Why do Americans suck at making beer?

Question

Im talking about beers from the United States here. Ive recently done 100 beers from around the world in 20 days and the only one from America that was half decent was Budweiser, and it was nothing special. On the other hand, go south of the border and down a magnitude in living standards and wealth, El Salvador makes better beer than you!?!
Brazil aswell, not to mention, as im sure you all know, Mexico makes a decent brew.

The Chzech do make great beer, and drink the most per capita too, but lets focus on the question here.

"technical difficult..." i think you need to calm down a bit. There is a general concensus that American beer is not as good a lot of other beers out there. And of course im talking about export and mass produced beers. Microbreweries and hame made beer is fantastic, i have 2 brews on the go as it is. And i know that you no doubt have some fine beers over there, but export beer is what the world see's of your beer, and that is what the question is aimed at. Its not an insult unless you see it that way. You admit your export beer isnt the greatest standard, thats what im talking about.
I had to pose the question more generally.

I reccomend you have a beer to cool down....

Answer 1

I think most of you are missing the point. When he said 'Americans', he was talking about the United States in general. To defend it by mentioning microbreweries is pointless. Microbreweries in every country produce better beers than their export variety.
Australia has the most awarded microbrewery in the world, but most people overseas will judge it on Fosters alone.
I'm an Aussie, i know that Fosters is by far not our best beer, I'm a Carlton Draught man, but i wouldn't say to people to try Aussie beer from a microbrewery because it doesn't reflect the brewing style of our country or culture.
The problem with American beer was caused by Prohibition back in the 30's i think. Most of the breweries closed down, a few stayed on making roots beers, soft drinks and other non alcoholic things. After prohibition was over WW2 buggered up the beer industry again due to rationing etc. The breweries focused on making generic tasting simple beers.
This is why these days the Americans are still behind in the beer making world. Though they do have fantastic microbreweries, these cant be used to define a whole country anymore than the top citizens of a country can define its population.

Carlton Draught rocks!!

Oh, and by the way, Ive tried Samuel Adams beer, and it was awful......

Answer 2

you're talking mass manufactured and exported.

and what you mentioned is not considered beer... budweiser is just water with alcohol, it's for bulb heads who need to get drunk and cry in their beer.

IF you even bothered you would have discovered the world of microbrewery, house breweries and did any home brewing yourself you would have not mentioned anything about p.is.s poor export and mass produced beers at all.

of course that comes from people who rather just sit around insulting others not basing anything and having no experience.

if you would have tried some actual beer then you wouldn't have to look like a jack as.s. and go on like an arrogant slag and merely mentioned mass production crap.

which isn't beer and doesn't count as expertise.

sorry.

100 beers? 20 days? well you're not an expert, sorry. a mere 100 beers in even lesser days makes you a nothing.

study it further and make your own and actually go to small breweries and house breweries, microbreweries and independants for 30 years THEN come back and be all "knowing and wise"

then we'll take you seriously.

sorry but it's the truth.

it's too easy to just speak and insult way early in the game, try to supress that urge and continue on your quest but don't be insulting it doesn't help.

you could actually do this for a living and get paid... and critique but you got to drop the 'tood' and the lack of knowlege on the subject.

come back in 5 more years and then get a site up telling us and showing us what you know, drank and where to get it for our own sampling.

and have your visitors participate too.

and drop the arrogance, no one will play along if you keep it up.

do the jackson thing, i'm sure he's in need of a compliant and studious side kick?

he's been doing it for years... go here:

(if you haven't already)


http://www.beerhunter.com/

:D

Answer 3

American microbreweries make some of the best beer in the world. Rogue, dogfish head, victory, brooklyn, flying dog, sierra nevada, goose island, I could go on. They make superb versions of recognised beer styles as well as inventing whole new styles. They work with a passion for their craft and don't scrimp of quality, I suggest before making a sweeping statement like "Why do Americans suck at making beer?", you do a litle research.

And bud isn't half decent - its pretty fücking shut!

For the record - I'm not American, I'm English and am very proud of our status as the best brewers of real ale in the world, but I just felt that the poor old yanks needed a little defending on this one.

Answer 4

Budweiser! Is this a joke? The is one of the worst American beers, along with Coors & Miller. You should try Amstel or Sam Adams, better yet - come to Colorado and try all of the Microbrews (locally made). Yes Mexico does make great beer but be careful; you might get diarrhea. LOL

Answer 5

Once again somebody comparing Bud to any beer just shows one thing ,you don't know beer.If you like import beers in a green or clear bottle you like "skunky" beer as light is very bad on beer.I can find any style of beer made on the planet made equal to or better by Americans at my local beer store.Real American beer is not mass produced swill hyped up by mass marketing.So go drink your swill I will brew my own beer and drink the best beers from around the world and quite a few are made in the USA.El Salvador,Brazil,Mexico better beer I think not..

Answer 6

I mostly agree about U.S. beer in general being not as good as other countries, but I'm not much of a beer drinker anyway. However, Budweiser is half decent? I don't claim to be an expert, but Budweiser isn't really known as the best beer anywhere...

Answer 7

We start our babies on Budweiser so they know a bad beer when they see it, they not have to drink it. Most of the Good Beer Americans make you will never taste, because it does not go to stores, it goes to friends.

Answer 8

Ever hear of micro brews.....for example, Karl Strauss. Almost every city in every state have brew houses
They make the best beers....IPA's, Heifenweizens, etc.
Get out of the grocery store and go to a brew house.
They usually have great food too.
Oh, and just to say it again, they are located all over the good ole USA ,

Answer 9

I think alot of it comes from taste you develop when you younger.

Other than that I would say it could be because you like a fuller, drier beer. American beers are usually alot lighter and smoother, thus the invention of the 40 oz., something rarely seen outside the US. I find it alot harder to drink two Heinkens than two Coors.

Answer 10

Prohibition in the 1920's killed the beer making industry in America.