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About 15 years ago I made a series of business trips to the UK, where I feasted on the many fine traditional beers they had on offer. And as long as I stuck with the traditional style pubs the places would be full of folks of all ages enjoying pints of mild or bitter or IPA or Guiness or cider. But if I wandered into a pub that catered to young people then what I would see instead would be a forest of long-necked Buds.
Of course. All our beer styles originated their. It's just that we took them to new and exciting heights here! Would it be patriotic to have a US flag with 50 American beers on it instead of the stars?...could be.
15 years ago I never looked at domestic beer in the store or at restaurants. It was always Warsteiner, Spaten or Dinkelacker 100% German every time I drank. Now I can't remember the last time I purchased an import that's not considered a "craft beer". (Brew Dog, Mikkeller)
I recently worked with a young Englishman who loved his beer and he was dismissive about US beer as he probably was only aware of bud & Miller, etc. Then he came to work for a couple months in the US and was shocked at the variety of US beer and the quality of our microbrews. He still loves his British beers but now looks for American microbeers in UK.
Now in wine and in beer, the U.S. companies are growing and taking market and I expect it to continue.
It makes sense really. It's not like don't have plenty of grain, water, hops or yeast here. After that you just need a good recipe to follow. Germany, the Czech Republic and the UK don't have a monopoly on those things. If we the people demand great beers then we shall receive them in all there sudsy glory. That's capitalism...yummy capitalism.
I want to take a beer trip to Europe. I want to have real ales in England, traditional beers in Germany, specifically a real Berliner weisse, and end up in Belgium at Moeder Lambic or Cantillon.
About 15 years ago I made a series of business trips to the UK, where I feasted on the many fine traditional beers they had on offer. And as long as I stuck with the traditional style pubs the places would be full of folks of all ages enjoying pints of mild or bitter or IPA or Guiness or cider. But if I wandered into a pub that catered to young people then what I would see instead would be a forest of long-necked Buds.
In beer, marketing drives sales.
Beer not like their parents. Every generation. Plus sometimes its nice to have a beer and not feel like your drinking down a meal.
Of course. All our beer styles originated their. It's just that we took them to new and exciting heights here! Would it be patriotic to have a US flag with 50 American beers on it instead of the stars?...could be.
Not in the case of the many diverse craft breweries which apparently are meeting the palates of the Germans. Certainly pilsners are lagers in America were heavily influenced by German beer tradition. Even with that though, American beer drinkers shifted their tastes towards lighter bodied, rice heavy beers.
The craft beers here have really been kicking butt and gaining much attention, both domestic and otherwise. Styles like Indian pale ale, which is English in origin. The style has become rather popular among many American beer aficionados. The style originated out of a necessity for the crown of England to ship beer around the empire without risk of spoilage a few hundred years ago. Hops being a mild antibiotic, it was used in large quantities to meet this demand.
How about imperial stout? Same issue for the Russians. Beer must survive long voyages across a vast empire. Alcohol being an obvious antibiotic, brewing a beer with a higher ABV solved their dilemma.
Tons of styles out there, and the Germans only influenced a fraction of those enjoyed today. In fact, the beer laws that Germany was famous for largely restricted them from exploring anything but the most standard and vanilla of styles enjoyed today. I have yet to try an American pilsner that is on par with German pilsner like Warsteiner though. We still got work to do here in the states in that category.
Not in the case of the many diverse craft breweries which apparently are meeting the palates of the Germans. Certainly pilsners are lagers in America were heavily influenced by German beer tradition. Even with that though, American beer drinkers shifted their tastes towards lighter bodied, rice heavy beers.
The craft beers here have really been kicking butt and gaining much attention, both domestic and otherwise. Styles like Indian pale ale, which is English in origin. The style has become rather popular among many American beer aficionados. The style originated out of a necessity for the crown of England to ship beer around the empire without risk of spoilage a few hundred years ago. Hops being a mild antibiotic, it was used in large quantities to meet this demand.
How about imperial stout? Same issue for the Russians. Beer must survive long voyages across a vast empire. Alcohol being an obvious antibiotic, brewing a beer with a higher ABV solved their dilemma.
Tons of styles out there, and the Germans only influenced a fraction of those enjoyed today. In fact, the beer laws that Germany was famous for largely restricted them from exploring anything but the most standard and vanilla of styles enjoyed today. I have yet to try an American pilsner that is on par with German pilsner like Warsteiner though. We still got work to do here in the states in that category.
Good points. I would add though that the Germans got pilsner from the Czechs (I have to stick up for my Bohemian ancestors).
I wonder how that German beer law (Reinheitsgebot) works though? If a beer has something else in it besides hops, water and barley what do they call it? Malty alcoholic beverage? Maybe it's just something that is symbolic now instead of an actual law.
Good points. I would add though that the Germans got pilsner from the Czechs (I have to stick up for my Bohemian ancestors).
I wonder how that German beer law (Reinheitsgebot) works though? If a beer has something else in it besides hops, water and barley what do they call it? Malty alcoholic beverage? Maybe it's just something that is symbolic now instead of an actual law.
Good point about the pilsners. Czech pils are superb in quality, and I really should start trying some more.
I believe the purity laws are more of a novelty, and brewers use them as a marketing strategy by advertising their product's compliance. Germany is a big producer of hefeweizen, even though wheat is not an acceptable ingredient according to the reinheitsgebot. Heck, they are quite famous for their wheat beer, so I would imagine there is some important history that conflicts with the law.
About 15 years ago I made a series of business trips to the UK, where I feasted on the many fine traditional beers they had on offer. And as long as I stuck with the traditional style pubs the places would be full of folks of all ages enjoying pints of mild or bitter or IPA or Guiness or cider. But if I wandered into a pub that catered to young people then what I would see instead would be a forest of long-necked Buds.
In beer, marketing drives sales.
I traveled two years ago to the UK/Ireland and I remember being flabbergasted at Budweiser being on tap at all the pubs. And one of the German guys I was drinking with was ordering Coronas.
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