This may be coming from the fact the Pilsner is my least favorite style of beer, but I think German pilsners are terrible. For one we all no the green bottle is terrible for beer. UV light ruins it quickly and I have yet to taste a single Pilsner that didn’t show that flaw.

Wow… so close to being spelled “Carolus”…
(google it, non-Belgian fans)

😀

I really like Bill. Great show.

Oh my god … now you are absolutely off …. 1) Beer more than any other beverage ( except Champagne maybe ) lives of the freshness. If you compare a fresh beer with one that has been pasteurised for long distance travell – well guess what the result will be like !! 2) Quite apparently you compare 1st class beers from the US with 3rd class beers from Europe ! Not very difficult to see the outcome of this eather 3) Comparing apples with pears will always polarize….. Take the difference between European Beers for example —- what would you prefer a top-fermented beers such as Kölsch or Weizen or would rather a bottom-fermented beer like Bock or Lager ? Would you prefer beer with CO2 like the most European Beers or would you prefer the English Beers without it …. Beers according to the German “Reinheits-Gebot” made of barley or rather the Belgian ones made of corn and/or rice ? Questions on Questions …. saddly enough you have not event touched the questions. From that point of view I am sorry to say but there is only one Shakespearen Quote I remember : More Matter – Less Art !! Try better next time !!

Great show, had the Victory collaboration when I was at the Stone 14th Anniversary couple of weeks ago. Really phenomenal stuff. Had a ticket for the “rare beer selection” and a lot of brewers are now working with different barrel types, soaking them in bourbon, whiskey, and using oak to have them age in and it was amazing how these great beers brought together so many people. At 23 I was the youngest by easily 10 years in the rare section but was able to hang with men and women who had tasted all of the same beers I had and could discuss it on a very high level. Interesting that when I talk to other beer drinkers and say I’m from the Petaluma I become an ambassador for the area and get asked about all of the beer in the area. I do the same for anyone who lives in a different region and it becomes a bonding conversation. I’m looking to open a specialty beer shop in the bay area to showcase the greatness of beer and expand the minds and pallets of beer lovers. I have started buying a lot of different stouts and porters and have them stored much like someone would do with wine. Beer is coming. Gary, become a beer expert and piggy back a trip to wine country with Lagunitas, Russian River Brewing Co, Rogue, Marin Brewing Co, Lost Coast, North Coast, and Bear Republic. You will not be disappointed.

Randall where in northern california are you from? You have some good deep knowledge. I really would love to get your thoughts on Ballist Point’s “Victory at Sea” or the Green Flash IPA. I just spent around 9 months in san diego and was entrenched in good beer.

Looooooong time lurker Gary, like from under episode 100. Also way more educated of a beer fan than a wine fan. I had to come out for this one and show some Victory love. Went to school in philly and fell in love, great memories.

In response to your question of locality and the quality of Victory beer: Two things: Very unfair to Pilsner Urquell and Paulaner, especially Pilsner Urquell. Next time you’re in the czech Republic, give it another try, completely different experience. It does not hold up during travel. I love it and get it all the time and am always a bit disappointed.

SAME THING with Victory’s Prima Pils, one of my favorite all-time beers. NOT the same on the west coast (I’m in SF). It just doesn’t make the trip. Not sure if this is just a reality or poor distribution. Bill, thank you so much for getting your delicious, delicious beer out here, I love it, but it does not represent you to the fullest on the West coast.

Sorry it took me years to finally post a comment Gary. I usually watch at the gym, nothing personal. Thanks for all your good work, keep it up! Also, if you want to get more into the beer world, come check out the Boonville Beer Festival hosted by Anderson Valley or Mammoth. Best beer events in the US.

QOTD: I’m only 27, so I can’t really compare trajectories of wine/beer worlds in America. I do know that just as I was really getting into craft beers in college (01-05) things seemed to start to explode. Suddenly when I went home to Rochester NY, Victory, Saranac, Otter Creek, full sail, all these NE craft brews started showing up in the super market, then the gas station.
Thanks guys, great episode!

