What are your feelings on the amount of readily accesible craft lagers vs ales?

Looking at the tap list of, some say, the finest drinking establishment in RI - out of 19 taps, 8 are IPAs but not a single lager (they usually have 1-2 tops).

 

The wish there were more crazy hoppy lagers, but I'm still an ale head.

 

If I could get Jacks Abby in So. Cal everyday then I would say yes. Without that then No.

Cheers!

 

^ This.

 

I like beer, don't really care what it is classified as. If it tastes good, I like it.

That being said, Jacks Abby has been killing it with lagers...so I guess I wouldn't mind some more experimentation by other breweries into this realm.

 

where is that?

 

I only started drinking (German) lagers again a couple of years ago after years and years of only drinking ales, so I'd like to see more good ones made by American craft breweries (like the aforementioned Jack's Abby).

But even more, I'd like to have better access to fresh German versions.

 

With Allagash White being the only "session" beer -- Bros. definition of < or = 5% ABV

 

With an average %ABV = 7.66 +/- 2.3 for those 19 taps !
Sorry for the thread-jacking rant but you're picking up what I'm putting down.

 

The thing with Jack's Abby is that, while I love them and drink their stuff regularly, their core purpose doesn't seem to about meeting a need for traditional lager. They have a couple exceptions to that, but overall I think their game is more about taking ale sensibilities and cramming it into lager brewing. It's a great little corner of the market they have and they do it very well. But they don't fill my need for a great local version of traditional classic lager styles (at least not the types of lagers I love from Mahr's, Augustiner, etc.) and I don't expect them to because that doesn't seem to be their thing.

 

So in your opinion are they the new darlings of the BA crowd because of the well-crafted, rounded character of their lagers; the ale-like hopping rates; or a combination of both?

 

Maybe both, but from my own anecdotal observation I think the buzz they get is due mainly to their hopped-up offerings... from people getting slapped in the face with citric hops when they first taste Hoponius Union or Kiwi Rising (and even "Lashes") and say "wow I didn't know lagers could taste like this!!"

I love those beers, too, but jack's doesn't meet my need for what I envision a fantastic traditional pilsner (for example) to be. And again, I'm not expecting them to because that's not their vision.

 

Two words : Capital & Ayinger.

 

I believe they are referring to Julian's in Providence

 

Julian's also has 19 taps, and Allagash is currently on their list.

They're both fine drinking establishments