Well, this is bizarre:
An explosion in independently-run [American] microbreweries producing lovingly-created, strong, pungent, flavour-rich ales has transformed the reputation of the product.
But it is not only traditional aficionados of ale who have been won over by this American revolution.
Somehow, beer from the United States has become not just widely respected, but achingly fashionable.
I mean, this wasn’t the idea. People just wanted domestic beer that didn’t suck. It was never anybody’s intention to actually sell this stuff outside our borders. Or get a non-ironic reputation for them.
Swear to God.
Via Reason, via Instapundit.
Moe Lane
PS: When Jimmy Carter eventually has to stand before a perfect Judge and explain his actions and his stewardship to Him, there will be many things that Carter will be forced to make answer for (as will be true for all of us, of course). But he will be able to at least say, I made it possible for my countrymen to have domestic beer worth drinking again. This is a true thing, whether you wish to hear it, or not.
And here I thought B.O. couldn’t be any worse than Carter, but James Earl apparently did one good thing…..
I had a funny conversation about this with a German guy recently. His friends at home would give him a bad time about American beer and he told me he actually tells them “Well, that’s not true. At any grocery store and many pubs you can get better beer than in Germany…” I actually frequent a pub that has only Texas beers on draft…12 at a time and usually a Shiner variation isn’t one of them. They range in quality from merely okay to flippin’ outstanding (St. Arnolds, Peticolas, Deep Ellum Brewing Co.), but I don’t think the owner could have done this a mere 3-4 years ago.
texaspatrick, do I take part of your statement to mean that Shiner isn’t well regarded? I’m asking in all seriousness since I like the stuff (Especially their black) and my local adult beverage store is good at keeping it in stock.
Shiner is the ubiquitous “local” beer (like Yuengling or Dogfish or Sam). Some Shiner is kinda bleh (e.g., the Bock), some is okay (e.g., the Hefe), some is amazing (e.g., the Cheer), some is insane (e.g., the Smokehouse). So, at least in Texas, if you are going to a bar that specializes in microbrew (and pay $4-6 for a pint), you don’t settle for a Shiner ’cause you can get that cheaper at a bar that sucks.
OK, that does make sense.
I didn’t start brewing to make better beer.
I started brewing because Libby Dole is a bleeping bleep of a bleep.
At 18, it was a heck of a lot easier to make it myself, than it was to buy it. (The statute of limitations is obviously long since expired.)