Hey it's Kalista and Alex we were just listening to your podcast and drinking buttweiser and we like our buttweiser. And we love blue moon, we had fun hanging out with you guys at music fest. Love the website. -Alex and Kalista

Hey guys,

Nice to hear rick live in the studio instead of on the skype. On Schlenkerla, I think the beer is very good for adding smoke flavor to marinades and for braising bratwursts and whitewursts. Aside from that, I have a hard time drinking it. I would much rather have a Spezial Rauch Lager (http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/913/2960)
It has a very balance smoke character and reminds me of a very nice scotch. The Marzens, Urbocks and weizen are too much in your face.

You guys have mentioned me when talking about Germany and the Rheinheitsgebot and how I slam it now and then. There is a reason and I am going to try to explain that to you today.

Reason 1: The rest of the world is going through a beer revolution and sales are increasing exponentially in the craft beer market. In Germany, the same 12 styles are still being produce with no new or innovative styles being pursued or developed. New beer development is non-existent the last new beer I have seen was a Red beer. Even Michael Jackson commented that the lack of innovation may effect the German export market in the near future.

Reason 2: Quality is suffering. The major concern in Germany at the moment is exporting and creating a cost-effective product that can be afforded in the largest amount of markets. Therefore, we are seeing more breweries using extracts, cheaper grains, and cutting corners. I recently had a Bellheimer export that tasted like a cardboard box. That taste continued for almost a month... THE PRODUCT WAS NOT PULLED AFTER IT WAS IDENTIFIED AS DEFECTIVE. Bitburger pils now officially tastes like dishwasher detergent and vegetables, and a Tannenzapfel that I recently had was buttery.

Reason 3: Brewpubs and sales of beer in general are decreasing at an alarming rate. In most brewpubs you have a choice between light or dark lager. Gone are the times of the special beer of the month because the small brewers got tired of being fined for not following the Rheinheitsgebot to the T. Quite a while ago I was at a pub that had a rye beer on tap and the brewmaster told me they had been fined because he used unmalted rye instead of malted. Later I found out the fine was so high, he had enough and sold out.

Reason 4: Beer mixes. The new trend is beer mixes. Cherry soda and beer, cola-beer, red bull beer, and every possible combination. But you cannot put a cherry in the fermenter. Our version of the megaswill is flooding the market with drinks that are focused on children, and pull the young consumer farther away from the breweries in their region. A culture is dying and not being passed on because the quality of the product is not enough to attract new consumers.

Reason 5: The Rheinheitsgebot was a child of Bavaria and did not effect the rest of Germany until 1910. On that date, hundreds of old styles died and will never come back. Gruit, Gose, fruit and a number of other styles are gone, never to be revived because of a law that was bartered as a consumer protection for unification. The purity law was originally in place so that food would not be used in drinks, and technically wheat beer would not be allowed, but they changed the wording to malts. The whole reason for this was that Germany was in a constant state of war and needed to protect the food supplies. The law is not needed anymore and does not increase or affect quality. Even the current styles do not reflect their originals before the unification.

I have lived in Germany for a total of 13 years, 91-97, and 2000 to present, and I have noticed a big difference in taste and quality and my time here has been only a little while. I am afraid that the «Land of Beer» will become the «Land of blasé».

That is my reason and I am sticking to it.

Take care,
Kirk

Is it me, or does Kirk leave the most awesome comments? Man, this guy thinks things through.

Sure was great to hear Rick in studio again. Welcome back!!! JeffreyT is the MAN! What an awesome gift of beer love he laid on you dudes. I've been collecting the vertical epics for a couple of years, but never got a chance to drink the 03.03.03 so this was really great to hear. What a teaser too. Can't wait to hear the show for Memphis in May.

So anyway, Oprah's gay? I'd heard these rumors before, but always wanted to not believe them. Not because I have a thing for Oprah, but because JESUS I don't want to picture that in my mind. That's foul. Gayle's kind of attractive, but there's nothing about Oprah that does anything for me. Girl-on-girl love is supposed to be hot, like in the movies. Where are those stories? Jessica Beil and Jessica Alba - there's a match for you. Take that dream team for a drive.

Your German language lessons make me yearn for the days of Gonso. The kid taught me a lot, especially about what good beer's supposed to taste like. I still don't understand Kirk's genuine disdain for the Reinheinsgebot, but he's living in it so I think he knows quite a bit that we don't.

Mmmmm, Jessica's , I am all for that! Phil, I am not one to mince words, I say pretty much what I mean, and will change my mind only when there is prevailing evidence that I am full of shit. I truly believe that the RHG is killing Germany's beer export. But, as they say the proof is in the results, watch the exports in the next 5 years.

Viel spass, ich wunsch euch nur das beste!

Kirk