According to a german government report released last tuesday, the amount of beer sold in Germany fell to the lowest since 1993- dropping 2.7% last year to 22 billion pints. For last years decline the German Brewers Assn. blamed a rainy summer, noting that foul weather dampens the mood for lifting a stein on a summer evening.
For the country's remaining beer drinkers there's more scary news: Beer is getting more expensive! 74 cent's more per case, the outrage, the shame.
Germany trails now the Czech Republic for the top spot in per capita consumption. The Fatherland is falling apart. Eckhart we must take charge.
This a good time to volunteer. International solidarity is mandatory.
I can't do it all by myself.
Submitted by painteur on Tue, 02/05/2008 - 7:26pm
Drink up!!!!
#1 Tue, 02/05/2008 - 8:32pm
Indeed, a dramatic situaltion.
Clearly the governement is using counterintelligence against its own to further demoralize the German spirit.
Never has it been known that weather could have any influence on beer consumption.
Beer is priceless.
Statistics from Czech Republic, impossible: the Czech Republic is flooded by Russian big spenders and those demand vodka as we all know.
United Nations - what for ? European common market - uh ? No, I say, back to the Hofbraeu Haus.
Mulus - they have great sandwiches there, too. Of course, they go very well with the beer.
#2 Tue, 02/05/2008 - 8:32pm
I dont know what the fuss is, everyone knows Canadians make the best beer.right?
#3 Tue, 02/05/2008 - 9:18pm
Maybe it's not the best in the world, but where ever I may find myself, "HINANO" tastes like home...
#4 Tue, 02/05/2008 - 11:57pm
let's be honest canadian beer, hinano you name it, all of them were started by some german who left the Fatherland to share the skill of brewing with the world.
#5 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 4:55am
But to give credit where credit is due, the Sumerians were brewing beer 3800 years ago. They were some drinking sons-of-bi*ches.
But when not indulged in miserably-failed world conquering endeavors, the Germans did a hell of a job of perfecting it.
#6 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 5:52am
Aye, the Germans had it down; influence some impressionable young folk the road to pure bliss is through total devotion to religion, convince them that their bliss is even stronger if they fast, and then tell them that no more than 5 liters consumption of beer per day is a legal form of fasting. Then give them all the time they need in between praying to brew their beer. They could even make some money if they brewed more than they could drink as long as their brew was better than the next town over...
It's no wonder they made damn sure their beer tasted good.
#7 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 6:39am
my fondest memory is of catholic monks in the monastery of Andechs close to Munich, tapping barrels of fresh beer at 10 am wearing large leather aprons over their even larger bellys.
Combined with fresh bread, home made cheese and salted radishes served in the court yard of the monastery it felt like heaven. After my 3rd liter I was communicating eloquently with Jesus. He shut me off though when I was inquiring too loud about Mary.
#8 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 7:28am
The main ingredient to beer is water and we have the best ...
Canadian EH
#9 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 10:39am
An assembly of true experts - all of the above is true.
The original drink that preceeded beer long a go was called Met, a thicker, more honey like brew.
One of the longest celebrations is said to have taken place after Quintus Varus lost his legions in the Teutoburger Wald; but I think that was just one of many.
#10 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 10:48am
Hey keizo, it's time to start a new website... OCBrewer.
#11 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 1:32pm
Eckhart, are you referring to mead?
BTW, what ever happended to Primo beer?
#12 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 1:47pm
I think Primo was brewed by Olympia, and when it went down, so did Primo.
#13 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 3:15pm
Correction, Primo sales started to fall after it started being brewed on the mainland in 1979. Schlitz was the last owner of the operation and the last Primo was brewed in1998, although I can't remember seeing it on the shelves since the early eighties.
#14 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 3:25pm
google translation
learn what you missed during your honey moon and what you should have been doing:
Met
The Met was the national drink of trinkfrohen Teutons, and was in their songs and legends glorified. At that time, the honey bee, in the huge forests of Germany masse happens, simply diluted with water and won by the fermentation much to taste.
After the Romans but the vine was introduced in Germany, was the Met slowly through the much köstlicheren squeezed grape wine. The Metsieder or Metbrauer had not yet had the necessary skills to produce mead, the wine grape in the taste isto.
