Brewing Styles I Don't Like

[ByrdMass]

I like clean American ales and German Lagers. HOWEVER, I keep getting pulled in to brewing alluring styles that I know darn well I won't like. All too often, I'll read Ron Pattinson's blog or hear Drew Beechum talk about saisons and think "maybe this time it will be different". It's not different. Ever. As I look at my log, I've brewed three Belgians and five British batches then I'm shocked... shocked when it has too much yeast character. How much EKG do I have to buy before I learn that I don't like it?

I've decided to use only US-05 and W34/70 for the rest of the year.

Anybody else keep getting distracted by romanticism in to brewing beer you know you won't like?

 

[garzlok]

....the advantages of being a beer whore

In all seriousness, I think I'm the opposite. I find myself brewing the same recipes over and over again and have to force myself to expand to different styles. Before going all in on a style, I like to buy a few different commercial offerings to see if it's a style I want to invest the time and effort into brewing.

 

[MMP126]

I feel the romanticizing part. I do it also. I am not the biggest fan of Belgian beer, but I like the challenge of trying to brew one that I/other will like. Same with Lambic style/spon beers. I want to be able to do it, but I am not a huge fan of drinking them. Maybe its the challenge/hobby part of it, more than just the drinking part?

 

[mschoeffler]

I have settled into a stable rotation of the best beer for me at the appropriate time, however, I do save two slots for experimentation. Every June I do a Belgian W(it)IPA with whatever new fruity hops are appropriate. This year it was with Sabro and Monteuka. It is wonderful but close to a NEIPA, a style that I hate. Every winter, I do a holiday beer with whatever strikes me, a saison noir, an Imperial Stout, or last year a “Fruitful Fort” clone that was fantastic. This way, I have a steady supply of standards AND get to stretch my brain occasionally.

 

[bracconiere]

Anybody else keep getting distracted by romanticism in to brewing beer you know you won't like?

all the time, i could try to find a married, with children quote for it....."but she's my wife for god sakes"

 

[cgoldberg3]

Brewed 2 batches of oatmeal stout recently even though I'm not much of a stout drinker myself. It's for someone else, and it's fun to practice a different style anyhow.

First batch I ever brewed was a witbier extract kit, which is another style I don't really care for. Only picked it cause the box said "easy".

 

[MaxStout]

It's kind of the Billy Carter approach here. Not many beer styles I don't like. But I can think of a few.

Never been a big fan of sours. And any beer characterized by terms like "funky," "barnyard," or "horse blanket" is usually going to be a no-go for me. But since I don't want to bring those bugs into my brewery anyway, avoiding them is an easy decision.

 

[grampamark]

I have about a dozen recipes that I’ve put together over the years and I mostly brew those recipes in a random rotation. I don’t like sours, Belgians, or NEIPAs, so I don’t brew those. Sort of the “If it hurts when I do that, then I don’t do that” approach to brewing.

I’ve been brewing on the same system for 8, going on 9, years. My process is pretty well dialed in, so when I do brew a new recipe there aren’t any more surprises than if I were brewing a recipe I’ve brewed 10 times. I could probably brew a decent example of a style I don’t particularly care for, but as my own best customer, what’s the point?

 

[Steveruch]

I won't waste my time, money, or energy brewing a beer I know I won't like.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

The only time I brewed a beer I didnt like what was for my sisters, they wanted a sour. I typically brew 15 gallon batches, so I got out my old equipment from the loft and brewed up a 5 gallon batch for them. I tried 1 bottle just to say I did, it tasted horrible to me so I figured I did it right.

 

[Velnerj]

There are a few categories that I'll forever stay clear from: sours, saisons, gose, anything barnyardy or wild yeasty, brett etc

But I never really enjoyed commercial stouts and am going to brew my second one soon. I guess it's possible to be swayed but go with caution.

Another thing I've done as well is brewed a style I've never tasted before... In my part of the world we don't have any cream ales, mine came out with an obvious off flavor due to chlorine but I've fixed that issue now so someday I'll get back on that horse....

 

[kevin58]

Romanticism? How is romanticism that writers like Pattinson or Beechum write about the styles they like. I don't know for sure but I'm fairly certain neither of them, or anyone else for that matter, put a gun to your head and forced you to make those beers. As for the question "How much EKG do I have to buy before I learn that I don't like it?"... there is a saying "fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me". That one is completely on you. It's not so much their romanticism as it is your antipathy.

 

[Jim R]

That is what liquor stores are for for me - buying new beers to try first.

 

[garzlok]

JFC! That escalated quickly for a fairly self deprecating post.

 

[Beermeister32]

Belgians and Saisons. In fact, I’ve long believed that when you order a flight of beers at a brewery, you want to avoid the one they call a Belgian - to me they usually taste like that’s the tank where they put all their fermentation flaws and off flavored beers - and sell it to you a glass at a time by calling it a “Belgian”...!

