An Opinion You Might Find Blasphemous

[MrFebtober]

Yes, Yes, it seems we [now] rule the beer world. My question is does the rest of the world know it? That is to say, I've always wondered how many of our best beers are ever exported to Europe, for instance. Does Sierra Nevada Pale make it over seas? Rogue? Stone? Dogfish Head? I would think Sam Adams would have the best shot, being the biggest, but I just have no idea. Would drinking an Arrogant Bastard or 60 Minute in England be equivalent, in terms of exclusivity, to drinking Hobgoblin or Santa's Butt here in the States?

 

[BrewWench]

This does not mean I will not sample other (countries) brews at all...except maybe American... Being a homebrewer who has lived in Germany for 9 years I have grown to like (only) full bodied brews.

You don't drink American beer??

 

[Klainmeister]

Yes, Yes, it seems we [now] rule the beer world. My question is does the rest of the world know it? That is to say, I've always wondered how many of our best beers are ever exported to Europe, for instance. Does Sierra Nevada Pale make it over seas? Rogue? Stone? Dogfish Head? I would think Sam Adams would have the best shot, being the biggest, but I just have no idea. Would drinking an Arrogant Bastard or 60 Minute in England be equivalent, in terms of exclusivity, to drinking Hobgoblin or Santa's Butt here in the States?

I for one have looked for anything from the states over the last two months and couldn't find jack sh!t. The family I am living with had another student from Oregon come live here and there's a Deschutes Mirror Pond in the fridge...damn it...i wish I wasn't so polite...

 

[Homercidal]

Yay! America is best!! LOL!

Well, so much for my dream of going to Europe to sample the great variety of beers they have... Still, a visit to Germany migh tstill yield a nice selection of breads, cheeses, sausages, and even great beer.

I'd have to agree with the postings here. Hard to imagine why people over there wouldn't want to try all kids of different beers. I'm workign on trying all different kinds and figure I'm only about half-way there (of the ones I can get at my local beer store) and they keep coming out with more beers all the time!

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

If you shipped a container full of the US' best beers to Germany, they would sit on shelves for 10,000 years before they were all drank. The Germans (in general) think ales are inferior and offensive. Most will not even take a sip or a taste (in my experience). I think that is why they are not exported. That and, all the good American beer is produced by micros who can barely produce enough beer to distribute throughout the US, much less ship the goods over an ocean.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Yay! America is best!! LOL!

Well, so much for my dream of going to Europe to sample the great variety of beers they have... Still, a visit to Germany migh tstill yield a nice selection of breads, cheeses, sausages, and even great beer.

I'd have to agree with the postings here. Hard to imagine why people over there wouldn't want to try all kids of different beers. I'm workign on trying all different kinds and figure I'm only about half-way there (of the ones I can get at my local beer store) and they keep coming out with more beers all the time!

It is still very worth the trip. The difference between beer from the source is never as pronounced as it is with import beers. I don't know if they brew the exports differently, but the taste is definately there. Plus, many of the best beers in the world are still produced outside the US.

 

[cclloyd]

Having just returned from two weeks of daily and nightly beer drinking in Berlin my $0.02 is this - if you like the German styles of beer you get in America, you'd love them over there. They are fresher and there is a huge variety..... of brands. As fars as styles go it's pils, pils, pils, pils, hefe, dunkel, pils, pils, pils, with an ocassional helles or bock and then more pils. Someone mentioned that the beers are quality and I have to agree with this. I did not have a "bad" beer while I was there. The northern region of Germany is mostly pils and it is really obvious when you are there. All (most) of the hefes and dunkels are brewed down south in the Bayern region - Berlin is nearly exclusively pils.
I tried to tour a brewery while there - there are only two sizeable breweries in Berlin to my knowledge - Schultheiss / Kindl and one called Behrer (?). I and my relatives tried to set up tours and the Schultheiss only does tours on certain days and while I was there the timing and location didn't work out. Both days we tried to schedule the tours were filled with British groups. I did go to two brewpubs - both in old east Germany by the way, and both were outstanding. The styles were not typical of the area, the Meierei Brewery in Potsdam was making rotbier and maibock, and the George Brauhaus was making an unfiltered helles and dunkel. All the fresh beers were outstanding but very similar to the commercial brands available.
Someone also mentioned that the Germans aren't very adventurous in relation to thier beer and I did find this to be true. When our relatives come here they drink Bud and MGD and love it. They will drink my home brews and enjoy them but aren't real open to ales in general. I try to get them to drink SNPA or even Sam Adams and invariably they don't lke the big flavor hoppy style beers. One of our uncles also laughed when I told him how popular and how much respect the Belgian beers get amongst the homebrew community in America - he referred to them as "sour $h1t beers". Go figure.
One other thing - I notice that the Kolsch style gets ragged on a lot on here (maybe it's just my perception) but I tried several Kolsches while over there and really liked them. They are light and tasty - a good summer beer. Just my humble opinion.