The Thirty Years' War, the German beekeeping completely destroyed and so was the Metbrauern soil withdrawn. Soon thereafter, the brewing of beer from barley and hops a rapid recovery, the Met fell into oblivion. Only in the nineteenth century were attempts made to the Met in Germany again to bring honor, but unfortunately without much success.
Even today by the Met natives Abessiniens, Gallas, and Massais South African negro tribes very happy drunk. Even the old Met Scandinavians appreciated the extraordinary. At weddings were often 30 days Met drunk, and because of this drink, honey came, called today on the marriage next month as a "honey moon".
Interesting, needs a correction: vine never replaced met or beer ..
#15 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 7:56pm
I have to bring up some very important points/background info: among them, foam on the beer.
A a well done glas of beer has a crown of foam that extends above the upper rim of that glas; the glass is by the way, quite thin walled, just slightly thicker than a vine glass.
The foam collapses with time but certainly not before yo have taken your first drink.
The beer itself has to go exactly to a marker line, usually 0.2 liters for a 'small one' or 0.4 liters for a 'large'. It is perfectly all right to return a beer when the foam is collapsed, or when the beer is clearly either below or above the line. You ask for and will get 'a fresh one'.
It also has to be noted that you rarely drink a beer that you have paid for yourself: beer is ordered in 'rounds', that means one person calls the patron for the next round of beer; if you don't want any, you have to decline, which will lead to heavy protests and encouragement 'just another one'; it usually ends with everybody accepting just another one.
Days when you have to pay for your own beer are miserable days.
This happy social interaction ends when the beer is empty, the colleagues at work really can't wait any longer, or the patron claims that there is a law that forces him to close at a certain hour.
The latter means that you have to change location, again under protest, but that can easily be done. Of course you won't go back to such a place.
Work and private life are stricltly separated in Germany, maybe for above reasons; either you are at work or you are not. At work, don't even think of taking a coffee break, private conversations or something like that; but every day at 4:30 pm a mini vacation starts until the next morning, you are free, every weekend is yours entirely.
#16 Wed, 02/06/2008 - 8:18pm
What is the world coming to? The next thing we'll hear is that there will no longer be a "beerman" to make weekly deliveries of beer right to their doorstep.
#17 Thu, 02/07/2008 - 5:57pm
i was actually thinking about a business like that...but figured there are too many hoops to jump through to get licensed for it.
everyone would love the beerman!
#18 Thu, 02/07/2008 - 7:47pm
Bier her Bier her, oder ich fall um!
#19 Fri, 02/08/2008 - 5:59am
It's time for a revival of the beerman and the milkman.
#20 Fri, 02/08/2008 - 4:12pm
st. pauli milk girl
#21 Fri, 02/08/2008 - 4:35pm
Besides the obvious, what are some good german beers that you might find in the U.S.?
#22 Fri, 02/08/2008 - 5:35pm
My favorite but hard to find Koenig Pilsner, Bitburg Pils and perhaps a Spaten Pils. I'm biased apparently toward Pilsner beer. It's the one that takes the traditional 7 minutes to pour if on tap and builds a solid head of at least an inch above the rim. Properly enjoyed as Eckhart points out in a small thin walled stemmed glass. Small glasses keep it fresh. The art of guesstimating how much the patrons as individuals drink and to keep them vigorously supplied while staying within the 7 minute rule is not to be underestimated and directly proportionate to the success and profitability of the establishment of said Biervergnuegen. (that's 43 words in one sentence)
Small glasses more glasses!
#23 Fri, 02/08/2008 - 6:09pm
Did I mention that heady fizzle in one nose when it's buried in a head of foam.
Shoot I just drooled on my keyboard.
#24 Fri, 02/08/2008 - 6:13pm
During the long Warshingtun winters I'm inclined towards scottish style ales and the occasional Guinness draught. Heinekens, Becks, and St. Pauli were always the beers of choice for regatta season back in the day on O'ahu(Green Club=Green Bottles). Nowday, they probably have a vitamin water or something.
#25 Fri, 02/08/2008 - 6:38pm
Bitburger can be bought at Safeway. I mention it, because even thought it is exported, it is still brewed according to the mentioned purity rules, that is no additives whatsoever.
Coors was a German brewer, the beer comes pretty close to the originals.
Becks is allright, not quite as wellrounded as the BItburger in my opinion.
There are many good beers, from all over the world. Belgium has a huge tradition of home brewed beers, some are excellent.
