I contacted Dinkel Acker’s German headquarters regarding the news that the beer would no longer be sold in the United States.
I received the following courteous email today from Dinkel Acker’s Export Director, Christian Liess:
It is indeed the case that our business partner in the USA discontinued the import of Dinkelacker into the USA and we are not planning to enter the market again for the time being.
Sorry about this. In case we start exporting again to the US market in the future, we will be pleased to let you know!
Ach Gott Du Lieber Himmel!, as they say in Stuttgart.
I don’t get the sense from his reply that Dinkel Acker is hellbent on re-entering the American market.
If there are other Dinkel Acker fans out there who want to encourage the company to find a way back into the American market, Mr. Liess’s email address is Christian.Liess@ds-kg.de
*********
UPDATE – January 2013: DinkelAcker is coming back to America. Preliminary details here:
Jim,
It is good to know that you are on top of the Dinkel Acker situation. This is much more serious to me despite the media blackout being augumented with stupid stuff about Tiger Woods and the fearmongering over Iran.
I have fond memories of this lovely beer as well. After I came off active duty I had the opportunity to go back to Germany after a 12 year separation as a national guardsman as part of a unit that was involved with REFORGER. For those who aren’t familiar with military ancronyms this means “return of forces to Germany”. Interesting, as to my knowleged we never left.
Anyway, at the end of the field problem we had to wait for transporation to come home on, so they moved us from Stuttgart to a place most beloved by those who were stationed there prior to the base improvements made in the 1980s, Camp Aachen, Grafenwoehr. Before we left for Graf some general thanked us for our hard work followed up with an order that while in Germany we weren’t allowed to drink any alcohol. This was one of the three reasons I went back, the other two being to learn something and to have a real German meal. Atlanta, despite calling itself an “international city” doesn’t have any German restaurants.
As you can imagine my disappointment was equalled with a certain amount of foul thought being direct towards that general.
Much to my delight when I got to Graf and got settled in and released from duties for what looked like two days of boredom I discovered a fest tent not far from our barracks with a sign that said “Welcome REFOGER Troops”. My heart leaped for joy at the opportunity presented here. I was a REFORGER troop being welcomed to a tent that served among other things, beer, including Dinkel Acker. In the military sometimes it is best to act first before asking questions, so my training took over by me showing initiative having assessed the situation and its possibilities for exploitation. I went into the tent and started ordering Dinkel Ackers.
When someone senior from my unit spied me enjoying myself he reminded me of the general’s order. I quite reasonably pointed out the sign and stated I believe that because we were under a different command that the general’s order no longer applied. This person thought I had a good argument, but being the cautious type decided to ask someone. No problem, I finished my beer and went back to the barrack and got out a shirt I wore the last time I was stationed there bearing the unit patch of my previous unit I knew had elements here this time as well. While this senior was trying to sort this out I disappear to another watering hole I knew of where the age old military principle came into play- “out of sight, out of mind.”
I came back to the unit a few hours late to discover that the stupid order had been rescinded by the post commander when someone told him about this, I’m happy to say. Not everyone in the Army at the senior level is an insufferable jackass. I spent a good bit of time in that tent enjoying the hospitality provided.
Merry Christmas to you, family and everyone else who writes here.
Ryan – thanks for the great Dinkel Acker story. I’m glad that someone else appreciates the gravity of this crisis.
Stuttgart has some of the best food in Germany – they do things with sauces that are the culinary equivalent of waving a magic wand.
It is bizarre that some general ordered all the REFOGER troops to abstain from drinking. Did he think that Germany was Saudi Arabia???
I’m glad you found a higher law in this case.
I wish you a jolly Christmas season – with lots of good beer.
Jim,
You’re welcome.
The general probably knew we weren’t in Saudi Arabia, to give him the benefit of the doubt. I think what he was trying to do is not to have to deal with any paperwork if someone got drunk and caused problems. Still, I think that was a stupid reason and this is the price to pay to be in command if you want to have any sort of morale, the few idiots who do cause problems aside. Ah, the burden of command!
