money and ad expertise) - 25%-40% a year - and wanted a super-premium brand to compete with AB's Michelob, so they bought well, "licensed" one. M. Jackson, IIRC, implied that Löwenbräu went along with the Miller formula because they themselves had been rebuffed when they tried to get the Reinheitsgebot regulations changed for Bavaria to allow adjuncts in beer for export (like their main German import competitor in the US, Beck's in Bremen, could).

I don't think I ever had it. By that time, I did not buy AB or Miller products (or Schlitz) - those 3 controlled half the US beer market! The Löwenbräu fiasco* was well-reported at the time among beer drinkers and the general press, thanks to AB's complaint to the FTC and consumer lawsuits, etc. So you knew to read that label very closely if you were buying Löwenbräu.

* Of course, for Miller it was a success financially - in the early 80s they were selling 1-1.5M bbl of the stuff. Ten times what the imported version sold a decade earlier.

 

Key word is affordable. Starting to see new breweries that Specialize in lagers but still cater to the hazebois to keep the lights on charging the same amount for both categories. Went to pick up some Folksbier OBL Helles recently and not only did they change their format from 6 packs to 4 packs, but a 4 pack of 12 oz cans was $13.49. Love that beer but that will probably be the last time I buy it.

 

Like most imported beers age was always a problem, as were the green bottles, but we didn’t know that then, it tasted a bit funny but hey it was imported. 70s were the heyday of Budweiser and Schaefer at least in my area, you couldn’t find a bar that didn’t have both and many bars they were the only tap options. So I’d guess turning beers like Lowenbrau and Heineken was a bit tougher back then. AALs were king, Schmitty Tall Boys were like a buck, Iron City priced about the same $1 for 6/16 Oz bottles. Budweiser was $1.25, I can still see the prices splashed all over the bar. If we had extra money we moved up to Michelozzo, my dad drank 16oz Carling Black Labels. The Hi Wire Lager I bought yesterday was a disappointment for $9, a complete miss, I’d say most AAL would be a better bet. Like I’ve said the bane of craft breweries is putting out mediocre beers at higher prices. I could have bought a 12 pk of PBR for $7.99, a case of Hamms for $12-13, both are more enjoyable than that Hi Wire Lager.

 

Very good point, I’m sure the fact that it’s in Brooklyn has something to do with it too maybe? I like vliet but it’s 16$ a four pack here, no thank you. I guess I mostly buy beer from regional or even national breweries. So in that sense they are way more affordable and usually better made lager IMO. Cheaper and better tasting. Win, win!

In case you’re ever in south jersey. We also do have serval smaller local places that make lager well and luckily still keep it affordable usually 12$ a six pack or 16oz four pack tops: tonewood, bonesaw and double nickel (though they seem to have a pretty big footprint now maybe they’re “regional” now?)

 

Definitely enjoying a few more lagers these days. There are plenty good ones out there if you look and try. Don’t always need to be a hipster.

 

Does this mean I've been a hipster for 40 years?

All those old guys in the lederhosen and Tyrolean caps at Oktoberfest I partied with sure didn't look like hipsters either.

 

It's the mustaches...

 

Never saw any neck beards.

 

Wait til you discover Heater Allen good sir. Enjoy amazing beers from every category, never sleep on what beer is and could be.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/16378/

 

It's been months since I've seen FW Pivo. I do see their Lager quite a bit which is a nice option, but for me FW Pivo > FW Lager.

I checked out the FW site. Pivo is still int he lineup but its status is sold out in the store.

 

Altbayrisch Dunkel from
Private Landbrauerei Schönram is very nice.

 

Yep.. I love IPAs, stouts and Belgian beers just as much as the next person.. but it's honestly hard to beat a good lager/pilsner.. I've always liked lagers and pilsners, but I definitely appreciate and enjoy them now more than ever..

Great Lakes has always made great lagers.. Dortmunder Gold and Elliot Ness are classics and never get old.. they also have 76 Kölsch in season which is really good..

I'm also a big fan of Kellerbier/Zwickelbiers, but there isn't really alot of them on shelves.. Weihenstephan's 1516 Kellerbier is really good..

I'm also a big fan of Victory Prima Pils.. Sixpoint's The Crisp.. and 3 Floyds Gorch Fock Helles Lager...

 

Schilling Beer Co is definitely a must try. They are easily my favorite brewery in NH and one of the best lager producers in the country in my opinion. They have quite the lineup, Alexander 10 is a staple for a Czech pils as is Modernism for a Czech style dark lager (its amazing, especially on side pour at the brewery). They have loads of different lagers, right now they have Konstantin, a festbier style Marzen, which as great. They sometimes have 10 Plato pilsners, Gratzer which is a really nice smoked session lager of a nearly extinct style. Plus they make very good gose, berlinerweisse, hefeweissen, and Belgian styles. The pizza is very good there to.

Notch in Salem MA is also a must visit. Easily one of the very best lager makers in the US, everything they do is as traditional as it gets. Two weekends ago they had an amazing kellerbier they were pouring out of a mini oak gravity cask. The 10th anniversary pilsner they made earlier this summer might have been the best pilsner I've ever had in the US.

 

Truth here on Notch. They brought a couple of their beers here to a festival in 2019. The Polotmavy was the best lager I think I’ve had. They top my list of breweries to visit once the border opens again... hopefully.

 

What I like about drinking lagers is you don't have to plan your day/evening around it. When I have a big DIPA or stout, I generally have to plan on drinking it before or after dinner as I hate pairing big beers with food. With lagers, I can crack one open whenever.

The last couple of days I've had PBR and Miller High Life (even bought a 6 pack of pint cans) and honestly enjoyed the hell out of each. PBR paired perfectly with buffalo wings and I had the High Life with sushi.

For the most part I'll drink craft lagers though. Jack's Abby and Von Trapp all the way!

 

As a FYI a Grodziskie (Grätzer) is an ale. Below is from the Schiiling website:

“Grätzer (Oak-smoked Wheat Ale), 3.8% abv. Grätzer (or “Grodziskie”) is Polish oak-smoked wheat ale–a style nearly lost to time. Once referred to as “Polish Champagne” this very unique beer light in color, effervescent and well-hopped, featuring a note of oak smoke to round the flavor.”

Cheers!

 

This is actually an Austrian-style Märzen.

Which is just a strength designation in Austria, and these days I think it's typically a pale lager, but can be/used to be amber? (someone can correct me if I'm wrong here).

The strength designation for a Märzen in Austria though is a lower original gravity than a German Märzen (which again is a strength designation in Germany).

So while the German style will typically end up somewhere in the 5.8% to 6.3% ABV range, the Austrian one will be around 5% (which Schilling's is). Schilling's also appears more amber to me in color.

Interestingly enough, the number one "Märzen/Oktoberfest" on this website is an Austrian Märzen from Augustiner (not the Munich one, although they make lovely beer as well).

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1787/6583/