What's your favorite beer? 🍺Did you know that even non-alcoholic beer is huge in Germany too? It's actually becoming more and more popular! ▸Use code FELI50 to get 50% off your first Factor box at bit.ly/3QtX9QC!
Löwenbräu (the one brewed in Germany, not Miller's version) is one of my favorites. I really liked Beck's Dark. Shiner Bock was good until the big conglomerate from Mexico bought it. I don't know the name of my favorite. I was at the southern most border post, next to the Czech/Austrian border (in 1983) and they would go into the nearest city to by beer for us that was brewed locally. It was awesome stuff.
Hey Feli, I've got a suggestion. I might be a real money maker for you. Have you ever thought about putting together trips to Germany? Like a combination TRAVEL AGENT/TOUR GUIDE? IF YOU DID IT RIGHT? YOU COULD MAKE SOME SERIOUS MONEY.
While I do think craft beers are fun to try, I too prefer the simplicity of a nice mild lager as a go to. It's mellow and pairs nicely with food, unlike more complex craft beers.
Yea, I knew about the purity law. I was stationed at Ramstein AFB back in the mid 1980’s for several years. I was also fortunate to have been the only American living in my little village and at the Gasthaus to boot. I actually helped the Gasthaus owners(a family) with serving customers during Oktoberfest and Fasching(what FUN!). Because of my job, I was able to travel across Germany and visited many local breweries and Gasthaus’s and found that the secret ingredient to a great German beer is the people you’re sharing a drink with. As the only American in the village, all the locals got to know me and because of this I was always invited to join in on their special occasions like weddings, funerals, birthdays, holidays, hockey and soccer games. Best time I had was spending Christmas and New Year holidays with them. They just made me feel like a member of their family…just what a single GI needed when thousands of miles away from home. Great video! Prost!
My German experience pre dated yours by ten years but mirrored it in almost every way. I was stationed at Hahn and have often stated that those were the best four years of my life. Prost!
I must agree with you. My husband was stationed in Mannheim in the early 80’s and we were given an German family to spend holidays with. I have visited them since and we keep in touch regularly. I refer to them as ‘my German Family’.
Feli, have you done microbrew hopping in any major American cities? Was wondering if you have any that you like. If Washington State at a store called wine and more I could get beers and ales from all over the world. I miss that. I'm going to start home brewing.
When I was a freshman in college (1974), me and a couple of my friends went to a brewery to take a tour. The tour guide told us something I still never will forget. He said Germans make beer to tell jokes by and the English make beer to fall down by.
@@name-vi6fs I speculate it is because most often German beers are Pilsners, which tend to be lighter. I believe the British prefer stouts and the ailes more. He did not explain himself, so my reply is pure conjecture, even if it turns out to be correct.
I'm British and I fell in love with Germany the moment I arrived on my first of many many trips I have taken to this wonderful country. German beer is amazing! 😊
As an 18 year-old Private, experienced in only drinking Bud, Miller, Coors, my first Wheat Beer in Germany reminded me of drinking a loaf of bread with notes of bananna, bubblegum and cloves. I have been chasing that taste ever since! The Beer was Julius Echter, brewed in Wurzburg and they started carrying it at Party Source in Newport, of all places!
I had a similar experience. My first experience with German beer was when I was military in West Berlin in 1985. Hefe Weizen became my favorite. 38 years later, 90% of the beer I drink is German, with a majority of that being Bavarian. The other 10% is other European beer. I do not drink the American stuff. It is just colored water.
I was USAF stationed in Wurzburg in the late 80's, where I first sampled Hefe. Homebrewer ever since. Last batch is a Guinness export clone. Next up is a Marzen.
As a German who loves German beer I was surprised of the variety of craft beer being offered in the US. And I have to say that I really enjoyed it. Of course not everything was my taste but I found real good ones...So my fellow countrymen: THERE IS GOOD BEER in the US, you just need discover it.
Yes. The US craft beers are where to look. Gordon Biersch Brewing in San Jose master brewer has a degree in brewing from a German university. Many styles of German, Czech beers.
When I was stationed in Augsburg (1978-1981) I went to to München often. My go to beer was alway Hacker-Pschorr, however I also enjoyed Spaten Bräu and Augustiner-Bräu. Whenever I get the chance to visit, I always make a point of going to the Augustiner-Bräuerei restaurant. Favorite German foods are Leberkäse and Zigeunerschnitzel. Kein schmeckt besser!
I’ll be honest: I’m not really a beer fan. But this is what I love about history-there’s a fascinating history of everything! Great video as always, Feli! :-)
I think you’re right, part of the reason there isn’t much of a craft beer scene in Germany is because German tastes tend to be for the main varieties of beer - helles, weizen, etc - but also because there are tons of regional breweries offering variety. Where I lived in the Saarland, the major “big brand” beer was Karlsberg, but the local Saarbrücken brand, Bruch, was also really popular. The reason craft beers became a thing in the US was because there wasn’t a regional beer market - we just had the big companies, who were all racing for the mass market that wanted low cal light beers. Unlike in Germany, where if I wanted a Hefeweizen I had half a dozen options even at a kiosk, in America in the 90s if you wanted a Hefeweizen you probably had to go to a specialist store to find more than one choice.
I think that hop varieties which are commersially grown in USA is the answer. American hops which give citrus and tropical fruit taste are unique and not available in Europe. For example German most popular hop is very mild in taste and is not bitter.
Russians produce a lot of craft beer with American hops but it is very expensive locally costing around $4-6 for one bottle/can. While Germans pay $1 for a bottle on average. Russians pay a lot of money to import American hops that is why their craft beer is very expensive and average Russian can't afford to buy craft beer.
Your channel is delightful. Your English is better than the average American. You have the tiniest bit of an accent which makes your speaking have additional curiosity interest. I cannot think of a single thing to improve your channel. Your channel was suggested by RUclips and I have watched a half dozen of your videos - Informative, entertaining, energetic and filled with enthusiasm, authentic to the core. You have the perfect ingredients for a RUclips channel. I expect your success to just continue to grow. While I was in the US Air Force, I was stationed in West Germany from 1970 to 1972. I was in Bavaria, Hof Saale, for 1 year living on a tiny base (formerly a German base) along the Czech border and then living in an apartment further south, in Rimbach, south of Wurth im Wald for 1 year at a remote radio site. It was very rural and forested. My time in Germany was incredibly eye opening for a young man to be immersed deeply in a different culture. It was helpful that I had learned a little German in two years of German language classes in high school. I have many outstanding memories but there are two very clear memories of that time. I saw very few German men above the age of 40. It was noticeable and there were enough people missing limbs that it was also noticeable. The area where I was had very few war ruins but the human effects of the war from twenty-five years before were obvious. The second thing that was profound was that the neighborhood where I had my apartment had the characteristics of human habitation for a thousand years just built into their everyday lives. There were relics (decaying stone towers) in the village from hundreds of years before. The roads were windy and narrow and that is because they were the oxen paths from centuries before that simply evolved over time. Inside villages the roads were very narrow between buildings for the same reason. You could take one step out of the door of a building and be in the road that was between buildings.
The other interesting thing was people in their Porsches who would get up to maximum speed racing along the windy road between villages that might be a quarter mile apart. I guess another thing was a tractor on the autobahn doing 20 MPH while the car next to it was doing 100 MPH. It was quite a contrast from the US at that time. Thank you for sharing your special view as a person that can see both cultures with a critical but appreciative eye so well. Keep up the good work.
Nice video! I have been brewing beer at home for almost 50 years. I love making lagers and Maerzen is my favorite. I have know about Reinheitsgebot for a long time.
The most comprehensive and best researched presentation I saw relating this topic on youtube so far. Only one small amendment regarding "Märzen": The name means "beer brewed in March". Bavarian brewing regulation forbade beer brewing between St. George's day (April 23th) and St. Michael's day (September 29th, also called Michaelmas) due to fire hazards, but also because bottom-fermenting yeast works best at temperatures below 10° C (or 50° F) - otherwise the beer could be at least off-flavoured if not spoiled. The last beer brewed from March to 23 April should therefore be especially storable ("lagerfähig") and last within cellars filled with ice and straw until new beer could be brewed. It was brewed with a higher "gravity" as well as a bit more hop, leading to a stronger beer (more alcohol, darker color, richer flavor). It is used as "Festbier" (festival beer) at most summer festivals including the Oktoberfest, which started out as the wedding of crown prince Ludwig and princess Therese in October 1810 (and celebrates still the anniversaries of that wedding), but was around 1872 moved into the second half of September (due to better weather conditions) and ends now with the first Sunday of October. Since 1994 St. George's day at 23 April is also the "day of German beer" (introduced by the German Brewers Foundation), while Austria's brewers declared the day after Michaelmas, the 30 September to be the "day of Austrian beer".
