Why does everybody hate lagers?

I'm one of those now hop head d-bags that grew up drinking crappy lagers and eventually ran away from them . Thanks to Jack's Abby - they brought my interest back to the style. Granted, their Lagers lean more towards the hoppy side but because of them, I'm now exploring the Lager side of the beer tree once again and really enjoying my journey. Lagers really can rock it and I find myself craving them (and that doesn't mean "hoppy lagers" either).

 

The Denver metro area is pretty lager friendly. Even the breweries who specialize in iPa put out a lager, and I can think of three breweries off the top of my head that do nothing but lagers locally. Personally i would take anything from Ayinger over almost anything else out there.

 

Not ISO 7% witbier.

Though I'd disagree, I understand what you're saying. Those "technical" or well-trained brewers tend to just brew better beer than the average brewer, but if you can just brew for the haze bros. without much training, why concern yourself with important aspects of brewing if you're already making a handy profit?

This is a good point. Not that it's highly rated, but Victory's Dry Hopped Homegrown Lager is an excellent beer, IMO, but it really isn't a great representation of classic lager brewing. Even though it's made by a brewery that knocks out those types of beers, it's a lower-gravity IPL.

The availability of excellent canned beer, in general, is a wonderful trend that I hope continues.

 

Probably because they associate "lager" with mass produced "let's get drunk cheap" beers around the world. I love a good lager but avoided them for a long time because I associated lager with cheap adjuncts

 

It's obvious nobody rates to style on BA or any other site for that matter. If you see a lager rated over 3.50 it will more than likely rock your socks off.
I would also like to say Kellerbier may be the next hazebier...

 

God, I hope so. Probably not, though.

 

Who hates lagers?

That would be uncivilized.

 

I do.

 

We lived in Mankato for 18 years, took the Schell's tour 3 or 4 times, and had a beer store 2 blocks from our house that employed a beer buyer who was the biggest Schell's fanboy ..... anywhere, so I always had easy access to their wonderful selection of lagers.

Which explains why I've had 59 different beers from them. Man, do I miss that brewery.

 

Things have improved in the past 5 years or so, but I've felt that way in the past. And perhaps that explains why it's taking so long for this part of the scene to blossom. With continental lager styles, if the brewer isn't fully committed it shows in the end product; and their most likely customers will just go elsewhere.

 

I hate lagers.

If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have an unhealthy obsession with beer.

 

As the craft beer market gets more and more competitive, brewers will be forced to bring back more and more lagers to appeal to a different segment of beer drinkers. Down in Charlotte I saw that most places had a craft AAL option both in deference to the weather and as an option for macro/non-IPA fans. I was impressed with the variety of all beers there, considering I come from IPA/DIPA dominated Vermont.

 

An earlier response nailed it on the head - lagers shine most as refreshment. While standing by the grill, or after mowing the lawn, a cold lager is always a great choice. Personally, when I drink a lager I don't tend to think about it as much as I do with IPAs and stouts. Drinking those top-250 beers seems to demand a consciousness of all of the taste and aroma (and mouthfeel!) sensations, while the lager just goes down easy without a thought.

New offerings I've really been enjoying include Founder's Solid Gold, TG's Dorothy's NWL (new to MA) and Idle Hands Edgeworth Pils.

 

Not a big Maibock or Doppelbock drinker I'm guessing -- hard to not think about one of those as it hits your palate.

 

Accurate guess! Although not because I dislike them - it's just been a long time since I had either style.

 

I actually think that sweet IPAs and pastry stouts do so well in the ratings because people don't give them much contemplation but rather allow their palates to be overwhelmed by the rush of bold, familiar, and easy-to-identify scents and flavors. Their appeal is superficial, and they tend not to hold up well to close scrutiny. I'm one to tear apart bad NEIPAs (which constitute a majority of the substyle) in my reviews at the other site, but I've noticed the rare times that I drink them without giving them deep thought I dislike them much less, and I've identified that phenomenon as part of the reason I'm at odds with the majority on them. They're like blockbuster action movies: Mindless, in-your-face fun for a wide audience, likely to get high audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes, but usually there's a bunch of plot holes you can identify if you're looking for them. It helps to turn off your brain if you want to enjoy them.

A good lager, in contrast, due to its relative subtlety and dependency on flawless execution, benefits from close scrutiny, but reviewers, let alone ordinary consumers, rarely afford lagers that luxury.

 

Although lagers are not as diverse as ales, they are more diverse than most people give them credit for. Too bad more people don't have an interest in the diversity and tend to see them as one thing.

 

Let's not sugar-coat this. People like these types of beers for the same reasons that they watch the new movie with The Rock or Mark Wahlberg. They have the minds (and palates) of children.

Lagers are a gentleman's drink.

 

Agreed, and well put.

 

How about "the vast majority of BA members".
I try my best to rate to style as well. I think one of my few 5s is Ayinger Bavarian Pils.