What country makes the best beer?

[Paul7189]

Was having a conversation in work about what country contributes the best beers to the world.

If you had to stick to one country for beers what would it be?

My favourite drink is probably an American style IPA but if I had to pick a country to drink only their beers for the rest of my life it would probably be Germany I think and they don't really make anything like my favourite style.

Anywhere that you think needs adding?

 

[An Ankoù]

This should be interesting. Beers can be very regional so perhaps Germany is too big a word. The beers around Cologne and Düsseldorf belong to a different trafiton. Than those of, say, Bavaria. Clump England and Wales together, but Scotland and Ireland could both be different categories.
Where's Australia on the list? They have a list at least as strong as NZ, while Japan, I think, is so poorly represented that it could happily languish in Other.
Again, are we looking a traditions or copies? US and UK try to put an angle on each others styles and more so you can get decent AIPAs in the UK and elsewhere and English-style porters in the US.
Perhaps more than one vote would be appropriate.
Looking forward to some lively discussion on this thread.

 

[Dutto]

I notice that France isn’t represented; not that it would have got my vote anyway!


However, it is where I have consumed gallons of Belgian beer (which did get my vote) during those long, hot, summer days that are now a distant memory.


To my shame, many, many years ago, my wife and I went on a “Gourmet Cruise” on the River Erdre from Nantes. During the cruise we met a couple who are still our friends and imbibed much too much booze! (The ladies drank Izzareau - a vile green concoction that neither have touched since that evening.)

When the boat returned to Nantes, the ladies needed the loo and got into a huge queue; at which point I issued the immortal words …

“Well Jean-Claude and I are off to a Bar along the quay.
You can’t miss it, it’s called ‘Stella Artois’!”​

They found us of course, by which time we were all firm friends; which was a bit unusual ‘cos neither one of us spoke the others language!
:hat:

Viva la France! Happy Days!

 

[Paul7189]

I notice that France isn’t represented; not that it would have got my vote anyway!


However, it is where I have consumed gallons of Belgian beer (which did get my vote) during those long, hot, summer days that are now a distant memory.


To my shame, many, many years ago, my wife and I went on a “Gourmet Cruise” on the River Erdre from Nantes. During the cruise we met a couple who are still our friends and imbibed much too much booze! (The ladies drank Izzareau - a vile green concoction that neither have touched since that evening.)

When the boat returned to Nantes, the ladies needed the loo and got into a huge queue; at which point I issued the immortal words …

“Well Jean-Claude and I are off to a Bar along the quay.
You can’t miss it, it’s called ‘Stella Artois’!”​

They found us of course, by which time we were all firm friends; which was a bit unusual ‘cos neither one of us spoke the others language!
:hat:

Viva la France! Happy Days!

France isn’t on there because I googled the best beer countries and it wasn’t on the list . Neither was the Czech Republic that’s why it’s after other. I’ll add France now.

 

[Dutto]

France isn’t on there because I googled the best beer countries and it wasn’t on the list . Neither was the Czech Republic that’s why it’s after other. I’ll add France now.

@Paul7189 TBH I don’t think it’s worth it!

The Stella Artois was recently advertised in the UK as being “Reassuringly Expensive” whereas in France (IMHO) it was cheap, bland and not worth buying!

The same goes for most of the other French beers - the exceptions being some of the locally produced brews!

 

[An Ankoù]

@Paul7189 TBH I don’t think it’s worth it!

The Stella Artois was recently advertised in the UK as being “Reassuringly Expensive” whereas in France (IMHO) it was cheap, bland and not worth buying!

The same goes for most of the other French beers - the exceptions being some of the locally produced brews!

It's hard to find a decent French beer. Thought I had it with Ninkasi IPA, but the allure quickly faded. Coref should be able to brew a decent beer since it was one of Peter Austin's projects, but sadly no. Nevertheless, there is some excellent beer to be found in France and at a very reasonable France. Even better, it's all in my cellar!

 

[Agentgonzo]

@Paul7189 TBH I don’t think it’s worth it!

The Stella Artois was recently advertised in the UK as being “Reassuringly Expensive” whereas in France (IMHO) it was cheap, bland and not worth buying!

The same goes for most of the other French beers - the exceptions being some of the locally produced brews!

Stella Artois is Belgian

 

[chthon]

In France in the Vosges they have nice beer, but that is probably they inherit from the German brewing tradition. The Bretons have many local breweries. Normandy too, but there is big chance if you buy craft beer there, it is actually from the North of France, which inherits the Belgian brewing tradition. Oh, and don't forget Picardy, they also have a couple of nice local breweries.

Also, what would you compare? All styles across all countries, or just the specific styles that originated from those countries?

Of all around 500 beers I have already tasted, there have only been a couple I had to ditch. My first criterion is: is it decently brewed and packaged? Those beers come mostly from Belgium and Holland, with some French, British and Italian and German thrown in. Oh, and a couple of Asian lagers.