I didn’t get to partake in the food of Stuttgart. I had to settle for one of their excellent coffee shops instead prior to the move to Graf.
When I was active army and stationed ar Grafenwoehr the unit I was in had a terrible messhall, so I ate out as much as I could afford, the dollar losing value to the mark at the time. Some things never change. There was a small local gausthaus I ate at where the food was superb and reasonable in price. Even better was that it was quiet and nobody bothered me. I could read there, eat and drink to my heart’s content. It was also a cultural experience to look up one time at the Germans sitting at the bar watching a John Wayne movie with the Duke speaking fluent Hoch Deutsch. The Germans who ran the place were good folks.
Grafenwoehr, like a number of small German towns has their own local brewery. The local beer is called appropriately enough, Grafenwoehr Lowenbrau. It is in my well experienced opinion of many years and different brands of beer I’ve had that this local beer is better than any beer made in the US, I’m sorry to write. I think you wrote that Woodrow Wilson’s propaganda was the cause for messing up American brewing. This is just one more reason to hate Wilson.
I liked this local beer so much that one day I saw the their beer truck stopped near my barracks on its run to the PX for a delivery. I ran to the barracks to collect a crate of empties I had and ran to the truck. I made an arrangement with the good folks who drove the beer truck to allow me to buy a case of flippies (flip top bottles) right off the truck when it came through my cantonment area and exchanged my case of empties. That saved me much labor from having to lug the crates to the PX and back.
I used to keep the case by my bunk and I didn’t have to worry about desertions, for Americans did a booming business buying, you guessed it, American beer from the PX. Talk about hauling coals to Newcastle! I didn’t have to keep it refrigerated, the cement floor kept it at the right temperature.
One other thing about is it is an old beer, I recall, dating back to the 1500s. Lion’s brew, that fits, considering that Grafenwoehr is a military training center that dates back to Imperial Germany. Some of Germany’s better known commanders no doubt had themselves a few Grafs as well while there.
As a side note here’s something for Brian Wilson, seeing how he enjoys fine wine.
The PX not only sold a lot of American beer but American wine as well. I use the term “wine” in a relative sense. One night I came back to the barracks with two bottles of Moselle which I proceeded to chill down. I didn’t have the proper equipment for this, so I improvised by removing the helmet line from my helmet and packing snow around the wine in the helmet. Some fool came in and saw what I was doing, made a snide comment about me drinking German wine while branishing confirmation that he was truly a wine connoisseur of the type we’ve seen on TV shows.
He held up a bottle of Thunderbird.
Thanks for passing along the neat reminiscences on your service time in Germany.
It sounds like you savored German food, beer, and wine at least as much as most Germans, and light years more than Americans who visit Germany.
I have had some great meals in those gausthauses – simple food that is cooked superbly, and an atmosphere devoid of pretension. The spaetzle in south Germany can be utterly irresistible.
There is a charm to those flip-top bottles – I relished Flensburger Pils when I visited Germany in part because of the great POP when you opened the bottle. Plus, that beer was better than champagne.
Your Thunderbird anecdote is great. I drank a few bottles of that when I was 16, but I moved on….
You mentioned that there aren’t any German restaurants in Atlanta. I am not aware of any good reasonably-priced German restaurants in the DC area.
any update on dinkel i heard that lowenbrau was going to stop importing also?
As of April 2010 – I have heard nothing on Dinkel.
I hadn’t heard Lowenbrau might give up the US market.
I have been enjoying DAB – Dortmunder Action (sp?) Brauerei (sp) – the last few months. It comes closest to the Dinkel Achter in quality – though it does not quite get the gold.
Terrible. Just left a comment with Christian Liess:
Lieber Herr Liess
Was, kein Dinkelacker Bier mehr in den USA?? Schrecklich. Die einzige Marke, die hier bei heissem Wetter den Durst löscht. Mit dem Hopfen eines richtigen Biers aus Deutschland. Kann man das nicht richtigstellen?