 

[Bluekat]

I've never been a fan of IPA's or sours. Never brewed either if them. I've had a couple of hazy IPA's that I'd drink again, but wouldn't brew. I tend to brew AG cream ales, cerveza's, brown ales, and just did a Schwarzbier that I'll definitely again. I've done one porter that was fantastic and plan to brew an oktoberfest type beer pretty soon. I agree with above, doesn't make sense to waste time and money in a type that's just fashionable at the moment.

 

[Beermeister32]

Back in the 1950’s -1970’s, the stores were dominated by fizzy yellow American lagers. Every once in a while you’d see a pallet of what they labeled as “Stong Beer” - usually an over stamping of the regular label indicating a stronger strength beer.

I grew up in a brewing town in the 1960’s and 70’s, and they were primarily running ONE beer, and lots of it!

Again, I think that reject tank got sold off as “Strong Beer” at the time. Easy to bump up ABV a point or two and a lot of people will glug anything perceived as “stronger.” Thin profits being what they were, brewers, accountants and management had to get creative..!

 

[GBRbrew]

Pretty much anything where the ibu's get much above 40 that's just to much hops for my taste buds.

 

[jrgtr42]

The only style I really don't like |(besides AALs) are the heavily smoked ones like Rauchbiers. |So I don't brew those.
I do like ones with a hint of smoke, so if it's just a dash of smoked malt, I'll give those a try.
I suppose if I knew someone who was really into the rauchbiers, I'd think about trying a small batch sometime, I'd drink it, but it's not in my usual rotation.
But I have a few stock recipes, and in the next week or so |'ll be trying a saison, i think.

 

[JJinMD]

Never had a sour or a gose that I cared for, so never made one. Maybe the logic there is flawed... but I don't really want to spend the time on something I doubt I would like and then get stuck with a 5 gallon batch. The last one I gave a shot was the Dogfish Head Seaquench, nope!

 

[JAReeves]

It's funny hearing about how different people's tastebuds are. I can't stand the bubblegum flavors that I get from basically every lager I have ever had; so I stick to bitter and sour beers. I am polishing off a keg of hoppy 7% IPA, 70IBU's from 11oz. of hops between FWH, WP and DH. I'm finally making my dream beer, lol, and I know it's not for everyone.

For other people I make Imperial Stouts, Barley Wines, Scottish Ales, and other styles that have a residual sweetness, but it's not for me. Even my ciders are made to be dry, or off-dry (demi-sec).

 

[madscientist451]

Anybody else keep getting distracted by romanticism in to brewing beer you know you won't like?

Beer I don't like? Can't really think of any.....
But there's no way I'm going to attempt to use whale testicles smoked with sheep dung:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jan/12/iceland-whale-testicle-beer

 

[Beermeister32]

As my Dad would have said... “That beer will grow hair on your chest!”

 

[bwible]

Mead. It sounds all romantic - “honey wine”. I’ve tried making strong/sack mead, hydromel, and every strength in between. Tried multiple different yeasts. Followed staggered nutrient additions.

In the end it all just tastes like any white wine I ever had. Nothing special about it to me.

I haven’t tried making fruit meads or spiced meads but I don’t think I want to go down that path. I don’t really care for fruity beers or most spiced beers. I despise pumpkin beer. I have tried infusing the water with a box of orange flavored tea bags once before dissolving the honey. Made no appreciable difference.

I probably just don’t like mead. Its not hard to put a batch together compared to the work of all grain brewing. But honey is expensive to be buying and not getting anything I like out of it.

 

[bwible]

Without going into too much detail, I developed an illness and was hospitalized about 20 years ago. I am convinced to this day that my illness was a result of drinking Belgian beer. After I got out of the hospital I drank Belgian beer again and the illness returned again. I haven’t bought, brewed, or drank Belgian beer since and I haven’t been sick again since.

Belgian beers should come with a bio-hazard warning on the label.

 

[Qhrumphf]

There are *interpretations* of styles I don't like- I think most American "Goses" are awful. Most are aggressively sour (and often just dosed with lactic acid) and EXTREMELY salty. To say nothing of the other things usually done to them.

The styles I dislike tend to be adjunct beers. The modern trendy stuff. I enjoy a good NEIPA but have never had a "milkshake" IPA worth drinking (i don't like lactose in anything but milk stout, and even then...). Pastry stouts are often cloying hot messes of adjuncts. Froot goop puree beers are gross. Etc.

 

[Qhrumphf]

That said, if you wanna brew stuff you don't like, get a brewing job. At a previous gig I released a different pilot pumpkin beer every week for two months. With VERY slim exceptions I abhor pumpkin beer.

 

[DonT]

I dig the romanticism of brewing styles I haven't brewed before, but torturing myself by brewing something I know I won't like is just self-flagellation. I think sours are interesting for the first sip or two, but you'll never catch me brewing one.