Nice research!😉 Just wanted to add that for beer lovers that want to try different beers and are disappointed by the lack of variety in Oktoberfest, just go for a car trip near Nürnberg where there's a region with the most brewery density (I believe it's called Fränkische Schweiz). Every little village has its own brewery and even if you order the same type of beer everywhere, they all taste different. Just don't mind if everyone in the pub is starring at you.. 😜 Oh and make sure to try the local food once in a while, it goes very well with the beer!
Hello Feli, Germany is also famous for its wines, especially wines from the Rhine and Mosel areas. Please consider making a video about German wines. ❤️🇩🇪
As a member of the US Armed Forces, I lived in Bavaria for three years. I remember drinking beer in a "Gasthaus" and seeing barrels of beer being rolled across the street into the restaurant. How fresh can you get? When I got back home, I basically stopped drinking beer because I considered American Beer to be "Swill." My favorite beer was Paulaner. However these days, since I live in the US and play Fiddle in an Irish Pub, my beer of choice is a Guiness Stout. Thanks Feli for your wonderful videos.
Great video Feli! You did a great job summarizing everything as someone who works in the US brewing industry. I wanted to add that not every craft brewery in the US goes for crazy styles. Many of them try to faithfully make nice, basic examples of each beer style such as Helles or Pisner. There is a pretty wide spectrum of craft beer from the more boundary pushing breweries making peanut butter IPAs, to a traditional lager focused brewery, and everything in between. I personally prefer going for well made basic beer myself whenever I try a new brewery
I'm originally from Russia (but currently living in Montenegro), and I love Hefeweizen, Dunkelbier and IPAs. However, I really like Bavarian Lager too, I enjoyed it so much during my previous trip to Germany in 2018. I think you nailed the best qualities of German beer, being the appealing simplicity paired with the outstanding quality over hundreds of years. And the huge assortment is also fascinating, of course!
I live in Wisconsin, you should come here. Germans immigrated here and started beer brewery's in Milwaukee Wisconsin. And check out New Glarus which is made in New Glarus, Wisconsin.
Spent 13 months in Munich and Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I was in heaven with the beer. During my first weekend in Munich there was the World Cup final (July 1974), and I was completely oblivious as to what was going on. During game day the streets of Munich were relatively empty, which I later found out was odd. Guess the Munchner's were watching the final game.....
I have heard about the purity law before (as it is known in Sweden where I am from), but not to this extent so thanks for the information. I actually did not like beer that much until I did an exchange year at a german University about 20 years ago. Basically all beer I drank during that year was good and from then on beer is my favorite alcoholic beverage. The type I love the most is Hefeweizen. :)
Hallo feli. Great content you got. Im going too, oktoberfest for the first time this year. Thank you for the, all you need too know, video. Very Helpful.
I am an American who lives in Düsseldorf, which is home of the Altbier. I enjoy it because it comes in small glasses and stays colder longer. However, I think I prefer the taste of Köln’s Kölsch 😬 My favorite beer I think I’ve had in Germany is definitely the Augustiner Helles as well. Loved the video!
About a year ago I bought a German beer import variety pack at Costco. I drank all the ones that didn't say Helles on them first, because I despise IPAs. Am I wrong in thinking Helles is a hoppy beer?
@@madarab37 Helles to me tastes the most like an American lager. I think German beer leans more bitter anyway for my personal taste, but I would compare it mostly to a lighter beer from the US 👍🏻
I'm also American, and visited Dusseldorf about 5 years back and really enjoyed the altbier there.I haven't seen any of that style back in the states until recently, when a local brewery had one. Not quite the real thing, but still reminded me of Dusseldorf.
Living in Germany now and knew about the purity law, but not the details you provided. Danke! Absolutely love Helles beer and in particular, Augustiner! Have enjoyed Oktoberfest and Cannstatter Volksfest. Good times!
I'm not a beer drinker myself, but lived in Germany for four years. My then-hubby loved the stuff and I've stated quite a few. We lived near Bitburg, so that was always on tap locally. I love the Mosel wines, some I can get here in the US. We bought wine out of vintners' trunks for cheap, so I was pretty spoiled. We went to Oktoberfest every year we were there. My German landlady would take me with her to lady's nights where I had Schorle (usually Coke and whatever beer was on tap). You might do a show about the little "Gasthaus" places that is unlike anything I've experienced here. Vielen dank!
Schorle actually is always a mix between mineral water and wine/fruit juice. There is various partly local names for mixes of lemonade or Coke or banana juice with beer e.g. Radler, Colabier, Diesel etc.
Honestly, the craft beer scene is growing. One of the best breweries is the "Insel Brauerei", where they craft IPAs and Stouts/Porters. Even in Hessen there is a small brewery in the Odenwald that is specialized on Bock, their "Rosé-Bock" is absolutely delicious.
My favorite German beer is Ayinger Celebrator doppelbock. It's the one with a plastic goat hanging off the lid. I like most of the double bock beers. I also like Paulaner Salvator. I like a lot of different craft beers too, yet German beers are still some of my favorite.
Everyone everywhere: let's work on demolishing stereotypes Feli, a german: let's talk about BEEEEEEEER 😂 I love this channel ❤ Grüsschen aus der Schweiz
It might be worth mentioning that Pilsener was originally known as "Bavarian style" since in 1842 the Pilsener Urquell brewery in Plzeň hired a Bavarian master brewer who created this beer style...
A great history lesson about beer , I didn't get to travel to Germany during my 20yrs in the usaf but I had plenty of co workers who were in Germany and they absolutely loved German beer, also wine and liquors, we have a local craft brewery here in rome new york and they make a dozen or so different beers and change the menu regularly, I was stationed in England and they had delicious ales, stouts and lagers, my favorite is the stouts
I went to Bavaria for the first time about 5 years ago. It changed how I view and drink beer. It is simply better than anything I have had anywhere I have been before.
Dang, you did your homework on this topic. lol I was going to give a brief history on it. You do a great job on researching and busting arguable myths. You bring so much to a topic. I hope you never stop sharing with people. Knowledge is power and you are empowering everyone that watches your content. (history w/out the stuffy classroom setting) Keep up the fantastic content coming. Thank you Feli! I used to try a variety of beers in my early days and I had a co-worker that would brew his own at home. I think home brew was my favorite. But obviously there are a lot of factors to all this that effect quality, taste, personal preferences. Ales are also sought after. Mood and complimentary to the food being consumed have a lot to do with things too. Complicated topic. lol
Just returned from summer in Germany, and I already miss the cold beer on a hot day. My German husband ordered a non-alcoholic beer, and even though I knew abiut the purity law, I didn't know non-alcoholic beer was a thing in Germany. Later, I tried Colabier for the first time. I didn't expect to like it, but it's so refreshing. I like it better than Radler.
You should try a mix of coke and Altbier, so called Krefelder Its the best traditional beer mix. Another one is a mix of Pils/Helles and citrus lemonade, its called Radler (in Southern Germany) or Alsterwasser (in Northern Germany)
@@hogni6036 Thanks for the suggestions. I'll definitely try these. I've had Radler, and enjoy it, just not as much as Colabier. So the Krefelder sounds like something I would enjoy.
As a local german, located near Munich, I really enjoy your videos as fun and solid researched. I am not born in bavaria and I have an sweet tooth, so I like dark beer, preferrably from local small breweries 🙂
I'm currently drinking the Vienna Lager brewed by Devils Backbone here in Virginia. Yes, I knew about the purity law, at one point Boston Beer Co., which brews the Sam Adams brand, had an ad that stated their beer could be exported to Germany -- rather a backhanded slap at Anheuser Busch, which uses rice in their mash. Cheers from the First Colony!
