Recommend for me a European beer

June 24, 2015 1:22 PM

I've tried many types of American craft brews. Now recommend for me some mainland European beers.

I've tried all the mass-market Europeans -- Heineken, Stella, etc. I've been all over Great Britain and Ireland, too. But I'm completely lacking in knowledge of smaller, obscure-ish beers from places such as Belgium, Germany and the Czech Republic.

I dislike IPAs and anything overly hoppy. If it's IBU 30 or over, I'll probably pass. unless you think it's really, really worth a shot.

Assume I have access to large grocery stores, Whole Foods and BevMo.

Hit me with your best.

posted by Cool Papa Bell to Food & Drink (27 answers total)

Polish beers Żywiec, Okocim, and Tyskie aren't exactly obscure, they're in that sort of middle ground where they're way less widespread than the majors but you'll likely be able to find them at a given Whole Foods. They're good, solid beers (I prefer Okocim). Not hoppy.
posted by everybody had matching towels at 1:35 PM on June 24, 2015 [2 favorites]

My favorite beer from Germany, and also my first askme question, is Köstritzer Schwarzbier.

From Denmark- Mikkeler does in fact often have good things, and a quick search shows Bevmo does carry them sometimes.
posted by nat at 1:38 PM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]

Weihenstephaner's hefeweissen (sorry if spelled wrong, can't check it right now) is delicious. I think they sell it at Whole Foods. I don't like really hoppy beers either.
posted by bananana at 1:42 PM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]

Southern Germany:
Andechser from the Andechs Abbey brewery. More easily available: Löwenbräu or Spaten, but they're both pretty middle-of-the-road commercial beers.

Northern Germany: beware of the hops.

Belgium. I mean BELGIUM! There are thousands of beers there to be explored, it's really only a matter of grabbing whichever bottle you get, and taking notes. You won't find much that's overly hoppy there. If availability is an issue, try whichever Trappisten your store carries, and Duvel. Beware of the cheaper cherry beers, they have artificial cherry taste (not so the real real ones, which can be great).

Holland: Hertog Jan and the Gulpener brewery offer some reasonable beers. No idea about availability, though. A better big-market alternative to Heineken is Grolsch.
posted by Namlit at 1:44 PM on June 24, 2015 [2 favorites]

My husband is a big fan of all beers Belgian (slideshow). I like Pilsner Urquell.
posted by Ideefixe at 1:45 PM on June 24, 2015

And if you're looking at getting into Belgians (and of course you are because St. Bernardus Abt 12 exists), it's worth getting a goblet/tulip glass or two. Fussy beer nerd, yes, but it actually does make a difference in flavor.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 1:47 PM on June 24, 2015

I am a pretty big fan of continental beers. My favorites are doppelbocks (heavy, dark, malty lagers that usually end in -ator, especially Paulaner's Salvator and Ayinger's Celebrator), weizenbocks (Weihenstephaner Vitus, Schneider Aventinus), Czech pilsners (Krusovice is my favorite), and Belgian abbey ales, be it Pale Ale, Tripel, Dubbel, Quadrupel, whatever (brewers include Orval, Corsendonk, Chimay, La Trappe, Maredsous, Duvel).
posted by mkb at 1:49 PM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]

BELGIUM.
Whole Foods might have a decent selection. I blank on a lot of the names that I are familiar if I'm browsing a shelf. I'm partial to La Chouffe, La Trappe, Affligem, Westmalle. They tend to be a little bit pricey. On the cheaper end, Duvel is okay (it's kind of pilsner-y), Leffe is a cheaper and very quaffable version, Chimay has a decent selection for starters (and is available everywhere).

Belgian beers tend to be strong, very flavorful, slightly spiced and citrusy. There tend to be browns (nutty) and blonds, in dubbel (double), tripel, and even some quadrupels. This refers to the number of fermentations it goes through, I think. drinking belgian beer is a bit more like drinking wine than drinking american beer. it's got a lot of alcohol, it's meant to be tasted and savored a bit.
posted by entropone at 1:54 PM on June 24, 2015

I think my tastes are similar to yours. Some of the Belgian beers can be too strong for my taste, although I do have fond memories of drinking Corsendonk. I used to drink Leffe all the time.

