tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post2771338592660935253..comments2024-03-09T00:31:10.190-05:00Comments on Seen Through a Glass: U.S. drinkers continue to walk away from import beersLew Brysonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-37829335105210672732009-09-27T09:30:27.762-04:002009-09-27T09:30:27.762-04:00I'm late to the conversation, but regarding Be...I'm late to the conversation, but regarding Belgian import shipments being down, remember that it's just one month, and shipments come over the sea and are given to wild shifts in warehouse inventory. YTD Belgian imports are still up. Stella is slowing down, but still doing very well, even when most draft beers are dying on the vine as on-premise sales dry up.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09623969614297838062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-83528605301173292009-09-16T19:30:48.411-04:002009-09-16T19:30:48.411-04:00I agree with Mr. Fuchs, imports were a nice change...I agree with Mr. Fuchs, imports were a nice change vs. domestic beers 15-20 years ago, but many american beers are better and a better value in my opinion. Beers like Yuengling, Saranac are better and cheaper and a lot of craft beers are similarly priced but a superior product in terms of look, body, taste etc.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-61703921319314326882009-09-15T11:18:55.440-04:002009-09-15T11:18:55.440-04:00"you need to try Victory's Braumeister se...<i>"you need to try Victory's Braumeister series of varietal, keller pilsners"</i><br /><br />I wish I could, but Victory only distributes their every-day beers to the Midwest.<br /><br />I have had their Maibock, and while good -- it still didn't carry that malt richness I always (until recently) found in the Bavarian beers.<br /><br />I note that your description focuses on the Victory hop character too, something I addressed above in that the hop character of American Pils' never seems to suffer, but the malt character always comes out more grainy or nutty, not sweet and bread-crusty like the Bavarian brands.Stevenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10585545034172431563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-90883860792125272972009-09-15T09:40:25.286-04:002009-09-15T09:40:25.286-04:00Steven, you need to try Victory's Braumeister ...Steven, you need to try Victory's Braumeister series of varietal, keller pilsners. Brewed with whole flower German hops by a brewery dedicated to true flavorful German beers. Just recently on tap was Hersbrucker Hop pilsner....unusually fruity and chewie brew. My favorite Tetnang-Tetnang is now in the house....spicy with that lovely bone-dry finish. Hope you have an opportunity to give them a try.Richardnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-64414464095245947312009-09-15T09:16:42.061-04:002009-09-15T09:16:42.061-04:00"And helles."
I think they suffer from ...<i>"And helles."</i><br /><br />I think they suffer from the same troubles as American Oktoberfest -- different malts and no decoction mashing.<br /><br />Hops in Pilsners and alcohol in Bocks hide the same fault, but mask it with pleasant alternatives.Stevenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10585545034172431563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-45398713668207592522009-09-15T08:38:53.540-04:002009-09-15T08:38:53.540-04:00And helles. That seems to be a problem, too.And helles. That seems to be a problem, too.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-37737788793950743762009-09-15T08:28:22.842-04:002009-09-15T08:28:22.842-04:00Funny headline to see the day after I treated myse...Funny headline to see the day after I treated myself and bought 5 .5l imports yesterday. No, not Corona, Heineken, or Molson.<br /><br />To Bryce's comment about superior US craft beer counterparts to imported styles, I'd agree -- right up to Oktoberfest Märzen. I've yet to find a micro that has matched the rich maltiness produced by the Bavarian breweries. Yes, even from Mr. Fuch's brewery. They're good, but they fall short in my eyes.Stevenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10585545034172431563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-74150516624842256992009-09-14T21:10:02.924-04:002009-09-14T21:10:02.924-04:00How about Pabsts Blue Ribbon or Keystone Light for...How about Pabsts Blue Ribbon or Keystone Light for that matter and this is going to kill me to say Lionshead might be the best beer for the money in the entire state,its a shame the rest of their beer all taste the same..Its the recession and people on their extended unemployment benefits who are going for the cheaper beers and are putting the imports down.A one percentage drop in imports would equate to an additional 355,000 case increase in keystone,natty,and highlife on the books in Penna..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-35373636582664089152009-09-14T18:21:32.880-04:002009-09-14T18:21:32.880-04:00why someone would drink a big name import lager ov...why someone would drink a big name import lager over a brooklyn lager or sam adams lager baffles me .Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-50628134767840667672009-09-14T16:45:53.335-04:002009-09-14T16:45:53.335-04:00I love the "mule in racing silks" take. ...I love the "mule in racing silks" take. It's what I've thought for damn near ever.