I'm Polish and I think German beer is the best. I'm considering moving as close to the German border as possible, so I can go regularly to buy good beer.
I'm German and I'm not into beer nationalism at all. Most countries have a wide range of beers from excellent to pretty poor ones. On an earlier visit to Poland, I tried and liked Zywiec. A few years later, I saw some presenters offering Zywiec samples to visitors of Munich airport's Lufthansa lounge. Most passengers behaved like idiots, totally ignored the ladies and took the bland complementary stuff from the lounge instead...it's hard to overcome beer prejudice. Germany has seen a considerable market concentration in the brewing industry so many beer brands are pretty hard to tell from one another in a blind test. I'd always try the regional brands wherever I go and stick to what I like most. Took me a while to find a good local brewery where I live....
I absolutely love your blog! I live in Missoula, MT and we have a plethora of micro breweries. One that stands out to me is Beyern brewery. Jurgan Is very German and and a master brewer. He brews a fine doppel bock that is to die for. His Pilseners are far better than anything I have had from the Czech Republic. He even has lederhosen that are the real deal. A show on Jagermeister and it's origins would be appreciated. I love it just straight without all the foo foo mixers the kids use. There is definitely something very different about it. Interesting buzz. I think the ingredients hold the key!
I went to an Oktoberfest once and got one large stein of German beer and next thing I knew I was awaking from a blackout and being fed sausage and potato salad from a random woman there 😂 best day ever
I came about your videos searching and watching clips about Oktoberfest. Then I saw all the other content you offer. I'm really amazed at your ability on a variety of subjects to communicate so clearly and with enthusiasm that is unrivaled by many professionals in media. Not to mention English is your second language!
I live in Australia and some of the best beer I have ever had has been German beer (We have German themed pubs here which serve all sorts of beer), I didn't know about the purity law but I honestly hope it never changes, it's so tasty. The ones I usually buy are Oettinger, but that's because it's really all my local alcohol store imports :(
@@AeioU159Das ist so nicht richtig. Zwar ist Öttinger eines der günstigen Biere in Deutschland, doch das heißt nicht, daß es schlechter ist als die großen "Fernsehbiere". Der Unterschied ist nur, daß bei denen ein Drittel des Umsatzes in die Werbung geht, wohingegen Oettinger überhaupt keine Werbung macht. Probiere mal einige Pilssorten im Blindvergleich. Ich bin sicher, daß Oettinger in der Gesamtbewertung weit vorne liegen wird - einfach mal ausprobieren 😉
Amen to the comment about simple but high quality beer! Augustiner has been my favorite since I was stationed in Germany but my most recent trip to Europe included a visit to the Czech Republic so I’ve got a new affinity for Pilsner Urquell. Prost! 🍺
Starting in 2013 I drank a lot of Weihenstephaner beer at the brass tap in Lakeland fl. After a year, and possibly because I knew of the Reinheitsgebot, which I thought was still in force I realized the slight flavor from the beer was banana. Surely, it wasn't a shandy! No, the flavor came from the hop.
Let me guess: it was wheat beer (Weissbier) from Weihenstephan? The banana flavor mostly stems from the yeast used in the top-fermenting process when producing german wheat beers. That banana nuance in taste is typical for them. Greetings from Munich 🍺
I loved how many different varities of beers Germans have made with just 4 ingredients! Though as someone who enjoys a wide range of beer from ale, to porters, to stouts, to lagers, to pilsners to sours, I tend to buy variety packs of local craft beer which use other things like fruit, spices, or honey. We went to the Biergarten in Disney for food and I got a liter of the pink grapefruit Hefeweizen. It was really good!
@@cocobunitacobuni8738 It doesnt. Regular Bocks needs barley malt and Lager yeast and Weißbier (Weizenbier) mainly needs wheat malt and a special ale yeast.
This is really interesting. The only Italian beer I know of is Negroni. Germans brought beer to Mexico too, right (Corona, Dos XX’s, Pacifica, Modelo)? I remember I wanted a German pretzel 🥨 and beer 🍺 so bad when I was flying back to Chicago from Munich (coming back from Italy 🇮🇹).
I think you meant "Peroni", Negroni is the name of a world famous italian cocktail (gin, Campari and vermouth) ;-) Most bigger italian breweries have been bought by Heineken (Ichnusa, Messina, Moretti) or Carlsberg (Poretti), while Peroni is owned by Asahi, so it should be easier to find them outside Italy. Don't expect nothing fancy, though.
I spent a couple of years in Heidelberg in the 70's, at that time there were at least three breweries in that city alone, and many thousands of breweries across the BRD (Western Germany). When I returned to the US, I couldn't tolerate most American beers until the advent of the craft beer movement, which in many cases duplicated or (rarely) surpassed what was available in Germany. I just polished off a Voodoo Ranger from Colorado's New Belgium Brewery 😀
As a home brewer I loved this video! The oldest brewery in the world is now on my bucket list. I love to brew a nice lager or pilsner in the summer but enjoy a stout or porter in the winter. Maybe that is due to my British/Irish ancestry.
The oldest brewery here in Prague is from 993 the Břevnov Brewery but the production was interrupted several times so it does not count :) That is what I like in Bavaria - the continuity from the past. No big revolutions when everything is reset to zero and then needs to be restored,.
The funny thing about Pilsner: It was called in the early times Bavarian Brewstyle, because it was "invented" in Pilsen by a Bavarian brewer. The quality of the original Pilsner beer was so poor before, they had to "import" Bavarian knowledge. And a lot of craft beer worldwide is brewed with German malt. Weyermann from Bamberg has specialized in deliveries of a lot of different types of malts in small amounts worldwide, so a lot of smaller craft beer breweries all over the world rely on Weyermann.
another fun fact about Weihenstephan: they do yeast research, and have a lot of yeasts on their roll. also, they have deep frozen samples of the yeast strains other breweries use for their own beer
Even the Pils itself is kind of German as it was invented by the Bavarian brewer Joseph Groll. Pilsen had a terrible beer at that time and he was invited to improve this situation. From 1842 (and with the invention of Carl von Linde) Pils/Lager became popular: Cleaner, lighter and longer lasting than top-fermented beer like Altbier, Kölsch or Hefeweizen.
Pilsen was a city full with Germans, I was surprised about that part of this video, Feli should definitely know that (even if almost every of them were expelled in 1945 during the democracy export of those times).
I try make sure I enjoy as much beer as possible. I live in Madison Wisconsin. My Fathers Family was from Germany. My Mother’s Family fron Ireland. Both people are noted for liking beer. So I feel I half to work hard at enjoying it.
The one time I went to Germany, Munich mainly, I loved the beer. Back in the States, I‘m all about craft beer, and I stay away from relatively ”basic“ beer like Lagers unless they are locally brewed, so I was really kind of surprised I liked the beer from the major German breweries so much. Way better than drinking Budweiser or something like that. Still not sure if it was just that ”I‘m somewhere new, everything is better here“ kind of feeling, gonna have to return ASAP to investigate further! In the mean time, I‘m always on the lookout for them in my local stores.
The real irony is that real Budweiser is one of the best, if not the best Czech beer. And has nothing to do with the stuff that's sold in the US under the same name. So, if you're ever in Europe again and see Budweiser with a label that looks very different from US Budweiser, try it, it's really good.
@@Diamantlos22 americans assume lager beer is the same all over the world, not the case.... american lager became the style after prohibition when small breweries weren't allowed and because it was the depression in the 1930's, beer had to be cheap so cheap ingredients like rice were used instead of expensive malted barley so that became the standard formula for all american beer until the 80's when the laws were finally changed. lager is not a "basic" beer at all when done properly like it has always been done in europe.
@@keithschneider7716 almost all mass-produced lawnmower beer in the usa has rice as an ingredient, not just the budweiser beers. this is also why americans drink ice-cold beer, the colder it is the less you can taste it. brits drink their beer cool, not cold, because it tastes best at that temperature.
My nephew/roommate has been a home brewer for several hears. Last week we took a 50 mile to acquire fresh yeast. Tomorrow we drive 500 miles into Oregon to attend the hop harvest and sample local beers and fresh hops if we’re lucky. This video was a good RUclips selection for me. 😊
When my wife and I visited Germany in 2019, we made a special trip to Freising just to see Weihenstephaner. We missed the last English tour due to a train delay (very rare). Instead, we enjoyed a nice lunch at their restaurant, which was delicious. My favorite beer is Vitus, thankfully I can order it from my local liquor store by the case. I would say a close second is the Eisbock from Kulmbacher (or maybe Aventinus!! Too many to decide!). Wonderful explanation of it all, goes to show you can never stop learning.
