01 02 03 Best of die Wurst...: Prost! A Beginner's Guide to German Beer 04 05 15 16 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 31 32 33

Prost! A Beginner's Guide to German Beer

Talk to any German about bier, and you will quickly learn that this conversation is personal. A German's love of bier is one that runs deep and is unwavering in its loyalty and commitment. Almost every town brews its own creation and every townsperson swears that theirs is die beste. Case and point: go into any local brewery in any town and say, "Ein bier, bitte," and the bartender will not even bother to ask you which kind of bier you would like; they will simply assume you mean the local brew and grab you a glass of that.

My parents' Mannheimer stein. It's common for towns in Germany to sell steins depicting their Wasserturm, or water tower.

Growing up in Mannheim, Germany during my later elementary and middle school years, I remember standing next to my mother or father while they argued with the driver of der Bierwagen (beer truck) over the specific brews they wanted for the week. A proud Mannheimer, Eichbaum was always on my father's list. (And for those of you wondering what in the world a beverage truck is -- think of a milk or ice cream man, but for bier and soda. That's right: in Germany, the bier is delivered right to your door step and the selections are numerous. That same truck will then circle back the next week and collect all of your used bottles for recycling. Germany is basically heaven.)

Germans have been brewing bier for thousands of years. In the beginning it was ales that were most popular, though the last 500 years have seen lagers rise to take more than 2/3 of the current market share. While bier is a relatively simple beverage made of simple ingredients, it is the art of brewing that transforms the simplicity into a stein of complete perfection.

Raised in an unapologetically proud German-American household, I was raised to believe that Deutsches Bier is the only bier worth drinking. Not naming any names, but ~~my father~~ someone close to me has been known to say that Samuel Adams (an annual poll-topping American favorite) is "simply pedestrian." For any of you who have actually been offered a bier in my home, you know my fridge reflects this belief.

In honor of Oktoberfest, I am sharing my favorite German bier that can be found domestically in the United States. As true of anything imported, or brewed via a domestic distributor, it is sure not to taste as fresh and authentically as it would if pulled straight from a tap in Germany but, alas, it is the best we can do. We can't have it all.

So. . . in no particular order, here we go!

1. Weihenstephaner

Brewed in Bavaria in the world's oldest, still functioning brewery, Weihenstephaner has a number of delicious weissbier und hefeweissbier brewed in traditional Bayerisch (Bavarian) fashion. For those intimidated by the pronunciation of this bier, you are not alone! Watch this hilarious clip of Americans attempting to get it right.

2. Spaten

Another classic Bavarian brew, Spaten strictly adheres to the Reinheitsgebot, a law established in the 16th century by Duke Wilhem IV, stating that bier must only be brewed from malt, hops, and water -- ensuring the freshest of tastes.

3. Hofbrau

Very popular in the United States, Hofbrau does a nice job of bringing "Munich's character as a city of beer" to American culture. Not surprisingly, the Hofbrauhaus in Munich is a very popular destination for American tourists during Oktoberfest.

4. Franziskaner

Franziskaner is a classic Hefe-Weissbier, where flavors of cloves, oranges, and even the slightest hint of banana can pop through. Don't be mistaken though, American shandy lovers, this is not a shandy!

5. Paulaner

Paulaner makes one of my favorite Hefe-Weissbier Dunkel, which is a darker, heavier version of the traditional weissbier. Weiss actually means "white" and weissbier is characterized by its light, golden color due to the pale color of the wheat used to brew the beer. Dunkel versions are brewed with a darker wheat and deliver a heavier taste.

6. Hacker Pschorr

The Hacker-Pschorr brand was born of a marriage in the 18th century. One of Munich's most prized composers, Richard Strauss, is actually a Pschorr by relation of his mother! Try the Kellerbier variety, its my favorite.

7. Ayinger

Owned and operated by the same family since 1878, you can't go wrong with any of the Ayinger brand. Ayinger continues to win first place in multiple categories in the annual World Beer Championships (yes, this is a real thing), and there is a reason why!

8. Warsteiner

One of my favorite Pilsener varieties with a slightly tart taste to it. For anyone looking for something with a specialty flavor, Warsteiner also makes a grapefruit variety. Shandy lovers may enjoy that one!

9. Radeberger

Another Pilsener great, Radeberger is considered the original brewer of classic, German Pilseners. They are very proud of the fact that their bier is only brewed in Radeberg, Germany, a testimony to their commitment to quality control.

10. Bitburger

Bitburger Brewery Group actually includes brews from five breweries in Germany, not all of which are available in the United States. The König Pilsener is my favorite. Their motto is, "heute, ein König," which literally means, "today, a king." Gotta love that confidence!

So there you have it, a sample of mein Lieblings *domestically available* Deutsch Biere. All that is left for my fellow bier lovers to do is grab a brezel, brat, and raise their glass. That's right, folks -- a glass! Whether its a stein or any of the other varieties of glasses designed for specific brews, German bier is meant to be had from a glass. Never, ever the bottle. Grab your favorite variety and air that bier out!