Post by heychadwick on Apr 8, 2011 7:25:52 GMT -5
Now, in America, we have two brewing traditions. There is the English and the Germanic. The English is more about ales and porters. The Germanic is more about lagers. The major US breweries have gone with lagers, but use incredibly cheap ingredients that are mass marketed to taste like crap. With micro breweries and home brewing, it's easier to brew Ales. The English style of brewing has become the dominant micro-beer style. There are many brew pubs and micro-breweries across America that can brew many a fine Ale. Most of them, though, can't brew an adequate lager to save their brewery (let alone a good one).
When most people in the US try different beers than the major brands, they tend to start drinking English style and get caught up in it. I've even had numerous people tell me that if the beer isn't dark, it's of the same crappy quality as the major domestic swill. Anything along the lines of a lager is just going to be crap. I have to say that this is ignorance or just belligerence. While I hate dark beers, I can say that Guinness is a good beer. It's a beer that I don't like, but it's a good beer. Not all lagers are bad beers.
Now, with that said, I am hoping to hear more about excellent lagers out there in the world! I am considered pretty worldly when it comes to beers in my neck of the woods. I have also learned that the more I learn (about anything, really) is that there is always someone else who knows more. I am hoping to find out more about good lagers! Can anyone else help me out? I'm interested in local beers and international beers.
Lager really just means "bottom fermented". There are a lot of different kids of lagers. I will say that I happen to like pilsners the best. I've also tried "dark lagers" and found them an abomination. It's like someone who wants a porter, but decided to brew a lager version of it. Why?
I'll start off by listing some of my favorite lagers that I've had and like to drink.
Pilsner Urquell
The world's first pilsner! It's awesome. I love drinking it. It's got a bit of skunk and kick to it that I like. One fine beer! I can't always find it at every grocery store, but this is what I like to drink on most occasions.
Grolsch
A good Dutch beer. It is very similar to the beer above, but less skunk and kick to it. Very close, though. I like it. There have been times I have preferred this beer to Pilsner Urquell. Most grocery stores in the US (at least in NC) carry either this or P.U.
Kingfisher
I was at a beer bar and looking for lagers to drink. I saw this one and tried it. It's from India and I had no idea what to expect. It is one of my top 5 beers of all time! It's excellent! It's a lager, but not a pilsner. It's smooth and has an excellent taste. The goodness stays with you and turns into a nice after taste. Many beers will taste alright going down, but then fall apart and leave a crappy taste in your mouth. Kingfisher just continues to taste excellent all the way down.
I gave one of these to Tom McClure at Adepticon this past weekend. I will let him say more on it.
With that, I will leave it for others to fill out. I'll start off by saying I don't drink domestic swill. The lowest I will drink is Samuel Adams, which is acceptable. I might go for a St. Pauli's Girl. It just tastes a bit cheap for me. Becks is also acceptable, but not as good as those listed above (in my opinion). I will say that I'll drink Stella Artois, but it's not good. It's not bad, but.....it lacks something. It lacks distinction. It's smooth and it doesn't taste bad.....but the good part just never shows up. I am left wanting. Oh, I will also drink Carona, even though it's cheap.
When most people in the US try different beers than the major brands, they tend to start drinking English style and get caught up in it. I've even had numerous people tell me that if the beer isn't dark, it's of the same crappy quality as the major domestic swill. Anything along the lines of a lager is just going to be crap. I have to say that this is ignorance or just belligerence. While I hate dark beers, I can say that Guinness is a good beer. It's a beer that I don't like, but it's a good beer. Not all lagers are bad beers.
Now, with that said, I am hoping to hear more about excellent lagers out there in the world! I am considered pretty worldly when it comes to beers in my neck of the woods. I have also learned that the more I learn (about anything, really) is that there is always someone else who knows more. I am hoping to find out more about good lagers! Can anyone else help me out? I'm interested in local beers and international beers.
Lager really just means "bottom fermented". There are a lot of different kids of lagers. I will say that I happen to like pilsners the best. I've also tried "dark lagers" and found them an abomination. It's like someone who wants a porter, but decided to brew a lager version of it. Why?
I'll start off by listing some of my favorite lagers that I've had and like to drink.
Pilsner Urquell
The world's first pilsner! It's awesome. I love drinking it. It's got a bit of skunk and kick to it that I like. One fine beer! I can't always find it at every grocery store, but this is what I like to drink on most occasions.
Grolsch
A good Dutch beer. It is very similar to the beer above, but less skunk and kick to it. Very close, though. I like it. There have been times I have preferred this beer to Pilsner Urquell. Most grocery stores in the US (at least in NC) carry either this or P.U.
Kingfisher
I was at a beer bar and looking for lagers to drink. I saw this one and tried it. It's from India and I had no idea what to expect. It is one of my top 5 beers of all time! It's excellent! It's a lager, but not a pilsner. It's smooth and has an excellent taste. The goodness stays with you and turns into a nice after taste. Many beers will taste alright going down, but then fall apart and leave a crappy taste in your mouth. Kingfisher just continues to taste excellent all the way down.
I gave one of these to Tom McClure at Adepticon this past weekend. I will let him say more on it.
With that, I will leave it for others to fill out. I'll start off by saying I don't drink domestic swill. The lowest I will drink is Samuel Adams, which is acceptable. I might go for a St. Pauli's Girl. It just tastes a bit cheap for me. Becks is also acceptable, but not as good as those listed above (in my opinion). I will say that I'll drink Stella Artois, but it's not good. It's not bad, but.....it lacks something. It lacks distinction. It's smooth and it doesn't taste bad.....but the good part just never shows up. I am left wanting. Oh, I will also drink Carona, even though it's cheap.
