# Do we get the same version of beer as Europeans? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 22, 2005, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-get-the-same-version-of-beer-as-europeans/300593 "2005-04-22T14:11:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2005, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-get-the-same-version-of-beer-as-europeans/300593/21 "2005-04-23T10:00:14Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Well, if you ever get to Las Vegas, they just built a Hofbrauhaus (across the street from the Hard Rock Hotel) and they actually fly in, in the original kegs, REAL Hofbrauhaus beer from Munich! Same alcohol content, same taste, and not all that expensive! Or of course for about the same dosh you could actually go to Europe! (We love it when you come here - It’s your hair we love best!) ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2005, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-get-the-same-version-of-beer-as-europeans/300593/22 "2005-04-23T11:46:56Z")
We get a number of nonalcoholic beers here, none of whom’s names I remember. The drill is to poor the stuff in a trash can, add sugar and yeast and then poor the resultant brew into bottles. Chill and mix with chilled off-the-shelf beer. I stick to the wine. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2005, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-get-the-same-version-of-beer-as-europeans/300593/23 "2005-04-23T12:38:23Z")
Many of the german beers sold in the USA are export versions…they differ a bit in that they are ultrafiltered, to remove any sediment that might settle on the long boat trip here. That has a slight impact on taste-they just don’t taste as fresh. Avod any of the oddball brands-chances are those bottles have been sitting on a shelf for a while. Unlike wine, beer does not improve with age. That is why fresh beer from a microbrewery is so mush better than any import-its straight from the vat to you. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2005, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-get-the-same-version-of-beer-as-europeans/300593/24 "2005-04-23T15:00:15Z")
Virtually all Guinness sold in the US is made in Canada. It is definitely different from “real” Guinness from the brewery in Ireland. A number of European labels are brewed in Canada for U.S. distribution because they can still keep the big “IMPORTED” on the label. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2005, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-get-the-same-version-of-beer-as-europeans/300593/25 "2005-04-23T19:45:32Z")
FWIW, this goes both ways. Bud is brewed in both the UK and Ireland, not imported from the US, so it’s not the same there as it is here. As a matter of fact, Bud is brewed at Guinness’s Kilkenny brewery in Ireland. How’s about that for strange? Even odder is that Bud is brewed under licence by Labatt in Canada, instead of shipped up there. Guess there must be import duties or something. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2005, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-get-the-same-version-of-beer-as-europeans/300593/26 "2005-04-23T21:07:17Z")
Yeah, you can get weird situations. Last time I was in Jamaica I was drinking Guinness that brewed in Jamaica and Red Stripe brewed in England. Seemed somewhat backward to me… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-get-the-same-version-of-beer-as-europeans/300593.md?page=1)