Favorite of experienced brewers.

[Willy]

Those of you that have been brewing for over 5 years and have tried to brew many or even most types of beer, what has become your favorite drinking beer?

Please do not reply here if you have less than 5 years experience.

I have a theory that many of us come to the same conclusion. I'm not going to say what I think until I've seen some results.

There's a type of beer that's the reason I started brewing and I've seen many seasoned brewers talk about that type as their favorite.
I wanna see how common that is

I just absolutely love that type and wish it had all the nutrition a human body needs 'cause I'd be up for drinking that all day every day

My own tastes have changed over the last 20 years.
Early years - hi ABV IPA styles
Middle years - stout, porter , brown ale
Currently - rich, golden lager styles.

 

[Closet Fermenter]

Irish Dry Stout! I’m really sad when I run out of my stout. I like keeping a blonde ale around as a backup, or something else that I am trying, but I buy in bulk for my IDS.

 

[Miraculix]

Most experienced brewers come to a p(o)int where they learn to really appreciate simplicity and well balanced beers.

A well made bitter and a well made lager both have this in common. Doesn't matter if it's an American lager or a German helles or Czech pilsner.

 

[Willy]

Most experienced brewers come to a p(o)int where they learn to really appreciate simplicity and well balanced beers.

A well made bitter and a well made lager both have this in common. Doesn't matter if it's an American lager or a German helles or Czech pilsner.

My sweet spot now is a 5.7-6.2% abv .
10 lb Pilsner
1.5 lb caropils
1.25 lb Munich
4 oz honey
Hopped with 2 oz Saaz (60 min / 20 min boil, 1 oz each) & Dry hop galaxy 1 oz, 10 min at 176°

YUM!!!!

 

[Willy]

Irish Dry Stout! I’m really sad when I run out of my stout. I like keeping a blonde ale around as a backup, or something else that I am trying, but I buy in bulk for my IDS.

Stout can sit a good while fermenting so ... I brew a double batch and have my backup ready. Can't be without stout. Nope.

 

[Steveruch]

I brew UK styles (bitter, mild, stout, porter and brown) more often than others.

 

[dmtaylor]

And 8 mentioned some kind of lager, including at least two of the people who mentioned bitters. If there's a trend here it's that different people like different things and most people like more than one.

Agreed. I gave two lagers previously, but I have to admit, the English bitter has become a favorite of mine in recent years as well, so I'll jump onto the boat of lagers AND bitters. And it is difficult to narrow down favorites to just a few styles, there are too many great ones.

 

[mac_1103]

it is difficult to narrow down favorites to just a few styles, there are too many great ones

I'm kinda partial to the styles that I brew well. For whatever reason(s), I'm better at Belgians than most other styles. Not just the big dark ones that can hide a lot of mistakes, but also the lighter lower ABV ales. So I like Belgians. In turn, I also brew more Belgians than other styles because I'm better at those. It has become something of a positive feedback loop.

 

[JAReeves]

APA, IPA, Hoppy Lager. But there are also on tap at least one cider or sour and one dark beer.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Just a point of clarification are people putting English when they mean British? Don’t forget that NI, Scotland, Wales and Cornwall are not English.

 

[jdauria]

12+ years of brewing...lagers are definitely my favorite, especially a Schwarzbier, though a Czech Dark is a close 2nd.

 

[WesBrew]

Brewing over 10years and my answer would probably change with the seasons. Right now, I'm looking forward to brewing a Cali Common, but someone's post above makes me want an Alt too.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

I like malty styles of beer, Kolsch, Saisons and wheat beers. I also like to add fruit to beer, mostly wheat or other lighter styles. Bourbon oak aged beers are a favorite too.

It took a few years of brewing to zero into what I really wanted from my brewery. I think all of us are trying to find the right style to brew at home. There's still styles I'll try when I'm out.

 

[balrog]

Just a point of clarification are people putting English when they mean British? Don’t forget that NI, Scotland, Wales and Cornwall are not English.

