Controversial Beer Opinions Thread

Yes, most Belgian styles come across like that to me. My fridge is very much dominated by IPA's, Stouts BA and non, Porters, Barleywines, Wild Ales and the occasional Strong Ale, Old Ale, Sour or Fruited Beer. I don't stray from these unless I'm at a share, tap takeover or decent bar/brewery where I can do a flight or half pours.

 

Well, you seem to be firmly rooted in English/American beers. That is why Saisons are challenging. You would probably learn to enjoy them if you stepped out of that IPA/Stout cycle.

 

Oh it doesn't stop me from branching out. I really do enjoy trying new styles and revisiting styles I haven't liked in hopes I will find something that changes my mind or opens my palate. As I come around on newer styles I haven't tried I always try to circle back as I learn to like and appreciate different flavors. Maybe one day I'll really appreciate a Saison or Pilsner, in the mean time I'll continue to search and taste with an open mind!

 

Ok here's my recently reinforced opinion.

No secret I work in the wine industry - I tell people I make wine so that I can buy beer. Every fall in Northern California I look forward to the breweries who ferment with winegrapes. This year it was a Grenache DIPA, last year it was a Petit Verdot Gose (different breweries). Breweries: all the good stuff in red winegrapes is in the skins, not the juice. You gotta extract all the color, phenolics, and flavors out of them - they aren't in the juice. I assume these breweries are looking for a little wine-derived complexity, but they aren't doing it right.

 

That's kind of my style. I enjoy basically the same styles as you (except I enjoy hefeweizen too) but I totally understand the difficulty with non malt or hop characteristics. I haven't truly dove into saisons, but I haven't enjoyed the ones I have tried a lot. I still keep trying, but I'm taking a break from sours for similar reasons. Too many duds for my current tastes.

 

And that’s why every corona needs a lime. Lol. Wow I’ll pass

 

But, Dave, spoofing on those guys is most of the fun! I'll be quiet now.

 

I find it odd that you say you don't like extremely malt forward beers but then you mention after IPAs that your fridge is stocked with Stouts, Porters, and Barleywine. Those are all extremely malt forward styles and normally have more residual sugar found in them.

 

roadkizzle said;
Lager includes styles that are anything but flavorless such as Bocks, Doppelbocks, Baltic Porters, and Rauchbiers (for example Schlenkerla).

Porters are ales, unless I am missing something here.

 

Based on BJCP style guidelines Baltic Porters are "generally lager yeast (cold fermented if ale yeast is used". That is a quote from the guidelines. But I agree that other porters are typically ales. Not sure if today's Baltic porters follow the traditional recipes.

 

Historically they were a regional variation designed to be made in lager-centric breweries.

 

Whilst you are correct, the biscuit or bread like flavor that I get from most malt forward beers comes across in a different way when drinking a "clear" beer. In a dark beer I expect a certain level of malt because it is typically the backbone of the beer and I don't get those pronounced bakery flavors I feel I get from say a Marzen or a heavily malted IPA. In the right style I appreciate what it lends to a beer and those tend to be the darker offerings for me.

 

Is it possible that it's actually the noble hops that you don't enjoy?

In keeping with the spirit of Controversial Beer Opinions I'm going to come right out and say it...

I don't much care for noble hops.

I don't like nelson or hallertauer, either.

 

Possibly, not quite sure. I do love me some Nelson though and Hallertauer isn't bad when combined with the right blend. I personally dislike Vic Secret hops, something about it doesn't play nicely with my taste buds.

 

Thanks for the info, just when I start to think I have things figured out...
I'm NOT going back to guzzling 30-pack of Bud.

 

No problem, always something different to figure out. That's why its fun.

 

That's why it's fun? I thought it was all about getting shit-faced and saying and doing things you had to apologize for the next day.

 

That has certainly been my experience.

 

Just to keep you on your toes, everything becomes clearer when you think of all porters (and stouts) as neither ales nor lagers... or is that foggier?

@EvenMoreJesus , I must have missed all of your apology posts on BeerAdvocate.

 

I'm not drunk when I post here, brah. Nobody wants that.