Most Underrated Beer Style

pilsners, definitely

 

I'm going with Kolsch.

 

ESB's

 

Gose, Dark Lagers, and Kristal Wheat/weizen, to some degree Rauchbier

admittedly the only Gose i have tried seem as if they were designed to appeal to the younger crowd (AV's Holy Gose), but is that really a bad thing? I'm addicted to IPAs, the more it tastes like im drinking a pine-tree/mary jane that was brewed into a beer by a ancient wizard the happier i am, but i can totally respect somebody wanting a well made beer that resembles a sour-candy more then a loaf of dark bread or skunky forest foliage. Im always trying to hold onto some Gose when i can find it as its perfect for whenver i want something that is just different but punchy and a bit fun.

In regards to something simple that the everyman could and should drink IMO, I'm surprised decent Dark/Black Lagers aren't more popular. Its like the crap we all grew up drinking but it actually tastes good

I also like kristallweizen/kristal wheat but rarely see it emulated by craft beer makers. So far as USA made i've only seen Flying Monkeys Stereovision sold around here, its just a nice alternative to regular Hefe if i want something a bit sharper but maybe not as complex.

Smoke/Rauchbier is something i also enjoy but i actually don't mind and am happy its not spammed on the market as i can imagine there are a dozen ways to get it wrong. Similar to that whatever Dogfish Head's Midas Touch technically is, its a great idea but its fine being rare given i simply wouldn't want poor/cheap examples spamming the market.

Around here on these message boards, or if you only have friends who are neo-craft beers drinkers then it may seem as if these are "under-rated".

However to anybody who likes beer but isn't on a wild adventure trying every new limited release then Pilsners and Brown Ales area easily some of the most popular among normal but well educated beer drinkers. Among my foreign friends i know from online gaming (europeans) i'd say Pilsners, Brown Ales and Dunkels (English Brown Ales and Dunkels being quite similar imo) are easily the most mentioned when i ask them what their favorite beer is.

So don't worry, your not alone in your appreciation

 

That's certainly among the most misunderstood styles

 

What do you mean?

 

Milds

 

It confuses those who think that beer is divided between ales and lagers on the basis of top or bottom fermentation.They can't get their heads round the fact that it's an "obergarische lagerbier"

 

My knee jerk reaction was also pilsners (or some sort of lager that's not an IPL or doppelbock). But according to the recent article on Goose Island's new pilsner, the pilsner style is one of the fastest growing in craft beer over the last year or so.

And I think Prima Pils specifically gets enough love on this website as well to make me want to pick a different style...

I came here to post mild. I'm lucky if I come across this style once or twice a year in the US, and I'm VERY lucky if it's on cask. The same with threads started on Beeradvocate that may be titled, "Why no love for milds?" or something similar.

I love cask bitters as well, but damn, a proper pull of a well brewed cask mild is as good as it gets for my palate. Right up there with a world class pilsner. It's why I love the NERAX event, I can have my fill of cask mild.

 

I would say Hefeweizens.

 

Kristalweizen receives my vote. While I love a nice hefe, there's something about the sparkling goodness of a Kristal that I find especially delightful. It's also incredibly versatile, as it's easy drinking enough for most any discerning craft / import fan to enjoy a few of in any setting while being classy enough and full of character as to make it perfect for most any gathering of folks not normally accustomed to beer that isn't BMC. Honestly, if beer with coriander can become popular amongst macro folks than certainly hints of the uber pleasant cocktail of bubble gum / clove / banana in a beer would be a hit!

I must also get on my Cascadian pulpit once again. It's got everything. Hop excitement and huge roasted malts. I think that the downfall of this style rests in poorly executed versions that have soured folks on the style, but a very well crafted version is sublime. Like Sublimely Self Righteous (RIP) for instance? But for anyone wanting a currently brewed example, Wookey Jack is simply awesome. As is Dark Penance, Yakima Glory and Iniquity.

 

I'm going with Hefeweizens as well.
Wheat beers in general are underappreciated.

 

definitely a pilsner, craftsmanship at its finest, reviewing the top 250 every DIPA and Imperial Stout made cracks the list while this under appreciated style is nowhere to be found. Come on guys! Its the beer of our youth and summers.

 

Because Pilsners taste like hops and malt, and Miller Lite doesn't . Try Firestone Pivo Pils if you can, that one's pure dynamite.

It's actually kind of the reverse with the trend of AALs over the past number of decades- the customers wanted 'less' and the big companies have been giving it to them. Thankfully we do have smaller breweries picking up the slack.

 

It does seem to be trending upwards- and with some good ones coming out recently, too. I'll have to give that Goose Island one a shot when I see it; I bet they do a fine job with they style.

 

Every beer style that isn't an imperial or barrel aged stout, sour or IPA.

There you go, we can close the thread now.

 

I agree and thank you for doing the research.

 

I'd have to give another vote for Pilsner. When done well, they are delicious yet light and easy to drink in nearly any situation. I'm glad that there are more US brewers making quality pilsners these days that we can have relatively fresh (Pivo, Sam Adams, The Crisp, Prima etc) . With that said I really still like Urquell as one of the best and an import. One of my perfect 5 scores went to a pilsner on tap at Barley and Hops brewpub. Was called "Natty BoB" It was a local contest winning homebrew recipe that the pub's brewmaster kept serving on keg for a while. I envision this is what local fresh pilsners taste like in Germany or Czech (since I've never been).

A possible other vote could go to Helles Lager since they are less common than pilsners but somewhat similar in flavor. I love Weihenstapher Original when relatively fresh. Not much competition in the Helles category out there.

 

Brown/amber ales and Pilsners as well
News flash they don't have to be hop forward.

 

Another vote for craft Pilsners. Although, they do seem to be rising in popularity somewhat, good ones are still somewhat scarce. And a good Pilsner is truly something to behold.