Snagged a couple at the HEB out in old Katy. No fanfare or nothing, just a box on the side of the aisle that was barely open and probably had two or three missing before I got there.
not true, they are apples and oranges. in fact, why don't you enlighten us with an american beer that competes favorably with a european one.
FYI - they have these glasses at the brewery now. I got three this morning. It is a Taster glass. They are smaller than a pint and have a purple tint on the bottom. Looks like they are going fast if you are a collector... Here is a better pic from the Saint arnold twitter feed.
Different style though. There's very few European imperial IPAs. I don't disagree with tge general premise though. There are American brewers that can produce top end Euro styles- while very few European brewers can do American ones and just aren't as creative in general.
okay, i was just looking at my draft beer list. i change things out seasonally. so to make it simple name me an american lager, black lager, kölsch, festbier, hefe-weizen, or a dunkweiss. i've tried many american beers that attempt german traditional styles and have yet to find one that got it right.
Sure, Stillwater has made some high end Saisons, as does Hill Farmstead (those guys are just epically good, so hard to find though)....see e.g. http://www.ratebeer.com/beerstyles/saison/45/ Other european styles made by american brewers that off the top of my head: Lagunitas' Weizen bock is really good, Allagash' double/tripel are both awesome, Green Flash' belgian style beers are excellent, All of Russian River's/Jolly Pumpkin's Sour ales.....etc.
My favorite doppelbock, probably my favorite beer ever, is Ayinger Celebrator. Thomas Hooker Liberator from PA isn't quite as good, but it's pretty damned close. Rogue Dead Guy also comes to mind as a pretty excellent Maibock.