I learned to drink in Germany as a 16 year old exchange student and then came back to US and experienced drinking culture here.

You are absolutely correct that German teens have much easier access to hard liquor the American terns. I presume this is some combination of the culture and enforcement realities in Germany compared to the US.

However, I would also (anecdotally) say that the teen culture in Germany around drinking is healthier and less prone to binging than in America. That doesn't mean there aren't problems, but they seemed less frequent and more muted.

My personal hypothesis is that this is because that 16 year limit and the difference in culture meant that teens ate far more likely to drink with and around their family. This facilitates intergenerational knowledge transfer about responsible alcohol usage and reduces risks.