German beer has been popular across the globe for quite some time now. For tourists coming into Germany, many are ecstatic about trying out their local beer. Whether it is for their Oktoberfest or some other event, locals and tourists alike look forward to sampling the products of German breweries. If you won’t be in Germany anytime soon, worry not as German beer is one of the most imported in the world, with its constantly high demand.
But what exactly is so special about German beer that makes it so popular? Read below to find out.
1. They Have A Rich History
German breweries date back to around 800 years ago. Unlike new breweries wherein many additives, flavors, and new changes are made when it comes to the practice of brewing, German breweries are more traditional, with the objective of making German beer in its purest and most authentic form. If you are a beer enthusiast, you know the drill: water, hops, and malt are all you need. German breweries have to abide by the Reinheitsgebot, or the German Beer Purity Law that has been established way back, wherein they are forbidden to go beyond the basics. As its name suggests, German breweries still have to abide by their history and tradition to keep the flavor of their beer as raw and pure as it should be.
2. They Have Perfected Their Beer-Making Skills
With the German beer law in place, breweries have perfected their beer-crafting skills. While some are of the opinion that this law limits the practice of beer-making for German breweries, it has actually driven them to further hone their craft in beer-making as the limitations imposed were for the primary purpose of making authentic German beer. And this is essentially what sets them apart from the breweries of other countries. While new and up-and-coming breweries from other nations are busy trying to craft new flavors or find new changes, the Germans have stuck to the basics. Because there is minimal leeway for them to experiment on other flavors, they have instead studied how to craft and maintain perfect beer within their fundamental limits.
This perfection has also been passed on to other crafters across the globe, like Adams Street Brewery.
3. They Make Well-Balanced Beer
In relation to the second point, another of the most pressing reasons why German breweries have become so popular is that they always produce well-balanced beer. If you take a trip down Germany, or if you have German friends, you would know that they do love their beer. Whether it is in a party, or while simply relaxing, beer has become a most enjoyed beverage, and for good reason.
Because of their long-standing tradition to keep to the basics of beer-making, the beers that are produced are usually very crisp, clean, and authentic. This well-balanced beverage rarely induces any negative after-tastes that may be common in beers that have too much sugar or flavor. In its purest form, beer can be smooth on the mouth (and on the belly) without burning you! This is what German beer promises to give, thanks to the German Beer Purity Law.
As it is very well-balanced, German beer has also been used my many in cooking. Here’s a sample recipe of Beer and Garlic Grilled chicken:
Ingredients:
- 1 11 oz bottle dark German beer
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 large cloves of garlic minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3-4 pounds of chicken, can be breast or thighs
Steps:
- Place chicken in a bowl, add in the marinade ingredients and coat the chicken thoroughly. Leave the chicken in the fridge for 12 to 36 hours. Let it rest in the refrigerator for 12-36 hours.
- When it’s time to cook, let the chicken thaw on the counter for 30 minutes to an hour prior. While doing so, preheat the grill, and set to medium heat. Cook the chicken for 6 minutes on each side. Increase the heat a little bit after, and cook for 4 more minutes on each side.
- Plate to serve with your favorite side-dishes.
4. They Create A Variety Of Beer
Despite the German Beer Purity Law, and the limitations that German breweries have to adhere to, they still managed to create a variety of beer. What sets this apart from the rest of the world is that despite the wide range, these breweries, again, haven’t forgotten the basics. Hence, they create their beer within the limits set by German law, which has preserved their authenticity for centuries. The wide variety of beer produced by German breweries is enough to compete against all others across the globe, retaining their title as one of the best in the world.
Examples of the variety of beer that German breweries have created include:
- Pale beers are essentially the type of beers that have caught the world by storm after the Germans and Czechs migrated to the United States and other countries. For instance, breweries across the United States and the Chicago loop brewery area have even adapted the German style in their own techniques.
- Wheat beers give its drinkers a different taste of beer, with hints of white yeast and clove in your drink.
- Dark beers, on the other hand, are high in malt and low in hops. This type of beer is one of the most popular, especially in countries across the globe that has cold winters.
Conclusion
When tradition and laws have been preserved for hundreds of years, it is no surprise that products that will be created under this practice are going to be in their purest form. In more recent times, beer has been used for many other purposes, too, such as cooking and marinating. Despite numerous upgrades and changes, German breweries prove that adhering to centuries of practice in their craft, especially family brewing secrets that may have been handed down for generations, are precisely what make German beers enjoyable. For them, there’s no school like old school, and the Germans stuck with the basics: water, malt, and hop.
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