Interesting that Wikipedia says "Bitter is an English style of pale ale" while most references do say "British". I am an ignorant Yank to be sure, and really got reamed by a temperamental Scott for saying "scotch" when I should have (clearly) said "whiskey". No offense intended.

 

[Ingo]

Oh, sorry, lol. You mentioned you prefer to brew ales on cask, so I was wondering whether you use a standard cask, or corney.

I meant drink cask bitter. Don't know if I'll ever have the setup for brewing that. But who knows. Maybe some day

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Interesting that Wikipedia says "Bitter is an English style of pale ale" while most references do say "British". I am an ignorant Yank to be sure, and really got reamed by a temperamental Scott for saying "scotch" when I should have (clearly) said "whiskey". No offense intended.

We're always going to get beat up when it comes to brewing and making references to styles we are used to in the US.

 

[Velnerj]

6 years or so of experience and my rotation is very sporadic with many different styles. I've very rarely brewed something twice but the two styles I have repeated are:

Rye IPA
APA

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

6 years or so of experience and my rotation is very sporadic with many different styles. I've very rarely brewed something twice but the two styles I have repeated are:

Rye IPA
APA

I was there too at one time.
I've been this for almost forty years, I've dialed in on the ones I really love and that's what I brew. I have a solid dozen I rotate through. Three different on tap - right now, a doppelbock, Baltic Porter and a Kolsch. Just finished brewing a wheat. That'll be split, a Bourbon Cherry and just a cherry.

 

[Yesfan]

Cold and wet is my favorite type of beer.

Right on brother! * fist pump *



Been brewing for 12 years, but not as much as I'd like to the last few years. What I have brewed is usually a simple sessionable hoppy APA or a lager. I'm not so kin on the high ABV beers anymore.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Interesting that Wikipedia says "Bitter is an English style of pale ale" while most references do say "British". I am an ignorant Yank to be sure, and really got reamed by a temperamental Scott for saying "scotch" when I should have (clearly) said "whiskey". No offense intended.

It’s a Scot and Whisky with no e

 

[mac_1103]

I am an ignorant Yank to be sure, and really got reamed by a temperamental Scott for saying "scotch" when I should have (clearly) said "whiskey"

You should have told him that if it's that important then maybe they should stop sending us all these bottles labeled "Scotch."

It’s a Scot and Whisky with no e

So you can hear the "e"?

 

[Cheshire Cat]

You should have told him that if it's that important then maybe they should stop sending us all these bottles labeled "Scotch."

So you can hear the "e"?

Whisky in Scotland and Canada, Whiskey in the USA and Ireland. However Jack Daniel was a Welshman so not sure how he spelled in Welsh.

 

[lumpher]

My favorites are Hefe's and Irish Stouts.

 

[fluketamer]

My sweet spot now is a 5.7-6.2% abv .
10 lb Pilsner
1.5 lb caropils
1.25 lb Munich
4 oz honey
Hopped with 2 oz Saaz (60 min / 20 min boil, 1 oz each) & Dry hop galaxy 1 oz, 10 min at 176°

YUM!!!!

sweet recipe im trying that next it sounds delish

 

[mac_1103]

Whisky in Scotland and Canada, Whiskey in the USA and Ireland.

Yes, I'm aware. And I could probably tell a Scot from an Irishman if I heard each speak a couple of sentences, but not if all I had to go on was "whisk(e)y."

 

[eliastheodosis]

+1 to simpler, balanced beer as @Miraculix and then others mentioned. Bavarian and Bohemian beers are high on the list for me. I also really, really enjoy saisons. I started out brewing those and they worked well for me, so I probably fell into the vicious cycle that @mac_1103 mentioned above.

For me personally...really any nuanced beer that showcases malt and/or yeast will be on the list. Bonus points if there are interesting processes or a time/aging element. Those are also good opportunities for me to learn. These days I often find it hard to separate enjoying a beer and learning from a beer, but I don't see that as a problem.

 

[dwightr8]

Those of you that have been brewing for over 5 years and have tried to brew many or even most types of beer, what has become your favorite drinking beer?