Excellent information, thanks for sharing your awesome German culture! Took my family to Europe this Summer and Munich was their favorite city we visited. Totally agree that Augustiner Lager is truly delicious! It replaced Weihanstephaner hefeweisse as my new favorite beer, thanks so much for recommending it! tschüß!
I know of at least one state (Missouri) has its own Reinheitsgebot given the large Bavarian populations that emigrated in the early to mid 1800s. For example, the raspberry flavor in a Raspberry Hefeweizen brewed in St Louis has to be added after the fact in order to comport with the MO beer purity laws.
It’s like that episode of Parks and Rec where Chris challenges Ron to a burger-off. Chris makes this super fancy “healthy” complicated burger and then Ron just uses good quality beef and blows him out of the water…
Back in the day there was a bar in DC named the Brickskeller. It had over 1000 beers including a multitude of beers from Germany. It gave me a great appreciation for german beers
Josef Groll (21 August 1813 - 22 November 1887) was a Bavarian brewer hired by the burghers of Pilsen with brewing rights to develop a bottom -fermented beer with a longer storage life and so is referred to as the father of Pilsner style beer. So the Czech Pilsner brewing process was actually invented by a Bavarian.
First time I ever had a hefeweizen, I loved it. I live in Minnesota. I was very happy when I found a couple places that sell Erdinger weissbier. When I was stationed in Germany, I was in Nuremberg. The beer there was Tucher. Found that now too here in Minnesota.
Hi Feli, I really enjoy your content and videos. I moved to the US 33 years ago and just moved back to Germany last year. I can relate to so many things you post regarding the differences between the two countries. Over the years, I have come to realize that there are many cultural differences between the US and Germany. Was ich sehr an Deutschland schätze, sind die unterschiedlichen Gegenden ohne, daß man lange Fahrten hinterlegen muß. Ich wohne in der Nähe von Regensburg und liebe die alten Gebäude und Burgen. Es kann überall schön sein, es kommt nur darauf an, durch welche Linse man es sieht. Mach weiter so, dein RUclips-Kanal ist super.😊
I like your channel. I'm a Russian speaker, and I love Germany, especially for its beer traditions and engineering genius. I want to say that we respect and love your culture :) My favorite beers are Rother Abt and Spaten Hell. There is no beer in the world like this.
Great video! My first beers were had on an exchange trip to Germany at age 16. My favorite then was the Hofbrauhaus Hefeweizen - wheat beers still hold a special place in my heart! I spend my time now mostly drinking craft beers, but I and many other Americans (German-Americans and otherwise) still appreciate the beers of our ancestors. Prost!
When I was stationed in Deutschland I loved that though all thought I was nuts for liking room temperature beer (I was raised this way) I also loved that I never had a hangover the few times I did get drunk. I have always thought one of the major differences is that the beer in Deutschland is not Pasteurized. Also one of the things I miss of the country is that no matter what mood you were in you could find a bar that fit that mood. When a bar just wasn't for me I would ask a Bar Maid where I should go and they were always kind enough to send me to a suitable place.
When my friends and I used to visit Munich the first thing we did after putting our luggage in our room at The Platzl Hotel was walk over to the Augustiner Großgaststätte and enjoy a couple of liters. Prost!😁
favourite german beer.. flensburger.. although i liked öttinger as well as it was sold in my country by lidl (discontinued now) Special beers are very famously common in Belgium and i do like a nice bottle of duvel (just pour it out very slow!) otherwise your presentation was very informative as well as humorous. Keep up the good work!
I'm currently loving Moosehead Lager (amazing Canadian lager!) but Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier is a close second! I'm going to have to see if I can find that Augustiner-Brau Lagerbier Hell around Detroit. There's a store I frequent that just might have it (presuming it's even imported)!
Sehr schönes Video. Ich bevorzuge Kölsch, welches in Eurer Meinung nach in "Reagenzgläsern" gereicht wird. Ich habe aber schon einige Bayern erlebt, die sehr schwere Schlagseite bekommen haben.
Thanks for the informative video I'm enjoying a wheat beer right now I'm travelling to Munich in January and wondered if had any travel tips or local knowledge
Oldenburg, Indiana (about 40 minutes west of Cincinnati on I-74) holds a Freudenfest in July every year. They offer German beer on Friday night. Christian Morhlein even brewed a special beer for them. You and Ben should check it out… it is a great time. Basically a large “beer garden” weekend.
Best beer I had while I was stationed in Germany was the beer at Kreuzberg Monastery. I went there in 1977 and still have the mug. It was so smooth and so potent. I've never had anything like it.
Belgium is famous for its variety of unique and tasty beers. I do agree that the beers of the Bavarian region and Czech Republic are the best, most drinkable and least hangover producing beers in my travels.
Augustiner-Brau!!! You could do an entire episode on the history of Augustiner and I would probably watch it three or four times. It's also my favorite!
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
What's your favorite beer? 🍺Did you know that even non-alcoholic beer is huge in Germany too? It's actually becoming more and more popular!
▸Use code FELI50 to get 50% off your first Factor box at bit.ly/3QtX9QC!
My favorite beer is Stella, I have been to Vienna not remember what beer I had there ,Cheers from Australia
Kulmbacher I suppose. I remember in HS drinking an EKU 28. I finished it. There were shirts in liquor stores that said: "I finished two EKU 28s"
Löwenbräu (the one brewed in Germany, not Miller's version) is one of my favorites. I really liked Beck's Dark. Shiner Bock was good until the big conglomerate from Mexico bought it. I don't know the name of my favorite. I was at the southern most border post, next to the Czech/Austrian border (in 1983) and they would go into the nearest city to by beer for us that was brewed locally. It was awesome stuff.
Hey Feli, I've got a suggestion. I might be a real money maker for you.
Have you ever thought about putting together trips to Germany?
Like a combination TRAVEL AGENT/TOUR GUIDE?
IF YOU DID IT RIGHT? YOU COULD MAKE SOME SERIOUS MONEY.
While I do think craft beers are fun to try, I too prefer the simplicity of a nice mild lager as a go to. It's mellow and pairs nicely with food, unlike more complex craft beers.
Yea, I knew about the purity law. I was stationed at Ramstein AFB back in the mid 1980’s for several years. I was also fortunate to have been the only American living in my little village and at the Gasthaus to boot. I actually helped the Gasthaus owners(a family) with serving customers during Oktoberfest and Fasching(what FUN!). Because of my job, I was able to travel across Germany and visited many local breweries and Gasthaus’s and found that the secret ingredient to a great German beer is the people you’re sharing a drink with. As the only American in the village, all the locals got to know me and because of this I was always invited to join in on their special occasions like weddings, funerals, birthdays, holidays, hockey and soccer games. Best time I had was spending Christmas and New Year holidays with them. They just made me feel like a member of their family…just what a single GI needed when thousands of miles away from home. Great video! Prost!
My German experience pre dated yours by ten years but mirrored it in almost every way. I was stationed at Hahn and have often stated that those were the best four years of my life. Prost!
I was stationed in Berlin then Graf and Bayreuth 1975-1978. I agree that was a great time in my life. Great beer. Oktoberfest in München was fun.
I must agree with you. My husband was stationed in Mannheim in the early 80’s and we were given an German family to spend holidays with. I have visited them since and we keep in touch regularly. I refer to them as ‘my German Family’.
Feli, have you done microbrew hopping in any major American cities? Was wondering if you have any that you like. If Washington State at a store called wine and more I could get beers and ales from all over the world. I miss that. I'm going to start home brewing.
When I was a freshman in college (1974), me and a couple of my friends went to a brewery to take a tour. The tour guide told us something I still never will forget. He said Germans make beer to tell jokes by and the English make beer to fall down by.
The alcohol content is lower in German beers, or German beer tastes better? Or both?
@@name-vi6fs I speculate it is because most often German beers are Pilsners, which tend to be lighter. I believe the British prefer stouts and the ailes more. He did not explain himself, so my reply is pure conjecture, even if it turns out to be correct.
