Fans of under-appreciated styles ...

I apologize if this is sort of off topic, but funny story: so a few months ago I was in San Diego and was having a chat with a fellow bar patron. He asked me what kind of beers I like and I told him that I like most everything but drink mostly IPAs, stouts, and sours. He then furrows his brow in disgust and declares that sours are disgusting and that he only drinks IPAs, and then grilled me about what IPAs I'd had. When I told him I recently tried PtY, he deepened his frown and declared that he thought it was crazy I stood in line.

So let me get this straight, the only beers that are worth drinking are IPAs, and I have bad taste for drinking other beers, but I also have bad taste for being willing to stand in line for a good IPA?

Sometimes I feel like I'm crazy for liking things that aren't IPAs. I seriously like almost everything (the last beer I brewed was a hefeweizen) but other beer nuts look at you like you're crazy if you order one. Is this what we've come to? All my homebrew friends ever brew is IPA. I'm sick of it and would love to see other styles.

 

I believe we live in the same general area from reading your posts. Where do yo get the various Straub offerings? All I see is their normal lager.

 

Many, many others also disagree with me, per the reviews, overall rating, and many comments on this website alone asking SN to make it a permanent beer in their lineup. I respectfully disagree with you, and them.

It's no secret that I have a sensitivity to hops, and when hop flavors reach a certain level relative to the rest of a beer, they become quite literally the only thing I can taste, in a manner which is not pleasant. Other Vienna lagers do not do this for me - Eliot Ness, SABL, most small brewpub versions. They tend to be delightfully complex, the better made versions with easily 8 or more flavors contributing to my experience.

SN Vienna was leafy hop. Just leafy hop. Two bottles, on different days, desperately trying to like the beer because of the style it was, and nothing but bitter, leafy hop. No toffee, no caramel, no raisin, no pecan, none of the other flavors I can pull out of a beer like the Eliot Ness, just something akin to a mouthful of tobacco leaves.

There are other beers that do something similar for me, like the Carsons Brewing Brown Cow, a brown ale that has a description that spends sentences describing the seven different types of malt used, with a "moderate hop presence". That beer was a wall of floral perfume, and nothing else to me.

Acknowledging that I have a rather severe hop sensitivity, given the amount of reviews I see for both of these beers which mention nothing at all about any hop presence or flavors, I would still posit that the ability to detect hop presence is blunted for many who indulge in extremely hop-forward beer on a regular basis. I just have a concern that attempts to jazz up these under appreciated styles to appeal to the more hop-oriented crowd means more hops in everything.

 

Locally, at at least two places, it seems like there is a great # of people who like the witbier style and hefeweizens. In a deeply rooted IPA city, it is nice to see a shift in drinking habits. Oddly enough though, I do see some ONLY drink the lighter "fruitier" types of beers, and the other subset only drinking the heavier "more flavorful beers". It's like they are at war. But everyone gets along because these places are actually accommodating both parties.. Breweries will learn that IPAs and stouts aren't the only sellers. If a brewery is to succeed, they need that variety that brings two off shoot types of people together.

As for me, I like everything. My favorite at La Cumbre (medal winners in IPAs and stouts) is their weizenbocks, munich helles lager, munich dark lagers, milk stouts, and the less ABV less flavorful pale ales.

 

We definitely are keeping it on the radar that's for sure!

 

English IPAs will always be a favorite of mine, as the fads come and go.

 

Obviously those people missing out in a big way, and there is nothing wrong with you. Their attitude is very strange, though- acting like they own the penthouse when in reality they are just hanging in the lobby.

 

They are in the Sampler Packs. The latest one is called the Legacy Sampler (Helles, Doppelbock, 1872 Lager and IPL). Previously I have also had the Sunshine Sampler.

 

Brilliant!

 

Yet another thread that has me counting my blessings. Of course I wouldn't mind more of everything, but I think St. Louis is fortunate in its variety. Our local Schlafly shines in English styles (drinking their flagship pale ale/bitter at 4.4% now), the local Urban Chestnut shines in Bavarian styles. Perennial shines in about everything (in particular Belgians, Stout, and barrel aging) and a few smaller breweries (2nd Shift and loving the new Alpha) can handle hops.

I would like to see more strongs like Arrogant Bastard. I love the rich malt flavors that I expect from barleywines. Yet, at "only" 7.2%, and with its bitterness, incredibly drinkable (vs. most barleywines in my experience) to me. I would like to see more robust Pale Ales like Stone Pale Ale for the same reason. Cheers!

 

What is BSDA? I thought I knew all the acronyms on here at this point...feels like I'm on craigslist

 

so what are you drinking now, helles-wise, that is

 

Belgian Strong Dark Ale, fwiw.

 

laughing at the 0 likes you've recieved. Drink your witbier elsewhere...

 

Belgian strong dark ale. Otherwise known as a Belgian Quad to some.

See Chimay Blue.

 

I've been thinking the same thing for awhile and I'm actually new to BA. I've started going back to basics and trying new things other than IPA's and DIPA's/BA Stouts. Now I look at cost and quality/affordability more. Also I've been trying to compare apples to apples instead of comparing everying to a great IPA etc... Its hard sometimes but hey you get to drink a ton of beer figuring things out. winner winner! Sometimes you find a hidden gem!

 

Belgian witbier's have always been a curious style to me in terms of popularity. I assume Allagash White does incredibly well, and for a more mainstream version, Hoegaarden. In addition to that, Blue Moon is technically the best selling individual "craft beer".

Yet, you don't see that may of them brewed (not like IPAs at least), and outside of Allagash White I can't think of any other US brewer's who have a great one.

 

I think they are a very approachable style for those wanting to try new beers. the 3 beers you mention are good and sell well. But you are right in that I'd be hard pressed to name another example

 

Thank you, will need to look out for their samplers

 

Doppelbock(s)