Gruss Ruff
Let me know if you hear anything substantive or encouraging from Stuttgart.
Perhaps some large German exporter will again begin shipping Dinkel Acker across the Atlantic.
I believe the gingerman in Houston will have this beer………….in May 2010
I’ve found that Jever is probably the best Dinkel Acker replacement. It’s the only German Pilsner that I’ve found that has the hoppy crispness of Dinkel Acker.
Thanks for the suggestion. I will Jever a shot.
Eggenberg Pils from Austria is something I just discovered —
It is extremely high quality – far better than most of the pils on the mkt —
You’re welcome. I think that you’ll like it. The only downside with Jever is that it seems to skunk relatively easily. Find a fresh 6 pack and it’s great!
Eggenberg is a quality brewery in general. I don’t think I’ve tried their Pils yet, but I’ll make sure to look for it the next time I’m out.
I tried Eggenberg Hopfen Koenig Pils and thought that it was great. It’s right up there with Jever. Thanks for the recommendation!
I’m glad you liked it. That beer deserves a far better reputation than it has yet achieved.
Bring back Dinkel Acker !
Not enough people in North America knew how great the beer is and what a value for the money!
Dinkelacker Das Schwarze was something special. Very dark, very thick, very aromatic, very delicious, and very missed.
Yes! Please bring back Dinkelacker!
still no dink inbeve is importing wolters pils for about 23 bucks here in south jersey not as good but pretty close.
I discovered Dinkel Acker at the Old Germain Schnitzel Haus in Hickory, NC. The owners recommended it, and share my disappointment that it is no longer available in the US. 🙁 I’ll see if I can find some Wolters, but for now I’m going to send some emails to Dinkel Acker!
I hope your emails get the moving.
I have to cancel my recommendation for Eggenberg Pils. The first six pack I had was almost four stars. Next visit to that store, I bought 2 cases – but the beer tasted metallic (perhaps from the pop top that brewery uses).
Thus, the Pils Vacuum remains at the center of my life.
But that Flying Dog “Raging Bitch” brew is providing good 8.3% alcohol consolation…
Dinkel Acker is my favorite beer of all times. I had it special order from the largest liquor store in the area. Now the only decent beer I can order is St. Pauli Girl which is good but only about 2 months grow tired of. Dinkel Acker I could drink every day of the year. Most Americans would drink toilet water like Budlight anyway. But there are some here with good taste.
I have enjoyed Dinkel Acker since it was an unknown in this country, much like my early Porsches and BMW. I am very dismayed that they will no longer be exporting to us. Porsche and BMW survived. I’m sure there are many more quality beer drinkers than Porsche and BMW owners…
It’s been about 8 months since I had my last Dink….What a shame. Have not found a decent replacement yet. Any good news out there?
No good news. I am still surviving on Raging Bitch, though I fear that it may be undermining my natural subtlety.
I had a beer at an OctoberFest last weekend – a Victory Fest bier (I think that was the name) from a Penn. brewery – excellent stuff, though seasonal.
Does anyone else have suggestions for Dinkel substitutes?
I do also miss Dinker alot, I have found a pretty good replacement for Dinker though. It was Altbairisch Dunkel by Ayinger. Very good but not a Dinker. Will keep looking and will notify of another. Cheers….
I have made eight trips to Germany just to drive around aimlessly and sample beer. Dinkel Acker dunkel is as good as it gets. Maybe second to Wurzburger dunkel. Maybe not. I know I started missing Dinkel Acker dunkel at my favorite grocery/deli months ago. The Dutch bought Beamish and took it off the U.S. market. Now Dinkel Acker. Is this a conspiracy?
Oy gevalt! I ran across this trying to figure out where I could by Dinkel Acker — my house beer for many years.
The loss of Dinkel Acker is terrible. It was my favorite beer and I think the best value on the market by a country mile. A couple quick notes:
When my dad was stationed in Germany during the postwar occupation, DA was all he would drink. He said that it was the only reliable-quality beer available. (I think he was in Heidelburg.)