Please do not reply here if you have less than 5 years experience.

I have a theory that many of us come to the same conclusion. I'm not going to say what I think until I've seen some results.

There's a type of beer that's the reason I started brewing and I've seen many seasoned brewers talk about that type as their favorite.
I wanna see how common that is

I just absolutely love that type and wish it had all the nutrition a human body needs 'cause I'd be up for drinking that all day every day

1. Wee Heavy Scotch Ale

2. Belgian Dark Strong Ale

 

[Wigglebutts Brewery]

British Bitters cask with beer engine

 

[Yooper]

I have made every BJCP style, except sours and wilds....because I don't like them.

I make a lot of IPAs, the vast majority, becase I love them (as does my husband who drinks them with me), but the second most common one I brew might be German lagers. Not sure, I'd have to go back and see if I could count them all but in a quick glance at my Brewer's Friend account, out of 357 seperate brew sessions recorded in that account, about 130 are IPAs and the rest mixed with German lagers, cream ales, pale ales, stouts, etc, but more lean towards lager-ish beers.

For a long time I did some fun clone beers, so there is Fat Squirrel (New Glarus brewery) marked as a favorite and I also did alot of stouts until I got one I loved.

I've been brewing for more than 25 years, but only 18 years seriously.

 

[wootz001]

5+ years is blink of an eye to the wide world of brewing…

Personal faves:
Altbier
Dark mild (aged on oak)
Watermelon wheat
Cali SMaSH lager(California Select 2-row, cluster hops, steam beer yeast)

 

[day_trippr]

However Jack Daniel was a Welshman so not sure how he spelled in Welsh.

Having been to Wales numerous times on business and always entertained by the Welsch spelling (which can be totally boggling) I confess I'm surprised that they spell "wisgi" without at least five more vowels...

Cheers! (also, "Grab A Granny Night" in Cardiff can not be missed! )

 

[dmtaylor]

Just a point of clarification are people putting English when they mean British? Don’t forget that NI, Scotland, Wales and Cornwall are not English.

Apologies. USA-ians suck at this stuff.

 

[day_trippr]

Apologies. USA-ians suck at this stuff.

The UK brought that upon themselves.

Just a point of clarification are people putting English when they mean British? Don’t forget that NI, Scotland, Wales and Cornwall are not English.

Would they admit to being British?

Cheers!

 

[sibelman]

Green asked his favorite, Fred Eckhardt answered, "The one in my hand."

My favorites are IPA and DIPA but I crave variety.

 

[grampamark]

Cold and wet is my favorite type of beer.

You forgot to add “free”.

 

[WestMichiganSteelheader]

Odd man out here; favorite style is a brut. Absolutely love the dryness and pucker effect they give. Although, I also make a wicked nasty high ABV bourbon stout.

 

[day_trippr]

^Thanks for reminding me^ that I need to give the "brut" style a try soon.
I have all I need: enough glucoamylase to dry out The Great Lakes

Cheers!

 

[mac_1103]

enough glucoamylase to dry out The Great Lakes

In that case, you'll also need about 1.2 quadrillion corny kegs.

 

[grampamark]

Brewing for 12 years. I don’t have one favorite style but I usually have something fizzy and yellow (Blonde Ale, Cream Ale, basic American Lager), something maltier (Altbier, Amber Ale, Scottish Ale), and something dark
(Porter or Stout) in my rotation. I don’t brew a lot of hoppy beers but will do an APA or IPA once or twice a year.

 

[Miraculix]

+1 to simpler, balanced beer as @Miraculix and then others mentioned. Bavarian and Bohemian beers are high on the list for me. I also really, really enjoy saisons. I started out brewing those and they worked well for me, so I probably fell into the vicious cycle that @mac_1103 mentioned above.

For me personally...really any nuanced beer that showcases malt and/or yeast will be on the list. Bonus points if there are interesting processes or a time/aging element. Those are also good opportunities for me to learn. These days I often find it hard to separate enjoying a beer and learning from a beer, but I don't see that as a problem.

#2 for saisons. They are just great beers when done well.