Looking for beers similar to Grafenwalder?

Flecktarn

Hi all,

I recently came across two cans of Grafenwalder in the house and loved them. The only thing is is that my local Lidl seems to only have them in stock now and again.

My question is; could anyone recommend any beers be it Lidl cheap ones or your average popular ones, that have a taste similar to Grafenwalder?

Thanks!

Cedrus

There at least two or three Graffenwalders, the usual on is iirc, a dryish pilsener, but there is also a weissbier, and I haven't seen it for a couple of years but there is also a christmas brew which is about 8%ABV. Three very different beers with the same name.

munchkin_utd

Dom Pils in Dunnes stores is a similar enough beer and also very cheap for irish prices.

And failing that, Tesco is always doing deals on multi packs of imported becks which is a harmless very drinkable beer.
Not too fizzy, not too bitter, not too weak tasting. Its a good option to have for something to bring to a party or the likes.

Flecktarn

Cedrus wrote: »

There at least two or three Graffenwalders, the usual on is iirc, a dryish pilsener, but there is also a weissbier, and I haven't seen it for a couple of years but there is also a christmas brew which is about 8%ABV. Three very different beers with the same name.

Apologies, the one I was drinking was the weissbeer I believe, this one!

munchkin_utd

Flecktarn wrote: »

Apologies, the one I was drinking was the weissbeer I believe, this one!

the most available neutral (/ watery ? ) tasting weissbier in Ireland would be Erdinger and thats everywhere. EDIT : Everywhere being tesco/ dunnes/ supervalue/ centra etc.

Maybe have a look in aldi to see if they have an own brand weissbier?

Also, if you can pick up some light weissbier it would also taste similar and at 3% alcohol its not a bad tipple to drink on a school night !
Not sure where you would get in Ireland though as its not something most people would pay the guts of €3 euro for the privilege for .

donaghs

As a cheap Weissbeer in a can goes, I think Grafenwalder is alright. Of the weissbeers commonly available in Ireland (Erdinger, Paulaner, Schneiderweiss, Fanziskaner), I find it most similar to Paulaner. Even detected some similar flavours to Hoegaarden the last time I had one. Its 5%?

There's a lot of snobbery about cheap supermarket beer, despite the fact that most people drink similar tasting bland "premium-brand" lager anyway.

redalan

Scöfferhofer Hefeweizen is the Aldi wheat beer offering. Excellent. As is Franziskaner in Lidl.

munchkin_utd

donaghs wrote: »

<snip>
There's a lot of snobbery about cheap supermarket beer, despite the fact that most people drink similar tasting bland "premium-brand" lager anyway.

if you detected any snobbery in my comments its simply that I find Erdinger and Grafenwalder a very neutral taste for a weissbier which really should be FULL of flavour.

regarding cheap lager, the german telly did a chemical analysis a while back and the lack of time given for lagering of the cheaper beers (longer storage times cost money) does indeed lead to the alcohols not having time to break down (if thats the term) meaning theres more headache creating alcohol compounds in cheap beer over the more expensive stuff !

donaghs

munchkin_utd wrote: »

if you detected any snobbery in my comments its simply that I find Erdinger and Grafenwalder a very neutral taste for a weissbier which really should be FULL of flavour.

regarding cheap lager, the german telly did a chemical analysis a while back and the lack of time given for lagering of the cheaper beers (longer storage times cost money) does indeed lead to the alcohols not having time to break down (if thats the term) meaning theres more headache creating alcohol compounds in cheap beer over the more expensive stuff !

Wasn't your comments I was thinking of, just Irish beer drinkers in general.

Colonel Sanders

*Thread hi-jack*

I actually had an idea for a thread a while back but never bothered putting it up

People post the types of beers they like and others make recommendations based on the info

Maybe re-name this thread......

pjq

Lidl have a 4 for €5 Franziskaner 16-22 July 2012. €1.25 a can,
My local Lidl always Grafenwalder for €1.19 but now and again 2 for €1.50, and as the man from Munich pointed out it needs to be stored for a while to ripen.
pjq
PS Munichkid- will storage at home help the "headache creating alcohol compounds" ?

Cedrus

munchkin_utd wrote: »

if you detected any snobbery in my comments its simply that I find Erdinger and Grafenwalder a very neutral taste for a weissbier which really should be FULL of flavour.

regarding cheap lager, the german telly did a chemical analysis a while back and the lack of time given for lagering of the cheaper beers (longer storage times cost money) does indeed lead to the alcohols not having time to break down (if thats the term) meaning theres more headache creating alcohol compounds in cheap beer over the more expensive stuff !

I'm not really a weissbeer fan but I know there are light refreshing summery ones, through medium flavours to strong tasting wintery ones. The only really pissy tasting one I've had was guinnesses Breo.

Beer is a fresh product and there is usually no need for a maturing time in the bottle, lagering is done in the vats not in the bottle and doesn't take a huge amount of time (not like wine or whiskey).

The biggest difference in the cost of beer is the taxes, excise is fixed based on the alcohol content (in bands) and VAT is charged on the brewery gate price, if (as Beamish did years ago) they reduce the gate price, the price falls dramatically. This is also why we can get great foreign beers so cheaply, the VAT is charged on the import price and they are produced more cheaply than irish breweries.