What are your contrarian/"unpopular" beer opinions?

[rhys333]

Wait, wait, wait. Berliners are about as sour as they come! What are you drinking that's more sour than a Berliner? Is it straight vinegar?

I drank a sour a couple weeks ago that was so sour it might have qualified as vinegar. It gave me heartburn! And yes, it sucked!

 

[smurfjuice]

Would you buy it again ...

 

[r4dyce]

OK here is mine..
If your a home brewer why are you still buying other peoples beer? or even caring about it?..especially when it comes to who owns it or who sells out to whom? Other then drinking it at the occasional outing with friends or family its someones else dream/success, move on and build/perfect your own. Or get out of the game.

Meh. Silly. Enjoying craft/local beer and brewing beer are two distinct interests, but they do often overlap. I have buddies who are big into the craft beer scene but have no interest in home brewing at all. I will say I enjoy trying new local commercial beers, but I definitely buy less now that I brew my own. I care about buy outs because at it's most basic it's limiting the variety of beer available to me. At it's worst it's shady business practices that destroy local businesses. Same reason I try not to shop at Walmart Target Amazon etc

 

[schematix]

I yearn for the old days again when we used to ogle at pristine clear IPAs rather than glasses with what appears to be hop vomit.

 

[bford]

Wait, wait, wait. Berliners are about as sour as they come! What are you drinking that's more sour than a Berliner? Is it straight vinegar?

Maybe its a combination of funk and sour that I hate.... stuff like Jester King in central Texas brews... I keep trying their beer and blech.... though many people love it obviously.

 

[Rhaop]

I yearn for the old days again when we used to ogle at pristine clear IPAs rather than glasses with what appears to be hop vomit.

I'm over here researching how to brew a great pilsner, that is so 5 minutes ago (hair flick)


lol

 

[Redlantern]

I yearn for the old days again when we used to ogle at pristine clear IPAs rather than glasses with what appears to be hop vomit.

Fell out of my chair! Hop Vomit

I love "Hop Vomit" but that name is awesome!

 

[Newsman]

Fell out of my chair! Hop Vomit

I love "Hop Vomit" but that name is awesome!

Great name for a super hoppy beer!

 

[Cavpilot2000]

I'm over here researching how to brew a great pilsner, that is so 5 minutes ago (hair flick)


lol

Classic Old World lagers are making a comeback, mark my words!

 

[Mainer]

Because 99% of it is better than mine. It's hard to perfect your game when it's a part time hobby with limited equipment, especially compared to pros who spent years/decades studying, experimenting, etc..
I cook, but I still go to restaurants (chefs are better cooks than me) I work on my car but sometimes I take it to a mechanic, etc...

Actually that brings me to my contrarian opinion, almost all my homebrew friends have said their beer is better than pro beer, and I've seen that alot here. But it's not. Sometimes people make really good ones, and obviously I haven't tried people's on this forum, but I doubt it's better. Generally professionals do things better than amateur hobbyists. Sorry but that's just the way it goes.

I like having my own beer more than having professionally-brewed beer.
I like it because I know what went into it.
I like the anticipation of making up a recipe and wondering how it'll come out.
I like being able to give beer to my friends.
I like adding things I grew or foraged myself.
I like keeping a case over the course of a year or two and see how it ages.

In some ways, I think that makes my beer more special [to me] than the pros' beer.

But better? No, my beer's not better than the pros.

 

[Cavpilot2000]

There's also a valuable distinction between levels of "pro" brewers.
Just because a couple of guys who like beer open up a brewery (that will probably only be around 3-5 years before going bankrupt) and thereby become "pro" brewers, doesn't mean they are anywhere near the level of established pro brewers who are turning out consistent, good product and have been for years.

To that point, a lot (not all) of my beer IS better than that I taste from a lot of "pro" brewers, because there are a lot of small startup breweries that are making just decent beer, which is really no better than good homebrew.

Again, all you need in order to be called a "pro" brewer is to brew for a living (for those couple of years until your start=up brewery goes under).

 

[MrPowers]

People worry way to much about yeast pitch rates. Yes it's important to some extent and you should try to get close; but outside of extremely high gravity beers, large batches, and lagers, slightly underpitching isn't going to make a perceivable difference.

The health of the yeast you're pitching matters more than quantity.

 

[fourfarthing]

I really hate Simcoe.

 

[jodell]

I really hate Simcoe.

Watch your mouth

 

[Bilsch]

Classic Old World lagers are making a comeback, mark my words!

I really hope so but sadly I doubt it could happen. Brewing a great lager is beyond the skill set of most craft brewers and more then likely not possible with their current equipment.

