Not a big lager guy...but...

I posted a thread a while back kind of dissing lagers. For the most part they are inoffensive, but that's really it for me. I didn't really like any of them, they just weren't bad. Well, I finally got one today that I like. Hoss rye lager by Great Divide is pretty good. It isn't in my top 10 or anything. Probably not even in the top ten for beers I've tried this year, but I do enjoy it. Yay beer!

Here it is. Its probably a couple points darker in the pic than IRL.

Try new belgium's Shift. it is a nice hoppy lager

OK, describe it...color, head retention and lacing seem self evident. but what about the rest?

I really like few lagers myself. Two styles really do suit me though. I enjoy a REAL Marzenbier. Dark amber, malty and a nice dry finish. I also like a REAL Czech Pils. The noble hops used are outstanding.

I had an excellent CAP today, and I loved it. (Homebrew).

I also like many Oktoberfests, Maibocks, Bohemian pilsners, German pilsners, and some dopplebocks. There are many others I like as well.

Many lagers are excellent and it's worth trying several examples of each style before writing them off.

Clann said:

Try new belgium's Shift. it is a nice hoppy lager

Click to expand...

Yeah this one is odd. It seems like they took a pale ale recipe and fermented it like a lager. I thought it was good just took a bit to get used to.

i love lagers! They are fantastic beers that for the most part really let the ingredients shine through. That is my main problem with ales, especially english region ales, they are entirely to bogged down with fruity esters.

The best thing about lagers and homebrewing is you can make any style of beer you want with a lager yeast and it usually tastes much more smooth and refined that the ale counterpart. I have been experimenting lately with IPAs/Pale Ales made with a bock yeast and I am really loving them. I have a whole pilsner yeast line I am going to start next.

I hate lagers... because I can't brew them yet. Can't wait until I have some proper fermentation chambers to brew up some lagers. Love me a good bock!

Maibocks, Eurotrash Pils, American Pils, Helle's all just too light for me. Its a preference. I've had a dopplebock or two that was passable. I mean, they are drinkable, but I wont pay for one or brew one. If someone buys me one, I'll drink it. If someone brews one and offers it, I'll drink it. Its not bad, its just not something I seek out. Belgians and wheats on the other hand, I wont be paid to drink. Which makes trips to the brew pub hell in summer.

On the other hand I love me some good English ale...lol. Scots even better.

I'm not to good at beer descriptions really. The slight spicyness and fruityness of the Rye was evident obviously. Crisp and clean like you would expect. Soft hops, maybe goldings? The label said that the beer was modeled after the Marzenbeirs of Germany with soft fruity notes. I can tell you that it was complex enough to keep me interested. I think, for me, that is what most lagers are lacking. One man's smooth and refined is another man's lack of flavor and edge I guess.

I'm totally not giving up on lagers though (as evidenced by the fact that I'm still trying ones I like after years of disappointment). Yoop actually mentioned maibocks and oktoberfests in my other post, and I think those are probably right for me. The ones that I have tried are very close to me liking them, but they just lack something to me. I can't put my finger on what just yet. I do know that, as she stated, I haven't tried enough of those two styles yet (especially maibocks, as I can't find any yet) to say that they have really had a fair shake. I'm afraid though that most pilsners are on their way out though.

Wow,, a lot of lager hating in this one. Anyone ever had a Ayinger celebrator, Kulmbacher schwarzbier, Paulanor Oktoberfest, to name a few. Doppelbock and schwarzbier are two of my favorite styles. Maybe you guys just haven't had good examples of certain styles.

I like lagers but I don't drink them as much as ales because I don't have the ability to properly control temperature to lager. I drink more ales to get inspiration for what I am going to brew next. Once I get another fridge I can start lagering and then will definitely be drinking more lager styles.

I love a good lager! That is probably 50% of what I brew, add to that Kolsch and Alt and probably 70% of my beers are cool/cold fermented and lagered.

I do like a good pale ale and IPA and do brew them - but I can buy good examples of those. That is much easier than finding really good commercial lagers.

Kinda of a twist. Way back when I started brewing, there were very few craft beers so I liked to brew a variety of ales, because there weren't many good commercial examples available. Fast forward a bunch of years and it has reversed. Lots of great ales available, but comparatively less great lagers out there.