Back to Basics

Are you talking about HOMES? Just a stab in the dark....great beer but the 2x I've been there all of their beers were the more modern "hype" stuff.

 

So, speaking of those basics -- might I interject here and point out that Pilsners *are* Lagers?

Just saying, but it's one of those pet peeves that makes Capt. Pedantic's teeth grind.

 

Like someone saying porters and ales? Pale ales and bitters?

 

And let's expand on that statement and say that a pilsner (or pilsener) is a bona fide cousin of the 'pale lager' (a bit of a misnomer itself because of the maibock style) a style name that shouldn't be shortened to just 'lager' for the confusion that it can cause to purists (like you and me).

 

Right which is exactly what’s in demand right now, especially for their demographic.

 

Let's just not go there, okay? @jesskidden is running out of *Ales & Porters* sign images to post.

 

But what really *is* a "pale lager?" It's not really a style. Munich Helles is the first cousin to Pilsner, as is Dortmunder.

Pale lager is more description (as you point out with Heller or Maibock), but there's really no true style.

 

I guess in this modern internet/cell phone era, going back to "Top Fermented" and "Bottom Fermented" is not possible - too many keystrokes for most, uh, "ppl". (<I've actually seen that used!).

Hell, I'd like to see a return to capitalizing brand names 'cause I get confused when someone posts "I just drank a I can't believe it's not a girdle pale ale, it's better than their where fore art though romeo mild or reports of my death are exaggerated stout ..."

Nah, I could probably find a few more - things are getting kinda dull around here anyway. Plus, the more common phrase in the US was "Beer, Ale & Porter" like this ( that first word usually gets 'em going.):

I blame this outfit for contributing to the confusion these days over "Lager" being a specific beer style. They brag about the fact that some people in Eastern PA just ask for "Lager" at a bar when they want Yuengling Traditional Lager.

 

Well, part of my homebrewing chops was learning to make a 99.9% accurate Budweiser clone. Later I did stuff like a hibiscus saison with brett, etc. Both won multiple ribbons, but the unconventional beers would not have fared as well without a grounding in classic styles.

 

Which version of Budweiser? The current, one from years past?

 

Beginning about 30 years ago and continuing. My last attempt was 7 years ago. There is an interesting narrative on the flavor "progression" of Budweiser in Stan Hieronymus's " For the Love of Hops".

edit: I suppose I shoot for more or less the late 1990's version.

 

It's when a brewer has been running amok with hops.

 

Which lager yeast strain did you use. There is 'debate' here as regards yeast vendor versions here.

Cheers!

@honkey

 

Pale Lagers is what we would have if we didn't have AALs as a beer style.

And when did AAL become a style?

 

YOU'RE the guy! Many years ago I was judging a home-brew competition and requested lagers... of course they lumped American adjunct lagers into one of the categories because there weren't enough entries, and some... ahem, industrious young lad had decided to "clone" Budweiser.

Bad thing is, I have some adverse reaction to fermented rice -- I get an instant, debilitating hangover! The rest of my day was shot -- could drink no more beer!

So thanks, thanks for "honing your chops" on adjunct swill!

 

I'd put AALs under that "descriptor" anyway.

Pretty sure AAL spawned from the AHA and BJCP. Not exactly a marketing term.

 

Always WY2007. Can probably be done with other yeasts but it just seems to work, and is forgiving of minor temperature fluctuations.

 

American Light Lager has been a BJCP style for a very long time.

 

Yeah but I was referring to American Adjunct Lager.

 

Gotta start somewhere..