 

[ericbw]

I really hope so but sadly I doubt it could happen. Brewing a great lager is beyond the skill set of most craft brewers and more then likely not possible with their current equipment.

I don't think they ever went away and need to make a comeback. If you avoid lite beers, even some of the mass produced lagers are good. And if I have to drink light beer, Miller Lite tastes better to me than Coors Light or Bud Light. Which is strange, because I prefer Bud over Miller High Life.

 

[Cavpilot2000]

I don't think they ever went away and need to make a comeback. If you avoid lite beers, even some of the mass produced lagers are good. And if I have to drink light beer, Miller Lite tastes better to me than Coors Light or Bud Light. Which is strange, because I prefer Bud over Miller High Life.

I'm speaking more to German style lagers. Go into any brewpub or craft brewery and look for a Pils, Helles, or a Munich Dunkel. Good luck. Maybe one in five will have one of them.
But I think people are getting tired of overhopping everything and are settling back to classic, good, drinkable beer.

And I agree that if you have to drink a light American lager, Miller Lite is the way to go.

 

[Kee]

Actually that brings me to my contrarian opinion, almost all my homebrew friends have said their beer is better than pro beer, and I've seen that alot here. But it's not. Sometimes people make really good ones, and obviously I haven't tried people's on this forum, but I doubt it's better. Generally professionals do things better than amateur hobbyists. .

The pros have skills far above the average homebrewer, no doubt. But I contend that the difference between the two is consistency and flexibility. For example, I'd rather have a certain friend's Belgian dark strong (if it's one of his good batches) than most commercial beers. But stay away from his IPA attempts.

 

[Kee]

My contrary opinion: All beers should be very well carbonated, style be damned.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

The pros have advantages far above the average homebrewer, no doubt. But I contend that the difference between the two is equipment and expenditure.

I agree completely.

 

[Cavpilot2000]

My contrary opinion: All beers should be very well carbonated, style be damned.

Totally disagree.
Case in point: I recently entered an Amber (Franconian) Kellerbier in a local competition. Both judges said it was undercarbonated.
Clearly neither of them have ever had a proper traditional Franconian Kellerbier. I don't fault them for that, because there is not a single good example to be found in the 'States, but you should really know a little something about the style you are judging (a Kellerbier is a lot like a German lager version of an English Cask Ale).
But my Franconian future Father-in-Law said he thought it was as good as any he gets at home (he and I have shared quite a few Kellerbiers back in Germany (Franconia).

 

[Mainer]

My contrary opinion: All beers should be very well carbonated, style be damned.

A highly-carbed Scottish Heavy is a crime. I know. I recently made one.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Totally disagree.

I too, disagree.

I prefer extremely low levels of carbonation in both ales and lagers, and usually pour very vigorously then wait to allow the beers to off-gas before they become too warm to enjoy.

My only exception is high gravity, low attenuation styles. I prefer "normal" carbonation levels in those to help offset some of the viscosity. I let those rest too before drinking.

At home I just target much lower levels of CO2.

 

[Steveruch]

A highly-carbed Scottish Heavy is a crime. I know. I recently made one.

 

[Mainer]

I didn't do it on purpose. It just sort of... happened.

I've managed to choke most of it down.

 

[flars]

I didn't do it on purpose. It just sort of... happened.

I've managed to choke most of it down.

Should have just released the excess pressure from the bottles. I just finished degassing a porter. Fairly simple process.

 

[Mainer]

Should have just released the excess pressure from the bottles. I just finished degassing a porter. Fairly simple process.

Bottling is enough of a pain in the first place. Rebottling an entire batch sounds like my idea of hell.

 

[flars]

Bottling is enough of a pain in the first place. Rebottling an entire batch sounds like my idea of hell.

No rebottling necessary. Don't even need new caps.

 

[Mainer]

No rebottling necessary. Don't even need new caps.

What, you just... pry up the cap, let it hiss off, and then stick it back in the capping press?

 

[Kee]

Totally disagree.
Case in point: I recently entered an Amber (Franconian) Kellerbier in a local competition. Both judges said it was undercarbonated.

Looks like I nailed the contrary opinion part.

I entered a local competition sponsored by the local homebrew supply. It was not a style competition but rather we were all issued the same ingredients and just supposed to brew a good beer.

My carbonation was exactly what I was shooting for. A judge (not certified, just a local pro brewer) took off points for over-carbonation.

I confess to just a little hyperbole. There are obviously great beers that aren't crazily carbonated. But generally the only flat beer I drink comes from my final gravity samples.