BEER (2017-2023) - What did we drink (today/recently)?

Just because something is a great commercial success doesn’t mean it is in any way even acceptable quality (or would you call McD even an acceptable burger) - Heineken for me is one if the worst lager, even middle-of-the-road lager in Germany like Holsten, Bitburger, Veltins are much better and I had many lager from US craft breweries and it is hard to remember even one which was as bad as Heineken.
And if you think that all US IPAs are bitter bombs you should try more diverse breweries - there are so many IPA which have quite low bitterness (especially if you go for NEIPA)

I used Heineken because it’s widely accepted. I’d argue it better than Bitte. Whatever. As mediocre as Heineken is, I have yet to taste a micro lager even as good as Heineken. Bitburger sucks, though.

Again, I’ll agree to disagree. McDs makes the green on consistency, as does Heineken. But, I haven’t had a micro lager in the US that’s even that good. Sorry. They tend to be veiled by mediocre malt. I’m not trying another IPA of any kind. I can make better than available, if I want. Even the original IPA recipes were a bit hoppy for my tastes.

Tell me what lager in the US you feel is better than boring arse Heineken. Which American micro can beat horsepiss? I’ll try it; but I’ll prep for disappointment, like so many of these overpriced, overrated experiments.

Hold up. I didn’t say none were producing quality beers, Jon. I have many in my home state that I like. Saying the market is saturated by mediocre experimentation and salesmanship. I’m glad that beer is so alive here. It’ll balance out.

Needle in a haystack sort of thing for me. Just sick of trying a beer in a fancy bottle that doesn’t deliver on taste, over and over. Oh, and that bottle will be more expensive than something shipped from Norway ( I do like the Aass brewery there) I’d more frequently rather stay “safe” and buy something I know I’ll like. Don’t worry I don’t buy Heineken. Makes my tongue feel like it’s growing hair. But, it’s better than the crappers I’ve had from micros here.

Hell, I was in a pub and saw a Special Export in the fridge. My first beer, age 9 with my grandpa. That mass produced crap was better, to me, than the Flat Tire sitting next to it in the cooler. Had to try the Export, though. Took me back to a great day. So, I was biased, there.

So, did the Peaceful Pils rival Urquell in your opinion? I’m guessing the prices are about the same. The Kolsch rival Reissdorf from the Koln area? Kolsch is pretty easily mimicked. Love it, though, especially this time of year. I don’t even know if I could find those two Bay area brews where I live (WI.) Just so much out there, and so much is weak at best. I was a huge advocate for the first little guys in my area (Augsberger, then Sprecher, and so on.) I remember buying Anchor Steam from the bay area. Interesting, but historic. Love to taste history, even when the flavor is a little off.

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Deal. I will treat myself to a Grand Imperial Porter (when I can find one). Be sure to report back after trying Rare Barrel.

It has been some time since I have had Urquell - I will do a side by side tasting and let you know. I haven’t had Reissdorf in probably over 10 years. I try to drink local. Website says you would have to go to Minneapolis to pick some Almanac - I wouldn’t recommend it. I don’t think it is worth the effort.

I will give you there is a lot of mediocre beer out in the world. Finding quality beer can seem like a chore but trying something new is part of the fun.

Great Notion Brewing, Juice Jr., Portland, OR
Really well balanced New England style IPA, 6% ABV. Almost makes me think I can start drinking IPAs again.

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Just to name a few (and there are many, many more that are much better than Heineken) - Lawdog
Lager, Moselle, Casa Azul, Pivo Pils, Up the Hill, Death & Taxes (also including dark lagers), Prima Pils, Luppolo, First Call, Santa Chela, Modernism, Another Land, Seaworthy (IPL), Nordertor, Jagged, Remain in Light, Black Lager, Fodderstompf etc. etc. etc.

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I honestly hope I can find it. is there a beer in the Rare Barrel line you’d recommend for my first jump in?

I try to stay local , too, which lead me to this conclusion. Some (few) pretty darn good, most just there. Nice packaging, though. Still, no brown that I couldn’t make on a rainy day, Scottish ale that can’t touch McEwens, and on and on.

Good point about mediocre beer in the world. To be fair to our breweries, the ones we import aren’t going to be the crappiest of that country, though I’d say Bitte is weak, even for Germany.

I also agree with the chore of brew shopping. I’ve just had so much new that was disappointing.

Any of these impress you more than the rest? Maybe a top 3 by your estimation? Mind you, I’m no heineken fan. Just picked it because everybody knows what it tastes like. I only ask for a list because I looked up Piwo Pils and it appears to be discontinued. Where I grew up, we used the word “Piwo” for beer. Lots of eastern Euros in my old neighborhood.

Great Notion you think?

Oregon, no? I remember trying a few Rogues and thinking: nice packaging.

I might try this one last. Even real ( original style) IPAs are a tad bitter for my likes. But, that was so they could make the long trip. When IPAs starting getting popular, I couldn’t believe it. Then, they got sooo bitter, I thought undrinkable. Selling like hotcakes.

