What was your 1st imported beer?

Exactly my answer. I mean exactly.

 

It was Newcastle for me.

 

First import that I ever tasted? Lowenbrau. Dad gave me a sip, it tasted like burning.

First import that I ever had as teenager at an underage party? Molson ice. Hated it.

First import that I bought blindly based on how cheap it was and how it could get me drunk? Labatt Blue. It was what I expected it to be.

First import that I bought and actually appreciated? Bass Ale. I felt classy.

First import that I fell in love with? Weinstephaner Original. Still one of my favorites.

First import that I became obsessed with and buy every time I see it? Aecht Shlenkerla Helles. I love that beer so much.

 

It was almost certainly Smithwicks. I still enjoy the occasional pint.

 

Corona

 

Guinness.

 

That was a very long time ago, and I'm not absolutely certain which one, but my earliest strong memory of an import was something from Aas in a green bottle. It was completely and totally skunked. At the time, I thought that must be what European hops must taste like and I avoided imported beers for a while. Wish I had known better, there would have been interesting imported beers to try at that time, in the mid-1970s.

 

Bass Ale. When I turned 21 there was a bar that had $1 import night on Thursdays. Drank A LOT of Bass, among others...

 

Grimbergen Blonde

 

it had to be about 1978 or 1979 my freshmen year in high school. looking back it was probably Tuborg or Lowenbrau. My Dad like Heineken but I would never dare touch his stash. he bought it by the six pack so I knew he always had a good idea how many were on hand. LOL

 

I remember going to Yuma, AZ in the mid 80s for training and trying different Mexican beers at the local restaurants. I didn't realize that there was more than just Tecate and Modelo out there. I seem to recall that I really enjoyed Simpatico, Bohemian and Pacifico.

 

Both of those beers were being "brewed under license" domestically in the US at that time, by G. Heileman and Miller Brewing Co., respectively...(as noted above, page 3, posts #105 and 112).

 

hmmmm, with those two off the table I am looking back and it was probably a St. Pauli Girl. I faintly remember a brew called Beer Sheba (?) (I believe it was an Israeli import). I remember that it had a commercial that ran a few times on the local TV channels. That commercial on TV in St. Pete was a pretty popular commercial with my teenage friends. It had a hot looking model with a cheesy early MTV music video look to it. Does anybody remember this beer or commercial? I believe I am remembering the name correctly. I do recall that a couple of guys got their hands on this beer and we drank it a few times.

 

Lowenbrau came first to mind for me but unless before 1975, it was probably imported from Milwaukee. (As noted by TongoRad, JessKidden)
Loved that foiled bottle

 

Well, actually - in the beginning of the domestically-brewed under license Lowenbrau, it was "Fort Worth, Texas" (the brewery Miller bought from Carling in the '60s) but eventually other Miller breweries also brewed it. Milwaukee and Azuza were also listed on the labels by 1977.

And, the actual "year" of the switch is variable. The Miller-Lowenbrau deal was signed in 1974, and, at first, Miller simply became the US importer of the brand. Later they began brewing what a German Lowenbrau official even called "...sort of a light beer that has been tested and found good for American tastes." (Dec. 1977 AP story) but as late as June, '77 other newspaper articles still were saying that the Miller-brewed Lowenbrau was still only sold in "12 test markets".

One of the first US books on beer at the beginning of the "great beer revival" in the US, Weiner's Tasters Guide to Beer [1977] noted:

So, there was a period (roughly ~1976-77) when 2 different Lowenbraus did exist in the US in different regions.

As to the difference, based on an AB complaint to the FTC over Miller's version (AP wire service article, Dec. 1977):

​

 

It was a long time ago but I think it was Labatt's Blue, then probably Molson and Heineken.

 

Heineken

 

I was careful to say probably as any reference to beer history is awaiting the JK truth.

I just remember dad wondering if he was getting the "real stuff."

 

Probably Old Speckled Hen on nitro at Princess Of Whales Pub in San Diego (mid 90's). I had a really good fake i.d. and this was the first bar I hit. Good times at 19 !!!

 

Molson Golden