USA #1 in beer?

We're definitely #1 and it's not close.

 

Great graphic, +1

 

It is near impossible to find a decent imported, actually hoppy IPA IMO.

 

I wholeheartedly agree that excellent representations of foreign beers have and will continue to be brewed by these guys and many others here in the good ol' USA...the trap here Jack is the quest to make a beer that is "exactly like" a foreign beer...it is very close to impossible...(it's a lose lose)
the reasons why have all been touched upon in this thread...ingredients and their freshness, tradition, state of mind of the brewer (you know like we can tell when a beer has been brewed with passion...but we can't...at least I can't...tell how that comes through), state of mind of the drinker (many here have fond memories of being in Germany as @drtth mentioned...I remember Meister Brau being a damn good beer but not because it was good but because I was sucking it through a three foot tube attached to a funnel)...

Again I have a tremendous amount of respect for your knowledge of beer, and the sophistication of your palate...and I agree with you about the fantastic German/European inspired beers being brewed right here...many of which I am a big fan of as well...but the key here is to remove the notion of "just like the beer I had in Country X" and also letting go of the word "authentic" because as we have seen here on the forums that word can be twisted more times than a sideshow contortionist...long story short judge US beers on their own merits...don't compare 'em to their European brethren...and everyone wins

 

It could be argued that Budweiser is not “exactly like” Miller High Life.

I really don’t think that the aspect of “exactly like” is the germane issue. I am not looking for AB InBev to make a beer “exactly like" MillerCoors but that does not stop me from recognizing that both Budweiser and Miller High Life are “authentic” AAL beers.

I recognize why you stated “…long story short judge US beers on their own merits...don't compare 'em to their European brethren.” As per my above statements I do not think that is the germane issue here.

Just my opinion.

Cheers

 

The germane issue is that people purport to know what is and isn't "authentic," "exactly like," or "even close" without having any first-hand or even remotely relevant experience of the originals at the source. I saw this for years during my time in Germany regarding U.S. beer, and I have now been seeing it for years on here.

 

Lots of folks like @drtth have generously posted about their beer experiences drinking at the source.

I personally have consumed beers at the source in the UK (numerous places), Belgium and a number of other European countries.

Cheers!

 

So if you have consumed British/Belgian beers at the source, you are by extension qualified to judge German ones without ever having been there? Got it....

 

A pint of ale in a British pub, a litre of German helles in a Munich biergarten, a glass of saison in a Brussells cafe and a pitcher of American craft in a downtown Tulsa juke joint cannot be compared. Apples and Oranges. Peas and carrots. KittyCats and dawgs. Gibson and Fender. No one is #1. It's all good.

 

A quick follow up with at least two examples (based on having been there):

A "not-good" Hefewizen: The Haller-Lowenbrau Hefe Weizen in Schwabish Hall was pretty poor as I recall. (Feeling too lazy to look up the umlaut on this keyboard.)

One possible location where one was not found: Meschde. (Although that may be selection bias as I was distracted by the Grevensteiner Kellerbier and for social reasons may simply have not gone to the right place to find a local example if on exists.)

 

+1000

Pity so many people on here can't or won't get this through their heads

 

I have had many pints in British Pubs and I have had Saisons at Belgian Cafes. They were enjoyable drinking experiences.

@JaredMarvel in the original post asked: “Do you think its a possibility that the US will come to be number one in craft brews?”

IMO the question that he posed is a worthwhile question.

Cheers!

 

Normally I agree with a lot of what you say Jack. Not in this thread though. Think you've given the OP and the other posters who you've awarded medals to, too much credit.

 

I respectfully disagree with you. I think that @Dreizhen and others made some thoughtful posts in this thread in response to the question that @JaredMarvel posted.

Cheers!

 

We invented "craft" as a modern concept, so yes, we are #1 in that thing we invented. On the other hand, we also invented the opposite of craft and are #1 in that too.

 

I'm still not sure why this has to be a competition. What, for example, is wrong with saying that the U.S. belongs among the world's great brewing nations?

 

We are still a relatively young country and we are still recovering from that whopper of a stupid idea called prohibition. We're quick studies though, and we tend to take things way too seriously when we get our heads round them.

 

, jack

 

Curious thread here, very interesting reading all of this (it's Sunday evening and I'm quite bored).

As a German I will have to say that certain points raised here are most certainly true. We have more than our fair share of bad stuff (the vast amount of really bland pilsners and lagers) as much as we have our fair share of geniuses who have not been outside of this country a lotbut suppose that every American beer is light beer (while ironically enjoying pilsners, which could easily be considered "light").

As for availability, it's a lot about geographical location. Given the right geographical location finding something good won't be an issue (Bamberg, certain places in Bavaria, certain border areas etc). Like here in Rhineland-Palatinate where there's more of a wine culture beer is very understated and what you get in the supermarket is likely not worth the money, pubs with good stuff are few and far between. I honestly haven't seen a lot of shops in general that carry craft beers, local stuff or anything of the like but I think bigger cities like Hamburg and Berlin have them. There are, however, options on the internet and fortunately the "craft beer" scene has been gaining traction and small breweries have gotten more exposure.

In regard to the "Reinheitsgebot" that's supposedly about beer quality as some people still believe, even in its original form it was a mercantilist tool of protectionism that has - for some dumb reason - persisted to this day, in addition to the issue regarding taxes. (we do love our taxes!)
I'd be generally inclined to agree with those who mentioned comparing individual countries with the U.S. doesn't really hold up, too much geographical diversity on too much land. I also agree that in the end - the customers are who's winning. (especially with Stone expanding into Europe)