Anybody else finding themselves enjoying American Lite Lagers again?

[HutBrew]

Bud Miller Coors beers are what I got started drinking, then I went through a long IPA/craft beer phase. However, over the course of 2021, I’ve found myself greatly enjoying the American Light style.

Pale Lagers in general are my new favorite thing to drink, not that I dont enjoy a good NEIPA or hoppy pale ale, but my taste buds have actually adjusted to thoroughly enjoy the crisp bite of a smooth, mass produced lager. Same goes for nice craft pilsners alike.

I think its the subtle floral hoppy-ness i get from a craft pilsner, or even the slight hoppy flavor from something like miller lite, that has me hooked. I dont know if i’ve just started to not appreciate the hop bombs like I used to.

Anyone else in the same boat?

 

[Dr_Jeff]

Nope

 

[beerfactory]

I think there is something seasonal about a crisp lager. Definitely have been enjoying malty lagers, lately. Pretty soon I'll be quaffing porters.

I'm not a snob, I'll take a light beer to the lake - where I know glass is not the best option. I'm not ashamed to admit that quantity sometimes takes priority over quality...

 

[Protos]

Tshhhh... Don't push it yet... The return of the Nostalgic Yelow Fizzy Mass Lager is the next Hipster Big Fad planned by the World Reptiloid Government .
When pumpkin sour hopbomb murky pastry stouts are finally out of fashion, you know what will be the next Holy Grail. "Yellow Is The New Black".

Jokes aside, I like light lagers. Sometimes I feel my palate's a bit tired of all my Belgian Strongs, Rauchbocks and Chevallier-malt Bitters and I crave a simple Yellow Lager.
I won't buy them, though. I search for old recipes of the famous modern mass brands (like Stella, Heineken, Carlsberg etc.) and try to recreate them. Most of the time I like the results very much.

 

[HutBrew]

I did not intend to push the hipster/free masonry agenda, but unfortunately there seems to be no stopping it…

I’m hoping SWMBO will let me brew a couple cornies worth of some pale lager soon. The one batch i did of cali yeast pilsner I found more enjoyable than BMC.

I do have college graduation in December (long time coming) and want some easy drinking stuff for the obligatory gathering, hopefully that’s enough of an excuse to justify a brew day, and perhaps some extra equipment… wish me luck dudes!

 

[MaxStout]

Once in a while I get a sort of rebound effect where I'll crave something lighter for a change of pace. Especially if I've been on a run of big beers, and usually in the spring after a winter of drinking stouts and big Belgians. But even then I'll usually opt for a blonde ale or a Kolsch. But if the host of a party offers a BMC, I'll be courteous and take it.

I do enjoy the occasional Miller High Life in a bottle, though it's been a while. Should pick up a sixer.

 

[Dland]

I often brew lighter colored lagers (but not "lite beer", usually clock in at 5-6% ABV). They are crisp and refreshing and flavorful. Sometimes I even use adjuncts, mostly rye malt, sometimes corn if going for that "midwest flavor", but seldom at over 20% grist for rye, 10% for corn.

BMC type beers they are not, even if they are similar color, I find those often too sweet and quite flavorless in comparison. It may be my imagination(but I think not) they also seem to promote hangovers when consumed in quantity. I will drink them if no other beer is available however. Fortunately, this has not happened since I started home brewing again..

 

[govner1]

No!

 

[RocketBrewer]

While I generally lean towards hoppy IPA's and other flavor packed beers, I have also been enjoying some light lagers of late. I have a Czech Pale Lager (3.9% ABV) and a Sapporo Clone (5% ABV) on tap right now that are both very crushable. True, they due tend to be summertime favorites that will likely be replaced with darker and/or more malt forward beers as the weather cools. With 7 taps, I like to try to keep a smorgasbord of beers on tap, but like to keep something light for friends who aren't big beer drinkers, or for me when I want to drink several beers without getting hammered. I also make a very good Mexican light lager that finds a pretty regular rotation. That being said, pale light lagers are some of the most difficult beers to brew. There aren't loads of flavorful hops and specialty grains to hide behind so any flaws will be very noticeable. I've found that fresh, high quality ingredients, good temperature control, and lots of active yeast are key to making high quality light lagers. Giving yeast plenty of time to clean up after fermentation is also important. Never try to rush a lager, 4-6 weeks of as close to freezing as possible lagering time before drinking will also reap benefits. I seem to notice a nice (IMO) trend in craft brewing in the US towards more lagers, including light lagers that we haven't seen much in the past.

 

[Transamguy77]

So since I’m on a hiatus from brewing at the moment I have found myself drinking High Life and Murphy’s during the week and craft stuff on the weekends. Beer is crazy expensive so I’m hoping to be back at it by the end of the year but until then I gotta substitute macro.

 

[Wables]

I normally have a case of MGD light at the house for people who don’t like good beer, and for weeknight saunas when I want a lower ABV beer. I brewed a 3.9% wheat beer this weekend that shows promise. I currently only have 2 taps in my little Sanyo, but when that dies I’m hoping to at least double that number.

