Anyone who lived in Germany circa mid 80's. Beer seems different.

[Yooper]

Rhine Main?

I'd think anyone would be hard pressed to compare something from 30+ years ago. However, it's quite possible to compare what you have on your trip to the same thing sold over here once you get back.

That's what ruined it for me anyway, taking the trip last summer and then having the same beer once I got back.

No, I was in downtown Frankfurt, in the Army at V Division HQ much of the time (G2). Some of the time I was in an S2, but still in Frankfurt. I rarely went out to Rhein Main, except for very occasional shopping at the huge PX. We had tons of restaurants, gasthauses, even the zoo downtown so I mostly stayed in the city and neighborhoods around me. I loved it so much!

 

[MaxStout]

You won't even recognize Frankfurt today. It's become such a huge financial center and the skyline is much different. But the Altstadt is the same. Too many travelers pass up the city, which is unfortunate, as there are lots to see.

If you will be in Bamberg, be sure to visit nearby Nurnberg. The old walled city and castle on the hill are fascinating, and just a short walk from the main rail station.

 

[homebrewer_99]

[QUOTE="I'm going to Germany in July, but in Bamberg and Munich this time and Plzn and Prague. It will be nearly 35 years between visits, so I doubt that I'll remember the differences in nuances between the beers. [/QUOTE]

I worked in Bamberg for 5 years (1999-2004). Been to Prague a couple of times also during that time.

FYI: The Weyermann Malt factory is not far from the Bahnhof (train station) It's a HUGE building that takes up most of the block.

If you go south about 11 miles to the Buttenheim/Altendorf exit the St. Georgenbrauerei is there and a Lowenbrau next to it. St George is good, but the Lowenbrau is more blue collar and has a GREAT Kellerbier. Within 100 years from the St George brewery is the house where Levi Strauss (the jeans guy) was born.
I lived in Altendorf.

First time to Prague and Plzn was in 1991 when it was still Czechoslovakia.

 

[BruceH]

I came across something that might make a difference. Pasteurization. Beers made for export to the US are often pasteurized.

 

[yeahfairly]

"Artillery in Augsburg...M110A1 8" SPH"

Spent 4 years playing on this bad boy.... Haven't been able to come close to passing a hearing test for the last 20 years!!!!

I don't like Heineken... but I do fly through Schiphol regularly... Usually a 3 to 5 hour layover. I sit at the Heineken bar and drink the Extra Cold Heinekens.... They are actually Yummy there but I am not a fan of their CONUS product!!!!

 

[whovous]

I go to Prague every year. Pilsner Urquell is almost always great while I am there. I keep trying it when I get back, but it is never the same.

 

[BruceH]

I was stationed in Vogelweh in the late 90s. Unfortunately, I wasn't really interested in beer at the time so I wasted my time there! I did try a few now and then. I remember that Warsteiner and Bitburger were considered meh beers by the locals. The first beer I tried was a Parkbrau Pirminator that I drank while I studied for an exam. No idea how I scored so well on that test.

Pirminator! The Hahn beer store (Package store?) would get this in around December. We called it Christmas beer. We also called it Terminator. IIRC it was 9% but didn't taste like it was any stronger than an Export.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Pirminator! The Hahn beer store (Package store?) would get this in around December. We called it Christmas beer. We also called it Terminator. IIRC it was 9% but didn't taste like it was any stronger than an Export.

On our way back from Poland or Berlin trips I always stopped off in Kulmbach to pick up some EKU 28. ; ' )

 

[Minky]

On our way back from Poland or Berlin trips I always stopped off in Kulmbach to pick up some EKU 28. ; ' )

Back in the 80's, I was still floundering around trying to brew something drinkable. I had just purchased a Guiness Book of World Records, and it had EKU 28 listed as the beer with the highest alcohol content in the world. That's when I decided that I would try my hand at a high alcohol beer, but first I needed to buy some EKU to find out what I was getting myself in to.

At that point, I was drinking foreign beers like Lowenbrau Munich, and thought I was a pretty sophisticated drinker, but my drinking buddy and I really got our eyes opened wide by that EKU 28! He said "damn, it tastes like turpentine", and I said "and it's thick, too".

Well, the quest for high alcohol beer could not be denied, so I proceeded anyway. Of course, my method involved lots of corn sugar and my usual high fermentation temps and, while I did make high(er) alcohol beer, mine actually ended up tasting MORE like turpentine. Now I know why!

I need to try EKU 28 again just for old times sake. I believe I could appreciate it much better now!

 

[Paulaner]

So to reiterate what Cavpilot2000 stated O2 is the culprit here's something I typed up on another site. I've been experiencing this more over here with Bitburger, drink it fresh on tap at a restaurant that takes care of their beer lines/turnover and it's fresh malty goodness with a slight hop freshness. Drink it in a can and it's damn close just a slight hop harshness depending on the can dating, malt still there and as lovely as ever. Then drink it out of a .5/.33l bottle and it's already developing that hop harshness and starting to lose that delicious bread/malt that is so appealing. A lot of people that I talk with about this beer find it off putting, but little do they understand it's not the beer they don't like, it's the staling of the beer they don't like. Another great thing Bitburger has done this year is release their 1817 beer which is the exact same recipe, but not filtered, unfortunately it's only in the bottle, but still relatively fresh.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I need to try EKU 28 again just for old times sake. I believe I could appreciate it much better now!

I have to admit that we DID not just pour 3 glasses of EKU 28 as we would any normal beer. We split 1 bottle between 3 people before we opened the second bottle or even the third.