 

[Brooothru]

There are *interpretations* of styles I don't like- I think most American "Goses" are awful. Most are aggressively sour (and often just dosed with lactic acid) and EXTREMELY salty. To say nothing of the other things usually done to them.

The styles I dislike tend to be adjunct beers. The modern trendy stuff. I enjoy a good NEIPA but have never had a "milkshake" IPA worth drinking (i don't like lactose in anything but milk stout, and even then...). Pastry stouts are often cloying hot messes of adjuncts. Froot goop puree beers are gross. Etc.

Agree. A couple of years ago we toured Dog Fish Head brewery. Neat, modern facility with a very nice tour. They were sampling SeaQuench, so it was a free shot at a style I'm usually not inclined to like. It wasn't a 'bad' exbeerience per se, and I later even bought a six pack, but it never grew to the "like it" stage. It wasn't so much the "sour" but it was definitely the "salty" that was the turnoff, and I'm usually over-enthusiaststic with the salt shaker.

 

[pfmeyer]

I've never been a fan of IPA's or sours. Never brewed either if them. I've had a couple of hazy IPA's that I'd drink again, but wouldn't brew. I tend to brew AG cream ales, cerveza's, brown ales, and just did a Schwarzbier that I'll definitely again. I've done one porter that was fantastic and plan to brew an oktoberfest type beer pretty soon. I agree with above, doesn't make sense to waste time and money in a type that's just fashionable at the moment.

This is off topic a little, but would you care to share your Porter recipe? I too like to brew straight forward ales and lagers and would love to see what you brewed.

 

[Bluekat]

This is off topic a little, but would you care to share your Porter recipe? I too like to brew straight forward ales and lagers and would love to see what you brewed.

I wish I could take credit for it, but it was from Adventures in Homebrewing, Snowshoe Porter all grain kit. Came out great!

 

[porterguy]

I am also one to "research" styles at a bar before spending time and money. I usually stick to styles I think I will like. Don't like lagers enough to have 50 bottles of it. I rarely brew any fruit beers. Tried one sour; never even got as far as bottling it. It got infected, tasted horrible, and became my first first-ever dumper. Never brewed an IPA, don't care for that level of hoppiness. Smoked beers, no thank you. Pumpkin beers; collect all ingredients, throw away anything pumpkin-related, and brew a pale ale with whatever is left. And brewing special requests don't count; if my spouse or (adult) kids ask me to brew something, I will do so to the best of my ability (as long as I have something around for ME to drink). I am very happy with experimenting with different stouts, browns, porters, ambers, pales (including simple Belgian pale ales).

 

[rburrelli]

Belgians and Saisons. In fact, I’ve long believed that when you order a flight of beers at a brewery, you want to avoid the one they call a Belgian - to me they usually taste like that’s the tank where they put all their fermentation flaws and off flavored beers - and sell it to you a glass at a time by calling it a “Belgian”...!

Ever had a Duvel? Totally opposite of what you are saying.

 

[50calshooter]

Stop listening to other peoples pallets. Who gives a crap what those guys like to brew or drink.

 

[monkeymath]

I do often feel tempted to try my hand at a traditional Münchner Hell or German Pilsner, although I know with searing clarity that this amounts to the ridiculous effort of making something hoping it tastes exactly like something I could buy at any supermarket. Like I know that I'll perceive any deviation from my expectation as a flaw, there is no way to win.

So far, I've only given in to the temptation once. Got super excited during bottling, after a long cold fermentation at 5 celsius it had that cellary musty whiff I was looking for, but when I opened the first bottle it was a major disappointment ("did I add red apple puree during bottling?!").

Since then, I have stayed strong. I still jump between styles after 5 years. Sometimes I think "I really need to sit down and decide on a couple of styles I am truly passionate about and then brew those exclusively", but every such attempt to restrict myself fails.
BEER IS BEAUTIFUL!
Seriously, there are just too many ways for beer to be great.

In the long run, I want to focus on Saisons and "farmhouse ales", probably with brett and stuff, occasional sours. But of course I'd still need my English beers, Belgian Blondes, a hoppy ale every now and then, definitely dark lagers... God damn it, here we go again.

 

[Brew_Dude41]

Sours and pumpkin are some no gose (sorry help it) for me.

Every fall I will pick out a bottle of a pumpkin brew just to confirm that my tastes haven't changed.

With the limited # of brews I get to do right now there is not a chance I am spending that time, effort, or expense on a style that there a chance I won't like.
Not mention something I know I don't like.

 

[oakbarn]

I find that the only adjunct I like is Chile Peppers. I find any fruit and especially grapefruit detestable in a beer. I do not like porters or over hopped beers. I like an old style IPA (Ibu around 45 I think). I do any experiment tasting from a store bought POC beer.

 

[Ninoid]

Wheat, Sour and NEIPA.
I like APA, Stout/Porter and Belgian (Saison and Dubbel).