Oettinger Pils
Tuesday, March 11th, 2008
Here is another classic German pilsner but with a twist, the price!Fully imported from the Oettinger group of breweries in Germany, a carton of this beer will currently set you back $29.90 from Dan Murphy’s.Similar to other German beers it is brewed in accordance with the German purity law of 1516 and as you would know this means no nasty hangovers the next morning.
At first glance all signs point to the fact this is a budget beer, the bottle labels are bland, the bottle cap has no markings, and the ‘carton’ isn’t really a carton but four 6-packs shrink wrapped together, but for $29.90 a carton who really cares. It also comes in a 6-pack of silver 500ml cans. Fist appearances aside this beer has a dry bitter taste.The hops bitterness is not overpowering in any way but makes itself noticed.Much like other pilsners it has a sweet aroma and a pale yellow appearance.
Oettinger Pils is an above average cheap beer.If you’re after an inexpensive night of drinking and one that won’t leave you with a throbbing head the morning after you should give this understated beer a go.
Rating (out of five):
Category : Beer Reviews, Pilsner
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no way, this is the only beer i can honestly say i dont like at all. it was terrible.
Pat that’s a fair enough comment, but can you elaborate a little more?
Was it to bitter for you?
It is of course a German beer and tastes accordingly. If you like those ice cold nothing tasting beers like say, Swan Gold or XXXX Light, then this is not for you.
I agree it’s not Germany’s best but for that price I don’t complain.
I’ve come to love it and agree with Hans, it beats any of the crap commercial Australian beers that we’re getting ripped of by. Word of caution though, the bottles are fairly loose in their six pack and easily fall out just as your getting them into the fridge!
I agree with Adrian about the flavour and particularly about the loose packaging (though, perhaps I was just lucky, but the bottles seem fairly robust; I dropped a couple from freezer height (emergency chilling), and they didn’t break).
Must say I’m feeling a little guilty about the beer miles, though…
Tastes great, simple packaging that does the job and is far cheaper than the locally brewed beers here.
It seems a little low on the alcohol volume….I know that the 330ml bottles say 4.7% alc vol but I find this hard to believe. I did an experiment and after sinking 14 of these beers last night, I didn’t feel very intoxicated at all. They taste like a full strength German pilsner though.
Anyone else find they are not affected as much by the alcohol content of these beers compared to other beers?
I’m planning on drinking 18 of these tomorrow so will let you know how my experiment goes Sam.
Urdie Gurdie
JR
Bought two at the local Woollies and impressed. Was expecting crap for the price. Strong germanaic beer flavour I like in small doses – two stubbies enough for my session, but easy drinking. Use by date 22.10.08 so okay though the Woollies storage condition (on pallet that gets full morning sun leaves a bit to be desired). Overall, acceptable drinking at a fair price.
Drinking them right now.
Why drink fourex gold at the same price? I’d rather drink battery acid than fourex gold (or other terrible domestic beers).
This is my second carton of “Oettinger”, and I have another to go.
Just for thought.. if it costs $30 a carton landed here, is it $20 a carton in Germany?
this is not one of germany’s best by any stretch of the imagination. Beck’s , selling at twice the price is certainly not considered as a ‘premium’in deutchesland but sells much better. Dont know why. Marketing has a lot to do with this, cant recall the last oettinger add on foxtel.
If you want a top beer, try Warsteiner. Its not cheap, but smooth, you will not get a better exported bottled beer from germany.
I have extensive knowledge of widely known popular beers and am a true taster. I must state that you cannot beat a locally brewed german house beer that is brewed on site. Takes time to pour but you can always order 3 or 4.
Nutshell, at $30 bucks, this aint a bad drop
I like this beer. It is a very pleasant beer for the Australian climate. Good for a quaff with a pleasant dry residual palate. Goes well with a good variety of foods as well. Also well priced now (in AU) . I have sampled many other German beers and this one rates well. Frankly – just about any German beer rates better than most Australian beers.
Thumbs up on this one !!
