I assume there were bags of SMB laying around...
Brutal... I can see this is going to be a sore spot for both sides for a long time. Being on the fence as I am, all I can say is it can't hurt to try it.
But, Chris, on the topic of "traditional German flavor", when I was in Baltimore, I had Steigl helles and another German helles on tap at Max's Taphouse, and neither beer had the lingering fresh grain flavor ("it") that I was expecting.