Introduction to German beer

[Hikeon3]

I've been drinking mainly American ales since I started drinking beer about 4 years ago (I'm young) but I'm curious as to what these Germans got going for them. There's a lot of, well, hype? surrounding the German styles and German imported beers. So what should I be drinking?

I picked up a 6er of Spaten Premium Lager. Not bad. Slightly skunked but tastes very good. What else should I keep my eye out for?

 

[BrewWench]

What else should I keep my eye out for?

Expiration dates. Seriously, some places I've noticed some pretty old beers sitting on the shelves, and imports are especially bad. Dig back and get one exposed to as little light as possible (if no one's looking, I mean )

As far as styles - there are plenty of good American versions of German styles. Flying Dog's In Heat Wheat and Boulder Brewing's Sweaty Betty, Anchor Bock, Moerlein Emancipator and Barbarossa, Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold, and there are plenty of good Marzens, Maibocks, Oktoberfests, and Pilsners floating around.

For German brands, I can really just point you to hefeweizens. Try Paulaner, Franziskaner, and Weihenstephaner, for starters. You'll never drink an American wheat again

Prost!

 

[BrewWench]

Crap, you're in San Diego. Scratch half my list then.

If you get Bayern (from Montana), they have the best pilsner I've ever had, plus other German styles. Rogue has a hefeweizen and a pilsner, bah, I don't know much about western beers anymore. Sam Adams makes respectable Oktoberfest and Black Lager (Schwarzbieren).

Spaten Optimator is an excellent beer. Hell, anything with a goat on it is good and strong

 

[Kaiser]

San Diego?

Go to Gordon Biersh and have the beers there. When it comes to imports, German beers only seem to taste close to how they taste in Germany when they are on tap.

Hefeweizens are the worst when it comes to aging. They just don't stay fresh and I have yet to find a German Wheat that tastes good here.

Kai

 

[Hoosierbrewer]

Dopplebocks are a must. FInd a good Geman Restaurant and try beer. I love UK beer having spent alot of time there. I also love a big glass of Helles like I had in Munich. Most US beers would be derived from a European brew. the US is much younger than other countries.

 

[BrewWench]

How far is San Diego from Vegas? They have the third Hofbrauhaus in the world there - amazing German beer!

 

[EdWort]

Go to the Kaiserhof on Sunset Cliffs and sit at the bar.

CURRENT BEERS ON DRAFT ​

ALLGAUER HEFE WEIZEN BECK'S BITBURGER PILS BUDWEISER DINKEL ACKER PILS HOFBRAU MUNCHEN KAISERHOF KOELSCH KOESTRITZER SCHWARZ PAULANER HEFE WEIZEN PAULANER PILS SPATEN LAGER SPATEN OPTIMATOR URQUEL PILSENER WARSTEINER WELTEN BURGER KLOSTER

 

[Hikeon3]

Thanks for the many replies y'all. I'll have to try some of the stuff over at the Kaiserhof, the Gordon Bierch (love their dunkel, at least that I know) and then maybe when i hit vegas in august drink beer at hofbrauhaus.

Man, I've got work to do! (drinking tasty brews that is)

 

[kjung]

According to a lot of the old Germans in the neighborhood where I grew up, Steigl is the closest thing that you'll find to a true German beer in this country.

The trick is, finding it !

 

[DeathBrewer]

I have yet to find a German Wheat that tastes good here.

i've had Franziskaner at Speisekammer and I'd say it was probably one of the best hefeweizens i've ever tasted (besides a few of my own, of course )

i think they have a pretty quick turnaround and it's on tap, so that makes a difference. haven't been to germany yet, tho, so not sure how it compares to THAT

Oh, and definitely try the Kostritzer...damn fine beer.