Spaten Production / Availability Problems?

I bought the last sixer of Hofbrau Maibock in the store a few weeks ago, and it still had plenty of life left in it. Enjoy!

 

The "Crafty" term is (or should be) one that refers to the common use of fake dba brewery names on the products of the large macro breweries - i.e., AB's "Shock Top Brewing Co." "Margaritaville Brewing Co." or MillerCoors' "Blue Moon Brewing Co." "Band of Brothers Brewing Co. (Third Shift brand)" and countless other examples.

These are "Brewing companies" that never existed (unlike the similar labeling of Latrobe Brewing Co., St. Louis, or William Bass & Co., Baldwinsville, NY) - brewery names created just to obscure the owner of the brand and the multi-million barrel capacity facility in which the beer is brewed. As such, these are corporate marketing department decisions and the use of the term "crafty" is not aimed specifically at the skills of the brewers or the quality of the beer.

 

Had an HB Helles yesterday: bottled mid-February of this year, so not terribly bad for an import.

Thanks for the insight on the HB coding -- I take it they start the years over with 'A' at the beginning of each decade?

 

I picked up some Ayinger Celebrator a couple of days ago. It's a great beer, but IMHO, its not Optimator!

 

I'm not sure when they start over -- figure they'd have to eventually. Browsed through the HB offerings in my local today (helles, hefe, dunkel) and not one from 2015. I think the freshest was November/December. I just can't bring myself to pull the trigger when that's why I'm facing -- not when there's 6-7 week old SN Summerfest or Victory Helles on the shelves.

It doesn't really bother me, in the sense that I don't blame HB. Managing inventory amidst crazy shipping distances like that must be brutal. It just means, sadly, that my import purchases are fewer and farther between than I'd like.

 

Yea verily!!

I have been exactly in that same situation many, many times! I prefer a US craft brewed German style beer that is fresh.

Earlier today I had Victory Kuhl Kolsch and Straub Kolsch for in premise consumption since they were fresh. Last evening I had the pleasure of drinking five Cologne brewed Kolsch beers off premise on draft that were very fresh and I enjoyed them too.

Fresh is the way to go!!!

Cheers!