If I see it, I’ll pick one up. Might flip my script. I just kind of quit Beer Advocate because so much of what they ooo and ahh about I felt was weak; then a beer I actually like, Krombacher, they review as mediocre. Trying beers that were rated well above Krombacher, I thought, were much lesser beers. I didn’t get any malt character.

Go with what you can find. I am sure it will be hard to find in your area. My BIL really likes the ones with fruit and I am more of a fan of those without.

The list covers a variety of different lager profiles so just buy 4-5 of them and see how you like them (do my guess is that you might not like them as they tend to be not watered down like Heineken and gave often bolder and fresher flavors.
Wrt Pivo Pilsner - I thought it was available again but looks like they haven’t started brewing it again.
And Great Notion is very good for IPAs but I like them more for outstanding sours

Guayabera Citra Pale Ale - Cigar City Brewing - Tampa, FL. 5,5% 50 IBU

Has a sweet smell. Sharp citrus pith grapefruity bitter and hoppy pineapple. Creamy mouthfeel with a dry finish. I think this is more in IPA territory. Have to look at the label again and it is indeed a pale all. I like it.

Schlenkerla Kräusen (Brauerei Heller-Trum, Germany) 4.5% 30 IBU
Big, lasting head. Lightly smoky. Also lightly bready, low biterness, fizzy but creamy. Caramel, touch of sweetness, thin-bodied. Good balance. Delicious beer any time of year/day. Takes me right back to this fantastic little local brewery in Bamberg that’s always, always, always full that it’s so hard to get a seat. After all these decades Schlenkerla is still KING of smoky beers! You know what the rest can do? Assume worship position! Prostrate!

Btw, Schlenkerla beers were my big orders from the brewery last December. Box one is finished. There are still the last few of the Ur-bock. The Schnapps are also down to half.

Light reading:

In the world of German brewing, Kräusen refers to the intense proliferation of bubbles and foam formed during fermentation of a young or “green” beer. And Aufkräusen (literally to kräusen it up), refers to a historic brewing technique in which some green beer is added to a fully-matured lager. This is a very old and very typically German tradition, and today even English-speaking brewers refer to this technique as krausening. Krausening brings the vibrant freshness of young beer to the more refined, austere flavors of a fully-matured lager. Aecht Schlenkerla Kräusen starts out as normal Helles Schlenkerla Lager and matures for months in the old rock cellars underneath the brewery. Just before filling it is blended using the before mentioned “Kräusen” technique with classic Märzen Rauchbier. The result is an unfiltered, bottom fermented and amber color Märzen Lager hybrid with a vibrant and slightly smoky flavor.

“Kräusen” describes the bubbles that form during the fermentation of green (young) beer. The addition of a small amount of such green beer to an already mature beer is called “Kräusening”. Kräusening adds the full flavor maturity of the stored beer to the liveliness of the green beer that is added. Schlenkerla Kräusen is an amber, unfiltered lager with a slight smoky taste. It ripens in the deep tunnels under Bamberg until just before adding the classic Schlenkerla smoked beer. Tasty and not too much alcohol, it is the perfect refreshment for a warm season.

Elixer IX NEIPA - Walhalla Brewery - Netherlands. 6,8%
Creamy, fruity and juicy. Tasty NEIPA. Would be nice if we could get good quality NEIPA all the time. Unfortunately, it’s a style that relies on freshness amongst other factors.

NEIPA - Brothers In Law Brewery - Netherlands. 6%
Easy drinking NEIPA for days when I don’t want to open a new beer.

Beer has no name? “Brothers in law” is the name of the brewery.

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I was slightly addicted to Rauchenfels back in the late 80’s. Very interesting profile. Using smoke to germinate barley really makes an interesting difference in flavor. Glad to see the style survives.

I’d like to start with one. I’ll buy more if I like the one. Which would you buy, if you could choos only one, save for Pivo.

IPA No. 21 by Collective Arts Brewing (Hamilton, Canada) - Milkshake IPA

Interesting milkshake IPA which has a lot of IPA characters (bitter, resiny) and relatively constrained milkshake parts - some tropical flavors from the mango (less guava) and a bit lactose. Overall not bad but also nothing outstanding.

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I like dark lagers in the moment and so Death & Taxes would be a good start (which also has 93 rating on BA - not that I always agree with them but in this case they are correct

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Right up my alley. I’ll look for Death and Taxes. Stiegl Festival Dark (Austria) was my go-to. Now, I can’t find it. I know heineken made a dark; but I recall it was as meh as their everyday, I guess you’d call their ho-hum a helles. Grolsch, IMHO, represents much better Dutch brau. I don’t even see Grolsch anymore.

I think I’ve seen that (D&T) brew at one of my outlets, though.

My favorite of the darker “session beers” in Holland and Belgium is De Koninck. Can’t be dubbles and tripples all the time over there…lots tastier than some of the other common bar brands but widely available