@@wunderkind-7724 ahh, that makes sense. Thanks for the reply.
@@name-vi6fs No problem
@@markschultz3387 You poor bastard. I hope you figure out what life is about before it's too late.
I'm British and I fell in love with Germany the moment I arrived on my first of many many trips I have taken to this wonderful country. German beer is amazing! 😊
❤
As an 18 year-old Private, experienced in only drinking Bud, Miller, Coors, my first Wheat Beer in Germany reminded me of drinking a loaf of bread with notes of bananna, bubblegum and cloves. I have been chasing that taste ever since! The Beer was Julius Echter, brewed in Wurzburg and they started carrying it at Party Source in Newport, of all places!
I had a similar experience. My first experience with German beer was when I was military in West Berlin in 1985. Hefe Weizen became my favorite. 38 years later, 90% of the beer I drink is German, with a majority of that being Bavarian. The other 10% is other European beer. I do not drink the American stuff. It is just colored water.
I was USAF stationed in Wurzburg in the late 80's, where I first sampled Hefe. Homebrewer ever since. Last batch is a Guinness export clone. Next up is a Marzen.
I think it may be the double strand barley malt. The original Michelob is very similar with the two row barley malt. It is very hard to find nowadays.
As a German who loves German beer I was surprised of the variety of craft beer being offered in the US. And I have to say that I really enjoyed it. Of course not everything was my taste but I found real good ones...So my fellow countrymen: THERE IS GOOD BEER in the US, you just need discover it.
Yes. The US craft beers are where to look. Gordon Biersch Brewing in San Jose master brewer has a degree in brewing from a German university. Many styles of German, Czech beers.
Kros Strain Brewing in La Vista Nebraska makes a surprisingly good Helles.
My Grandfather used to go off about American beer calling it yellow water. Needless to say he brewed his own and I was introduced early.lol😉🍺🍻🍺
Pope Benedict XVI ✝️ had beer 🍺 in celebration for his birthday 🎂 😊
Not much though to be honest, not sure why the obsession with IPA. IPA is not really a daily beer.
All beer enthusiasts know about the purity law but you provided such a great rundown of the history of it. Very interesting. Nice job!
It's funny how not a lot of beer enthusiasts quite understand the Reinheitsgebot.
When I was stationed in Augsburg (1978-1981) I went to to München often. My go to beer was alway Hacker-Pschorr, however I also enjoyed Spaten Bräu and Augustiner-Bräu. Whenever I get the chance to visit, I always make a point of going to the Augustiner-Bräuerei restaurant. Favorite German foods are Leberkäse and Zigeunerschnitzel. Kein schmeckt besser!
which one is the sweetest-or the least bitter?
I’ll be honest: I’m not really a beer fan. But this is what I love about history-there’s a fascinating history of everything! Great video as always, Feli! :-)
I think you’re right, part of the reason there isn’t much of a craft beer scene in Germany is because German tastes tend to be for the main varieties of beer - helles, weizen, etc - but also because there are tons of regional breweries offering variety. Where I lived in the Saarland, the major “big brand” beer was Karlsberg, but the local Saarbrücken brand, Bruch, was also really popular. The reason craft beers became a thing in the US was because there wasn’t a regional beer market - we just had the big companies, who were all racing for the mass market that wanted low cal light beers. Unlike in Germany, where if I wanted a Hefeweizen I had half a dozen options even at a kiosk, in America in the 90s if you wanted a Hefeweizen you probably had to go to a specialist store to find more than one choice.
I think that hop varieties which are commersially grown in USA is the answer. American hops which give citrus and tropical fruit taste are unique and not available in Europe. For example German most popular hop is very mild in taste and is not bitter.
Russians produce a lot of craft beer with American hops but it is very expensive locally costing around $4-6 for one bottle/can. While Germans pay $1 for a bottle on average. Russians pay a lot of money to import American hops that is why their craft beer is very expensive and average Russian can't afford to buy craft beer.
That’s just fine with me . Beer was just fine originally and didn’t need to be “crafted” into something terrible
Your channel is delightful. Your English is better than the average American. You have the tiniest bit of an accent which makes your speaking have additional curiosity interest. I cannot think of a single thing to improve your channel.
Your channel was suggested by RUclips and I have watched a half dozen of your videos - Informative, entertaining, energetic and filled with enthusiasm, authentic to the core. You have the perfect ingredients for a RUclips channel. I expect your success to just continue to grow.
While I was in the US Air Force, I was stationed in West Germany from 1970 to 1972. I was in Bavaria, Hof Saale, for 1 year living on a tiny base (formerly a German base) along the Czech border and then living in an apartment further south, in Rimbach, south of Wurth im Wald for 1 year at a remote radio site. It was very rural and forested.
My time in Germany was incredibly eye opening for a young man to be immersed deeply in a different culture. It was helpful that I had learned a little German in two years of German language classes in high school. I have many outstanding memories but there are two very clear memories of that time.
I saw very few German men above the age of 40. It was noticeable and there were enough people missing limbs that it was also noticeable. The area where I was had very few war ruins but the human effects of the war from twenty-five years before were obvious.
The second thing that was profound was that the neighborhood where I had my apartment had the characteristics of human habitation for a thousand years just built into their everyday lives. There were relics (decaying stone towers) in the village from hundreds of years before. The roads were windy and narrow and that is because they were the oxen paths from centuries before that simply evolved over time. Inside villages the roads were very narrow between buildings for the same reason. You could take one step out of the door of a building and be in the road that was between buildings.
The other interesting thing was people in their Porsches who would get up to maximum speed racing along the windy road between villages that might be a quarter mile apart. I guess another thing was a tractor on the autobahn doing 20 MPH while the car next to it was doing 100 MPH. It was quite a contrast from the US at that time.
Thank you for sharing your special view as a person that can see both cultures with a critical but appreciative eye so well. Keep up the good work.
Nice video! I have been brewing beer at home for almost 50 years. I love making lagers and Maerzen is my favorite. I have know about Reinheitsgebot for a long time.
The most comprehensive and best researched presentation I saw relating this topic on youtube so far.
Only one small amendment regarding "Märzen": The name means "beer brewed in March". Bavarian brewing regulation forbade beer brewing between St. George's day (April 23th) and St. Michael's day (September 29th, also called Michaelmas) due to fire hazards, but also because bottom-fermenting yeast works best at temperatures below 10° C (or 50° F) - otherwise the beer could be at least off-flavoured if not spoiled. The last beer brewed from March to 23 April should therefore be especially storable ("lagerfähig") and last within cellars filled with ice and straw until new beer could be brewed. It was brewed with a higher "gravity" as well as a bit more hop, leading to a stronger beer (more alcohol, darker color, richer flavor). It is used as "Festbier" (festival beer) at most summer festivals including the Oktoberfest, which started out as the wedding of crown prince Ludwig and princess Therese in October 1810 (and celebrates still the anniversaries of that wedding), but was around 1872 moved into the second half of September (due to better weather conditions) and ends now with the first Sunday of October.
Since 1994 St. George's day at 23 April is also the "day of German beer" (introduced by the German Brewers Foundation), while Austria's brewers declared the day after Michaelmas, the 30 September to be the "day of Austrian beer".
I lived in Germany in the 80's for 7 years. I describe German beer as it is like a meal. I miss it very much. Also, all the wonderful food and people.
Nice research!😉 Just wanted to add that for beer lovers that want to try different beers and are disappointed by the lack of variety in Oktoberfest, just go for a car trip near Nürnberg where there's a region with the most brewery density (I believe it's called Fränkische Schweiz). Every little village has its own brewery and even if you order the same type of beer everywhere, they all taste different. Just don't mind if everyone in the pub is starring at you.. 😜 Oh and make sure to try the local food once in a while, it goes very well with the beer!
Hello Feli, Germany is also famous for its wines, especially wines from the Rhine and Mosel areas. Please consider making a video about German wines. ❤️🇩🇪
As a member of the US Armed Forces, I lived in Bavaria for three years. I remember drinking beer in a "Gasthaus" and seeing barrels of beer being rolled across the street into the restaurant. How fresh can you get? When I got back home, I basically stopped drinking beer because I considered American Beer to be "Swill." My favorite beer was Paulaner. However these days, since I live in the US and play Fiddle in an Irish Pub, my beer of choice is a Guiness Stout. Thanks Feli for your wonderful videos.