 

[Sammy86]

I always have a case of Stella in the garage/basement for the times that I run out of HB and brew again. While I know it’s not American, it’s still a light, yellow, fizzy lager and it hits the spot when there is no HB.

 

[madscientist451]

I used to keep a 30 pack of Hamm's light around as my lawnmower beer, hot day in a Kayak beer. But now that beer has been discontinued and I'm going to brew my own version. So yeah, I like something light and crushable now and then. Any know what a good substitution for Hamm's light would be?

 

[Steveruch]

Again? I never liked them in the first place.

 

[Protos]

an excuse to justify a brew day,

Graduation party is definitely a solid excuse to brew a wild assortment of industrial lager clones! I'm sure the dudes will love it, much more than any other beers (some of my guests I treated with my best and rarest brews complained the beers were "too complex to enjoy" so now I always have some homebrew light lagers specifically for such occasions). Hopefully, most of the dudes at the party aren't hipsters: then you're bound to murkies, sours and liquid pastries

 

[Wables]

Any know what a good substitution for Hamm's light would be?

Boil water, keg with 2.5 volumes?

 

[day_trippr]

 

[Dland]

 

[madscientist451]

Boil water, keg with 2.5 volumes?

OK, I'll try it....

 

[Ogilthorpe2]

I like Coors light to rinse out my glass in between real beers.

 

[bracconiere]

Anyone else in the same boat?

i think if you're a homebrewer, try brewing a light lager on your own...lightly hopped, nothing but light base malt fermented low and slow....it's orgasmic.smooth rich and creamy but like, all texture not much 'flavor'.....great stuff! unfortunately i've been drinking too much to find the time. but give it a shot, and see if you still think BMC is king....(it does taste deceptively fattening though!)

 

[HutBrew]

Thanks for all the feedback folks!
I’m planning on a split batch of 95% pilsen, 5% victory. Hops I plan on perle for bittering, and saaz for flavor/aroma. 10-12gal going into 2 fermenters, one with Omega Kevik Lutra, the other with 34/70.

Bracc, I’ll take the advice about low (assuming you mean mash temperature) and i’ll go slow on the 34/70, but from what i’ve read Lutra works pretty fast…
Should I just skip the Victory? I was going for a sorta kinda Czech thing, so 7oz overall of hops for 10-12gal?

Protos, my friends are lacking in the hipster department, so I’ll save the double dry hopped, Lactose and chai tea infused sours for another time. The people i hangout with drink Miller lites and we frequently play games that involve ping pong balls. I think a good pilsn inspired beverage will fit the occasion nicely.
Thanks for the responses folks!

 

[Protos]

Should I just skip the Victory?

I wouldn't skip it. Light lagers greatly benefit from a bit of zing, I think. That might be reached either by adding a bit of toasted malts (what you're going to do) or by decoction (which is bettter but tiresome). Without any of that, a 100% Pilsner risks come out quite boring and unremarkable. Just like the industrial Pißwasser.

 

[HutBrew]

Protos, thanks for the tips! I want to try decoction at some point, but i’ll stick with the victory for now. Good to know decoction is noticeable and worth the effort, when I get around to it.

 

[Stormcrow]

I used to keep a 30 pack of Hamm's light around as my lawnmower beer, hot day in a Kayak beer. But now that beer has been discontinued and I'm going to brew my own version. So yeah, I like something light and crushable now and then. Any know what a good substitution for Hamm's light would be?

You might want to check out the Frosted Flakes Cream Ale experiment thread and adjust that recipe for a lower ABV. I brewed that beer and am actually enjoying it. I was actually thinking of brewing it again with regular corn flakes and a lager yeast to see how macro I could get it. Not my favorite, but my non-craft drinking loved ones really enjoy it, and I wouldn't mind having a few bottles around.

 

[bracconiere]

assuming you mean mash temperature

no, i mean put the fermenter in the fridge, and ferment it for 2 weeks at 50f..i think victory would be interesting? not sure....but in my experience, light lager is all about mouthfeel....and homebrew kicks BMC ass! it has just as little flavor but, totally like velvet, silk on the pallet! great stuff!

 

[Protos]

Good to know decoction is noticeable and worth the effort, when I get around to it.

Well, be aware there's a school of thought claiming the decoction effect is unnoticeable, negligible and unworthy of the effort. That school mostly consists of lazy hipsters who would gladly prefer to make their beers just by dissolving some powder in sparkling water, if they could. I definitely taste the difference: a well-performed decoction gives the beer some discernable melanoidins, some pleasant tannic tanginness from boiled husks, and (the main thing!) gives the Lager that proverbial silky body, as decoction extracts more unfermentable compounds into the liquor than infusion, which makes the wort slightly less fermentable. Have luck with your party brew!

 

[Cyclman]

I was just saying at my brew club meeting on Sunday night, that it seems like craft lagers are the new trend. Mexican, Vienna, Pilsners, American lights, Dunkels, many craft breweries are brewing fantastic lagers, easily available in cans, yay! Low abv, delicious, serveable to BMC drinkers, without supporting the atrocious business practices of “big beer.” I don’t blame the big guys for trying to oust the little guys, but I cannot support them, facilitating their behaviors. I happily support craft pilsners and other lagers.

