Ranking your favorite German breweries.

I found the finish to be off in the light beers, ok in the dark. Water chemistry issues.

 

It is definitely my first choice for a non-smoked Helles that has smoke... but I’d still rather have a Schlenkerla Fastenbier followed by a Mahr’s Helles.

 

I might reverse that order, wouldn't want the smoke to overwhelm your palate before the Helles!

 

On a normal day, absolutely, but that order was a deconstructed Schlenkerla Helles. My drinking order and a Schlenkerla Helles are each a Helles traveling through a tainted smoky system.

 

unfiltered (young) Schlenkerla Helles in a can : Filtered Schlenkerla Helles at the source :: most US "craft" German beer : German beer at the source.

 

In your opinion, what causes US craft German beer to taste that way? Improper brewing techniques? Shorter lagering times?

 

yes. basically: unfilteredness/wanting "more" flavor in styles intended to be subtle; (much) shorter lagering times; moving around (from tank to tank to brite to can) too much/improperly; improper serving.

havent had a "bad" can of the Helles, but did of the Krausen. have, of course, had many bad cans/bottles of US "craft" German styles. have to admit that some legit places have come on the scene in the last couple years, tho. (and I'm not talking (only) about us)

 

I'm confused by the colons. Are you saying one is better than the other, or simply listing different ways German style beer is produced/served?

 

old SAT analogy stuff. A is to B as C is to D

that kinda thing

 

Reminds me of this comparison of German brewers vs. American brewers. I forget where I saw it but I liked it enough to write it down.

German Brewers ----- American Brewers
Tradition ----- Innovation
Balance ----- Extreme Flavors
Freshness ----- Variety
Science ----- Art

 

It comes across as poor syntax and grammar, and is completely unintelligible. I'm not trying to be a dick, but just letting you know.

 

Ahh ok.

Well in that case, isn't Schlenkerla at the source only available in bottles?

If so, would bottles that make it to the US be comparable then? (I loved the bottles, I don't care for the cans as much, way too smoky)

If not, carry on!

 

I first saw similar text to that in a presentation that Kai Troester gave at the 2012 AHNC (Australian National Homebrewers Conference).

I personally do not view this in stark terms. I have had some very tasty beers from innovative German brewers (e.g., Sebastian Sauer).

As has already been mentioned in this thread there are US craft breweries producing high quality German style beers using German malt, German hops, etc.

Cheers!

 

thanks, man

 

Agreed, and my post wasn't meant to be a knock on American or German brewers. Sorry if it came off that way. Just thought it was an interesting catch-all comparison between brewing practices. There are, of course, many exceptions. The two best German-style Pilsners I've had were from New York and Colorado.

 

Thanks for the props! Cheers!

 

IMO almost everything they make does. I feel like HB sometimes doesn't get a fair shake because it's associated with their touristy/famous bierhall. Maybe not by the locals, but I've picked that up from tourists. They almost feel a little shame for liking those beers. Yet I think nearly everything they brew is pretty fantastic.

 

?

 

On a certain level, their marketing and chain establishments definitely impact how people view their beers (for better or worse). General customers might view them as culturally authentic as a result or as cultural kitsch designed for businessmen away for a conference. Likewise, beer nerds might believe that they make standard bearer "German-style" beers or make "mass produced" grocery store beer lacking in cult fetishism. I don't know which reaction would really be more prevalent, but it seems like the market for their beer is relatively strong in the US, so I guess it's all ultimately a positive. I think in my case, the result is that when I've been disappointed by one of their beers, I'm a bit surprised, and when I've been blown away I'm a bit surprised too.

 

Big +1 to this. And for Munich visitors, every HB place that I have been to there besides the Hofbrauhaus has been great. Especially the Hofbraukeller east of the Isar.