Also, for some variety, and since it hasn't been mentioned, I really like Stiegl Radler, which is a grapefruit radler, or shandy.
posted by teponaztli at 2:03 PM on June 24, 2015

In the summer time I loves me some good German zwickls.

If you can find them, Bayreuther Aktien Zwickl or Stiegl Paracelsus Zwickl are worth the effort.

On preview, everything Stiegl does is excellent. The grapefruit radler is IMO the best radler/shandy on the market.
posted by JoeZydeco at 2:12 PM on June 24, 2015

You should consider literally any German Oktoberfest or Maerzen beer. Seriously, all the ones they import into the US are good, and microbrewed American "Oktoberfest" beers, while they typically end up a nice amber color, are all over the map in terms of what style they actually end up being.

For example Paulaner, HB, and Spaten all make good ones and are relatively easy to find in the US at least in the fall (and at least one of them, I think it's Paulaner, tends to be available year-round). Ayinger is amazing and a bit tougher to find, but they've had it at TJ's for the past couple falls. If you can find Ayinger, also try thier dunkelbier ("dark beer," but a lager specifically; not really like brown ales, porters, etc.)

On review, BevMo seems to have most of these plus a Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest that's probably good. There is also a Beck's Oktoberfest, but getting Bavarian lagers from Bremen is obviously ridiculous so skip that one (only sort of kidding).
posted by Joey Buttafoucault at 2:16 PM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]

I'm in the camp that there really aren't *that* many imported options on the German side, so you might as well try everything that comes in a single bottle. (Six packs are less interesting.) Most aren't more than $4 or $5. Maybe avoid anything with "rauch" on the label, unless you like smokey beers.

Polish beers, same idea, although they tend to be a bit cheaper.

Belgium: good luck. Maybe try to narrow down a style you like (tripel, quad, etc.) and go from there?
posted by smackfu at 2:30 PM on June 24, 2015

You also have to decide if you want to do new craft brewers or classics. Can't go wrong either way. It's an overly broad generalization but the Europeans tend to be more balanced, have less rs (ex styles that are supposed to have some), and wear their abv's better than us craft guys.

Again overbroad generalization and all that.

Mikkeller is great. The Italian craft guys are great. I had rhubarb gose from freitgheist that was fantastic the other day.
posted by JPD at 2:53 PM on June 24, 2015

There are a lot of good suggestions here for Belgians, but one style I don't see mentioned is the Flanders red (they're sour). Duchesse de Bourgogne and Rodenbach are two delicious examples that should be relatively available. There's also a bunch of saisons from Belgium, but there's a million US-made saisons too which aren't that different IMO.

I also am partial to the German gose style of beer, which has some spices and salt (!) in it. I haven't had much luck finding goses actually from Germany here, but there's some American breweries making that style of beer (e.g., Almanac's Golden Gate Gose)
posted by aubilenon at 2:54 PM on June 24, 2015

God damn tap rodenbach is good. Umami + sour.
posted by JPD at 2:58 PM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]

Any Kölsch is probably a good bet for you. (I'd say Kölsch-style if we were talking US-brewed beers, but if it's imported from Germany and says Kölsch on the label, then it was indeed brewed in or around Cologne.) Super drinkable and real easy on the hops. Sünner is the German-made one I see most often.

+1s for Duchesse and Rodenbach. Kasteel Rouge is pretty nice too iirc, with more of a juicy cherry flavor.

Keep an eye out for Altbier also. Off the top of my head I only know American-brewed ones but they're reliably really nice, they lean dark and malty.
posted by clavicle at 3:02 PM on June 24, 2015

In the Netherlands, De Molen, Jopen, 't IJ, and Emelisse are some of the major craft brewers. I know that a friend was able to get De Molen beers in Colorado, and I wouldn't be surprised if you can find Jopen beers in the US.

