Why does everybody hate lagers?

I was not aware that everybody hated lagers. During the early 80's when macro industrial lager dominated i think people rejected that and started pursuing craft beer. The industry grew because there were people that liked the beer. Germany and Central Europe make a lot of great, interesting lagers and I don't think anybody hates them. Some people ignore these beers because they have not been exposed to them but I doubt it has anything to do with hate. I think in some ways the old Irish saying is at play here: "If you are lonely, start a fight." You get more responses and reactions with "hate" than you do with "bored" or "unaware."

 

I mean the answer is obvious.
It's because macros ruined the word lager

 

I had a DC Pride Pils last week at the Wharf in Washington DC and it was so good. This is the best time of the year for lagers IMO. They go great on a hot day when you're out and about having some fun and want a lighter beer with not a ton of ABV.

On the other hand, lagers are not very good sipper beers to have at the house for a relaxing tasting session after work. When I want to sit down and analyze the nuances and flavors of my beer then of course there's an ale in my glass.

They're just 2 completely different animals. I think that the issue with this site is that we like to sit, sip, and taste for a half hour or an hour long session. You're not going to get a ton of lager posts on here because they're quick beers to have a glass of on a nice hot day.

I am actually trying to be much more open to other styles, and I need to up my lager game honestly.

 

BTW if you think everyone hates lagers, wait until the Marzens start flooding the market here in about 3 weeks

You will see tons of lagers getting love for the next few months.

 

Around here it will be in the next few minutes.

 

Someone say Okto Märzen?

 

Henniker Brewing is pretty close to me and they have a lager called Dinger which is delightful. The newer founders lager seems pretty solid and a t a reasonable price point as well. As others said, hate is not the right word. All beers (well, almost all beers. Ever had a Steel Reserve?) have their appropriate time and place. For me, any time is the right time for a good ipa but lagers definitely have their time to shine too!

 

You may already know this but just in case...

DC Pride Pils is the regular DC Brau Pils but in 'new clothing'.

Cheers!

 

Jeez Louise, try coming down here to South Florida, where despite the efforts of the local talent, it's mostly a BMC infested wasteland. Thank God we have Yeungling here. The rest of you siddown, shut up and drink your beer. Yo, barkeep gimme another Mic Ultra!

 

Apologies for sounding harsh, but that's a big understatement there. You're still coming across like you don't get how big and broad a category 'Lager' actually is; like somebody thinking all white wine is just like that boxed Chardonnay they're familiar with.

My prescription: take 3 Schlenkerla Maerzen and call me in the morning .

 

So many great lagers out there. As of late I've really been enjoying Enegren's American Reinheitsgebot (American Golden Lager).

 

There do seem to sort of be two parallel conversations going on this thread. One in which "lager" is being used as slang short hand for light colored beers like pils and helles and one in which the full range of what constitutes a lager is being considered.

I'm not sure how much is a true misunderstanding vs. how much is just people talking past each other a bit.

 

I think you may have just scared him off lager...

 

Or shorthand for American Adjunct Lager that (as someone else pointed out) ruined the moniker for a while.

In the words of Bono, "We're stealin' it back!"

 

I understand that it's a broad category. I need to start trying more beers from that side of the styles list.

 

I think the beer world is changing its tone, but for years lager was synonymous with macro and light macro lager. Campaigns declaring Miller Lite a "true pilsner" and Stone's "fizzy yellow beer is for wussies" thing didn't help.

Give it time, though. Remember back when anything with adjuncts was called a candy beer and "real men" didn't like fruit beers? That wasn't that long ago. Even BA polls used to show a less than 40% approval for fruit beers. Hopefully lagers will make a similar rebound once people realize that lagers are so much more than what the macros make.

 

Lager or die.

 

No, I never heard that expression. Why - because some adjunct beers were brewed with corn syrup?

I've heard/seen "rice beer", "corn beer", AAL, ILL ("Industrial Light Lager"), but never "candy beer"...

 

Well, don't listen to Steve, then- 3 is the correct amount . Actually, although I offer that up with tongue in cheek, there's some truth to it. The locals in Bamberg suggest that it takes 3 half liters to acclimate to the taste.

I'm also a bit hesitant to imply that the only lagers worth pondering and analysis are the heavy hitters. Even a well made Helles or Pilsner will have its own type of restrained, less blatant, complexity to it. That's how you know when you've got a good one .

 

I guess I should have clarified. I was thinking of non-brewing adjuncts like maple syrup, coffee, fruits/extracts, and such. In the mid to late 90's there was a push against those edgy at the time beers because they didn't taste like beer. Stuff like Pete's Maple and Strawberry Blonde, Sam Adams Cherry Wheat, Tommyknocker Maple, and such. I heard those called candy beers for years and from people in totally different regions.