The nearest equivalent is definitely Jever, which actually does provide a reasonably close flavor and textural profile. But it is more than twice as expensive.
I agree with you on Eggenberg Pils, Jim — in my experience it has frequently had an unpleasant metallic flavor. So too Peroni, which is similarly inconsistent, but when it’s bad it’s bad enough for me to steer clear. Actually, Bitburger can be inconsistent in that way as well.
The best pilsners available here in DC are probably Czechvar, Pilsner Urquell, and Jever (which of course is a different style). But you should try Pinkus’ Pils if you have the chance and a little extra cash. It’s organic (and unfiltered, I believe) and very tasty — a bit sweet, but in a way a pilsner aficianado would appreciate.
Always good to hear a philosopher’s comments on beer.
I will try the Jever and the Czechvar. The Pilsner Urquell is fairly good but it has never charmed me like Dinkel Acker. I have never understood the popularity of Bitburger – it seems like the German version of Pabst Blue Ribbon.
I have had several draft German beers that were superb but the bottled equivalents didn’t cross the ocean nearly as well.
Having been searching for Dinkel Dunkel in my area. No wonder none of the local stores can’t order it. This is very sad, my husband’s & my favorite.
Anyone who has been to the Oktoberfest in Hunter Mountain, NY prior to 2007 knows that Dinkelacker draft was the centerpiece beer for the event. One year they also poured the dunkel version of ‘The Dink’ . . what an amazing brew. I’m in California now and haven’t been to the Hunter fest for many years, but it seems a little sad to think that the Dinkelacker banner will no longer fly over the ‘Beerhaus’ (main ski lodge), although I’m sure they have found some very good substitutes . . if you are in this area and never beer there for this Oktoberfest, I highly recommend it . . must be something about being up in the mountains (Bavaria ?) and festing.
I was equally disapointed when I learned earlier this year that my favorite beer, Dinkel acker, was no longer being imported.
I still remember my first taste. A friend from NY who visited us on a regualar basis used to tell me how good this beer was. The Keys used to be a beer desert, only basic stuff was available. On his yealy trip to the Keys in 1980 or so, he finally brought a mini keg of dink down for me. He kept it iced down for the journey to our humid island home.
I still remember my first taste, there was no turning back. I was a devoted dink drinker until I left for South America in 2004. Well, I am back and one of the things I was most looking forward to was a cold dark dink or a mini keg. I started researching retail locations prior to my return, only to find out I would not be able to enjoy the taste I missed so much.
I have substituted it with Pauli girl, but it is not the same. Please bring back our Dink!
I remember being in a bar in chicago, and ordering Dinkel Acker on tap. what a shame to not be able to get it here anymore. Even in German restaurants I’ve been unable to get it. I considered that a sin. I’d like to be able to pay a bit more, and still order it through beer suppliers.
Bill
I spent two yeras in Stuttgart in the mid 70’s and grew to love Dinkelacker CD Pils vom fass while drinking at “Bergi’s” in Burgholzhof. I hadn’t looked for it in a while and was stunned to find that I could no longer get it. We need to crank up the pressure on Dinkelacker-Schwabenbrau AG.
I am a home-brewer now and would love to use it as a template for my own. I loved it then and I miss it now…
My Mom gave me a bottle of Da when I was of age and told me to never drink it. Come to find out my ancesters are Dinkel. My Grandmother visited family by the brewery and gave her a tour along with the bottlemy Mother gave me. icontacted the company and stated how all of you love the beer. As soon as I can afford it I am on my way to the company and talking to them. My acesters did not make the beer for it to not be sold by tose who love it! They have opened the doors for me they said and welcome family’s input. I will do my best to get you back your beer! Lot’s of love to all
Renee, thanks for letting the good folks in Germany know about all their American fans. I still have not found any bottled pilsner nearly as good as DA
found the beer while living in Europe. Enjoyed it while living in NYC. Now I know why I cannot get it anymore. My family are Dinkels as well, and I was always told they made this beer. Have two old bottles sitting on the shelf – glad I saved them.
