The Trouble with German Beer

[Fountain79]

Do you think that Germany is the beer-drinker's paradise on earth? Do you believe that the Reinheitsgebot guarantees that only high quality beer is produced in Germany? Do you think that the 1200 or so breweries in the country provide unparalleled diversity? Well, I certainly do not. And I'll explain why.

http://www.ratebeer.com/Story.asp?StoryID=304

[JVS]

1. Blasphemy! Reinheitsgebot is wise and just, it keeps the beer pure!

[Fountain79]

2. I forgot the link...

check out the article...

[JVS]

9. I still think it's BS. There are many different beers that can be made...

before you have to start dumping fruit into the beer. Besides, although most German brewers brew from a basic canon of beer styles (usually a Helles, a Pilsner, an Export, a Dunkles, a Weizen, and a Bock) the charactaristics can vary a lot between brewers. For example the Augustiner brewery in Munich makes beer that tastes different from the Paulaner brewery in the same city even though they make the same types. It's not about making a beer that is completely different so much as it is about creating excellent executions of the various forms.

[billyskank]

3. I'm sure Germany is great, but there are other great beer centres

Belgian beer is delish. And Heineken in Amsterdam is quite delectable (unlike the undrinkable alcoholic piss they export to Britain).

[Fountain79]

4. Honestly...I think that

American beer has made some great headway in the last 10 years or so. Microbrews have produced some great craft beer and some interesting styles.

[billyskank]

5. Never been to America, and these days I'm teetotal

so I guess I'll never know. :)

[Fountain79]

6. teetotal?

Anyway...if you ever get a chance, try some microbrews out...they have some great flavor.

[billyskank]

7. Um

that means I don't drink alcohol. ;)

[Fountain79]

8. Ah.....more for me!!! n/t

[pscot]

14. Belgian beer sucks

If it didn't, why would they have to artificially flavor it?

[JVS]

15. Not only that but Belgium sucks and is an "accident of history"...

according to some people within the Belgian government

[Kellanved]

10. Hmm. Sounds like someone talking out of his ass.

I have trouble finding a single correct/credible line in the article.
He doesn't seem to understand beer at all.

For instance: Northern Germany has a wide variety of Pilsners (yes, there are big differences between brews), cherry beers, other fruit beers, smoked beers, wheat beers, ...
My university has a huge brewing school; i have about five "beer books" in the shelf - bookstores have hundreds.

He doesn't even know about the finer points and the different styles common in Germany - seems that the article was written by someone who has to justify his preference for the sugary Belgian brews by attacking other styles.


As to the quality of supermarket brews: compare the supermarket brews in Germany to those in Belgium and the UK.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

12. Mmm.....smoked beer.

Love it. Hard to find though.

[MoseyWalker]

11. The ONLY trouble with German beer

is that so damn many Germans drink it, and that leaves less for me.

[jmowreader]

13. The trouble is this guy doesn't actually like beer

He called Berliner Weisse an "interesting beer."

Berliner Weisse is made by putting your bottle of vinegar in the fridge to get cold, pouring a pint of it in a "Berliner Weisse" glass, then adding a teaspoon of baking soda (for fizz) and an ounce of cherry syrup (so it doesn't taste EXACTLY like vinegar), then serving it to some dumbass who's willing to pay five dollars for the privilege of drinking this. If that's not how it's made, it's close.

Most people wouldn't consider it beer. It's actually made from fermented wheat malt, and any all-wheat beer tastes really acidic.

He also says most of the brewing community in Germany protested the Reinheigetsbot when it first came down. There's a reason for that: the German beer industry was making Budweiser-class malt beverages at the time--ones with lots of adjuncts and bullshit that did nothing good for the beer and plenty good for the manufacturers' bank accounts. You tell a guy he has to stop putting rice and corn in the beer and he's gonna start screaming--that shit's not in the beer for flavor. The Reinheigetsbot probably doubled the cost of making beer and you can't pass all of that on to the consumer. Now it's a source of pride to the brewers.

I won't drink German beer in the US because shipping it to the US fucks it up. In Germany, especially if you go to a bar and drink vom Fass (on tap--or is it really "from the faucet"?) it's exceptional.

Bad war story follows: During Desert Storm they had soldiers man the gates of every installation in Germany. I stood watch out at the field station, where everyone's favorite gate guard was about as wide as he was tall. There was no doubt that this man enjoys pounding beers. I asked him what kind of beer is in his refrigerator. "I don't keep beer at home." Neither did any of his friends. There are so many pubs in Berlin, it's best--and not really any more expensive--to go to one and drink beer there.

[JVS]

16. Berliner Weisse without syrup is deliciously sour

[Kellanved]

17. Yup

the original method was with "Strippe" - not syrup, but vodka. Today it's a fruity summer drink and no longer the predominant brewing style in the region - actually far from it.

[Fuzz]

18. I had a dark wheat beer somewhere near Neuschwanstein Castle

that was just amazing. Took like 10 minutes to get it out of the tap right, and this was like 12 years ago, but I still remember that beer. Never had a dark wheat beer before or since.