Great video Feli! You did a great job summarizing everything as someone who works in the US brewing industry. I wanted to add that not every craft brewery in the US goes for crazy styles. Many of them try to faithfully make nice, basic examples of each beer style such as Helles or Pisner. There is a pretty wide spectrum of craft beer from the more boundary pushing breweries making peanut butter IPAs, to a traditional lager focused brewery, and everything in between. I personally prefer going for well made basic beer myself whenever I try a new brewery
youre the only person who I actually allow notifications on RUclips. youre just adorable
I'm originally from Russia (but currently living in Montenegro), and I love Hefeweizen, Dunkelbier and IPAs. However, I really like Bavarian Lager too, I enjoyed it so much during my previous trip to Germany in 2018. I think you nailed the best qualities of German beer, being the appealing simplicity paired with the outstanding quality over hundreds of years. And the huge assortment is also fascinating, of course!
I am learning Russian, Mandarin, Spanish, German, Scot's Gaelic, and Welsh. I love learning languages.
@@bw6138 That's quite a lot! Keep up the great job! 👏 I've learned Mandarin for 7 years as well, nice to meet a colleague here.
@@MrIorveth-sm6wr I know a little bit of Mandarin. My Aunt is Chinese. She is from Xinjiang China.
I live in Wisconsin, you should come here. Germans immigrated here and started beer brewery's in Milwaukee Wisconsin. And check out New Glarus which is made in New Glarus, Wisconsin.
Spent 13 months in Munich and Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I was in heaven with the beer. During my first weekend in Munich there was the World Cup final (July 1974), and I was completely oblivious as to what was going on. During game day the streets of Munich were relatively empty, which I later found out was odd. Guess the Munchner's were watching the final game.....
Hi Feli!!! We're so happy to have you here, with us, in the U.S.A; welcome!!!!
We lived in Munich from 1983 to 1990. I am not a beer lover, but loved Augustiner Helles. The purity laws definitely made a difference.
When i lived in Germany for 4 years, i loved colabeers. Still drink them from time to time.
I have heard about the purity law before (as it is known in Sweden where I am from), but not to this extent so thanks for the information. I actually did not like beer that much until I did an exchange year at a german University about 20 years ago. Basically all beer I drank during that year was good and from then on beer is my favorite alcoholic beverage. The type I love the most is Hefeweizen. :)
Hallo feli. Great content you got. Im going too, oktoberfest for the first time this year. Thank you for the, all you need too know, video. Very Helpful.
I am an American who lives in Düsseldorf, which is home of the Altbier. I enjoy it because it comes in small glasses and stays colder longer. However, I think I prefer the taste of Köln’s Kölsch 😬 My favorite beer I think I’ve had in Germany is definitely the Augustiner Helles as well. Loved the video!
About a year ago I bought a German beer import variety pack at Costco. I drank all the ones that didn't say Helles on them first, because I despise IPAs. Am I wrong in thinking Helles is a hoppy beer?
@@madarab37 Helles to me tastes the most like an American lager. I think German beer leans more bitter anyway for my personal taste, but I would compare it mostly to a lighter beer from the US 👍🏻
If you want your 0,5l wheat beer stays cool, drink faster 😁
I'm also American, and visited Dusseldorf about 5 years back and really enjoyed the altbier there.I haven't seen any of that style back in the states until recently, when a local brewery had one. Not quite the real thing, but still reminded me of Dusseldorf.
@@madarab37Helles is a low hopped Lager. Pils has much higher IBU and mostly a bit more alcohol
Living in Germany now and knew about the purity law, but not the details you provided. Danke! Absolutely love Helles beer and in particular, Augustiner! Have enjoyed Oktoberfest and Cannstatter Volksfest. Good times!
I'm not a beer drinker myself, but lived in Germany for four years. My then-hubby loved the stuff and I've stated quite a few. We lived near Bitburg, so that was always on tap locally. I love the Mosel wines, some I can get here in the US. We bought wine out of vintners' trunks for cheap, so I was pretty spoiled. We went to Oktoberfest every year we were there. My German landlady would take me with her to lady's nights where I had Schorle (usually Coke and whatever beer was on tap). You might do a show about the little "Gasthaus" places that is unlike anything I've experienced here. Vielen dank!
Schorle actually is always a mix between mineral water and wine/fruit juice. There is various partly local names for mixes of lemonade or Coke or banana juice with beer e.g. Radler, Colabier, Diesel etc.
That's what she called at...so...
@@DebiBrady Schorle even has an English wikipedia page en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schorle
Wow great video. I liked the historical run down on how humanity started out making beer.
Honestly, the craft beer scene is growing. One of the best breweries is the "Insel Brauerei", where they craft IPAs and Stouts/Porters. Even in Hessen there is a small brewery in the Odenwald that is specialized on Bock, their "Rosé-Bock" is absolutely delicious.
Bock is my favorite by far. But it's hard to find and even harder to find variety.
I hate craft beer, it's for people who consider themselves foodies..
Keeo it simple and you get always the best result
Feli, idea for a video. Rollladen was a bit of a culture shock in Germany... well that and the poop shelf (but you've covered that).
My favorite German beer is Ayinger Celebrator doppelbock. It's the one with a plastic goat hanging off the lid. I like most of the double bock beers. I also like Paulaner Salvator. I like a lot of different craft beers too, yet German beers are still some of my favorite.
Great timing for this video! Flying into Munich in 108 days (but who's counting 😂) and have added the breweries to the itinerary!
thats what i call an informative video, thanks Feli!
Everyone everywhere: let's work on demolishing stereotypes
Feli, a german: let's talk about BEEEEEEEER
😂
I love this channel ❤
Grüsschen aus der Schweiz
Du wolltest bestimmt Grüsse aus S.chokiland 😂 sagen ...oder?
@@joergfro7149 Gut das du Schoggi sagtest und nicht Käse 😄
agree 10000%
It might be worth mentioning that Pilsener was originally known as "Bavarian style" since in 1842 the Pilsener Urquell brewery in Plzeň hired a Bavarian master brewer who created this beer style...
A great history lesson about beer , I didn't get to travel to Germany during my 20yrs in the usaf but I had plenty of co workers who were in Germany and they absolutely loved German beer, also wine and liquors, we have a local craft brewery here in rome new york and they make a dozen or so different beers and change the menu regularly, I was stationed in England and they had delicious ales, stouts and lagers, my favorite is the stouts
I went to Bavaria for the first time about 5 years ago. It changed how I view and drink beer. It is simply better than anything I have had anywhere I have been before.
Love Weihenstephan Vitus. 👍🏻👍🏻🍺
Dang, you did your homework on this topic. lol I was going to give a brief history on it. You do a great job on researching and busting arguable myths. You bring so much to a topic. I hope you never stop sharing with people. Knowledge is power and you are empowering everyone that watches your content. (history w/out the stuffy classroom setting) Keep up the fantastic content coming. Thank you Feli! I used to try a variety of beers in my early days and I had a co-worker that would brew his own at home. I think home brew was my favorite. But obviously there are a lot of factors to all this that effect quality, taste, personal preferences. Ales are also sought after. Mood and complimentary to the food being consumed have a lot to do with things too. Complicated topic. lol
Just returned from summer in Germany, and I already miss the cold beer on a hot day. My German husband ordered a non-alcoholic beer, and even though I knew abiut the purity law, I didn't know non-alcoholic beer was a thing in Germany. Later, I tried Colabier for the first time. I didn't expect to like it, but it's so refreshing. I like it better than Radler.
Non-Alcohol beer has been around since the 1980's in Germany and has gained popularity there due to the strict DWI laws in Europe.
You should try a mix of coke and Altbier, so called Krefelder Its the best traditional beer mix.
Another one is a mix of Pils/Helles and citrus lemonade, its called Radler (in Southern Germany) or Alsterwasser (in Northern Germany)
@@hogni6036 Thanks for the suggestions. I'll definitely try these. I've had Radler, and enjoy it, just not as much as Colabier. So the Krefelder sounds like something I would enjoy.