For me, the question seems a bit meaningless.

 

[JonathanMSE]

I'm almost tempted to say the USA, although conversely they also make the worst beers in the world.

 

[An Ankoù]

It's true that we have many local and small breweries here in Brittany, which is why I'm so disappointed with the beer. I suppose Lancelot makes some decent beers as well as some horrors: Blanche Hermine for example. Then we have local brews with joyful names like Golden Shower!
As for the German Tradition, if Fischer in the Alsace is anything to go by.....
But its a cultural thing to. I'll come back to this as I've got to catch the gardening centre before it closes for lunch.
Edit:
Good. That's lightened my wallet, which is of the "Stay lean and mean" school of thought.
Nord-Pas de Calais have a good beery tradition and I appreciate bière de garde even though I drink very little of it. Belgian beer, too, cannot, by any stretch of the imagination, be considered poor beer, but I drink even less of that. I reckon there are two kinds of beer: beer for the gluggers and beer for the sippers. The latter will never satisfy the former except as something to finish on or the "one for the road". I won't even bother wetting a pint glass unless I'm going to fill it three or four times and that's why I don't drink the excellent beers by La Choulette by the half gallon. But I have to insist that, by and large, the French just don't understand beer and that's why they can't brew it. Look at a french homebrew book and see whever, after reading it, you still disagree.
On the other hand, every Frenchman I've ever met who has spent some time living or studying in England, hs quickly learned to love drinking pints. So it's only a matter of time.

 

[Graz]

Thing with the US, years back the beer out there was terrible pretty much only Bud/Miller/Coors most places. They began to realise the was a whole world of beers outside of their own bland rubbish and took styles like the English IPA, made it their own, and then it came back to us in its new form. Nothing wrong with that as there are now some great beers available based on US styles. I think we still take the crown though just on the sheer variety we produce, stouts, porters, dark ales, IPAs, pale ales, milds, and loads of other styles.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

In France in the Vosges they have nice beer, but that is probably they inherit from the German brewing tradition. The Bretons have many local breweries. Normandy too, but there is big chance if you buy craft beer there, it is actually from the North of France, which inherits the Belgian brewing tradition. Oh, and don't forget Picardy, they also have a couple of nice local breweries.

Also, what would you compare? All styles across all countries, or just the specific styles that originated from those countries?

Of all around 500 beers I have already tasted, there have only been a couple I had to ditch. My first criterion is: is it decently brewed and packaged? Those beers come mostly from Belgium and Holland, with some French, British and Italian and German thrown in. Oh, and a couple of Asian lagers.

For me, the question seems a bit meaningless.

I agree the question is too general, there are too many different beer categories to ask a simple question. For me I would ask which is the best beer style or which country make the best of the following beer styles I.e.
Bitter UK
IPA USA
Stout Ireland
Pilsner Czech Republic
Strong beer Belgium
Wheat beer Germany

 

[Braufather]

Whilst I prefer beers with US hops and hugely respect the revolution that started there, I’m thinking uk produces great quality beers of this style too now. Add to that our range of bitters etc and I’d say uk nicks it.

 

[Sadfield]

Other, or more specifically, all of them. There's amazing breweries everywhere. Anything else is style and personal taste.

 

[MickDundee]

I agree the question is too general, there are too many different beer categories to ask a simple question. For me I would ask which is the best beer style or which country make the best of the following beer styles I.e.
Bitter UK
IPA USA
Stout Ireland
Pilsner Czech Republic
Strong beer Belgium
Wheat beer Germany

I voted Germany in the poll, but I much prefer a Belgian witbier to a German wheat beer. The Germans do have much more selection in terms of styles and brewers of wheat beers though.

 

[Sadfield]

I agree the question is too general, there are too many different beer categories to ask a simple question. For me I would ask which is the best beer style or which country make the best of the following beer styles I.e.
Bitter UK
IPA USA
Stout Ireland
Pilsner Czech Republic
Strong beer Belgium
Wheat beer Germany

That reads like a average night out around here.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

That reads like a average night out around here.

Just the beers in the Moss Rose?

 

[Sadfield]

Just the beers in the Moss Rose?

That place sends you to drink.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Not this season you won the league. Mac will be playing my team 1874 Northwich next season.

 

[Big_Eight]

Thing with the US, years back the beer out there was terrible pretty much only Bud/Miller/Coors most places. They began to realise the was a whole world of beers outside of their own bland rubbish and took styles like the English IPA, made it their own, and then it came back to us in its new form. Nothing wrong with that as there are now some great beers available based on US styles. I think we still take the crown though just on the sheer variety we produce, stouts, porters, dark ales, IPAs, pale ales, milds, and loads of other styles.

The US lost a lot of it's beer culture during prohibition unfortunately and it took a long time to recover but yeah there used to be just a lot of not good beer.

I don't think I can vote on this pole as it's way to general and I like beers from different countries.