Lagers, are they superior to ales? What do you think?

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Are lagers superior to ales? Are apples better than oranges? Is hockey better than Basketball? Is Astroglide better than KY?
Everyone has their own tastes and their own likes and dislikes.
There's no right or wrong about what you prefer or don't prefer.
I drink Ales and Lagers. but also sour beers, stouts, gose, Kolsch, San Francisco Lagers, Bier de garde, cider, perry, wine and just plain water. Each one has a time and a place. I can't say one is superior to any other.
 
Ok calm down its a friendly post just wondering what people's opinions are of brewing both lagers and ales😁
 
madscientist451 said:
are lagers superior to ales? Are apples better than oranges? Is hockey better than basketball? Is astroglide better than ky?
Everyone has their own tastes and their own likes and dislikes.
There's no right or wrong about what you prefer or don't prefer.
I drink ales and lagers. But also sour beers, stouts, gose, kolsch, san francisco lagers, bier de garde, cider, perry, wine and just plain water. Each one has a time and a place. I can't say one is superior to any other.
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💩
 
madscientist451 said:
Are apples better than oranges?
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Yes. No one makes orange PIE or hard orange CIDER...

madscientist451 said:
Is hockey better than Basketball?
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No. Both Nielsen ratings and jersey sales suggest hockey lags FAR behind basketball in popularity.

madscientist451 said:
Is Astroglide better than KY?
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Yes. It's also nonspermicidal which helps if you have to make a deposit at the fertility clinic but don't want to start a fire with your johnson doing it dry handed.

The above said, I get mad's point. It's really more about what you are in the mood for right at that moment. I wouldn't want to be limited to either/or when I can have both!
 
arnobg said:
Are NE IPA's superior to West Coast IPA's? Anddddd go!
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Haha!

Yes! I soundly prefer Heady Topper to Pliny and Jai Alai to Arrogant Bastard. But darn if I'm not in love with Surly Abrasive and Dreadnaught as well...

That said; tip of the cap to Bear Republic's Racer 5 and Firestone Walker's Union Jack - two beers that got this Belgian beer and Stout lover started on IPA's all those years ago...
 
If you brew a really good lager & an equally good ale, I would most likely be impressed more by the lager, because of the work that goes into it. Personally, I prefer ales (pales, porters, stouts) but I understand the intricacy involved with brewing a solid lager.
 
antony said:
If you brew a really good lager & an equally good ale, I would most likely be impressed more by the lager, because of the work that goes into it. Personally, I prefer ales (pales, porters, stouts) but I understand the intricacy involved with brewing a solid lager.
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Wait. You need to be talking to me about this Key Lime Wheat you have planned... THIS is of great interest to me and my pursuits!
 
y498yates said:
Wait. You need to be talking to me about this Key Lime Wheat you have planned... THIS is of great interest to me and my pursuits!
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Ha! I've still yet to do it. Buddy went to Fla & had one, graham crackers & lime...sounded delicious. Maybe next month? Pale ale Sunday for August...
 
34/70 is a fantastic yeast that is will work in temps from 9-22°C (48.2-71.6°F). If I could only have one strain for the rest of my life, that might just be the one I'd pick.

When people say they don't like lagers they usually mean American Lager or possibly some Germain styles (if they have even tried good examples).

Another misconception is that lagers are hard to make or take a long time. If your temp control is solid it is just as easy to ferment a lager as an ale. I can keg a lager in the same 10-14 day time frame.

So, no lagers are not superior to an ale but lager yeast can be great. And to get the "style" out of the way... try fermenting you favorite beer with 34/70. You'll probably be shocked how good it turns out. No, it won't be the same... and probably won't do as well in competition due to style categories but larger yeast can make fantastic beers.
 
m1k3 said:
34/70 is a fantastic yeast that is will work in temps from 9-22°C (48.2-71.6°F). If I could only have one strain for the rest of my life, that might just be the one I'd pick.

When people say they don't like lagers they usually mean American Lager or possibly some Germain styles (if they have even tried good examples).

Another misconception is that lagers are hard to make or take a long time. If your temp control is solid it is just as easy to ferment a lager as an ale. I can keg a lager in the same 10-14 day time frame.

So, no lagers are not superior to an ale but lager yeast can be great. And to get the "style" out of the way... try fermenting you favorite beer with 34/70. You'll probably be shocked how good it turns out. No, it won't be the same... and probably won't do as well in competition due to style categories but larger yeast can make fantastic beers.
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I like this
 
Personally, I think it is somewhat harder to make a decent lager than ale. A good lager shows a high level of brewmanship. SO does ale of course, I just like lagers better as they are harder to perfect.
 
I love both equally. I find lagers in general a very, very under appreciated style due to their commonality with all the BMC stuff... A great lager simply cannot be beat! So few places actually brew them, so it makes them all that more special.

On a homebrew side of things, I absolutely love my lagers. The problem is it's hard to find fresh lagers in most stores because they sit and collect dust. When you brew a well made lager, the flavor is just incredible. I have a Vienna Lager I just kegged today that is blowing my mind. So simple but the flavor is out of this world. That beautiful nutty, biscuit maltiness balanced by some noble hops... Mmmmm! I turn my lagers over in about 2-2.5 weeks primary time before kegging and then placing that keg into the keezer for a few weeks to lager and cold condition. It doesn't hold up my "beer production" at all over an ale.

I have a Munich Dunkel to be brewed tomorrow to follow up my Vienna. Can't wait to have both pouring!
 
I wouldn't say they're superior...just a different style. Lighter, crisper & better suited to warm weather quaffing than ales. But lighter ales can use kolsch yeast, making what are called pseudo, or hybrid lagers. Pale ales with citrusy hops can be welcome as well, if they're not too heavy.
 
A bit, yes. You have to ferment them at the right temp, & otherwise not introduce anything that'll make an off flavor later. It doesn't have the bold malt & hop flavors to mask anything. Then, there's the lagering time. So it is a bit more complex in light of that...
 
Over my lifetime I've drank more lagers than ales, about 5-1. Over the last 10 years it's been ales about 5-1.
 
Superior: answer has to be no. Lagers are great, perhaps most of my favorite beers are lagers, but they are not "superior" to ales in any way, shape or form. Different, yes. Superior, no. IPA vs IPL...about the same in my humble opinion. I like both. Barrel aged coffee stout vice Budweiser? OK, I am going with the stout. Budvar, Pils Urqueil? I want some...need to go back to Prague as the lagers over there are soooooooooo good! Great question, millions of answers, most are going to be, nah! they are both great! Cheers!
 
madscientist451 said:
Is Astroglide better than KY?
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Flavorwise? Much.

As for lagers and ales, ales seem to offer more variety and range than lagers, and usually more complexity, so I tend to prefer them. The only lagers I tend to have much time for are the explicitly "malty" ones, like various bocks, baltic porter, and so on.
 
The world is way to divisive already without this ... I love my lagers ... I love my ales ... don't make me pick between them :)
 
Personally I believe ales have more complexity in flavors, aromas and variety. That being said, I love both and my decision to buy and drink isn't dependant on form/type of beer. Certainly I make ales predominantly but that is only due to limits in temp control.

I just love BEER...!
 
Ales all the way for me. When brewing, lagers take longer and tie up my stuff. When shopping for beer or when trying beers at a brew pub, there just seems to be so much more "range" in what is available with ales, which suits my exploratory nature.
 

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