De Molen's Hel & Verdoemenis (Hell & Damnation) is a must-try Russian Imperial Stout, especially if you can find a barrel-aged one. Jopen does an annual beer called Meesterstuk; it's a different style each year, but I think 2015's is also a Russian Imperial Stout. Another good non-IPa Jopen beer is Ongelovige Thomas (Doubting Thomas). 't IJ's white beer has won awards.

From Belgium, Delirium Tremens is an interesting strong ale that has won a lot of awards.
posted by neushoorn at 3:08 PM on June 24, 2015 [2 favorites]

I really enjoy Ayinger's beer, as well as Pinkus. Both are German breweries, and I think most, or even all, of their offerings would be to your taste.
posted by mollweide at 3:21 PM on June 24, 2015

It's probably too big to be called "craft" beer but if you can find Pilsner Urquell on tap (a rare thing in the US) it is pretty damn good. (Avoid six packs with those damn green bottles, which are almost guaranteed to be skunked.)
posted by usonian at 4:34 PM on June 24, 2015

My all time favorite Euro beer is Baladin Nora. It's a fantastic spiced beer from Italy. Not hoppy, bitter or sour, just delicious.
posted by Requiax at 4:58 PM on June 24, 2015

I tried Trooper Ale for the novelty of drinking a beer endorsed by Iron Maiden lead singer Bruce Dickinson. I kept drinking it because it is damn good. Not overly hoppy either.
posted by COD at 6:28 PM on June 24, 2015

Belgium is definitely where it is at between Witbier, Strong Ales, Dubbels, Tripels, Sours and Saisons there are so many to choose from. Keeping in mind that there is enough latitude in the Saison category that it might trip your "this is too bitter for me" sensor. Some Belgiums I've really enjoyed:

Duchesse de Bourgogne - As others have mentioned this is a sour beer that has lovely tartness. I think this is only sold in 750ml bottles but is pretty wildly available here (Ohio) on draft so you could experience this at a bar.
Tripel Karmeliet - A lovely Tripel that is smooth and slightly floral.
Maudite - A Dubble (but made in Quebec so consider it extremely eastern Belgium)...speaking of which the brewery Unibroue makes all sorts of lovely Belgian style beers.
Trappistes Rochefort 10 - A quadruple and very high in alcohol but you'd never notice it because it is very smooth.
Trappistes Rochefort 8 - Strong Dark Ale
Chimay Blue - Strong Dark Ale
Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien Sherry Barrel - A sour aged in Sherry Barrels. Speaking of which, most beers that you see that are barrel aged tend to smooth out the hop bitterness and adds a touch of sweetness. That can help your rubric on beers to try
Petrus Aged Red - Another Sour
Cuvee Des Jacobin Rouge - You guessed it, sour
Piraat - Strong Ale
St Stefanus Blonde - Blonde Ale
Gulden Draak - Strong Ale
Rodenbach Grand Cru - Sour
St. Bernardus Abt 12 - Belgian Quad


Also on the maltier end of the spectrum is Scottish Ales. I don't have a Scottish Scottish Ale suggestion but I do have some American versions that I can highly recommend. Birra Moretti La Rossa is an Italian Doppelbock and is really hits the spot (and I find most of the mainstream Italian beers not great).

I do like Mikkeller and they have an immense variety of beers but keep in mind that some of is made in America so it technically violates your criteria. Despite being a stickler for the rules of your question, I think you should definitely seek out American examples of these styles. The best way is to go to a good craft beer bar and taste beers that conform to the styles above that are known to be generally pleasing to your palate. This is where I will also share that IBUs by themselves is a poor indicator of how bitter you will perceive the beer. The IBU number is only measuring the compounds that cause bitterness not the overall bitterness of the beer. The presents of other ingredients either amplify or nullify the hop bitterness. While a high IBU IPA is undoubtedly bitter tasting, a high IBU Stout might only have a hint of bitter.
posted by mmascolino at 6:28 PM on June 24, 2015 [2 favorites]

Beer reccos in a forum like this are very noisy. Different people have different levels of experience, plus, of course, different taste. There are "great" beers that you'd strongly dislike (tastes differ!). Plus, availability - even of imported beers - varies very widely by state or even county.