 

[Klainmeister]

I rag on Kolsch not so much of beer, but the culture that comes with it. The bragging that the people do in Koln over the beer is obnoxious for a beer that is 2.4% and taste like a watered down pils. One guy bragged to me he could drink 10 liters in a night...and duh...so could I, but with any other style it's impossible. You head only 30 minutes north to Dusseldorf and get some Altbier, now that's a full-bodied beer!

 

[ArcaneXor]

I rag on Kolsch not so much of beer, but the culture that comes with it. The bragging that the people do in Koln over the beer is obnoxious for a beer that is 2.4% and taste like a watered down pils. One guy bragged to me he could drink 10 liters in a night...and duh...so could I, but with any other style it's impossible. You head only 30 minutes north to Dusseldorf and get some Altbier, now that's a full-bodied beer!

Koelsch has 4.8% alcohol on average - whatever you are talking about doesn't sound anything like a Koelsch.

 

[BrewWench]

Koelsch has 4.8% alcohol on average - whatever you are talking about doesn't sound anything like a Koelsch.

I was thinking that too. Kolschen have some wheat - they shouldn't taste anything like pilsen.

 

[homebrewer_99]

You don't drink American beer??

None from the big guys.

When I am on travel I will try local beers and ones I've never sampled before, but I will drink water before I drink a BMC product.

I would have to admit that about 95% of the beer I drink is homebrew. The rest foreign...except in Korea where I will resort to rum and cokes when I can't find a Franziskaner Hefe Weizen for $9.00.

 

[BrewWench]

When I am on travel I will try local beers and ones I've never sampled before, but I will drink water before I drink a BMC product.

Oh well OK then. I was afraid you were one of those who insists that Americans can't make good beer! I wasn't including BMC.

 

[Klainmeister]

Koelsch has 4.8% alcohol on average - whatever you are talking about doesn't sound anything like a Koelsch.

Hmm let's see, was just in Koln two days ago and checked the bottles...didn't see a single one above 3%

Edit: that's a lie, i think one was 3,4%

 

[blacklab]

Hmm let's see, was just in Koln two days ago and checked the bottles...didn't see a single one above 3%
Edit: that's a lie, i think one was 3,4%

oooh, snap!

 

[Klainmeister]

I didn't get it either, from what i have read i assumed all were 4,8 or so, atleast according to every major beer outlet i've ever read, but the more people i talked to here kept ranting on about how it's a ***** beer. Sure enough i went there and you can order a strong kolsch, the 4% and then normal tap stuff which is apparently lighter. I asked a few times what the deal was and apparently it's just how things are. Some Kolsch are stronger and some are weaker, the one's i ran into were mostly weaker and frankly didn't taste of anything worth writing home about. I was completely disappointed.

My point was to more focus on the arrogance surrounding the style turns me off more than the actual beer. If the Bavarian's bragged about their Helles like that, I think I'd be giving it a hard rush too.

 

[Klainmeister]

Oh yeah, one more thing. If you ever get a chance to check out the Altstadt of Düsseldorf, I highly recommend it. It must have the highest concentration of bars I've ever seen and when you walk in, you instantly get served a beer, and they keep coming until you put a coaster on top of your mug. It's pretty incredible. They also lay claim to the longest single bar in the world apparently, although i didn't find it. It's a wild party though, that's for sure, and like I said before, Altbier is a full-bodied beer that I find to be plenty enjoyable.

 

[Buford]

The Germans produce some fantastic examples of the particular styles they have originated and/or mastered. That being said, their diversity leaves something to be desired. I like plenty of German beers, but there are plenty of styles I like that have no counterpart in German brewing.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Oh well OK then. I was afraid you were one of those who insists that Americans can't make good beer! I wasn't including BMC.

Then...we agree..., unfortunately, those "Americans" who can't brew good beer are of German descent...

Buford: You said it. The German's lack of beer variety is a problem for beer lover's. With that said, what they make they do well!! Prost!!