Lager dislike?

Someone started a hop hater thread, which I found entertaining and useful, and it got me to thinking: I haven't ever had a lager I *really* liked. There's just something, I don't know, skunky (sorta), about them. Anyone else feel this way? Before I get jumped on, let me say I've tried my fair share from octoberfests to pils to bocks, and of course BMC, but that only sorta counts. anyway, anyone have a suggestion as to why this may be or feel similarly. Tell me I'm not a freak! Cheers

If you don't like them, you don't like them. That's fine.

That said, there are some fantastic lagers out there that I just love. One is Capital Brewery's Blonde Dopplebock. It's amazing.

I'm also a fan of many maibocks and several other seasonal offerings by several breweries. (Sprecher's Maibock is great, as is Capital Brewery's).

There are a few pilsners I like and a few more dopplebocks.

A good rich lager, full of melanoidin flavors, is a real treat.

I'm still an ale person overall, but I would never rule out a great lager!

Freak!

Kidding. Man I like me some lagers. I make a lot of them.

I can't stand hefe's any more (used to like them). Not even a sip. Freaks unite!

New Glarus Uff Da Bock is also a great beer. Very malty and rich. Teriffic lager.

There is a brewery local to me called "Red Oak." They make only a few beers, all German style lagers. Here is their standard lineup. http://www.redoakbrewery.com/about.php I am an ale drinker at heart but these are some good lagers.

How do you feel about Anchor Steam? To me, it's the beeriest beer out there and would make a nice backwards-gateway into the lager world. It's a little fruity, bitter, and sulfur-free like many ales, but with the crisp lager finish.

I agree with you... There is some taste that seems pretty universal to lagers that just tastes off....

Have you ever tried a Vienna Lager, or a Mai Bock? Or are you just talking about light lagers like BMC? There's a ton of lagers out there that are pretty awesome.

The wonderful thing about beer is that there's plenty of styles for everyone!!

I'm not a big fan of hefes or wheat beers, myself.

I'll go with you on this one. I can't say that I've ever had a lager and had a "wow" moment. More like a bunch of "eh" moments. I like to think I've tried a good sampling of german lagers. The only ones I like taste like ales.

jeepinjeepin said:

There is a brewery local to me called "Red Oak." They make only a few beers, all German style lagers. Here is their standard lineup. http://www.redoakbrewery.com/about.php I am an ale drinker at heart but these are some good lagers.

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I just had this at the airport on my way home last week. Having a local brew during my 4 hr layover helped it go by just a touch faster.

bjl110 said:

Someone started a hop hater thread, which I found entertaining and useful, and it got me to thinking: I haven't ever had a lager I *really* liked. There's just something, I don't know, skunky (sorta), about them. Anyone else feel this way? Before I get jumped on, let me say I've tried my fair share from octoberfests to pils to bocks, and of course BMC, but that only sorta counts. anyway, anyone have a suggestion as to why this may be or feel similarly. Tell me I'm not a freak! Cheers

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Are you speaking of bottled or kegged product? Lagers, IMO, do need to be fresh and unsullied. Nasty skunked stuff in green bottles or old, oxidized brew that has languished in storage or shipping is certainly unworthy of drinking. However, if you can sample a quality German Oktoberfest in it's prime (I've been drinking Ayinger on tap of late), Pilsner Urquell properly served, fresh Anchor Steam Beer or a well made homebrewed lager and then keep your same opinion then I would say you just don't like lager beers.

It's just harder to find a flavorful fresh lager when shelf space is being lost to craft brewed ales. Sam Adams is a great lager when you can find it fresh. It's almost like a lager version of a pale ale.

Wow! Thanks for all the suggestions! I'm never ever opposed to trying new beers for the sake of expanding my beer pallete. I'm actually thinking of trying to lager this winter just to do it (and my father in law loves lagers). I may try a Maibock, as it isnt something you usually find around here. I've had several bocks, but am unsure what kind they are exactly.

You guys hit the nail on the head with suggesting darker than lighter (though the blond doppelbock sounds quite interesting), as they seem to have less of the aftertaste/aroma I'm not a fan of. I just wasn't sure if it was the yeast, part of the process, or what, that leads to the semi consistent pseudo-skunkyness I don't like. Even in darker lagers, it is still present in a majority I've tried.

I do enjoy Anchor Steam every now and again, but Anchor Porter is right next to it calling my name.

And just so we are clear, I don't hate them (although I do hate some: Stella, Heinekin, and haven't had a good pils yet), I'm just trying to get a handle on why I don't enjoy them as much as ales. Also seeing if anyone else has had the same reactions.

bjl110 said:

and haven't had a good pils yet),.

