Is Becks Proper German Beer?

Vern1961

Vern1961

Vern1961

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Can't find a specific German beer thread so thought I would start one!

Developed a taste for the stuff after a visit to the Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff a couple of months ago, sampling a Pyraser Dunkel and Kellerbier - liquid heaven.

However go round most supermarkets and there's actually not a great deal of choice, either Weissbier (wheat beer) which is an acquired taste though I do like the Erdinger, or...Becks. Although the label claims it's brewed to the purity law, I remain unconvinced it's not just another mass produced bottled keg lager. I certainly don't think it's bottle conditioned.

We've got a reasonable off licence in Swindon Old Town which gets bottles of German beer in from time to time but still only a relatively small choice, last time I was up there they had Lowenbrau Oktoberfest (very nice!) but that was the end of the batch or Krombacher Pils which I found a bit bland.

So if I drink Becks as sold in UK supermarkets, is it really German beer or am I deluding myself?

I believe the ultimate German beer is supposed to be Augustiner but nearly impossible to get hold of in the UK unless you order a full case from a specialist importer.
 
Vern1961 said:
Although the label claims it's brewed to the purity law, I remain unconvinced it's not just another mass produced bottled keg lager. I certainly don't think it's bottle conditioned.
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What makes you think that it should be bottle conditioned to meet the Reinheitsgebot or are the two sentences unrelated?

Becks is a German beer, it's brewed in Germany and meets the requirements of the purity law. Whether it is one of the better German beers is up for debate. I quite like it but there are certainly better out there for my money - Weihenstephan for one.
 
Wiki also says:

The main brand is Beck's which has for many years also been brewed under license in Namibia, which prior to World War I was a German colony. It is also today brewed in Bulgaria, Australia, Ukraine, Serbia, Montenegro, China, Nigeria, Romania, Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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Point taken that Rheinheitsgebot doesn't necessarily mean bottle conditioned... but I'm still curious if the version we get in the UK is German brewed or produced under licence to a lesser standard.
 
I am pretty certain that the old adverts always used to say..

"Becks beer ... only ever brewed in Bremen... Germany"

and then in small print.. "brewed under license in the uk".
 
Reinheitsgebot doesn't exist anymore afaik.

The only real German beers (imo) are the non export versions of Augustiner, Paulaner, Hacker-Schorr, Spaten and Loewenbrau. None of the versions sold over here even resemble the originals.

EDIT: I missed Hofbrau.
 
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I couldn't say what things are like now but when I lived in Germany (more than 10 years ago mind) the Becks there wasn't the same as it was here. It tasted quite different, it was fairly easy to tell it wasn't the same as the alcohol content was completely different for a start.

I used to drink mainly Warsteiner (pils), Bitburger (pils), Diebels Alt (altbier) and Veltins (pils).... amongst other things :)
 
I'm not sure but if you are doing your alcohol shopping in Smile/McColl's then I pity you! Overpriced and poor selection tbh!
 
Vern1961 said:
I believe the ultimate German beer is supposed to be Augustiner but nearly impossible to get hold of in the UK unless you order a full case from a specialist importer.
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Its certainly is. You can buy single bottles of Augistiner for £2.09 from beers of europe or £40 a case which isnt to bad considering its 20 500ml bottles.

Id say as pilsners go my favourite is Paulaner, shame tesco only do the wheat beer paulaner now :(
 
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