Very good show. I was interested in your comments on Pilsner Urquell. I’ve had a fair amount of this beer over the years, and I have to agree. Strangely, I think this was a much better beer back in the bad old days of East European communism, when I first had it. After 1989 it seemed to go downhill badly. It’s better than that now, but still does not seem to be as good as during the iron curtain days.

North Coast is great, and Rogue is classic. Just had their Daddy’s little helper malt beer, not that big of a fan. But over all they are great.

trying that one this w/e…

American craft beer is beyond the 1978 point in American wine-making. I truly believe there is more amazing beer coming out of the US (mostly from a handful of states) than is put out by the rest of the world combined. There’s more innovation, there’s more risk-taking, there’s more diversity. New Glarus, Bell’s, Founders, Dogfish Head, Kuhnhenn’s, Victory, Stone, Three Floyds, and many more put out beer that is on par if not beyond some of the finest breweries in Europe and beyond.

Great 2 parter. Enjoying a Ballast Point Sculpin IPA at the moment. American Craft beer is def on the rise. How it compares to US wine in the late 70’s early 80’s I’m not sure. At the time was a student and drinking a lot of Cali Zins, simply because I couldn’t afford French wine. Wasn’t aware of the power struggle at the time.

Hey Gary, I’ve been a fan and lurker for two years, and with this episode I felt I needed to break my silence. I love the beer shows, because, hey, I’m a beer geek. I have wine from time to time, but I gravitate much more to beer. I needed to throw in my two cents because of the question you asked Bill about some of the best beers in the world. While this is of course somewhat of an opinion question, the majority of people’s thoughts would lead to different answers than what you got on the show. I’ve never heard anyone bring up St. Bernardus Tripel when speaking about the best beers in the world. Websites such as BeerAdvocate and RateBeer are rating websites that list the highest rated beers according to many peoples’ ratings (check them out). Some notable beers that are always brought up in this discussion are: Deschutes The Abyss, Russian River Pliny the Elder (and Pliny the Younger), most of Russian Rivers’ sours, Three Floyds’ Dark Lord (almost all of their beers are excellent, too), Portsmouth Kate the Great, Surly Darkness, Alesmith Speedway Stout (and Barrel Aged Speedway…in addition to almost all of their other beers), Trappist Westvleteren 12, Founders Kentucky Breakfast (many of Founders’ beers are fantastic as well), Bells Hopslam, Cantillon Blabaer (among other Cantillon beers), any number of beers from Lost Abbey/Port Brewing, Smuttynose Brewing, etc. etc. These are just some of many. Unfortunately, many of the specific beers I mentioned are very small production, and in some cases only sold one day a year at the brewery, with only a couple of hundred bottles available (usually with a small limit of bottles per person allowed). Those special beers aside, beers from all of the breweries I mentioned should be tried if the opportunity presents, as they are some of the best in the world. Beer in the U.S. hasn’t gotten the credit it deserves yet, but in time it will. Its funny you mention beers complexity is underrated, because beer actually can be more complex than wine (and honestly this is not a shot at wine at all, its just the truth, and I believe Garret Oliver touched upon this in the Brooklyn Brewery episode). The breadth and variety of ingredients, yeast strains (and bacteria), brewing processes and methods, aging methods (which includes stainless, barrel, used barrel, etc.), water, etc. that can be used and combined are so wide. The possibilities when making beer are so wide open. The range of aroma and flavors you can attain with beer are huge. (I’m a homebrewer).

Gary (and whoever else hasn’t delved much into the craft beer scene), I encourage you to try more beer and expand your palate, its an amazing world!

Super impressive episode @garyvee. Loved it. Although I love wine way more as a specialty beverage, I can see beer in America doing the same thing to Euro beer then the Napa Gods did to the French. A fierce passion to excellence can only further our love for this amazing product.
One of the questions I have for Bill is: Is the Imported beer exaclty the same then the Euro originals? I often am underwhelmed by German beer I buy off the shelf here and am wondering if its not just freshness but also recipe standards that might make a difference.