It’s Friday night and I’ve just got home after purchasing a carton of this beer. Already on my second so it can’t be too bad. I agree with some of the previous comments; while this beer aint no Heinekan it’s good value for $30. It’s nice n dry on the palate and very German in flavour…it’s definitely got character unlike many Aussie beers…..it will do nicely while I’m in between home brews!
i agree with sam (not me the other one) the alcohol percentage is not quite right .. good beer for the price its got a small fan club in the snowys and its growing
This beer is shit. Only half a mug out of five for this poor attempt by hitlers crazy ancestors.
#14
racist prick. hitler was austrian incidentally.
good beer and a good price.
I’m a big fan. For as long as this remains $30 I’m sold. Out of the 4 cheap imports (Coles – Hollandia/Bavaria Woolworths – Amsterdam/Oettinger) I prefer this one.. crisp full taste.
Good point though re: alcohol content. It certainly doesn’t have the punch that 4.7% would suggest.
Another thing, I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s dropped bottles.. I thought I was just a butterfingers (doing the freezer quick-chill)..
Here in tassie this beer seems to go for $40 to $50 a carton. Mind you, we also dont have alcohol for sale in our supermarkets like they do on the mainland.
Like most I think this ia a good cheap German beer, and will be a semi-regular purchase. It will also feature along with 10+ other German beers at my Oktoberfest birthday party this weekend
… oh and in regards to the packaging. Yes I also had problems! After i got a 6 pack from the bottle-o fridge a few fell out and hit the ground while i was headed to the counter. Fun fun.
Fantastic value here in North Queensland, far better than any Australian beer at anywhere near the price, only my home brew is better value and taste!!
How do they import it for the money? Hope it lasts at the amazing price of 29.99 a slab.
excellent value. i tried this initially after thinking “hrmm, german, cheap, can’t be THAT bad” and was very pleasantly surprised.
i just hate the whole issue of having one or two of these then heading out to places riddled with nothing but carlton draught in warm, soapy glasses. UGH. now that causes a nasty hangover….
I have been reading all the comments. I lived in southern Germany from 2001 until April 2006. I have drank a lot of different German beers. I find the taste of Ottengier Pils to have a great taste and the price is unbelieveable. I believe that the marketing is not letting this beer be known. Keep it simple and keep it cheap. I need to know if this beer can be shipped to the United States. If someone could e-mail the distributors address or the retail sales address I would certainly appreciate it. Thanks.
A different taste and is great with a pie and chips. Is a mood beer but at the price i bought two cartons at the same price i pay for one carton.
cheers
I loved this beer and cannot believe the price. I am a fan of all German beers, and other European beers like Pilsner Urquell, and I must say that Oettinger punches way above its weight.
I like that Oettinger Pils too. I wish Oettinger Export would be available in Australia too simply I love it more!!! And if the carton would cost in Australia half as much, well it would still be more expencive than in Germany!!!
Well, came across this little beut by pure accident in the Aldi supermarket here in wet ole Wales U.K.
Purchased a six 500ml pack of cans for the sum of £4.29p
that works out at just over 71pence per tinny.
Tastes a lot better than Becks (dogs breath beer) and doesn’t give you gut rot the morning after drinking it
Just like you guys n shelias over in Aus, we appreciate a good cheap un also
Happy slurpin to all
all i want to say about is. buy it! it is really high quality german beer for less than 5,49 for 24 bottles! and also much better then any other budget beers.
Normally a stalwart purchaser of NZ’s finest – Steinlager (sorry – but I like it), but when the rates notice came in there wa a discount coupon for Oettinger Pils from the local BWS. They even let me taste it before I bought a slab – I was very impressed.
I’m a convert.
Just as good as the Steinies but @ 2/3rd’s the price & like NZ’s finest, it doesn’t come with all the hangover crap they insist in putting in Australian poor mans piss such as VB, NEW, etc, etc, etc.
God love the German Purity laws!
I saw the brew today at woolies and it was a real import. Had to look at it twice for I couldn’t believe the price tag.
As I didn’t know the brand I googled it and thus found this webpage – two tumbs up!
Anyway, I’ll go back after work and get me a box (hopefully without dropping a bottle).
