Short trip to Oshkosh

Jay

Scanned the site.

What do you recommend for good 'old fashioned' beer? I note a bunch of
their beers they mixed in other ingredients and not just used the
stark minimum of what should be used for classic.

I'll look in the local stores for the brand and if I can find your
recommendations will try and report.

Big John


On Tue, 11 Nov 2003 22:52:28 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

Is there a company that brews an 'original' German beer (like they
made in the 20's)?

Well, Big John, your quest for good beer ends he
http://www.sprecherbrewery.com/

Randy Sprecher -- a former Pabst brewmaster -- started his microbrewery in
Milwaukee, back in 1985, before microbrewing was popular. I've been
drinking it for probably 15 years, and it is the most amazing beer. Read
their history here at http://www.sprecherbrewery.com/sprhist.html .

As with all REAL beers, it contains just four ingredients: Water, hops,
barley and yeast. (No rice, please!)

Actually, an excerpt from the German Beer Purity Law of 1516 dictates the
following:

"Furthermore, we wish to emphasize that in future in all cities, markets and
in the country, the only ingredients used for the brewing of beer must be
Barley, Hops and Water. Whosoever knowingly disregards or transgresses upon
this ordinance, shall be punished by the Court authorities' confiscating
such barrels of beer, without fail."

Thus, Sprecher brews his beer that way. This not only makes it taste
better, but a side-benefit is that you can drink a fair bunch of it without
getting that horrible "Miller headache" that comes from consuming "beer"
that contains 27 chemicals, all designed to make the beer last forever.

Until a few years ago, Sprecher didn't even pasteurize the stuff, which
meant it had a shelf-life similar to milk. This was the absolute best beer,
but it didn't keep well, and it couldn't be transported -- so he now
pasteurizes it. I think it's lost a little bit of it's flavor -- but now I
can get it here in Iowa! :-)

(I used to have to fly to Milwaukee to fetch some once in a while. Along
with some good cheese, some fresh lake perch, and a couple of real Danish
kringles.)

What do you recommend for good 'old fashioned' beer? I note a bunch of
their beers they mixed in other ingredients and not just used the
stark minimum of what should be used for classic.

Well, your idea of "old-fashioned" might be different than mine. I like a
heavier, more "German" beer -- but not too chewy. Thus, I think the
Sprecher Amber is the best, and have been known to drive extraordinary
distances for it.

An aside. Didja ever notice how EVERYONE drinks "Light Beer" nowadays?
Sales of the stuff has just skyrocketed, and you see people drinking it in
ever bar you go to.

Well, whenever we'd throw a party at poolside this past summer at the inn,
we ALWAYS made sure to have a bunch of "Light Beer" on ice, too -- for those
who might prefer it. We naturally assumed it would be the "beer" of choice
for the majority, as it is in bars.

Well, guess what? When given a choice between that swill, er, I mean "Light
Beer" and REAL beer -- the "Light Beer" goes untouched. Apparently the
marketing in bars is quite effective, but -- when given a side-by-side
choice, real beer wins every time.

At the end of the season we used a whole bunch of that stuff to boil
bratwurst -- and it isn't even very good for THAT.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I'll look in the local stores for the brand and if I can find your
recommendations will try and report.

Big John


On Tue, 11 Nov 2003 22:52:28 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

Is there a company that brews an 'original' German beer (like they
made in the 20's)?

Well, Big John, your quest for good beer ends he
http://www.sprecherbrewery.com/

Randy Sprecher -- a former Pabst brewmaster -- started his microbrewery
in
Milwaukee, back in 1985, before microbrewing was popular. I've been
drinking it for probably 15 years, and it is the most amazing beer. Read
their history here at http://www.sprecherbrewery.com/sprhist.html .

As with all REAL beers, it contains just four ingredients: Water, hops,
barley and yeast. (No rice, please!)

Actually, an excerpt from the German Beer Purity Law of 1516 dictates
the
following:

"Furthermore, we wish to emphasize that in future in all cities, markets
and
in the country, the only ingredients used for the brewing of beer must be
Barley, Hops and Water. Whosoever knowingly disregards or transgresses
upon
this ordinance, shall be punished by the Court authorities' confiscating
such barrels of beer, without fail."

Thus, Sprecher brews his beer that way. This not only makes it taste
better, but a side-benefit is that you can drink a fair bunch of it
without
getting that horrible "Miller headache" that comes from consuming "beer"
that contains 27 chemicals, all designed to make the beer last forever.

Until a few years ago, Sprecher didn't even pasteurize the stuff, which
meant it had a shelf-life similar to milk. This was the absolute best
beer,
but it didn't keep well, and it couldn't be transported -- so he now
pasteurizes it. I think it's lost a little bit of it's flavor -- but now
I
can get it here in Iowa! :-)

(I used to have to fly to Milwaukee to fetch some once in a while. Along
with some good cheese, some fresh lake perch, and a couple of real Danish
kringles.)

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:MKdsb.174142$Tr4.466739@attbi_s03...
Is there a company that brews an 'original' German beer (like they
made in the 20's)?