 

[mashpaddled]

A lot of craft beer drinkers starting accepting light lagers as suitable drink like five or six years ago and within the hipster domain the cheaper lagers were a thing long before that. It was inevitable that people would seek out lighter options the more craft beer tilted towards increasing ABV, more aggressive flavors, increasing residual sugar and body. Eventually most people find it hard to drink 15% stouts with an FG high enough to be the OG of another stout or a fruit beer with the body of thin jelly--especially when that involves a $30 bottle or $25 four pack instead of a $15 thirty pack.

I still don't generally prefer American light lagers but I am happy to drink crisp lower ABV lagers and drier ales--but people should drink what they like.

 

[yowzers]

Funny story, the guy that just won home brewer of the year at the NHC competition submitted a light lager made with a few pounds of light DME and a couple pounds of rice flake. His recipe was about 5 lines long total. Just read it in the zymurgy magazine so I’m giving it a try this weekend. Totally funny IMO.

 

[GrowleyMonster]

Bud Miller Coors beers are what I got started drinking, then I went through a long IPA/craft beer phase. However, over the course of 2021, I’ve found myself greatly enjoying the American Light style.

Pale Lagers in general are my new favorite thing to drink, not that I dont enjoy a good NEIPA or hoppy pale ale, but my taste buds have actually adjusted to thoroughly enjoy the crisp bite of a smooth, mass produced lager. Same goes for nice craft pilsners alike.

I think its the subtle floral hoppy-ness i get from a craft pilsner, or even the slight hoppy flavor from something like miller lite, that has me hooked. I dont know if i’ve just started to not appreciate the hop bombs like I used to.

Anyone else in the same boat?

My normal glass for the last couple of years has been my own home brewed, not very hoppy, medium to heavy brown ales with an occasional batch of something more like a stout I suppose. Almost the opposite of the big brand American yellow pilsners I used to drink. I still see merit in Miller Lite or similar as a hot weather thirst quencher in some circumstances, though. Here in New Orleans there are two seasons...Summer, and January. Okay, it's not quite that bad but we get a lot of hot, humid weather, and except for the very wealthy folks, going outside and sweating is sometimes unavoidable. There are always cars to fix, nails to pound, holes to dig, trees to cut and logs to buck, grass to mow, and other tasks that call for something ice cold and very wet to drink. And a crazy hot bowl of chili or a cold cut po-boy with lots of creole mustard actually goes good with a brain-freeze cold pilsner sometimes. Otherwise, I will have a nice glass of liquid bread, dark, foamy, and with a reasonably high ABV.

 

[jtratcliff]

OK, I'll try it....

Don't forget to double dry hop!

 

[Toxxyc]

I think most homebrewers go through a "hophead" stage. It's fun to try and see where you can push it to. However, most of us also return to what we enjoy most of the time, everyday drinking. I'm the same. Used to like the hop bombs, but I'm back to trying to recreate authentic German lager tastes. No American Light Lagers, but something just slightly more flavourful, like Czech Pilsners, German Lagers (like Helles or Marzen), etc.

But yes, it is seasonal. I now brew for the upcoming summer (in 2 months or so here), and in high summer I'll again brew for the coming winter (probably a double stout, a sweet stout, etc.).

 

[madscientist451]

Funny story, the guy that just won home brewer of the year at the NHC competition submitted a light lager made with a few pounds of light DME and a couple pounds of rice flake. His recipe was about 5 lines long total. Just read it in the zymurgy magazine so I’m giving it a try this weekend. Totally funny IMO.

I'm a little skeptical that you can make a beer with just DME and flaked rice.
Don't you have to use something with enzymes like barley malt to convert the flaked rice?

 

[Toxxyc]

Yeah I also don't know if the DME will contain enough (or any) enzymes to do anything with the flaked rice. Seems to me you'll get a pretty starchy beer, unless fermentation will break down the starch into sugar (I know yeast can do this, albeit slowly).

 

[Jayjay1976]

 

[Steveruch]

I'm a little skeptical that you can make a beer with just DME and flaked rice.
Don't you have to use something with enzymes like barley malt to convert the flaked rice?

It wasn't brewed with flaked rice but with dried rice extract.

 

[yowzers]

It wasn't brewed with flaked rice but with dried rice extract.

Thank you that’s what I meant but did not have the article right in front of me. Leave it to the editors to check your work on HBT

 

[madscientist451]

It wasn't brewed with flaked rice but with dried rice extract.

So its all DME and DRE?

 

[tracer bullet]

I'm not a fan of the style. Never was. I can handle an Amstel Light, it has some flavor. But the normal American lagers, aside from being fairly devoid of flavor, often have a flavor I specifically dislike. I saw Miller High Life mentioned. I specifically dislike that beer and have poured it out and switched to water because there was no other beer to be had. I'm not judging anyone, everyone has different tastes. But some of our lagers are just... Hmm I wont' say bad, but I will say have a flavor I actively dislike. Some day I hope to find out what it is, because I'd like to brew a lager, but no way I'm going to chance it until I figure out what it is I dislike so much.