lagers: craft vs homebrew

let me start by saying i've never had a homebrewed lager. i've also been had a limited exposure to craft brewed lagers, just because there aren't many around.
i've had a few, though, and never thoroughly enjoyed one.

is homebrew lager significantly better? most lagers i've tried have had a kind of tinny (?) taste. is that typicaly of the style, or is it just a very common flaw?
to me, they always taste kind of bland and off.


but, i see lots of brewers on here who seem to brew them a lot, and invest good chunks of money building lagering chambers etc. to make them.

have i just had bad lagers? are they significantly different homebrewed?

winters around here are chilly but mild, and i normally ferment in the (uninsulated, unheated) garage, so i have to rig up warmers to get ales to ferment well. i'm fine with keeping this up, but if you all convince me it's worth giving a homebrewed lager a shot, well, i just might. (especially since i may be getting all-grain brewing goodies in october)

any really good lagers i should pick up next time i'm at one of the local beer stores? or something i should hunt down on tap that might be typical of a really good lager? or are there just lager guys and non-lager guys?

Full Sail is making some interesting lagers. You should be able to find them in your area. The LTD 05 was fantastic. Their Session Black is a summer staple.

Haven't brewed a lager yet, but I think that's the next brew.

i should be able to find it here. I don't usually reach for their stuff (no real reason, i just don't)
might have to grab some next time i find myself buying "groceries"

Give Victory Prima Pils a try if you like hoppy beers. I've made a clone that was just as good, although not quite the same.

I think craft lagers are great, never had a homebrewed one though.

In Kirkland, you can find a pretty good selection of lagers. Try beers by Baron, Chuckanut, and Alpine. I had a draft Alpine Pilsner last year that I still think about. It was absolutely amazing. I need more soon.

I don't brew lagers, but there is no reason that homebrew lagers would be better. Perhaps most lagers you've had have been imports and somewhat old. If you are like me, once you find some real good local ones, you'll order a lot of them at pubs because you can't brew them. I always seem to want what I can't make, like a good lambic.

bengerman said:

is homebrew lager significantly better? most lagers i've tried have had a kind of tinny (?) taste. is that typicaly of the style, or is it just a very common flaw?

Click to expand...

Sounds like a lager past its prime - I have come across that before.

A fresh German lager is a piece of heaven! Not too many excellent domestic examples.

I am just not really a lager guy. Pittsburghs original craft brewery down the hill from me makes some nice ones. Penn Brewery. Just celebrated 20 years. They do more traditional german styles but they do it well. Most breweries in PA make a token pilsner. Voodoo makes one even I can drink. Never had a homebrew lager.

I've made many, many lagers. Most were german pilsners. (But I've also made classic american pilseners, light lagers, munich dunkel, octoberfest, schwarzbier, rauchbier (smokebeer), and I lagered a stout once.)

I'd say ales are tastier, but sometimes nothing beats a crisp pilsener in the summer. I love my homebrew pilsners, but I've found that it is very difficult to make a clone of your favorite. I love Prima Pils, but making a clone has proved elusive.

If you don't absolutely desire a lager, don't bother with the equipment. You will, eventually, I'd bet on it.

jmo88 said:

In Kirkland, you can find a pretty good selection of lagers. Try beers by Baron, Chuckanut, and Alpine. I had a draft Alpine Pilsner last year that I still think about. It was absolutely amazing. I need more soon.

I don't brew lagers, but there is no reason that homebrew lagers would be better. Perhaps most lagers you've had have been imports and somewhat old. If you are like me, once you find some real good local ones, you'll order a lot of them at pubs because you can't brew them. I always seem to want what I can't make, like a good lambic.

Click to expand...

one great thing about this area - 4 specialty beer stores within a 20 minute drive of my house, and 3 homebrew shops too.

This past Spring I did my first lager. Actually, I did two of them.

One was a clone of Sam Adams Boston Lager but I upped the DME a bit and the other was a clone of Negra Modello.

It was a cool experience compared to other beers I have done. It required some patience and faith to let it do its thing.

I had some bumps in the road....I didn't do a starter and found that it really needs one or it needs to sit inside for a day to get cranking along.

But in the end I was rewarded with two very tasty beers. The Boston Lager clone turned out the better of the two and I have had to ration it to keep from drinking it all! The Modello went to a mid-Summer chili party. It wasn't as fresh as I wanted it to taste but I found very many folks that liked it better than other beers they'd had. Even when not so fresh it can still beat out a bottle!