What I'd suggest is that you try some classic examples in different styles, based on advice from someone really up on the topic, not a random crowd. As you try examples of different styles, you'll get a sense of what you like, and you can narrow down and explore variations on themes (lots of the reccos above are rather extreme variations, and you really ought to start more basically). Before you know it, you'll have escape velocity, so to speak, and be able to gauge what's worth trying yourself.

If you have a Bevmo near you, the way is clear. There is at least one beer geek working there who will be happy to start you on your way, who will track your preferences, and also know what's actually available.

This isn't a cop-out. I'm actually exactly that guy, myself. I've taken several beer tasting trips to Belgium and Germany, have tried most of the craft brewers around the country, and have written professionally about beer for decades. But if I told you a few beers to try, that'd be of limited usefulness. You need to build a steady relationship with someone who can guide you through, and custom tailor reccos to your prefs and budget and local availability. A beer geek at Bevmo would be ideal. You're lucky. Use the great resource (and PM me if you have questions they can't answer).
posted by Quisp Lover at 7:09 PM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]

Weltenburger Kloster Barock Dunkel is one of my all-time favourite beers. I've only ever had it on tap, though.
posted by kmennie at 7:52 PM on June 24, 2015

I basically agree with Quisp Lover's comment. I would also encourage you to think in terms of styles and not geographical regions. Heineken has a lot more in common with Thai lagers like Singha and Chang than it does with De Molen's Bloed, Zweet & Tranen. This is especially important because a lot of good styles don't age particularly well, so you will often do better to buy a good American rendition of a style than an "authentic" European version. Also, a lot of traditional styles have more or less died out in their countries of origin, and have been revived by U.S. brewers (with varying degrees of fidelity to the original style).

All of that said, the question asks for European beer suggestions, so here are a few.

1. Gueuze (also spelled geuze) is one of the most distinctive styles of beer in the world. Boon is a good mainstream brewer of the style, and it makes several variations. Harder to get, but excellent, are gueuzes from Cantillon and 3 Fonteinen. These are sipping beers, and their funky, sour character is not for everyone, but the style is incredibly complex and flavorful. It also ages for years, so freshness is not an issue.

2. Others have mentioned Flanders red ales, and I think that's an excellent suggestion. In my opinion Rodenbach Grand Cru is the best of the readily available varieties, but it's hard to go wrong. Rodenbach is also relatively economical for a great sour beer.

3. Gose and Berliner weisse are traditional German styles that nearly died out but have been revived in recent years. (Gose is not to be confused with gueuze .) These are both sour beers, but unlike the ones I've listed above, they are light and refreshing, good for a hot summer day, and they can be consumed in quantity. They would typically be in the 3-4% ABV range.

This goes back to my starting point, though. Gose and Berliner weisse beers are brewed in Germany, but not in large quantities, and only a few German brands are available here. Bayerischer Bahnhof is a good brewer of both styles, and you can sometimes find Professor Fritz Briem 1809 Berliner Weisse beer (though this beer is, contrary to tradition, brewed with a hefeweizen yeast).

But your best bet is to check out American breweries that brew these styles. On the East coast, Westbrook makes a good gose. In your neck of the woods, I believe Cascade is known for its goses. (But in my experience Cascade charges an arm and a leg for its beers, unfortunately.)

And while we're venturing further and further from the original question... you should check out Crooked Stave, which is a Colorado brewery that brews a lot of 100% brettanomyces (wild yeast) beers. This is a relatively new development in brewing, since until (relatively) recently it would have been impossible to isolate pure cultures of brettanomyces. But now I've completely abandoned any pretense of sticking to European beers/beer styles, and so I will stop.
posted by sudo intellectual at 9:27 PM on June 24, 2015

Get a selection of Belgian lambic beers! I avoid the ones with fruit flavours, but the plain lambics are awesome - sour beers with great variety. Serve cold.
posted by monocultured at 2:28 AM on June 25, 2015

Before the current fad for IPA, the standard for beer was pilsner, especially Pilsner.
posted by SemiSalt at 6:17 AM on June 25, 2015