Do Americans know beer?

Question

I know, I know, but ever tasted Weissen Bier (fresh, German, glasses a foot tall) or Belgian white beer? Or Guinness even? Or is it all just Bud, Millers and exported pish you drink? I really am curious.

And if you did what was it like?

Answer 1

Hells yeah! We're old friends! We go way back, beer and I. It's a real love relationship!

Answer 2

Many Americans refuse to drink the watery mass-produced beers and stick to quality imports or "microbrews" (locally brewed for a small market) whenever possible. I've consumed Weissen, Belgian White, and many a Guinness as well as many other imports and micros, and enjoyed most of them, though I'm not overly fond of wheat-based beers (too bitter for my taste), fruity beers, or anything with the words "Lite" or "Ice" on the label.

But y'know, sometimes when you're hot, sweating and thirsty after mowing the lawn a cold Budweiser can really hit the spot, lol!

Answer 3

Clearly, unless you drink under a rock, the American palate for more "craft" beers has been rapidly developing for the past two decades.

"Real Ale" has yet to arrive here in any significant way, of course. And pale lagers still represent the majority of beer sold. But Americans in MOST things tend to favor "more" over "better", and beers and ales of craft status are often demanding flavorful and heavy in comparison to Bud, Coors and Miller.

In many ways, the stubborn prejudice toward light, relatively tasteless brews is reflective of a culture that treats "beer" as a means to an end, rather than as a taste-and-texture experience all it's own.

And frankly, when I'm drinking to get drunk, even Sam Adams has too much "hoppy" bite and occupies too much of my stomach too fast to be comfortable OR effective.

This is not to hand the moral high ground to England, Germany or Eastern/Northern Europe as a whole. They're all about getting sh!tfaced, too. Maybe even more than Americans. Lager Louts the lot of 'em. But the heft and tang of their brews is something they've gotten used to from an early age. And BTW...

the trendiest bars in Prague, London and even Moscow all feature Budweiser. The trendiest of the trendy, in London anyway, even offer (proudly) Rolling Rock.

Only prissy elitists insist on paying the premium for imported delicacies that are, in their home port, the local equivalent of Bud or Blue Ribbon. And besides...

"Schafer is the One Beer to have when You've having More Than One." (Possibly the greatest jingle ever in American advertising).

Most true beer drinkers I know have NEVER had "one" in the lives.

That's just what they tell their wives when they show up late, and somewhat wobbly, for dinner.

;-)

Answer 4

My favorite is Sam Adams. I also like Sea Dog Pale India Ale and other microbrewery beers. Bud, Miller, etc. taste watered-down to me. Whenever I go to a bar, I get the specialty beer that is on tap because it has the best flavour. I do not like cider, though, and I am not especially fond of really dark beers, either. I went to an Irish pub in Salem, MA with a group of co-horts and could have sat there all day, downing pints, but we had other things planned, so I limited myself to two.

Answer 5

I got an Old Chicago World Beer Tour card. I used to get a different one every time I ordered, I have tasted 98 beers from 70 countries. I can't remember the names of all of them, but some I didn't like, some I did.
Old Chicago is the name of the place, in case anyone want's to try!

Answer 6

I have tried all of those - I don't really dig beers with a lot of "flavor" if it gives the desired effect, the closer to water it taste is fine by me.

That and if you drink a few every day the calories in some of those heavier beers can really add up - they do with the lighter ones too, just not quite that fast.

I do like some imports though Worstiener is good - I know spelling's off oh well. amstell light - some others.

Answer 7

Yes in fact before probation American beers were thought to be the best in world you should try Pete's Wicked brews and a lot of other American micro brews are good just shy away from Sam Adams over hyped poop. I love Guinness just getting a pint poured right and the glass not cold in the problem

Answer 8

You underestimate us Americans. Judge us not by our shite mass-produced piss-water pap.

Personally, my favorite variety of beer is Belgian white ale. Pyramid Brewery makes a great one only available at its brewpubs. I also really love fruit lambics. I suppose you can say I am a big fan of Belgian beers.

But moreso than that, I am a big fan of nanobrewing. Microbrews are still too mass-produced for me. I prefer the homespun flavor of a good basement-brewed stout -- something with good malt and chocolate character. I also like homemade hefeweizens and lighter ales (but not pale ales, they're too hoppy). In general, I like a beer with a foamy head, pleasant color and sweet cereal flavor.

So don't think us all to be can-swilling philistines. Some of us do drink beer with discriminating tastes.

Answer 9

Good question, I ws fortunate enough to have tasted some really good beers. Blue Moon is made by the miller brewing company and it is excellent. It is a Beligan white. Harps and Becks are also very great.

Answer 10

I worked in a pub in Oregon that featured over 23 different beers,(some local, others not but not one of them a domestic beer.) I made Snakebites all the time, and drank a few myself...okay more than a few, but that's another question.
And finally, if American's don't know beer you can count on them always willing to accept invitations in which to meet them.Ahem.

Answer 11

No Americans do not know GOOD beer! I've been to the heinken brewery and the Guinness Brewery, sooo good!! And for the German beers, they taste great and are cheap.