Most Difficult Beer?

[DilvishTheDamned]

Which beer style do you seem to struggle with the most? I've had really good luck with IPAs, but I really seem to struggle with getting a good stout to work out, anybody else with similar issues?

 

[Yooper]

I don't really struggle with them, but I find light lagers the biggest PITA to make. Using mostly RO water, making a big yeast starter, a diacetyl rest, and then lagering time at 34 degrees for a beer that's kind of "bland" is not as much fun as a big IPA or a quick turn-around mild.

I guess that's why I don't make many light lagers.

 

[MultumInParvo]

I have yet to even try a light lager. But I agree with Yooper that in general I find that smaller/lighter beers are more difficult. There are small little flavors that I seem to cover up in bigger beers.

 

[Jaymo]

Lambic. Besides the spontaneous fermentation part (which I don't mind,) blending several batches to get a nice result with some depth takes too many resources to make want want to even bother trying.

 

[Wayne1]

The hardest beer to brew is a light lager/hybrid ale. There is nothing to hide behind. Those are the beers that will show off exactly how good a brewer you are.

Stouts aren't too bad. Lots of roasted malt to hide flaws. Same thing with high IBU beers.

If you can brew a beer with nothing but pale malt, 20 IBU or less and have no off flavors, you are a brewing god.

 

[skyzo]

I have a hard time with porters and stouts. I dont really know why, but every time i try brewing one, something always goes wrong. Iv'e actually had good luck on lighter beers, wheats are nice and easy, and made a few light hybrids that have came out good.

 

[ronaldo_fanbelt]

I just brewed my first stout, so hopefully I have better luck then you. Just brew another stout and let us know what exactley you don't like about it.

 

[KayaBrew]

I don't know this from experience, this is just my opinion, but Eisbock looks like it would be a PITA. I doubt I'll ever try to brew one, and I think I've only read one or two posts on HBT regarding Eisbocks.

 

[DilvishTheDamned]

Oddly enough there was a December 2005 BYO article about the top ten most difficult styles, and a dry stout was on the list.

http://www.byo.com/stories/beer-sty...1-beer-styles/1492-the-10-hardest-beer-styles

I just brewed my first stout, so hopefully I have better luck then you. Just brew another stout and let us know what exactley you don't like about it.

Seems like I keep getting a bit of astringency in the beer, and it's a bit too acidity (ie I get heart burn, rather than a taste issue). It's not horrible, and the latest batch actually seems to have turned the corner on this issue, since a week ago it tasted like it had the same issue.

Luckily the water here is pretty darned good, to the point that I believe Cincinnati is the main source for most of the Boston Beer company ales. Historically it's been a big brewing down, and the water quality in general is excellent. However, I might need to muck about with the water to really get what I want.

I also must admit I've recently moved from extract (Brewer's Best) kits to all grain, with one brew under my belt (which doesn't seem to have turned out well, which is fine, it's the first), my next is going to be the Cherry Stout from AHS.

 

[Bobby_M]

It's not something I struggle with because I haven't tried yet, but I can tell you that Saisons are very hard to make. How do I know? I've tasted maybe 12 homebrewed attempts and they were all dirty dishwater compared to the commercials.

 

[Redstar]

Lagers are the most frustrating for me.

 

[bjzelectric]

Im not even gonna attempt a lager, mostly b/c I prefer ales anyway, but for some reason Ive tried 2 different batches of Dunkelweizen since Ive started and both came out terrible. Almost undrinkable. It was just a coincidence but Im a lil apprehensive about trying another one.