Take Brooklyn's Pennant '55, for example. It's not kidding with the sports branding: this is a beer to buy cheap and drink when you're concentrating on something else. Toffee is its chief flavour feature. It's fairly light at 5% ABV and tastes stickier than it actually is, which I quite like. For hopping there's a vague air of raisins and it winds up with a strange soap-powdery effervescent tang. There's really not much wrong with it, it's just completely unexciting.
The other side of the pointless imports is the beers that are exotic for their home market but rather mundane here. Admittedly, American breweries' idea of Oktoberfestbier is unique all to themselves, so the fact that we get lots of the real German variety perhaps shouldn't be viewed as overlap. I'd be more forgiving if I actually liked what the statesiders have done to the style.
Brooklyn Oktoberfest is the usual shade of dark amber. Thankfully it's not as sweet as most of these -- Samuel Adams Octoberfest I'm looking at you -- and it's quite easy drinking. There's a big grainy flavour at the front, finishing dry and even a bit smoky. There are no discernible hops and no aftertaste. Again, I'm not incensed by it, but I just don't really see the point.
Come on, beer specialists, let's put some more oomph into the imports and leave the everyday drinkables to the breweries closer to home.
"The usual shade of dark amber". When I go to Yankley, that's one thing I do tire of.
ReplyDeletewell i suppose its a problem thats going to happen when craft beer from around the world gets a big push....along with all the good stuff, your gonna get a heap of naff, uninspired crap with it
ReplyDeleteAlong with *some* good stuff, Matthew...
ReplyDeleteA campaign against boring brown oktoberfestbier, Tandleman?
Well according to the good people at CWI, they pretty much get whatever they can. Technically Speakeasy is not available in Ireland according to the brewery but some importers are able to get it.
ReplyDeleteWe get a sort of random pick n mix.
they pretty much get whatever they can
ReplyDeleteI wonder how much of this is because other European importers are scooping up the good stuff, which then doesn't get shipped this far.
Oh, not that Speakeasy isn't the good stuff, of course. Mine's a Payback Porter...
ReplyDeleteInterestingly Brooklyn have done some of the best imported American beer I have consumed. The lager is excellent, the IPA is decent and the chocolate stout is sublime. On that track record I would snap up and Brooklyn beer I see to try it.
ReplyDeleteI'd add the Monster Barley Wine to your list of good 'uns, and the Brown Ale to the decent, but beyond that it's much shakier ground. Which isn't to say you shouldn't be snapping up and trying the likes of Locals 1 and 2, or Pennant or Oktoberfest or Summer Ale to try for yourself.
ReplyDeleteErm, I guess then I am a heretic (no surprises there really) but I find most of Brooklyn's beers just plain boring.
ReplyDeleteThe Brooklyn EIPA is a monumental beer. God agrees.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand the rationale behind where they export their beers, either. Brooklyn beer is available in Ireland, but I still can't get it here in the lonely Midwest of America. Bizarre.
ReplyDeletecouldnt agree more. I tried the Brooklyn Brown Ale and it was utterly forgettable, honestly not much better than a newcastle brown. But half the size and twice the price!
ReplyDeleteOn balance though, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout is a stone cold classic which I have yet to see bettered by a local imperial stout. In this case well worth the import!