Least Favorite Styles

I've got to admit, this post is almost painful for me. Each style has a history and if you know a bit about the history you might mentally approach the style with a new appreciation. For example, saying Belgians are bad because of the yeast without having tried the many different styles of Belgians, from Orval to Achel, St Bernardus to Caracole, Buffalo stout to Lou Pepe Framboise, is making a generalized statement without really being immersed in what is out there (though not necessarily in your state). Or take a rauchbier (smoked)...if you've only had Schlenkerla or Alaskan smoked porter you're missing the much more common "light" smoked beers that are more popular in the Bamberg region of Germany. On the other hand, I really don't have much interest in various styles, like American light lager!

 

lager beers are so misunderstood, people who dismiss them simply have no clue.

 

It's hard for me to select a style I dislike because most styles I've tried I've found at least one or two I've liked. I suppose I haven't found any pilsners I like. And the one lambic I tried I didn't like. And beers with cherry in them don't agree with me.

 

yes, had a sample of it last year on tap. Did not buy a whole glass so I must not have been a fan.

 

Just my opinion, but a couple of people have taken issue with my comment (you pale ale drinkers are hard core!). Given the choice between a pale ale, stout, wheat, IPA, brown, dub/trip/quad, pils, marzen, etc., I pick anything but the pale ale. That is what I am saying. It is my least favorite style, in response to the question. I'd say AAL, but I figured that was a given on this site.

 

Sours, fruitybeers, and especially SMOKED. Anything smoked makes me want to hurl. A friend told me the best he's ever had was Alaskan Smoked Porter, so I bought one, very stoked about it. It was very difficult to finish, but I did because I don't believe in wasting...

 

smoked beers are hard to take. first off you need to be in Bamburg. Germany and eating the local fried onion and other smoked meats. otherwise its hard for me also.

 

I disagree wholeheartedly with this statement.

The reason I have trouble with it is pale ales have a lot a variety and a lot of beers blur the line between pale ale and IPA. if you ask me a session IPA is just another name for a pale ale

 

Ha, I'll give you that, but I'm not going to debate the distinction between IPA-like pale ales and session-IPA's. I amend my original post to "pale ales, to exclude the IPA-like ones, but to include session-IPA's."

(Still, the IPA's I enjoy are more IIPA-like, so my original post still stands if we want to look at it that way.)

 

Berliner Weiss and Marzens

 

It is exactly another name for a pale ale, after all it is a"Session India ____ _____"
It does let you know what you're in for- as opposed to only a few (Founders, Schlafly) actually stating in the name that it is a "Dry-Hopped Pale Ale". And though there aren't many, some pale ales actually are balanced, or English.

Back to Schlaflys as a prime example- You order their pale ale, you get a malt forward English PA; order a dry-hopped APA, and you get a bitter, but (IMO) balanced pale ale; Lastly there's the session IPA, an incredibly light bodied beer with little-no malt presence. While most breweries don't crank out all three, those that do give meaning to the sub-style.

 

Lambic. Tried once, couldn't do it.

 

Anything with a lot of hops.

 

Sours and wild ales are my least favorite.

 

sours\wild ale, doppel-wisens, dopplebocks, and a lot of pumpkin beers...........I hate Sours the most and pumpkin beers the least (when they work their great, but when they don't their scary bad).

I really despise sours. Damn things are both expensive and nasty. Seems to me like a conspiracy to sell beer that get infected : 3

 

I'm pretty passionate about my hatred of sours, but I completely agree with you. it is not up to me to tell people that it is wrong for them to enjoy a certain style. People like what they like.

ex, I might tell people that the American light lager and Adjunct lager have their place even for the most seasoned beer drinkers (especially Sam Adams light and Narragansett), and many can disagree with that opinion.

that's why tasting beer is a horizontal opinion. Their are no true answers for what beers and styles are good and which ones are bad, and the information on beer styles is fascinating ( heck, that's why I picked up the oxford encyclopedia of beer, a GREAT read on virtually all beer styles)

 

Pilsners.

 

wow you pretty much said my exact thoughts. I've tried REALLY hard to like barleywines but havent found one I like.
I also dislike triples for the same reason you gave for doppels - waaay to sweet. Although, to be fair, this is the only style of beer that I've only tried once. I disliked it soo much that I cant bring myself to try another version.

 

I also dislike anything that could be reviewed with a phrase like 'hints of sweet vomit'. hah. Sours, I'm looking at you!

 

For those who have listed "lagers" as their least favorite style, it's only because most breweries don't experiment with lagering. Jack's Abby brews lagers exclusively and they brew some seriously good beer. Try some of Jack's Abby before lumping all lagers in the same category.

As for me, I'm not a big fan of wheats, hefes, sours, and shandies even though I drink them on occasion to keep things spicy. I enjoy beers with a fuller body. Russian Imperial Stouts top my list.