I got a case of this becasue of the price and being German thought it would be ok. It’s ok but i’d not get it again. The bitter taste seems nice at first but becomes cheapish tasting quickly. I’d honestly spend 10 bucks more and get more enjoyment ( after all a case can last a few days). Does not seem to get you drunk at all like others of the same percentage. If your really broke try it , you’ll be able to drink a case but i won’t get it again. I prefer the amsterdam beer for same price but thats my taste preference. Again it a cheapish tasting beer that gets dull quicky!!!
Here in Yorkshire, Uk. Found this today in a branch of Aldi for £4.20 for 6 cans (500ML), thats about AU$9.40 according to some website.
Like most German offerings it tastes better than my local (British) offerings for the same price. Basically its a good quality german beer which to beat the quality you would have to pay more.
There are better German beers out there but you will pay more.
Take it for what it is.
I for one will be buying again.
Read most of the comments and true, it’s not Warsteiner. But it’s not Witte Raaf either. The best beer in Europe or I’m a Dutchman. However for $31 a carton I dropped the becks (brewed in Melbourne under license!!) and blew out my carbon footprint. I’ll let you know how I go. On the first and it tastes pretty good. Prost!
Unlike Becks,Carlsberg & Stella, this little champion is brewed on the continent.
At $30 a box its outstanding value. Paulaner & Spaten are better, but so much more expensive & thats if you can find them.
This has been my regular brew for almost 12 months now. The upside is I’m not only saving money by not drinking that sour muck which is served on tap in pubs, but I’m hangover free.
Win win. And win again.
It may not stay this way forever. Going back 5-6 years, Amstel was Woolies budget import. You could pick up a box for arond $25. Now thats close to what you’ll pay for 6.
First tried this beer in Switzerland for .80c last year. Loved it then and was stoked to see it being sold here. While it is not as good as other german beers, a bad german beer is superior to good aussie beers.
Noticed this was only $30 a case at Dan Murphys so picked up a single for $1.90 to sample, man I am impressed, I was kind of expecting something cheap and nasty like Amsterdam Mariner, but this is almost as good as DAB. I usually buy cartons of coopers green or microbrew like Grand Ridge or 3Ravens but I think this will be a good “tightass” brew for a long hot summer of heavy drinkin.
George G: I remember when Safeway Liquor in Vic had Amstel for $25.99 a carton, good times, good times!
Come on people. Anybody who says this is a shitty beer is a retard. It’s the best beer I have tasted for the price.
I’ve been living in Germany for 2 months now, engaging in an orgy of beer drinking. I’ve had some feckin amazing beers. Oettinger is certainly not the best, but it is damned good and exceptionally so for the price.
I can buy an Oettinger Bock (1/2 liter bottle, 16.9 ounces) for .49 euro cents, and most of the other varieties (about 7 or 8 total) for .35 to .39. I WISH that such good beer was available in the USA for such a price.
Damn! In the US, even the crappy domestics are going for $6.50 to 7.50 a 6-pack (12 ounce cans). The nice micro-brew beers run between $7 & 12.50, depending on the company and the sale at the supermarket.
Without a doubt, Oettinger beers are the best deal in the world.
I’d say the initial review stands!
I’m an American who has been working over in Dusseldorf for a few months now and I’ve also had some amazing Alts, Pils and Weissbiers.
I picked up some Oettinger and few weeks back when I got together with some co-workers to play some poker. Since drinking beer was second priority to poker (the only thing it could be second priority to) I decided to save a few Euros and buy some different types of Oettinger. Each one I purchased was between 0.35 and 0.45 Euro for a 1/2 Liter bottle. I enjoyed every type I tried! Was it the best beer I ever tasted, no. But for the price it was very tasty and has become a staple of my drinking whenever I’m not drinking in the bars and pubs.
Cheers!
Only ever tried 1, loved it, off to try and find some for new years eve.
This is a very fine pils lager, it is not Urquell or anything near the best polish or other Czech beers, but it is a fine substitute and has no call to hang its head in shame in any beer garden anywhere in the world, and for the price! it is the best value pils lager available by a very long shot.
Those who have rubbished this beer, simply do not like the traditional hops taste associated with Pilsner, this is easily understood, we drink what suits our taste.