Well, Big John, your quest for good beer ends he
http://www.sprecherbrewery.com/

Man, your killin' me. The Sprecher brewery was what I was trying to find
when I was driving through town, but I missed it somehow and ended up at
Lake Michigan. I turned south and saw some of the grandest mansions I have
ever seen. From there, I turned back into town and found Pabst.

In my neck of the woods, the brewery of choice is the Carolina Brewing
Company. They put on a tour every Saturday at 1:00 and they open the taps
for about two hours offering very good beer, usually two regular varieties
and one seasonal. One time I went, they had a tap with a big number "6" on
it. I asked what it meant, and it had a double meaning: It was their 6th
anniversary, but the beer was 6% alcohol (two pints of that and you're real
happy!) You don't even have to buy a glass, they hand them out. The place is
full of regulars that are there every Saturday. They usually sell enough
bottled beer and souvenirs to cover the costs, but more importantly, they
win converts to spread the word. I work with a whole bunch of Wisconinites
and I know where they are every Saturday at around 1:00!

-Trent
PP-ASEL

Man, your killin' me. The Sprecher brewery was what I was trying to find
when I was driving through town, but I missed it somehow and ended up at
Lake Michigan. I turned south and saw some of the grandest mansions I have
ever seen. From there, I turned back into town and found Pabst.

Well, if you were looking for their old Milwaukee brewery, that was the
problem. They outgrew that facility several years ago, and moved to
Greenfield -- a suburb just north of Milwaukee, right off I-94.

Sounds like your "home" brewery is doing it right, though. Those beer
tasting/tours are the best!

We just lost one of our local micro-breweries, "Stone City Brewing" up in
Solon, IA. (First town north of Iowa City.) They just never quite got it
together, after almost ten years of trying, and their beer never matched
the "mouth feel" of a truly good micro-brew. Flavor wasn't bad, but the
texture was wrong.

It's sad, but it's a tough market.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:MKdsb.174142$Tr4.466739@attbi_s03...

Until a few years ago, Sprecher didn't even pasteurize the stuff, which
meant it had a shelf-life similar to milk. This was the absolute best beer,
but it didn't keep well, and it couldn't be transported -- so he now
pasteurizes it.

You know, this puzzles me immensely. We home-brew, although we're
far from experts. We don't pasteurize our product before bottling
it *shudder*, yet it keeps for months. Actually we usually keep
a few bottles back to see how it ages, and it sometimes improves
with age!

So I must admit to being puzzled by the "shelf life of milk"
and "couldn't be transported" concepts.

Cheers,
Sydney

Until a few years ago, Sprecher didn't even pasteurize the stuff, which
meant it had a shelf-life similar to milk. This was the absolute best
beer,
but it didn't keep well, and it couldn't be transported -- so he now
pasteurizes it.

You know, this puzzles me immensely. We home-brew, although we're
far from experts. We don't pasteurize our product before bottling
it *shudder*, yet it keeps for months. Actually we usually keep
a few bottles back to see how it ages, and it sometimes improves
with age!

So I must admit to being puzzled by the "shelf life of milk"
and "couldn't be transported" concepts.

Interesting. The reason we were told that Sprecher was limited in their
distribution area was because they didn't pasteurize their beer. As soon as
they started pasteurizing it, voila! -- we started getting it in Iowa.

I don't have any idea how you could make beer last months. Sprecher is
dated, and -- even now, pasteurized -- it tastes pretty icky after the date
on the bottle.

They were one of the first breweries to do this by the way -- I laugh when I
see Miller doing it now, like it's a new invention! (Especially when you
can keep a case of "Genuine Draft" in your garage for years, in hot or cold
weather, chill it -- and have it taste EXACTLY the same.)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Big John wrote:

Is there a company that brews an 'original' German beer (like they
made in the 20's)? I can remember that taste back then growing up
(sipping from Dad's glass) and would love to get some with the strong
hop flavor they had.

There's a brewery in Pennsylvania that has a Bavarian brewmaster and makes a
beer that's very close in taste to the stuff they serve in Munich. I drank it
for a while after my brother and I returned from Germany. Haven't had it in
years and don't remember the name.

As I recall, it's available only in some areas of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Also costs about 150% of what a typical national brand costs.

George Patterson
If you're not part of the solution, you can make a lot of money prolonging
the problem.

Big John wrote in message . ..

Everything now is 'light' for the ladies and those who don't go out
and work with their hands year round.

Oh, no BJ don't blame it on the distaff side.

The construction and mechanic types I know are the first to
require water in a can with a small amount of beer flavor added.

Me? I drink Guiness.

Cheers,
Sydney

"Snowbird" wrote in message
om...
Big John wrote in message
. ..

Everything now is 'light' for the ladies and those who don't go out
and work with their hands year round.

Oh, no BJ don't blame it on the distaff side.

The construction and mechanic types I know are the first to
require water in a can with a small amount of beer flavor added.

Me? I drink Guiness.

I *love* Guiness. It's expensive though.

There are times when heavy beer doesn't do it for me. On a hot summer day, I
prefer crisp, American style lagers. The heavy beers don't quench my thirst
the same way and they're usually much more expensive. Now, if someone offers
me a free Guiness, I'm not going to turn it down! Thirst be damned!

-Trent
PP-ASEL