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I only drink lager so I can't really comment on how good the ale's and stouts are in the U.S compared to around the world. But i'd take a Tennents lager from Scotland over anything I can get in the U.S
Yes, because of the variety, which is surprisingly extremely limited in Europe.
I can't find Belgian beer on tap in Germany, and can't find Heffeweizen in Belgium, but I can find both in the USA.
This.
Go to Germany and walk into an average bar.
You will be offered a light, a dark, and a wheat.
Don't get me wrong, there are few things better than palming a liter of Helles on a warm day in a beer garden in Munich. Having a child is one thing that is better and that might be it.
It's just, I don't always want to drink that.
Want a great porter at the average bar in Munich? Good luck.
You can now go to cities like Omaha and Des Moines, and get very good or great porters, as well as very good or great lagers.
20 years ago, the answer to this question was an absolute "no."
Now, I think it might be "yes."
I will put most Stone beers up against any beer made in Europe, except for a couple of great Belgian ales that are so good they are probably the result of a deal with with the Devil.
I think that Europe, particularly Belgium, Has a few beers that beat anything that I have had yet in America. That being said, I think that The States have Europe beat in the breadth of quality offerings. The beer culture here is also in more of an adolescent stage. In the end I think that I have to go with The States. While still a bit behind in the culture of beer, we are catching up in that department. In every city there is at least one microbrewery trying new things and selling good products. Also, there is more risk taking and adventure in American beer right now compared to the more stodgy and tried and true beers of Europe.
As others have said, I think the breadth of the selection in the US now is unbeatable, although I confess I'm biased towards Czech beers.
I lived in the Czech Republic, and every pub had fantastic regional selections, but usually just pilsner and Czech dark beer, i.e. the national specialties; I hear this is changing a bit now.
It's similar to European food: you can get a great cheese in x, a great ham in y, but the same regional-centric process that produced such fantastic individual products sometimes limits their distribution.
As others have said, I think the breadth of the selection in the US now is unbeatable, although I confess I'm biased towards Czech beers.
I'll second that and just as quickly argue that Europe and North America aren't the only brewers of note in the world. There are some pretty damned good beers in Asia, South America, and let's not forget brews from the African continent.
As others have said, I think the breadth of the selection in the US now is unbeatable, although I confess I'm biased towards Czech beers.
I lived in the Czech Republic, and every pub had fantastic regional selections, but usually just pilsner and Czech dark beer, i.e. the national specialties; I hear this is changing a bit now.
It's similar to European food: you can get a great cheese in x, a great ham in y, but the same regional-centric process that produced such fantastic individual products sometimes limits their distribution.
Well having part Czech ancestry I would of course second that (yah I'm a bit biased). What a world of difference between Czech Budweiser (it's named Czechvar in the states) and its American namesake. I've noticed there seems to be a bit of a trend in craft brewed Pilsners too. Maybe for those that haven't ruined their palates yet by drinking too many double ipa palate wreckers (I know the feeling).
Last edited by biggunsmallbrains; 06-24-2013 at 01:33 PM..
Not even close. I'd say that honor goes to Belgium with The Netherlands and Ireland a close second.
Come on now. You can make a decent case against the USA having the best brew (although I still think we do) but you can't make a case against us not even be close. That's not even close to a good argument.
And you don't have to take my word for it. Just look at the top 250 beers from beer advocate. A majority are American brews.
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