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A simplification of what I think I was trying to say. You just haven't yet had any quality lagers in good condition. Don't damn them all based on drinking that putrid industrial dreck. BTW why are ales any different? I like many lagers and many ales but I don't like all of them in either category.

Wow, so many questions/comments! good problems.

To the point of freshness: to be fair, most of the lagers I try are in bottles. Having said that, I had Heineken at the brewery in Amsterdam and still didn't like it (it *was* better, but not good). I also didn't like Stella in Belgium, however, I love Belgian ales, so it isnt a Belgian thing. Also, I live in Ohio and Sam Adams has a big distribution place in Cincy. I've heard that unless you live close to Boston, odds are it comes from Cincy (cant verify that though, just what I heard). I still don't like Sam Adams.

I've had quite a few Octoberfests on tap, especially recently, and I just don't love them like my malty-loving pallete thinks it should. They still taste "off" to me for some reason.

The only Vienna Lager I think I may have had is Negro Modelo (does that count?). It's decent, but still meh. It has been a while since I've had it (and only in bottles to the freshness argument) but I don't remember the off taste in that one. Maybe worth another try. Are there other common examples I might know of/be able to get a hold of?

The one place that I don't think I've had enough to give them a fair shake may be the bock category, especially since I love a nice malty beer. Scottish ales are some of the greatest things on Earth as far as I'm concerned (actually, I think I love full flavor beers, as I love IPAs too). I'll see if I can search out some of the maibocks that you all have mentioned, because I've never heard of most of them.

Pm me an address and I'll send you a Red Oak. Don't get mad if you like it though. They only deliver as far as they can self distribute in their vans and small box trucks. I don't know if they have made it out of NC yet.

jeepinjeepin said:

There is a brewery local to me called "Red Oak." They make only a few beers, all German style lagers. Here is their standard lineup. http://www.redoakbrewery.com/about.php I am an ale drinker at heart but these are some good lagers.

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After looking at there stuff, I need to make a trip to NC, to grab some. Im a huge German Lager fan.

You have to try Pilsner Urquell like Biged suggested. Absoluteley succulent if it has been handled properly.

I agree with what many have said regarding the condition of the beer. I had Pilsner Urquell on tap in Prague and it tasted much better than what you get here. Same for a few beers from Haufbrau.

But, overall I'm not a huge lager fan. I did recently have a Berkshire Oktoberfest which was great but I definitely prefer ales. Thankfully this is the case because my brewing space is so limited that if I got too much into lagers, it would slow my homebrew production way down. I only have one fermentation/lager frig so a lager sucks that up for 6-10 weeks or more.

Urquell is by my favorite pilsner I've had so far. I had it in Brussels and London on tap, and it was for sure better than over here. it has been quite a while since I've had it though, so perhaps I'd like it better now?

You might try Celebrator Doppelbock (Ayinger), or Curator Doppelbock (Ettaler), they're both full of dark, rich, sweet (but not too sweet), malty goodness. I like 'em chilled, but not ice-cold. They both go down reeeaaalll smooth. If I remember correctly, the Curator is 9% ABV, not sure about the Celebrator, I think it's about 8% ABV.
Regards, GF.

bh10 said:

After looking at there stuff, I need to make a trip to NC, to grab some. Im a huge German Lager fan.

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Brewery tour every Friday at 3pm. After the tour you can buy growlers of all 3 beers. They would probably sell you a keg of each if you so choose. Red Oak is sold in 12 packs at more and more stores around here too.

I have found lagers that I Like.........

That said, my thought is almost always,"Hmm, this is good, but I bet it would have been a LOT better if they hadn't lagered half the flavor out of it."

I am definitely a flavor junkie though.

Do you get Upland where you are? I love their Maibock. It's in the pantheon of beers for me.

It could be an issue with the hops, most lagers are using continental hops which don't pack the same amount of punch as US varieties.

See if you can find Eliot Ness from Great Lakes, that's a wonderful Vienna lager.

I like Hacker Pschorr Munich Gold.

PT Ray said:

It's just harder to find a flavorful fresh lager when shelf space is being lost to craft brewed ales. Sam Adams is a great lager when you can find it fresh. It's almost like a lager version of a pale ale.

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I think Pilsners, because of BMC, get a bad rap in the homebrewing community. Sam Adams my have a broad reach these days (which may affect quality the farther it gets from Boston), but I worked in Boston this last summer and while waiting for the train in North Station, Sam Adams' Noble Pils was heavenly.

DFH My Antonia, if you can get your hands on it, is not bad either.