Berliner PILS - does it always need to be craft?

BERLINER PILS

Berliner-Kindl-Schultheiss-Brauerei

Berlin is believed a miracle on the German map of the craft beer. A booming craft scene and foreign breweries like Stone opening their local brewpubs. Really a miracle in the Pils oriented land like Germany. I was always wondering what is the reason for that.

One obvious possibility is that Berlin is incredibly international, therefore probably not only open to new taste, but also demanding new taste.

Other possibility is that the quality of the local beer was really bad, so people were looking for something decent to drink. Seriously, there is a clear correlation between local beer quality and craft beer revolution – countries with very average beer/no beer and clearly undeveloped beer culture (e.g.: Poland, USA, Italy or Spain), have developed an ass kicking quality craft beers recently; on contrary – wherever the beer culture was strong (Belgium, Germany or Czech Republic) craft, as defined by the multiplicity of beer styles, is rather struggling to survive.

So what about Berlin.

I have decided to try something that is as ur-Belin and possible – Berliner Pils. Based on the fact that Pils is a prevailing beer style in all Germany, low quality of local Pils could be the impulse that started craft revolution.

After opening there is a pleasant surprise – clear hops aroma, very nice and strong. The beer pours nice and golden with a finger thick head that lasts for long. Carbonation is on the higher side of the scale but acceptable. Taste is mostly hops and malt, low body and clear hop bitterness that grows stronger with every sip. The only thing that I could complain about is a clear diacetyl note. But this is rather a question of taste and I know that some people love it. All together – Berliner is a very nice Pils.

One more comment about the Berliner beer revolution – reading a bit I was expecting to see local craft beers on every corner and the presence of local craft in the shops was a certain thing. Bullshit. There is NO Berlin craft beer revolution. I have sped 3 days in Berlin and haven’t spotted a single bottle of local craft beer! Guys, if you are not even present in the area, how can you call it revolution. I don’t always need to find a brewery of specialized craft shop, revolution is something for the masses – you need to be present in supermarkets and kebab shops.

On a good side – my hotel is having a bottle of Brlo in the minibar. But the price is outrageous.