I bought 1 carton to test this beer out. I enjoyed the taste instantly and knocked off the carton much quicker than I usually do. Better than many Aussie beers and close to many Euro beers. I highly recommend this beer and at $30 a carton I will keep buying it .
Likewise to most of the above. I’m a Coopers, Guinness, Real Ale type of guy and I was in the local grog shop, saw the price, and decided to give it a go. It reminds’ me of a dry pale ale (not a heavy as Coopers) with a pilsner type aroma (fruity?). Really, really, pleasantly surprised. I’m off to get another four slabs for “rehydration” after a run I’m setting for a mob on Monday….
I’ve been drinking Oettinger for a while now and even though its gone up from the original $26 to $30 a carton, compared to the other Euro brands its great value, great taste and its a truely imported product. Unlike the others that are brewed locally under licence and marketed as Imported with Imported pricing.
Even the Restaurants and Nightclubs call this licenced stuff Imported in their Menu’s and charge imported pricing (must be something illegal there somewhere). I know I will continue to buy it as long as the pricing remains good, as for the local brews had a Crown Lager the other day and it tatsed like old dishwater. The Purity Law of 1516 should be enforced here.
I used to drink Amsterdam Mariner Lager. I thought it was the best value European beer on the market until I tried this beauty. The value for money can not be beaten and I would suggest that those who have rubbished it don’t like the taste of either European beers or Pilsners. This is a very reasonably priced example of both. Only draw back is it goes down too easily and I am out!!
I’ve just bought a carton, and can tell you that although it isn’t one of the best beers, it holds alright for $33 a carton. If you’ve got money it doesn’t beat the likes of Corona, Bitburger and Coopers but if your poor I’ll tell you, it sure as hell beats drinking goon.
A Mate brought it over to my place to try…. Right price for him but at the cost of real flavour….Go home brew allday. $18.00 = 63 pot glasses of all natural no hangover full flavour BEER…..
Hoeegarden, Little Creatures or Dortmunder DAB it isn’t, but then again it isn’t $60 a case.
For an every day beer it is great value. As for the person who said it was the worst beer he has ever drunk, he obvously hasn’t tried Fosters, VB, Rechs Real or XXXX. If you don’t mind it in cans (some times cans are a necessary evil), you can pick it up for about $25 a case.
Jims’ Cellars in Waitars (upper shore, Sydney). He imports it direct (check the address of the importer on the cans, same address as the store) He had it in stock months before Dan Murphies did.
to my mate above (shane)… your tastebuds are in your ass and you wouldn’t know ‘real flavour’ if it bit you in the ass. Sure, there are much better beers out there but at 30 bucks a case it holds it’s own and is a damn sight better than a lot of aussie beers at 40 a case.
I work at Dan Murphys and the reason we get Oettinger so cheap here is that Woolworths have an exclusivity deal, meaning we can import it heaps cheap, however we also make virtually nothing on every case sold but it gets people in the door. also contrary to what another poster said we sell both imported and local Becks and only imported Stella. Back to the matter at hand, this is a pretty good beer, one I wouldnt buy often but when moneys tight, its still beer.
i bought a 6 pack of 500ml cans of this stuff for like $13, same price as a 6 pack of VB except these cans are fucking huge.
taste is pretty decent for price, i’d say only slightly behind VB, but at this price this is now my favourite cheap beer.
I’m a coopers man through and through.
But for $14 a 6pack I couldn’t beleive my luck! I hope BWS keep carrying it as a regular item, although at the rate im buying it they’d be silly not to!! hahah
Smashes amsterdam mariner, bavaria and hollandia and in 500ml cans it represents great value.
The company that distributes it could be onto a money spinner if word gets out.
I work in a BWS and discovered this beer in a state of near poverty. Very impressed, good taste, great price and decent on the head the next morning. I did find it got me more dehydrated than other beers, though I cant explain that one. Woolworths obviously has a big hand in the oettinger group, we’re still making a 24% GP on each carton which is ridiculous. As for the alcohol content, I thought the same thing until I got a case of the 500ml cans. You’ll drink 3 litres of beer without realising it, and then you’re on your arse. There’s definately alcohol in there, but it hides well.