Malty vs. Hoppy

[tayclem]

No matter how hard I try, I just can't come around to beers heavy on malt flavor. Especially after doing my own brewing.

I recently went to a friend's house, and all he had was a few bottles of Budweiser in his fridge. Not wanting to seem rude, I took the one he offered and drank it...but I didn't like it.

It seemed so watery and one dimensional. Plus, I think that malt-focused beers taste like raw bread dough.

I used to think that ALL beer was like that, until I had a Lake Erie Monster by GLBC. I was instantly hooked. I love the bitterness and the floral/citrus notes that hops lend to beer.

What about you guys? Do you prefer malt or hop heavy?

 

[BUCKNUTS]

I love them hoppy personally I just do not like malty beer. Lake Erie Monster is pretty darn tasty


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[Facinerous]

Since this is an opinion, and you asked for it, here's mine.

I can not say that I prefer a malt or hop forward beer. I would rather grab one or the other, knowing what it is, and enjoy it for what it is. If I'm having an IPA. I want to enjoy the hops and try to really taste what the brewer did in order to get the flavor profile that I'm tasting. I want to drink it and guess the hops they used without knowing what the actual recipe is, then think about why I do or don't like the beer. If I were to brew this style how would I go about getting that flavor.

Its the same with a malt forward beer. When I buy it, I know what I am getting into. Sometimes I am so surprised. Either way I want to enjoy the beer for what it is.

I enjoy both.

As far as the big three are concerned, I do have a great respect for what they are. Many would consider their beer to be flavorless and uninteresting. What I respect though is their commitment to producing a repeatable product. With all due respect they do produce lagers, and once and a great while I will buy some good ol' Bud or Coors. I even like them for what they are.

Every now and then I have a beer and while drinking it I'm thinking "What the hell is this?" I have had plenty of beer that I didn't like. Its not the style though. Its just how it was brewed.

 

[OleBrewing]

I like a balanced malt to bitterness but prefer more maltiness. I don't think malt tastes like bread unless it is a true wheat beer. I agree that "light" beer does not have a place for the beer culture but an american lager style bud,coors, I am enjoying a PBR now does have its place. Somedays the 2 row malt really comes thru with the pabst, not sure its my senses or the batch. Either way I respect all styles. I prefer a barleywine over a IPA any day.

 

[Clonefan94]

imo, if you are looking for a good malt forward beer, search for a good version of a Helles or a scotch ale. Butweiser has too many adjuncts, imo, to really be considered a "malt forward" beer. It's obviously not hop forward, but Budweiser is not a good example of a malty beer. It's just yellow fizzy beer. Again, imo.

 

[Beernik]

I used to prefer a nice malty beer that you had to chew your way through.

Through brewing, I discovered that it wasn't hoppy beers that I didn't like. It was specific hops I didn't like. And I don't even dislike those hops all of the time.

I also discovered that I like dry beers. I made a bone dry saison that was really good.

To me, Budweiser tastes like the water left from boiling corn on the cob. That's not really malty.

 

[sfgoat]

I am not too big on malty beers either. I haven't made one I liked yet but I have had some malty commercial beers that I thought were okay. My friends all seem to love them though so I usually keep a few brewed and bottled for when they are over.

 

[Yooper]

While I love hoppy beers, I do enjoy a good malty beer as well.

I've never heard anybody call Budweiser "malty" before, though! It's definitely not malty in the least. It's not hoppy either. It's an adjunct-laden beer, a light lager.

A few of my favorite malty beers are Rogue Dead Guy, various bocks and dopplebocks, and Old Chub (by Oskar Blues). They may have a bit of a bready note to them to some tastes I guess, but I pick up malt richness and not a raw bread flavor or aroma at all.

 

[sfgoat]

While I love hoppy beers, I do enjoy a good malty beer as well.

I've never heard anybody call Budweiser "malty" before, though! It's definitely not malty in the least. It's not hoppy either. It's an adjunct-laden beer, a light lager.

A few of my favorite malty beers are Rogue Dead Guy, various bocks and dopplebocks, and Old Chub (by Oskar Blues). They may have a bit of a bready note to them to some tastes I guess, but I pick up malt richness and not a raw bread flavor or aroma at all.

I agree with this. I only ever really taste corn or rice in BMC.

 

[WileECoyote]

You asked for opinions so here is mine lol.

Bud ? malty ? not at all, its watery yes.

I love malt forward and flavorful beers.

Can't stand IPA's.

Cheers

 

[smccarter]

It's very difficult for me to drink a Budweiser. I just can't bring myself to ever drink a Bud Light. As a matter of fact, I can't remember the last time I had one.

As far as hoppy vs malty... I like them both, but I tend to lean more to the malty or balanced side of beer. Early last year I went through a phase where I was brewing pale ales only, all leaning toward the hoppy side. I drank a Scotch Ale brewed by a local home brewer, and at that point I started brewing more malty beers. Just like the flavor of a higher ABV beer leaning more toward the malty side.

Given all of that... I'd say 50% of the beer that I drink is pretty well balanced. 30% malty, and 20% hoppy. Most are enjoyable. For me it's hard to find a craft beer, home brewed beer, or import that I don't like. I just stay away from the big 3.

 

[jeremy0209]

as much as I love IPA's...especially the Green Flash & Stone varieties, I still love the occasional 30 pack of Miller Lite. That throwback can is freakin awesome.

 

[bajaedition]

I would never call Bud Malty, even in the OP the guy called it watery and thin. I consider malty beer something a lot more body and the malt hits you up front, like a good Marzen or a Bock.
Bud is a well balanced beer, it has not hops and no malt, comes on like water and finishes like a bowl of H2O.
It is truely amazing how much utilization the brewers at Bud get out of that hop pellet they bought in 1962.

 

[Malty_Dog]

Founders Dirty Bastard. Drink ASAP and report back.

 

[Jwerner23]

I love both malty and hoppy beers. I think they both have a time and place but I do tend to drink hoppy IPAs the most. But I do love some good malty Stouts and Barlywines in the cold.

 

[Terek]

I love both malty and hoppy beers. I think they both have a time and place but I do tend to drink hoppy IPAs the most. But I do love some good malty Stouts and Barlywines in the cold.

Same hear. And all beer have a time and place. I love IPAs when I'm hanging out or playing disc golf. I will usually have a stout or other malty beer with dinner depending on what I am having. Oat stouts are very good with red meat, mainly elk meat. I usually put 200-400 lbs of elk in my freezer every fall, therefor eat a lot of elk meat, therefore drink a lot of oat stouts, therefore brew a lot of oat stouts. Aaa the circle of life I like a good wheat beer for fishing and wakeboarding, as well as lighter pale ales. All 4 of those usually happen in he same day. I like every style of beer, but not all beers. For a light commercial lager, I love a full sail session with a slice of lime in it.

 

[sumbrewindude]

I love a balanced beer - when they go to extreme either way I don't really care for them. If I had to chose between malty or hoppy for an extreme, I'd go malty.

I personally don't care for the face-melting hop fad that's raging with IIPA's right now, and would much prefer a solid Wee Heavy.