Hello, I'm German/American. My great grandparents came to America from Bavaria. So maybe that's why I prefer lagers and pilsners. 🍺
As a local german, located near Munich, I really enjoy your videos as fun and solid researched. I am not born in bavaria and I have an sweet tooth, so I like dark beer, preferrably from local small breweries 🙂
I'm currently drinking the Vienna Lager brewed by Devils Backbone here in Virginia. Yes, I knew about the purity law, at one point Boston Beer Co., which brews the Sam Adams brand, had an ad that stated their beer could be exported to Germany -- rather a backhanded slap at Anheuser Busch, which uses rice in their mash. Cheers from the First Colony!
I'm Polish and I think German beer is the best. I'm considering moving as close to the German border as possible, so I can go regularly to buy good beer.
Then move to Germany !
@@EA00000 Yeah, I kinda still want to live in Poland, though 😄
@@theUnicornOfPowerPolish make good and cheap vodka.
I'm German and I'm not into beer nationalism at all.
Most countries have a wide range of beers from excellent to pretty poor ones.
On an earlier visit to Poland, I tried and liked Zywiec. A few years later, I saw some presenters offering Zywiec samples to visitors of Munich airport's Lufthansa lounge. Most passengers behaved like idiots, totally ignored the ladies and took the bland complementary stuff from the lounge instead...it's hard to overcome beer prejudice.
Germany has seen a considerable market concentration in the brewing industry so many beer brands are pretty hard to tell from one another in a blind test.
I'd always try the regional brands wherever I go and stick to what I like most.
Took me a while to find a good local brewery where I live....
I absolutely love your blog! I live in Missoula, MT and we have a plethora of micro breweries. One that stands out to me is Beyern brewery. Jurgan Is very German and and a master brewer. He brews a fine doppel bock that is to die for. His Pilseners are far better than anything I have had from the Czech Republic. He even has lederhosen that are the real deal.
A show on Jagermeister and it's origins would be appreciated. I love it just straight without all the foo foo mixers the kids use. There is definitely something very different about it. Interesting buzz. I think the ingredients hold the key!
Wow, the Czech Republic consumes twice ss much as everybody else! I have German beer mugs I got in Bremerhaven when I was working on ships.
On a business trip to Berlin I had my first hefeweisen. It's my first choice always! The best beer in the world is from Germany 🇩🇪
I went to an Oktoberfest once and got one large stein of German beer and next thing I knew I was awaking from a blackout and being fed sausage and potato salad from a random woman there 😂 best day ever
I came about your videos searching and watching clips about Oktoberfest. Then I saw all the other content you offer. I'm really amazed at your ability on a variety of subjects to communicate so clearly and with enthusiasm that is unrivaled by many professionals in media. Not to mention English is your second language!
I live in Australia and some of the best beer I have ever had has been German beer (We have German themed pubs here which serve all sorts of beer), I didn't know about the purity law but I honestly hope it never changes, it's so tasty. The ones I usually buy are Oettinger, but that's because it's really all my local alcohol store imports :(
@@AeioU159 It's probably why they import it and sell it, but it's far better than many of the "low quality" or even medium quality stuff we have here.
Try,, Flensburger Bier,,.. High north of Germany.. Check out the commercial. :"neulich auf, m Kutter,, (🍺😁
@@AeioU159Das ist so nicht richtig. Zwar ist Öttinger eines der günstigen Biere in Deutschland, doch das heißt nicht, daß es schlechter ist als die großen "Fernsehbiere". Der Unterschied ist nur, daß bei denen ein Drittel des Umsatzes in die Werbung geht, wohingegen Oettinger überhaupt keine Werbung macht. Probiere mal einige Pilssorten im Blindvergleich. Ich bin sicher, daß Oettinger in der Gesamtbewertung weit vorne liegen wird - einfach mal ausprobieren 😉
Amen to the comment about simple but high quality beer! Augustiner has been my favorite since I was stationed in Germany but my most recent trip to Europe included a visit to the Czech Republic so I’ve got a new affinity for Pilsner Urquell. Prost! 🍺
Starting in 2013 I drank a lot of Weihenstephaner beer at the brass tap in Lakeland fl. After a year, and possibly because I knew of the Reinheitsgebot, which I thought was still in force I realized the slight flavor from the beer was banana. Surely, it wasn't a shandy! No, the flavor came from the hop.
Let me guess: it was wheat beer (Weissbier) from Weihenstephan? The banana flavor mostly stems from the yeast used in the top-fermenting process when producing german wheat beers. That banana nuance in taste is typical for them.
Greetings from Munich 🍺
As Americans living in Germany, we LOVE the helles! Looking forward to our first trip to Munich next weekend 😀
I loved how many different varities of beers Germans have made with just 4 ingredients!
Though as someone who enjoys a wide range of beer from ale, to porters, to stouts, to lagers, to pilsners to sours, I tend to buy variety packs of local craft beer which use other things like fruit, spices, or honey.
We went to the Biergarten in Disney for food and I got a liter of the pink grapefruit Hefeweizen. It was really good!
I can't believe that a Bockbier and a Weißbier have the same ingredients.
@@cocobunitacobuni8738
It doesnt. Regular Bocks needs barley malt and Lager yeast and Weißbier (Weizenbier) mainly needs wheat malt and a special ale yeast.
@@hogni6036 never too old to learn
Concise and well presented explanation Feli. Well done.
This is really interesting. The only Italian beer I know of is Negroni. Germans brought beer to Mexico too, right (Corona, Dos XX’s, Pacifica, Modelo)?
I remember I wanted a German pretzel 🥨 and beer 🍺 so bad when I was flying back to Chicago from Munich (coming back from Italy 🇮🇹).
I think you meant "Peroni", Negroni is the name of a world famous italian cocktail (gin, Campari and vermouth) ;-)
Most bigger italian breweries have been bought by Heineken (Ichnusa, Messina, Moretti) or Carlsberg (Poretti), while Peroni is owned by Asahi, so it should be easier to find them outside Italy. Don't expect nothing fancy, though.
@@nicolasemboloni2734 You’re right!
Die beste Zusammenfassung des Themas, die ich im Internet gesehen habe! Danke für den gut recherchierten Inhalt!
I spent a couple of years in Heidelberg in the 70's, at that time there were at least three breweries in that city alone, and many thousands of breweries across the BRD (Western Germany). When I returned to the US, I couldn't tolerate most American beers until the advent of the craft beer movement, which in many cases duplicated or (rarely) surpassed what was available in Germany. I just polished off a Voodoo Ranger from Colorado's New Belgium Brewery 😀
When I came home from West Germany I couldn't stand Coors. Called it Rocky Mountain P.... water. My youngest brother hated me for that.
Fat Head's Goggle Fogger is the next best thing to a German Weissbier.
I will go at the end of this month in Munich Germany , for an holiday. Cheers👋
As a home brewer I loved this video! The oldest brewery in the world is now on my bucket list. I love to brew a nice lager or pilsner in the summer but enjoy a stout or porter in the winter. Maybe that is due to my British/Irish ancestry.
The oldest brewery here in Prague is from 993 the Břevnov Brewery but the production was interrupted several times so it does not count :) That is what I like in Bavaria - the continuity from the past. No big revolutions when everything is reset to zero and then needs to be restored,.
The funny thing about Pilsner: It was called in the early times Bavarian Brewstyle, because it was "invented" in Pilsen by a Bavarian brewer. The quality of the original Pilsner beer was so poor before, they had to "import" Bavarian knowledge.
And a lot of craft beer worldwide is brewed with German malt. Weyermann from Bamberg has specialized in deliveries of a lot of different types of malts in small amounts worldwide, so a lot of smaller craft beer breweries all over the world rely on Weyermann.
Weyermann is great. A little brewery next to me rely on them, too. And Weyermann has got there own little brewery. They do crazy stuff.
another fun fact about Weihenstephan: they do yeast research, and have a lot of yeasts on their roll. also, they have deep frozen samples of the yeast strains other breweries use for their own beer
Great post Feli. I’m enjoying a Paulaner right now.
Even the Pils itself is kind of German as it was invented by the Bavarian brewer Joseph Groll. Pilsen had a terrible beer at that time and he was invited to improve this situation. From 1842 (and with the invention of Carl von Linde) Pils/Lager became popular: Cleaner, lighter and longer lasting than top-fermented beer like Altbier, Kölsch or Hefeweizen.
