Cougrrcj 

Too many microbrews/craft beers around these days. Too many to try, and gets expensive buying a four-or six pack only to find you don't like it. Too many seasonal offerings, too. I want something I can get year round. No flavored stuff for me.

That said, my tastes go for traditional German beers.

My all-time favorite is Kulmbacher Edelherb.



but I can only get it around here in those 5 liter mini-kegs.

After that, it is generally Warsteiner



in either premium verum or dunkel form.

ironwood

Jack's Abbey Sunny Ridge Pilsner. Only brewed once a year for the warm weather. Local.

trailmix

Green Chartreuse.

Choke 

I'd suggest Famous Grouse.

Chris W.

Barefoot Wines "Rich Red Blend"

Cheers,
Chris

Sir_Name 

Yum.

xRyan

Dos equis.....

Stay thirsty my friends

Essthreetee

Currently enjoying a Firestone DBA. But I have some Sam Adams Rebal IPA in the fridge.

arex

Since my surgery, pretty much just water.

Grand Bois

Do German beers brewed for export to the US have the same alcohol content as what you get there? I was stationed in Germany for a couple of years and I was under the impression that their beer is more potent. Was it all in my mind?

Vonruden 

It was when all we drank was Pbr and bud, now with craft beer explosion we have much more choices. Lots of 10% plus triples and quads to choose from.

Grand Bois

I think you missed the point of my question. I'm asking if the German beers exported to the US are weaker than the same beers sold in Germany, not if you can buy craft beers with higher alcohol content in the US.

iab 

I don't know about alcohol content, but the exact same beer in Germany tastes different to me than the imported version. I don't know if that is do to a different formulation for export, something that happens during the time to ship or if it just a perception only I have.

Vonruden 

I see, thought you meant their beer versus US, I see now. May depend on the brand, generally the alcohol content is right on the label, just had an 11% german last week, bought right here in good old NJ.

oddjob2

Just buy it out of state and save a mint. 1.75 liters of JW Red or Dewars are about $39 in NJ.

Road Fan

My recollection of flavor is that there is minimal difference, though a draft pulled in a pub that is close to the brewery is inevitably fresher than a bottle-pour in the USA. But I did not think the flavor and mouth feel were greatly different.

As far as alcohol I'm not sure. I'm headed back to Germany near the end of October, so I could take a look at the labels in a grocery store or getraenke store. Best evidence I can think of is to read the labels. If you PM me some of the ones you want to check.

As far as "brewed for export," I think the only comparison possible is to look at the labels here and in Germany, again. If what we receive is special and different, I bet it simply won't be offered in the German shops and bars.

German Pilsner is such a well-known and widely loved product, I think the breweries would be foolish to change it for the US market.

I think there are more seasonal variants available in Germany, and perhaps some of those are more potent. Plus, there are small and craft breweries in Germany, both doing Pilsner and other common styles their own way, and making artistic variants. Those could be either more or less potent than Pils.
@iab, your perception is not one that I strongly share, but it is difficult to compare flavors just-experienced with flavors recalled.

ThermionicScott 

Radlers have been exploding in popularity in my area this year, and I won't complain -- my fiancee and I love them, even when we haven't been riding.

I got a lot less interested in hoppy stuff going into this past winter, favoring maltier things like stouts and Belgians, and have retained that taste ever since.

My favorite beers at the moment are probably Breckenridge Vanilla Porter (bonus points for nitro pours, yum yum yum!) and Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar. Yeah, they're both flavored, but in very natural ways, so the result is cohesive and not cloying.

Vonruden 

Eddy wasn't the only good thing to come put of Belgium (La Fin Du Monde technically Canadian, however Belgian style triple)

Sir_Name 

Careful, the wall cow is eyeing your beer.

Vonruden 

Ole Bessie likes beer.

Sir_Name 

Heh. I like the painting - who's it by?

iab 

It may just perception, but my cousin lives in Feising, home a Weihenstephaner bier. Had some there. As after we got home, happen to see it at Woodmans, of all places. Just seemed different to me. Still a great beer here, just not the same.

Vonruden 

Here you go Sir

Bessie Wall Art

Pemetic2006

Just went through Iowa on the return leg of a trip to Yellowstone and bought some Toppling Goliath Green Nugget IPA - good stuff. I also managed to smuggle about two cases of various beer back to PA from CO, MT, and some Three Floyds while passing through Indiana.
Local wise I drink Troegs, Zeroday, Snitz Creek, and other eastern/central PA beers. Mostly IPAs and Scotch ales when available.

If anyone is in Livingston, MT a must visit for beer lovers would be Katabatic Brewing. In Bozeman try Bozeman Brewing and Outlaw Brewing.

Vonruden 

I toured Troegs brewery in Hershey, the Merry monk is my favorite Xmas beer, very potent.