Give it a try. It's a learning experience. Don't be intimidated. Once you figure out the process you've got it down and a whole new realm of brewing opens up to you.

For the record I'm in the process of procuring a chest freezer just for lagering!

Lagers make malty beers than can be compared to no other, you need to try some nice malty german lagers like helles, oktoberfest or a true german bock. unfortunately you can't rely on the american microbrewed counterparts for those styles... they haven't figured it out yet. It seems most microbreweries these days do 1 lager; a pilsner that is so hoppy it leaves a lot of people with thoughts like yours, "Are lagers worth it?"

Beers you should try before writing them off:
Weihenstephan Original
Paulaner Oktoberfest
Find a German label that says "Ur Bock"
Roslyn Lager - this one's local and delicious, I found it at 99 bottles in Federal Way, someone should have it up north by you.
+1 on the Alpine Pilsner too... that is a great beer, and Chuckanut is still on my list to taste I've heard great things.


Homebrew lagers are rarely better. It's not too much extra work and know-how to make a good one, but it's sooooooo hard to get them PERFECT.

Craft brewed lagers seem to be few and far between. The only actually infected beer I have ever purchased was a lager with a "rope" infection from a NJ craft brewery. I've been to a few brewpubs that have had lagers, and was never impressed until 3 weeks ago in Philly when I had a Keller-bier (unfiltered pilsner) at Triumph. That beer was fantastic!

I've been happy with my own lagers so far. Starting wednesday I am brewing a vienna, which will grow the yeast for a bock, which will lead to a dopplebock. I probably won't make too many pilsners just because they can be purchased so cheaply (I like Bud). Dopplebock is my favorite style and since it tends to be expensive on tap, I'm hoping to perfect a homebrewed version.

I was once in the category of lagers aren't for me, until I tried some of the German lagers. Completely different experience and converted me to a fan of these beers. I've brewed two so far and they take more time and patience that's for certain, but have been extremely pleased with the final product. I'll second the trying of Paulaner Oktoberfest as it was one of the beers that converted me. Now when Im in a mood for a malty beverage, I immediately think lager...

Airborneguy said:

Craft brewed lagers seem to be few and far between. The only actually infected beer I have ever purchased was a lager with a "rope" infection from a NJ craft brewery. I've been to a few brewpubs that have had lagers, and was never impressed until 3 weeks ago in Philly when I had a Keller-bier (unfiltered pilsner) at Triumph. That beer was fantastic!

I've been happy with my own lagers so far. Starting wednesday I am brewing a vienna, which will grow the yeast for a bock, which will lead to a dopplebock. I probably won't make too many pilsners just because they can be purchased so cheaply (I like Bud). Dopplebock is my favorite style and since it tends to be expensive on tap, I'm hoping to perfect a homebrewed version.

Click to expand...

I made a bit bock for the AHA club-only comp a while back. Split a batch and oaked half of it. The oaked one was better, with that complexity from the wood adding a nice dimension. Just a thought for ya.

tried some weihenstephaner original the other day, as well as Hofbrau original. both were good. I still prefer ales, but these were pretty good.

I don't make many lagers, usually only about 2-3 per year. BUT.....a well made lager is worth it! A great maibock, dopplebock, Bohemian pilsner, or even Oktoberfest makes you sit up and say, "THAT'S what I'm talking about!"

I make maibock every year, and then switch up the other lagers.

Titletown brewing company in Green Bay, WI makes great lagers, but he doesn't bottle! Otherwise, craft lagers are sadly lacking in the US.

passedpawn said:

I made a bit bock for the AHA club-only comp a while back. Split a batch and oaked half of it. The oaked one was better, with that complexity from the wood adding a nice dimension. Just a thought for ya.

Click to expand...

Sorry I missed this.

I'm seriously considering using my barrel for half of a batch of lager. I'll put the barrel right into the freezer. How did you do it?

Airborneguy said:

Sorry I missed this.

I'm seriously considering using my barrel for half of a batch of lager. I'll put the barrel right into the freezer. How did you do it?

Click to expand...

First, i mean't big bock, not bit bock. Dang fingers.

Oaked with chips. I wish I had barrels. I'd do my sours in them.

I think I toasted the chips a bit before I added them.