The German Pilsener beers, short 'a Pils, please', are unmatched elsewhere.
Just like the surf is unmatched in Hawaii.
#26 Fri, 02/08/2008 - 7:47pm
Koening Pilsener is from the Rhineland, I think Duesseldorf.
Spaten Braeu is from Bavaria, close to Munich
Bitburger is a Northern Beer, from Bitburg; small town not too far from Cologne.
A little cultural background:
'Freibier' - free beer for all - is what makes the difference in public events; sports events, community celebrations, political events.
A meeting with Freibier will likely get the general nod of well meaning approval.
Another tradition, probably extinguished by now is 'Klassenfahrt Brauereibesichtigung'. Translated fieldtrip to the local brewery.
My class was 9th or 10th grade. You visit those huge breweries, everything is explained. The trip ends with cold plates and plenty of cold beers. They serve very fatty cold plates to avoid 'adverse' effects. It's was a famous field trip pupil looked forward to. Once completed, you felt adult - hmm.
also famous are local community celebrations, for example fire department. A tent is erected, brass music is playing, a 'beer breakfast' is being called and with very fatty food, ballroom dancing farmer's style and of course Freibier, the entire morning is happily wasted.
Probably close to extinction; honestly worth a trip to Europe, it is a very special athmosphere, like a small Octoberfest, but much better.
Life brass music by your local fire department - terrific.
These traditional celebrations are still alive on the country side. Since we have lost two wars last century the media prefer propaganda in that department.
Yet, if you think Germany, it would be better to think ' beer fest in the tent of the fire department'; that comes much closer to the German mentality and what is really going on over there.
Just a little background for the paddler that drinks an occasional beer ... :)
#27 Fri, 02/08/2008 - 8:21pm
Eckhart, painteur, if the ideal vessel for beer is the thin walled glass, then why does the classic stein feature thick clay walls w/ a pewter cap? I never liked the taste of metal in beer...
#28 Fri, 02/08/2008 - 8:11pm
The classic stein is call 'Krug', which means something like can or so. It is madeout of clay, with lid or without, but can also be made out of glass, with lid or without.
The clay ones, with metal lid, are from the first half of last century.
All these are used mainly in Southern Germany, which is Bavaria. The beer there is thinner, less alcohol content, and the volume per serving is much higher, at least half a gallon I think.
The third type of beer glass is called 'Stiefel', translated boot. It is an actual boot made out of glass, content about 1/2 gallon, which is drunken in a group, the Stiefel changing hands clockwise.
The key to Stiefel beer drinking is that the tip of the boot has to point towards the cieling. This can have the effect, that a sudden rush of beer spills over your face, when an air bubble enters the tip of the boot. There are ways to avoid that, but not often successful.
The one that has this happen is responsible to order the next 'Stiefel'.
#29 Fri, 02/08/2008 - 8:37pm
Can we rename this thread into good news now ?
#30 Fri, 02/08/2008 - 8:42pm
Here is my last beer posting. It's a review of the beer brewing monks which I mentioned before.
EAT
I have been to the Andechs on more than one occasion and I must say that the Swine Schweinshaxe (Pork hocks) are very tasty. They are slowly roasted in a stone oven until the skin is very crispy and most of the fat is melted. They are made from pigs raised at the monastery and they are fed the grain and hops used in the beer making giving the pork a very unique flavour that must be sampled at all costs. You can bring your own food in as well to add to the already large selection as most of the locals do. Your dog is also welcome and they are treated equally as well. The food is available in a smorgasbord style and you can pick out your favourite hunk of pig from the selection.
Drink
It is fair to say that most "pilgrims" these days come for a spirited experience, rather than a spiritual one. Bavaria is full of baroque churches, but Andechs is famous for its outstanding brewery. The monks of Andechs have been brewing beer for more than a thousand years. They have indeed perfected the art: among the locals the beer is rated as one of the best in all of Bavaria, thus possibly in the world. In the monastery's Schankstube (think pub, not restaurant) it is drawn directly from huge, oaken barrels and is just incomparibly smoother than the carbon-pressurized stuff you might normally be served, and incomparably fresher than what you could get out of an exported bottle. Beer neither stores well nor transports well. If you like beer at all, here you can taste it at the source, and what a difference!. Enjoy either the light or the dark beer; tasting both might be a challenge since it is served in the traditional well-filled 1 Liter steins and the Spezial (special) or Doppelbock (double buck goat) are quite strong. The pretzels are the large kind that is typical of Bavarian beer-gardens, big as a plate, with a thin crust and a soft, bready interior, perfect with a large, white, thin-sliced radish, generously sprinkled with coarse salt. This would be your afternoon snack - outside, in the sun, or under the arched ceiling inside, this place breathes the spirit of old Bavaria like few other (and certainly few of those that are frequented by foreigners). Prost, Herr Nachbar !
