Homebrewing has made me prefer ales over lagers

Back before I started homebrewing, if given the choice, I probably would have told you I was a lager man. Then, this weekend, my father-in-law pulled out some lagers he bought so we could drink "the good stuff" and I sat there wishing for a good APA or ESB. (Not that I objected to his choices and generosity, of course.)

It was weird to notice, though, because I never discriminated like that before. Anybody else notice a preference for ales since starting this hobby? I appreciate the skill that goes into lager brewing, but man do I just want something with more...oomph, for lack of a better word.

Except for college (and even then I preferred Gennie), I've been an ale drinker. Much more variety, even though you can get some good lagers these days.

I have noticed the same thing. This Thanksgiving my mom brought me some Stella Artois and some Polish Marzen beer. They were both good, but Marzen had a bit too heavy honey-sweet aftertaste and Stella was sort of blend. Now they sit in my fridge and I'm drinking my house ale....

Welcome, converts...you, too, have become hop heads!!!
You've aquired the taste for hops!!!

heywolfie1015 said:

Back before I started homebrewing, if given the choice, I probably would have told you I was a lager man. Then, this weekend, my father-in-law pulled out some lagers he bought so we could drink "the good stuff" and I sat there wishing for a good APA or ESB. (Not that I objected to his choices and generosity, of course.)

It was weird to notice, though, because I never discriminated like that before. Anybody else notice a preference for ales since starting this hobby? I appreciate the skill that goes into lager brewing, but man do I just want something with more...oomph, for lack of a better word.

Click to expand...

+1

I enjoy a great pilsener or a strong dark winter style lager, but overall lagers lack the body and "kick" that you get from a great ale. Give me a pale ale or ESB over virtually any lager and I am a happy man. IPA, EPA, APA, ESB........etc..etc..etc.. heck porters, stouts, belgians, barleywines...I am a lover of virtually all things ale.

That being said, being a homebrewer and learning so much about ingredients, brewing and beer in general has really made me a beer snob so to speak. I just can't drink the mass produced crap anymore.

twocylndr said:

Welcome, converts...you, too, have become hop heads!!!
You've aquired the taste for hops!!!

Click to expand...

Hops may be some of it, but I think that the heavy malt character of ales is a big draw for me and alot of others.

I think this preference for ales has a lot of factors.

Many craft breweries simply don't make lagers, or don't make them very often. We're not lagering in caves anymore, we use refrigeration, which costs money. Ales are easier to make, so they're a lot more ubiquitous. Lagers are also more difficult to make because the lack of esters from the yeast makes any flaw in the beer more evident. Quality control and process control need to be much tighter, again costing more money.

Most of us had our first experiences with lagers by drinking BMC swill. 'American Light Lager' is probably the worst style of beer ever, but that's the first association we all make with the word lager.

There are a lot of good lager styles out there, and when done well they taste fantastic. I'd love to start focusing on brewing lagers to show my friends that you can have a solid lineup of lager beers that rival an equal lineup of ales, but I need another fridge and temp controller....

heywolfie1015 said:

Back before I started homebrewing, if given the choice, I probably would have told you I was a lager man. Then, this weekend, my father-in-law pulled out some lagers he bought so we could drink "the good stuff" and I sat there wishing for a good APA or ESB. (Not that I objected to his choices and generosity, of course.)

It was weird to notice, though, because I never discriminated like that before. Anybody else notice a preference for ales since starting this hobby? I appreciate the skill that goes into lager brewing, but man do I just want something with more...oomph, for lack of a better word.

Click to expand...

I found myself thinking this the other day, I just thought ales were something exotic and I thought that I would just stick with lagers, now, I don't find myself drinking lager too often or even enjoying any mass produced lagers very often, but of course, once I can make them effectivley I would most definetly try a bock or octoberfest style beer. But overall I always reach for an ale when given the choice.

I love beer, but prefer the clean taste of a lager over ale. I make clean APAs that reflect the hops as it should and find them really nice also. While I make lagers primarily, I do make a few styles of ales that I enjoy.

twocylndr said:

Welcome, converts...you, too, have become hop heads!!!
You've aquired the taste for hops!!!

Click to expand...

Good ales are not synonymous with an abundance of hops. Sorry. that post is full of fail.

My beer snobbery has been totally focused on ales. However in addition to being more interesting, I find there is something about lagers that I actively dislike (relative to the realm of beer that is, where even bad is good). I wish I knew what this taste element was.

Although I have brewed lagers, I brew ales more often and lately almost all my planned beers are ales. A good ale is as good as any lager I can make and lagers because of the length of fermenting and lagering tie up my equipment and kegerator space.

If I had lots of fermenters in a cold room and a lot of lagering space, I would brew more lagers but in my case that is impractical.

The hoppier the better for me but I am certain a truly well crafted Lager is what they serve you in line at the Pearly Gates.

I was out to dinner with my wife three times last month and at all three restaurants there was not an ale. I was disappointed but shrugged it off and had a lager. Couldn't wait to get home and have one of my own pale ales, though.

I never knew the difference until I started getting back into homebrewing. I've had some lagers recently and they just don't seem as good to me for whatever reason.

But, SA Winter Lager was pretty good. I guess I'm only opposed to certain ones.

I have 11 batches kegged, and two fermenting.

One is a lager.

I do have a lager planned for next month, and a tentative in January.