Wondering About German Beer

[MagicRat]

I brewed a Munich helles recipe a few months ago using all German ingredients (Weyermann pils and a little light Munich for color), fermented at ale temps with Kolsch yeast. It was delicious.
Today, I bought a couple cans of a local lager (Two Henrys Brewing Gilded Age Lager, Plant City, FL) based on a helles. It tasted very much like my homebrewed version. The best craft version of a lager I've had yet.
I've started to wonder if even the best German beer loses something in trans-Atlantic crossing. I've never had the pleasure of actually visiting Germany, although it's on my bucket list. Is German beer better when consumed at the source?

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

The greatest difference will likely come from drinking it on tap vs. from cans or bottles.

 

[MagicRat]

Oh, yeah, no question that German beer on tap is superior.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Even in cans and bottles you may be able to get it unpasteurized in Germany vs. pasteurized here. That may make a difference.

 

[z-bob]

The 5L minikegs are good. I don't know how they compare to on-tap.

 

[MidAtlanticBrew]

I would say that Germany beer imported to the US in bottles is often impossible to date. Could be relatively fresh but might be very old. Also, export versions are often different from domestic. So logic would give the nod to fresh pour in Munich.

I get to Germany fairly often. I never buy German imports into the US knowing I can only be disppointed. There is a lot of price pressure on German beer and the locals tell me it has negatively impacted the flavor. I do think you can find craft brews in the US that are as good or better then German brews. I love Hefeweizen, and while I have had at least 15 different Bavarian varieties in Munich and surounding areas, my favorite is Penn Weizen. http://www.pennbrew.com/Restaurant/Beers/YearRoundBeers.aspx#verticalTab4

 

[homebrewer_99]

I lived in Germany for 9 years. There is no better beer than when it fresh and close to it's source.

For beer that's traveled, well, you never know under what conditions they traveled. Hell, we have the same problems with beer traveling across the country in the States. It's always a crap shoot.

 

[roadkizzle]

If you have an ALDI nearby the german pils there may be fresher than other options.

I know that the Wernesgruener in our stores are normally around 2-3 weeks old...

Compare that to Schneider Weisse which every store I've been to in the last two weeks every bottle has been from 2014 or 2015.

I think the ALDI has control of the distribution from Germany to here, while other german breweries have to go through third party distributors that have no connection to the brewery or retailer so the beers just sit in warehouses until they reach their final destination.

I think that other locations around the US have better distribution than North Texas though... Hopefully you can find fresher beer than me... And hopefully you have a good selection of lagers around you... Mine is definitely limited.

Hopefully I can visit my sister in PA soon and try some great US lagers... Although I know they'll almost entirely have IPA's in their house.

 

[Sadu]

I haven't had a good hefeweizen since leaving Germany 7 years ago. The imported bottled versions are rubbish, probably just too old, so I don't bother anymore. I also think that sitting in a nice sunny biergarten being served by buxom Frauleins is part of the experience, and German beer isn't the same when had in isolation.

 

[Hanglow]

Yeah definitely best at source. The vast majority of beer doesn't travel well at all

 

[roadkizzle]

Live Oak Hefeweizen has been good when I've had it. Better than some of the hefeweizens I had in Germany but not as good as the best.
And much fresher.

 

[passedpawn]

It's best straight from the bright tank Especially in Dusseldorf.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NnWNuGWA_w[/ame]

 

[jcav]

If you have an ALDI nearby the german pils there may be fresher than other options.

I know that the Wernesgruener in our stores are normally around 2-3 weeks old...

Compare that to Schneider Weisse which every store I've been to in the last two weeks every bottle has been from 2014 or 2015.

I think the ALDI has control of the distribution from Germany to here, while other german breweries have to go through third party distributors that have no connection to the brewery or retailer so the beers just sit in warehouses until they reach their final destination.

I think that other locations around the US have better distribution than North Texas though... Hopefully you can find fresher beer than me... And hopefully you have a good selection of lagers around you... Mine is definitely limited.

Hopefully I can visit my sister in PA soon and try some great US lagers... Although I know they'll almost entirely have IPA's in their house.

I have an ALDI that opened up about ten minutes from me. Never been inside but I think I will now thanks to your info to check out their German beers. Especially if they are fresher than the other places around here. Thanks!

John

 

[roadkizzle]

The ALDI carries a variety of lagers. The one that I like is Wernesgruener pils. It's crisp, hoppy, but has a nice malty flavor to it.

My wife and some friends enjoyed the Bacher lager but that one I think is more like a better version of Heineken. Less hoppy and a little more sweet malty.

Then they have a Holland lager I think may be more like Grolsch and Imperium.

They also recently started carrying Broegel which they call a "Bock Beer" but the design and taste makes me think they were really trying to imitate Shiner Bock... It tasted slightly more metallic though when I tried it.

https://www.aldi.us/en/grocery-home/beer/import-beers/

They also have a wit beer and an amber ale.

 

[Spartan1979]

It's best straight from the bright tank Especially in Dusseldorf.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NnWNuGWA_w

Especially in Kelheim.

This is Weltenburg.

 

[BeerMakesPeopleHappy]

Is German beer better when consumed at the source?

Absolutely, without a doubt.

I've always been a big fan of craft beer, but it was a trip to Germany in 2013 that changed the way I thought about beer, and inspired me to get into home brewing. I was just blown away by the character of their beers. It's difficult to put into words; all I can say is if you ever have a chance to visit, definitely do it!

This was one of the most memorable places I visited:

https://www.brauerei-schmitt.de/