I was born in Bavaria.
#31 Sat, 02/09/2008 - 2:15pm
This place you speak of painteur, I must go there...
#32 Sat, 02/09/2008 - 2:44pm
Since this post will probably expire soon I thought I would throw my 3 cents in on German beer. In 1972 I went to the Olympics in Munich ( as a guest not a participant ). We were touring Europe in a Volkswagen camper so we had many opportunities to get wasted in the pubs and then stagger outside to the camper. I thought I was a well seasoned beer consumer who could hold my own until we hit the beer gardens in Munich. Honestly the beer tasted so good you would lose track of how many you had. And the best part was never feeling sick, no headache, no hangover. Unfortunately we had to leave Munich when all the shooting started since we were staying in the Olympic village and everything got crazy. But the beer was absolutely the best and if I could get a recipe I would try to home brew it.
#33 Sat, 02/09/2008 - 2:54pm
http://wikitravel.org/en/Kloster_Andechs
bring some laotion.
#34 Sat, 02/09/2008 - 3:04pm
Best Post Ever, painteur.
#35 Sat, 02/09/2008 - 3:44pm
Hey Tommy I was in 1972 in Munich. I had travelled with friends, ran out of money and back then you could get day jobs through student services. One of the jobs was hawking olympic postage stamps on the Olympic grounds, and the next day it was with a plumbing company to deliver some toilets to brother plumber at the monastery. After the delivery he gave us 2 coupons each for a liter and that was like 10 am.
Liquid tip, what a concept!
#36 Sat, 02/09/2008 - 5:06pm
Ok, one more from me, too:
Eisbock = 'ice bock'
A beer with a very high alcohol content, 11.5 %; this is done by freezing the beer and thus extracting water.
As far as I know the periphery of the barrel is frozen and the concentrated beer is taken form the middle.
Bock refers to the content of 'Stammwuerze', usually triple of the alcohol content.
'Stammwuerze' are malt derivatives that are measured before gisting.
It will come as no surprise that drinking liquids does not count as an interruption of religious fasting ...
Tommy, you are right, no headaches etc., quite surprising actually. Beer is generally considered part of a meal, 'liquid bread', rather than an alcoholic drink.
#37 Sun, 02/10/2008 - 9:29am
Great stories. According to wiki, Germany is still third in beer consumption. So there's hope.
#38 Sun, 02/10/2008 - 8:02am
I am new to beer. Can someone tell me which one is fastest. I paddle in the SF bay area. Does the brand matter as far as which one is better for bay chop. Any feelings about Chinese made beer. Are German beer drinkers outsourcing to China...and if so, will they be more accessible/cheaper?. Is the quality worse in the Chinese made beers? I heard that a maker in Hawaii was going to start making beer in China and calling the beer the same as American made beer...any thoughts?
Also what bottle opener should i be using to open my beer? I want a bottle opener that won't mess up my shoulder, but I can't decide between a carbon, wood, or hybrid. Thanks in advance.
Josh
#39 Sun, 02/10/2008 - 8:44am
Yeah, and every other town or village seemed to have a brewery. I've done a bunch of volksmarsch, and the hikes through the countryside were cool, but the beer tent and polka band at the end...
#40 Sun, 02/10/2008 - 8:50am
The fastest beer is not from China, but from Prague, Ceck Republik.
It is manufactured in the old city at 'Flecko's', and no where else in the world.
Due to reduced CO2 content the friction drag is dramatically reduced; especially in warm conditions and in big waves this one goes really fast.
Speeds up to about 1/4 gallon in 2-3 seconds, 1/2 gallon in about 6 - 8 seconds and 1 galloon in 15 - 20 seconds are not unusual.
To master this beer frequent practice is required.
#41 Sun, 02/10/2008 - 9:40am