OMG, GV. Reading the responses. Are most just YES men/women here? I love your show but will tell you what when i think the show sucks, which doesn’t happen alot. As i mentioned before, I’m a bit upset that you brought out a new 5 minute format for wine, then follow through with an hour of beer. No Thunder for me.

Russian River is the real deal Gary. I could go either way on Elder, but I love Blind Pig, it’s a lot more subtle and balanced. I’ve only had their other stuff a couple times, so I don’t have much to say about that.

If you want trendy, I’d say Ninkasi which happens to be based in my home town. Their beer is solid, but not fantastic. However, it has spread quickly through Oregon and it’s probably at the forefront of bringing real craft beer (not Widmer Hef….blah) to the northwest right now.

By the way, a lot of green glassed beer i.e. Heineken is light struck on purpose. Can’t say if Urquell is, but some are.

I repped Paulaner- and well over 100 top world beers (mainly Belgians) – throught the early and mid ’90’s. Paulaner Oktoberfest was purported for many of the recent years, to be the number one in the world. I don’t know what that means, anymopre/sometimes. Everyone wants to say it- even when their product is all about market share, and not necessarily about quality.

MEAD!! Do it!

QOTD: I have never had beer. I did bring some Brooklyn Beer up from Illinois for a friend so I could enjoy it by proxy.

YIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!1
:oD

Love their Imp. stout! At Lagunitas they have had some AWE insiring brews on tap. Like the bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout, then there was the same beer but w/ raspberries added (not over the top, just adding a deeper flavor profile) that almost caused a massive cardiac arrest when it danced on my palate, and a bourbon barrel aged “Gnarleywine” that actually separated my face from my skull, then melted it without mercy!!
Good luck in your ventures.

p.s. Did I mention that I liked the bourbon barrel aged beers in the taproom at Lagunitas…
p.p.s. Kilt Lifter is actually from his sister brewery, Moylan’s. 🙂

I think the question of “best beer in the world” is a really tough one but something worth talking about. The better question is the one Gary asked about what beer currently was holding Bill’s attention…since Gary wouldnt let him say the Saison du Buff, I will say it. I had this beer last week and it was amazing. It was a refreshing beer with this herbal/spiciness that kept changing as the flavors sat on my tongue. A really cool beer.

Long time lurker, first time poster. I am a beer geek at heart and really just getting into the wine world (thanks for all the great lessons). Regarding Utopias: I have a bottle. Pricey, but truly amazing stuff. As a beer geek, I had to try it! GV, you should definitely try this stuff (you’re a balla, right?). It drinks much more like an after dinner drink (port, brandy, etc) than beer. It is ~ 27% ABV and still (not carbonated). Anyone that likes dessert wines will love it.

QOTD: I do believe craft beer will continue to gain popularity and take market share away from the giants (AB, Miller, Coors). However, and with no disrespect, I think the wine world does not appreciate how big the craft beer world is right now. For example, I recently heard that there are more breweries in America now than before Prohibition! The Great American Beer Fest will be held in a few weeks in Denver, CO. Over 40,000 people attending and already SOLD OUT! Garrett Oliver is somewhat of an unknown in this forum, but truly a legend in the beer world (great episode btw). Clearly, this is not a movement in its infancy. I have no idea how to find out the answer to this, but I would suspect that more people in America drink “craft beers” than “craft wine”. Keep in mind, most people in this country think a $30 bottle of wine is expensive and only for special occasions. Most are drinking $10-15 bottles of wine regularly. Maybe I’m way off base here, but my feeling is that this forum is late to the beer craze in this country. Having said this, I could be totally FOS.

If you mean YES to broadening our taste horizons, YES to expanding our palates and YES to different things. Then absolutely! A lot of YES people here.

Are there episodes that I don’t like? Sure, but my “this sucks!” episode might be your “this rocks!” episode. So why say it “sucks” when it’s just not for you?

There are 909 other episodes that might bring the thunder for you! 🙂

Was it my imagination or did he just call us out? Then again, how can I argue with the country that created the 2 greatest words in the English language. “Beer garden” ;P

I keep hearing about this Pliny the Elder. I think some investigation must be in order. 🙂