Is (Imported) German Beer Better in Cans?

Call me crazy, but recently, I have been having great success buying German beer in cans rather than bottles. All my life, I have preferred draft beer, bottled beer, then canned beer in that order.

I don't know what the reason is, but it seems the canned versions of German beers I have bought in the US taste closer to the real thing than the bottled or draft varieties in stores or restaurants. True, the 5-liter kegs are good, but you need to consume them quickly before they start to go stale. I guess they are better for parties. I should know this, but perhaps, the pasteurization-preservative requirement for imported beer in the US has been loosened for cans.

The first time I was pleasantly surprised was with Bitburger in cans a few years ago. I am particularly excited about the Veltins Brewery Grevensteiner Land Bier pictured above. I also currently have a few cans of Paulaner in my fridge. It is pretty good, but I definitely prefer the Grevensteiner.

All in all, the above beers have a smooth, clean taste and a frothy head like I expect in Germany.

Next time you are shopping for German beer, give them a try.

Grüner Bier Lives!

Back in the 1960s when I was a GI in Erlangen, there was a local beer I really enjoyed. It was  Grüner, a brewery located in nearby  Fürth. next to Nuremberg. This beer was featured at at least one restaurant in Erlangen, Koenig Otto (which is now a hotel).

Eventually, Grüner was bought out (with many other local breweries) by the major Nuremberg brewery Tucher and disappeared. Now I have learned that it has been revived by Tucher and not only that, they have their own brewery-restaurant in Fürth, the Grüner Brauhaus, located at 1 Theresienstrasse.

http://www.gruener-bier.de/

Needless to say, when I get back to Erlangen, a trip to have dinner at the Grüner Brauhaus restaurant in  Fürth will be on my list.

A Beer Recommendation (in the US) Veltins Grevensteiner

There is a lesser known brewery that has reached the US market recently, Veltins from the Nordrhein  Westfalen area of Germany. I have seen it on draft at the Phoenix Club in Anaheim, but have generally passed it by in favor of other beers on tap.

But yesterday while visiting our local Total Wine and More store, I picked a 4-pack of Veltins, Grevensteiner  Land Bier in cans.

Was I surprised because it had the real taste of German beer. Creamy, frothy head, clean, malty. I like it!

https://www.grevensteiner.de/en/

The Veltins brewery has different varieties of beer, but what I am writing about here is the Land Bier. I don't know what it is like on tap or bottles, but the cans are great. Really.