<br /><br />Corona or Genesee? I'll take the Genny every time.sam knoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-84194037853838283892009-09-14T16:03:11.987-04:002009-09-14T16:03:11.987-04:00I am definitely part of that target group that is,...I am definitely part of that target group that is, old timers who conk out after a couple of those monsters they are brewing nowadaysjpnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-33486273387032271312009-09-14T14:35:57.659-04:002009-09-14T14:35:57.659-04:00JP, I think you'd have to aim at a completely ...JP, I think you'd have to aim at a completely different audience, much like Full Sail did with Session Lager.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-84294404519489569362009-09-14T14:28:02.611-04:002009-09-14T14:28:02.611-04:00bagreed would like to see this as well a push towa...bagreed would like to see this as well a push towards lagers like pils and helles koelsch and such would be a welcome respite from all the extrmeme beer jazz. Tuffer then it sounds though it is harder to standout in the crowd as not easy to give individual charecter to more dielicate beer without messing up the balance.JPnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-45004290795898548632009-09-14T11:16:19.319-04:002009-09-14T11:16:19.319-04:00True, Lew. Sometimes I have trouble crawling out ...True, Lew. Sometimes I have trouble crawling out of my beer geek mentality.Brycehttp://beer.about.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-24832417807018752972009-09-14T11:12:07.456-04:002009-09-14T11:12:07.456-04:00Indeed, Stephen; hence the word 'claims.' ...Indeed, Stephen; hence the word 'claims.' Seems weird to me, too.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-90295849317758032322009-09-14T11:10:17.996-04:002009-09-14T11:10:17.996-04:00I don't think so on the Amstel/Bud exchange. T...I don't think so on the Amstel/Bud exchange. The person who's drinking Amstel -- or any of the imported light lagers -- is often what marketers call an 'aspirational drinker.' They're drinking the brand because it sets them apart, and the higher price only reinforces that. Bud Light doesn't set anyone apart. Drinking a craft beer that's a different color clearly sets you apart...and they may find out they actually like the flavor. Some people really do drink more expensive beer just because it costs more, studies have proved this over and over. <br /><br />As for pilsneresque beers, I think there's an equal or bigger shot for kölschesque and hellesesque beers. I think there's a huge opportunity for craft brewers there.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-31506736745121171682009-09-14T11:09:15.452-04:002009-09-14T11:09:15.452-04:00I've got to wonder about InBud's claim abo...I've got to wonder about InBud's claim about Stella, assuming, of course, that the BI's numbers concerning Belgian beer imports are correct. Because the vast majority of Belgian beer imported to the US has to be Stella, meaning that if sales of it are indeed up, then sales of everything else would have to be way down. <br /><br />Even if Stella only accounted for 50% of Belgian beer sales in the US, and I'd bet it's much more, that would mean all other Belgian beers are down 30%! For me, that simply doesn't compute.Stephen Beaumonthttp://worldofbeer.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-195270881638437052009-09-14T11:06:06.161-04:002009-09-14T11:06:06.161-04:00What BBD is talking about -- and so am I -- is the...What BBD is talking about -- and so am I -- is the big lager imports: Corona, Heineken, Molson/Labatt, Beck's, St. Pauli, and suchlike. Not sure how the likes of Guinness and Newcastle are doing, and the 'specialty' imports have never had a budget to speak of for marketing. <br /><br />But I didn't mean for any of what I talked about here to apply to specialty imports that go head-to-head with craft types, because I think the market forces that apply there -- other than currency exchange -- are completely different.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-5277199284122735842009-09-14T11:03:57.901-04:002009-09-14T11:03:57.901-04:00I see this more as a sign that the Amstel Drinkers...I see this more as a sign that the Amstel Drinkers of 2007 have become the Bud Light Drinkers of 2009. <br /><br />In reality Bud Light has much more in common with Amstel than Amstel does with a Russian Imperial Stout. Still, Craft beer needs to aggressively brew/market all malt, Pilsner style beers if they want to compete with the imports and domestics that are most popular.<br /><br />We beer geeks sometimes forget that Pilsner-esque beers have been the most lucrative and popular beers for well over a century. Unless these bubbly yellow things stop tasting great with everything the trend will continue.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-49766926558515649622009-09-14T11:01:25.345-04:002009-09-14T11:01:25.345-04:00There are some decent imports out there but for ev...There are some decent imports out there but for every style it seems that there is a superior US craft beer available. I'm sure that that has more do with what's imported than the quality of brewing overseas. Beers tend to have to be watered down and made completely inoffensive - read flavorless - before the money will come for increased marketing and distribution.Brycehttp://beer.about.comnoreply@blogger.com