Pilsen was a city full with Germans, I was surprised about that part of this video, Feli should definitely know that (even if almost every of them were expelled in 1945 during the democracy export of those times).
I try make sure I enjoy as much beer as possible. I live in Madison Wisconsin. My Fathers Family was from Germany. My Mother’s Family fron Ireland. Both people are noted for liking beer. So I feel I half to work hard at enjoying it.
The one time I went to Germany, Munich mainly, I loved the beer. Back in the States, I‘m all about craft beer, and I stay away from relatively ”basic“ beer like Lagers unless they are locally brewed, so I was really kind of surprised I liked the beer from the major German breweries so much. Way better than drinking Budweiser or something like that. Still not sure if it was just that ”I‘m somewhere new, everything is better here“ kind of feeling, gonna have to return ASAP to investigate further! In the mean time, I‘m always on the lookout for them in my local stores.
Budweiser is brewed with rice as an ingredient. Budweiser is a horrible tasting beer.
The real irony is that real Budweiser is one of the best, if not the best Czech beer. And has nothing to do with the stuff that's sold in the US under the same name. So, if you're ever in Europe again and see Budweiser with a label that looks very different from US Budweiser, try it, it's really good.
@@TheFeldhamster will do, thanks!
@@Diamantlos22 americans assume lager beer is the same all over the world, not the case.... american lager became the style after prohibition when small breweries weren't allowed and because it was the depression in the 1930's, beer had to be cheap so cheap ingredients like rice were used instead of expensive malted barley so that became the standard formula for all american beer until the 80's when the laws were finally changed. lager is not a "basic" beer at all when done properly like it has always been done in europe.
@@keithschneider7716 almost all mass-produced lawnmower beer in the usa has rice as an ingredient, not just the budweiser beers. this is also why americans drink ice-cold beer, the colder it is the less you can taste it. brits drink their beer cool, not cold, because it tastes best at that temperature.
My nephew/roommate has been a home brewer for several hears. Last week we took a 50 mile to acquire fresh yeast. Tomorrow we drive 500 miles into Oregon to attend the hop harvest and sample local beers and fresh hops if we’re lucky. This video was a good RUclips selection for me. 😊
"American beer is like making love in a canoe ...
it's f-ing close to water."
(Eric Idle, Monty Phyton) 😂😂😂
When my wife and I visited Germany in 2019, we made a special trip to Freising just to see Weihenstephaner. We missed the last English tour due to a train delay (very rare). Instead, we enjoyed a nice lunch at their restaurant, which was delicious. My favorite beer is Vitus, thankfully I can order it from my local liquor store by the case. I would say a close second is the Eisbock from Kulmbacher (or maybe Aventinus!! Too many to decide!). Wonderful explanation of it all, goes to show you can never stop learning.
Beer is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy. Ben Franklin
Excellent information, thanks for sharing your awesome German culture! Took my family to Europe this Summer and Munich was their favorite city we visited. Totally agree that Augustiner Lager is truly delicious! It replaced Weihanstephaner hefeweisse as my new favorite beer, thanks so much for recommending it!
tschüß!
Hello from Russia ❤❤❤
I know of at least one state (Missouri) has its own Reinheitsgebot given the large Bavarian populations that emigrated in the early to mid 1800s. For example, the raspberry flavor in a Raspberry Hefeweizen brewed in St Louis has to be added after the fact in order to comport with the MO beer purity laws.
It’s like that episode of Parks and Rec where Chris challenges Ron to a burger-off. Chris makes this super fancy “healthy” complicated burger and then Ron just uses good quality beef and blows him out of the water…
Back in the day there was a bar in DC named the Brickskeller. It had over 1000 beers including a multitude of beers from Germany. It gave me a great appreciation for german beers
Josef Groll (21 August 1813 - 22 November 1887) was a Bavarian brewer hired by the burghers of Pilsen with brewing rights to develop a bottom -fermented beer with a longer storage life and so is referred to as the father of Pilsner style beer. So the Czech Pilsner brewing process was actually invented by a Bavarian.
First time I ever had a hefeweizen, I loved it. I live in Minnesota. I was very happy when I found a couple places that sell Erdinger weissbier. When I was stationed in Germany, I was in Nuremberg. The beer there was Tucher. Found that now too here in Minnesota.
Hi Feli, I really enjoy your content and videos. I moved to the US 33 years ago and just moved back to Germany last year. I can relate to so many things you post regarding the differences between the two countries.
Over the years, I have come to realize that there are many cultural differences between the US and Germany.
Was ich sehr an Deutschland schätze, sind die unterschiedlichen Gegenden ohne, daß man lange Fahrten hinterlegen muß. Ich wohne in der Nähe von Regensburg und liebe die alten Gebäude und Burgen. Es kann überall schön sein, es kommt nur darauf an, durch welche Linse man es sieht. Mach weiter so, dein RUclips-Kanal ist super.😊
I like your channel. I'm a Russian speaker, and I love Germany, especially for its beer traditions and engineering genius. I want to say that we respect and love your culture :) My favorite beers are Rother Abt and Spaten Hell. There is no beer in the world like this.
I drink Schaefer Beer in North Eastern Pennsylvania about 25 miles south of Scranton
as a small time home brewer, i always try to use german hops in most of the beer i brew. i think thats the secret as to why its so good.
Great video! My first beers were had on an exchange trip to Germany at age 16. My favorite then was the Hofbrauhaus Hefeweizen - wheat beers still hold a special place in my heart!
I spend my time now mostly drinking craft beers, but I and many other Americans (German-Americans and otherwise) still appreciate the beers of our ancestors. Prost!
Glad to see you bring up Bräustüberl Weihenstephan! This is one of my favorite beer Gartens in Germany.
When I was stationed in Deutschland I loved that though all thought I was nuts for liking room temperature beer (I was raised this way) I also loved that I never had a hangover the few times I did get drunk. I have always thought one of the major differences is that the beer in Deutschland is not Pasteurized. Also one of the things I miss of the country is that no matter what mood you were in you could find a bar that fit that mood. When a bar just wasn't for me I would ask a Bar Maid where I should go and they were always kind enough to send me to a suitable place.
I always learn so much from your videos. Keep up the good work, feli.
When my friends and I used to visit Munich the first thing we did after putting our luggage in our room at The Platzl Hotel was walk over to the Augustiner Großgaststätte and enjoy a couple of liters. Prost!😁
favourite german beer.. flensburger.. although i liked öttinger as well as it was sold in my country by lidl (discontinued now)
Special beers are very famously common in Belgium and i do like a nice bottle of duvel (just pour it out very slow!)
otherwise your presentation was very informative as well as humorous. Keep up the good work!
Thanks!
I'm currently loving Moosehead Lager (amazing Canadian lager!) but Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier is a close second! I'm going to have to see if I can find that Augustiner-Brau Lagerbier Hell around Detroit. There's a store I frequent that just might have it (presuming it's even imported)!
Sehr schönes Video. Ich bevorzuge Kölsch, welches in Eurer Meinung nach in "Reagenzgläsern" gereicht wird. Ich habe aber schon einige Bayern erlebt, die sehr schwere Schlagseite bekommen haben.
😅😅😅
Thanks for the informative video I'm enjoying a wheat beer right now I'm travelling to Munich in January and wondered if had any travel tips or local knowledge
Oldenburg, Indiana (about 40 minutes west of Cincinnati on I-74) holds a Freudenfest in July every year. They offer German beer on Friday night. Christian Morhlein even brewed a special beer for them. You and Ben should check it out… it is a great time. Basically a large “beer garden” weekend.
Greetings from Oldenburg, Germany ♥️
Best beer I had while I was stationed in Germany was the beer at Kreuzberg Monastery. I went there in 1977 and still have the mug. It was so smooth and so potent. I've never had anything like it.
Belgium is famous for its variety of unique and tasty beers. I do agree that the beers of the Bavarian region and Czech Republic are the best, most drinkable and least hangover producing beers in my travels.
Augustiner-Brau!!! You could do an entire episode on the history of Augustiner and I would probably watch it three or four times. It's also my favorite!
Pilsner might have been invented in Plzen, but it was a Bavarian brewer (Josef Groll) who invented it there so it still has a German connection!