Just e-mailed Dinkelacker, but regarding the import of Schwabenbrau. If I hear anything, will let you know.
Glad I found this forum. Any updates on bringing DL back?
No such luck. I have defaulted to drinking IPAs.
Can it be purchased in Canada?
I doubt it. I assume the US export market is much bigger than the Canadian market, and since the company threw in the towel on the US mkt…
A restaurant in Virginia called Zum Rheingarten has Dinkel Acker listed on their menu as of today – the restaurant is very popular but i haven’t verified as to whether or not they actually carry it
If they have DinkelAcker in Stafford, then that’s a coup.
I was in lake George this past week for a family vacation. All my grandpa talked about for the past 6 months since this trip was planned, was pumpernickels German Resturant and the dinkle acker from a stein. We went there Saturday night and we were told they did have it anymore. Hopefully they start importing it again so I can get him a case for his 81st birthday in September!
Like yourselves , I love good beer.Dinkel Acker is among my top 5 fav’s.I am devistated to come cross this post , but relieved in the same token as to find a reason.I have searched for a long time for Dinkel,got on line to find this out.Tis a sad day for me,as I was hoping to find a store in my area that may stock this great beer.Stumbled on to this.Good research guys,and like yourselves,this is a beer which I truely loved,at least I got to taste it .Thanks
On the bright side, DickelAcker is still available on tap – if you’re in Stuttgart.
Glad I came across this page as well.
My father was stationed in Germany and loved this beer, just wrote an email to the company. If I hear anything, will let you know.
I used to drink the DA regular and dark with my lunch in North Eastern N.Y.. It was the best beer I had ever tasted. I want it back! Come on lets go over and steal (borrow for National Peacemaking) the recipe! Navy Seals help me out here!
I have given up even trying to find a replacement pilsner for DA; there is none! I too have jumped ship over to IPA’s.
I recently started homebrewing and am pissed I didn’t keep at least one bottle for a template for which to work off of!
I absolutely lover Dinkelacker Oktoberfest!!! My favorite beer of all times!!!
super suds,uster be able to get it at the edelveis outside of staunton va.best u kin get is bitburger,but the chow is out of this world.the bobster
Attention everybody! As of Jan 1st, 2013 Dinkel-Acker will once again be imported to the US!!!
That sounds most encouraging. Is there a link on this or some official announcement?
It will be available this year. I work for the distributor that will carry it.
Excellent.
I posted a blog update on this yesterday – http://jimbovard.com/blog/2013/01/04/dinkelacker-beer-returns-to-america/
Three years ago, I conveyed the sad tidings that my favorite pilsner beer would no longer be exported from Germany to the United States. Fellow DinkelAcker enthusiast Jon Notz alerted me earlier this week that he had learned that DA would soon commence exporting again to the U.S. An email from DA’s export director, Christian Liess, confirmed that they would soon shipping their great beer back to this side of the ocean. The imports will be handled by S&H Independent Premium Brands (shbrands.com) – so if your local beer supply doesn’t begin stocking DA within a few months, you know where to elbow.
YEAH!!! Loved DinkelAcker, especially in Germany and miss it here is USA it’ll be nice to see (taste) it again!!
🙂
Every October in Flushing, NY, there was an Octoberfest at the Queens Botanical Gardens, the only beer I remember them selling was Dinkelacker, those were my High School years early 1980’s. An old friend just asked me on Facebook if they still sell the 5 litre mini Kegs and I find myself here. Come back Dinkelacker I have a perfect spot for you in my Krups Mini-kegerator !
I too am a Dinkelacker Lover (US Army circa 1961-1964 Worms ,Germany). Reading these postings has brought to mind many , many pleasant memories of that era for me. Grafenwoer, Stuttgart,Munchen,Bad Tolz, Hoch-Deutsch. Chemsie . . . . . once upon a time, glorious.