# Appreciating Lagers...



## .DJ. (2/9/10)

I'm an unashamed Ale man...

Anything from English Ales to American Barleywines...

However, I have never (_with a few exceptions_) been able to appreciate lagers. Knappstein is the one of the only ones I can really appreciate. And I rekon that is more to do with the NS hops than anything...

Now, maybe the ones I have tasted are crap...

Does anyone else have this problem? And what are some well made, readily available lagers that I might be able to appreciate?


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## BjornJ (2/9/10)

Hi,
have you tried Pilsner Urquell?

It has a soft, nice flavor but still quite a bit of body and bittering, apparently 40 IBUs I read somewhere.

I like lagers as well as ales, but as 'different drinks' if you will.
Ales are more flavorsome and enjoyable perhaps, but nothing beats a nice, cold lager on a hot day or just having a beer in front of the telly without really focusing on what I'm drinking.


Bjorn


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## manticle (2/9/10)

Lager as in anything made with a lager yeast or just pale beers?

For the subtle, pale type (but still delicious) try trumer, pilsner urqell, zywiec, sambor brok. Different beers for different occasions. Pair them with the right food - have some spicy fresh cooked crustaceans and a trumer on a hot summer afternoon.

Otherwise get your lips around a baltic porter or a bock of some description - just as rich and flavoursome as any English or Belgian ale.


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## Shed101 (2/9/10)

I'm in a similar boat when it comes to lagers... literally brought up on ales and fruity yeasts, I really tend to steer away from lagers, I don't seem to pick up the bitterness, but I think that relates to what Bjorn's saying - they are such different drinks.

+1 for the Bocks. If you can get your hand on a bottle of *Weltenburger Kloster Asam Bock* you'll be a happy man I reckon.

I prefer to try beers for the first time without food personally, so I can really taste the beer - but that's just personal opinion.

Pilsner Urquell is nice, but *Emersons Pilsener* from NZ is probably the most flavoursome pale lager i've tried (and i've had Urquell in the brewery).

Best thing you could do really is go to Czech Republic and Germany, after a day or two you'd find it easier


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## .DJ. (2/9/10)

BjornJ said:


> Hi,
> have you tried Pilsner Urquell?
> 
> It has a soft, nice flavor but still quite a bit of body and bittering, apparently 40 IBUs I read somewhere.


I have, and it has a taste that i find all lagers have. not enjoyable to me at all.
What that taste is I have no idea?


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## kevin_smevin (2/9/10)

I'm definitely more of an ale man but i could drink Trummer pils 'til the cows come home. Its delightful. I'm not a huge fan of Pilsner Urquel either so maybe give the Trummer a shot. If you can get hold of some German Muhich lagers you might like them too. Super malty, very satisfying.


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## WarmBeer (2/9/10)

If you're in Melbourne (and I know it's one hella drive for the OP!) we're serving up a bunch of tasty, tasty lagers at Oktoberfest this weekend.

Vienna Lager, German Pilsner, Schwarzbier, Oktoberfest, Hefweizen, Munich Helles and a Bock. All lagers, and none of them bland or boring.

Bayside Brewers Oktoberfest 2010


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## argon (2/9/10)

BjornJ said:


> Hi,
> have you tried Pilsner Urquell?..snip
> 
> 
> Bjorn



OH MY GOD, I must give a massive + 1000 to this... IMHO... BEST. BEER. EVER. So delicately balanced, with a great malt backbone and just great bitterness to counteract... 

Give it another shot... you can find some poorly handled samples out there... especially from some of the big bottlos like dan's and first... often see stacks of euro lagers sitting in the sun... that's wear the funking comes. Pick a sixer from a boutique shop.

A well handled Urquell is life changing... i wish i had the patience and time to do triple decoction lagers.


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## Nick JD (2/9/10)

.DJ. said:


> I have, and it has a taste that i find all lagers have. not enjoyable to me at all.
> What that taste is I have no idea?



Probably a combination of subtle DMS and a hint of sulphur in the aroma.


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## petesbrew (2/9/10)

I'm in the same boat as you DJ.
I know I've had some great lagers though. Just a matter of trying to remember them.


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## BjornJ (2/9/10)

manticle said:


> Otherwise get your lips around a baltic porter on a hot summer afternoon.



:icon_offtopic: 

Manticle, 
we are talking about drinking beers here!!


 

Bjorn


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## manticle (2/9/10)

I'm just glad you didn't try and do anything with 'bock'.


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## Snow (2/9/10)

Plenty of lagers out there without that "Euro-lager" taste you speak of. I recommend Kostritzer schwartzbier, Kloster asam bock, Schlenkerla Marzen Rauchbier, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Kozel(?) dark lager and Matilda Bay Dog Bolter just for starters. 

Cheers - Snow


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## bconnery (2/9/10)

manticle said:


> I'm just glad you didn't try and do anything with 'bock'.


Why?
Would that have really got your goat?


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## manticle (2/9/10)

I get very upset at the slightest thing, including anything to do with farm animals and Chappo.

Sorry for OT.


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## Eeeza (2/9/10)

I love lagers (in fact all beer) and have a soft spot at the moment for the Sam Adams Boston Lager, not your average light flavour.
I also tried for the first time the other week a "Hop Rocker Pilsner". I think it was Mac's Brewery? Came in a funky can. It was great.


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## Snowdog (2/9/10)

I've been an ale man since the early 80's when Red Hook got me off the megaswillin lager Rainier. But I found myself ordering a Budvar while lounging in teh beergarden at the Dog & Pony on a warm Seattle day in July. And I have a fondness for black lagers as well. Dogbolter is nice, as is Roslyn Dark. More mainstream, I find Cooper's Lager a decent drop.


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## BjornJ (2/9/10)

Manticle,
just trying to lighten the mood at lunch hour, no offence intended,


:icon_chickcheers: 

thanks
Bjorn


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## manticle (2/9/10)

BjornJ said:


> Manticle,
> just trying to lighten the mood at lunch hour, no offence intended,
> 
> 
> ...




Something's been misunderstood. I was making a joke in response to yours (and in response to bconnery) - definitely not offended at any point.

I tried to find an image of an eastern european looking dude carrying a suitcase but failed so I made a penis joke instead.


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## Shed101 (2/9/10)

manticle said:


> Something's been misunderstood. I was making a joke in response to yours (and in response to bconnery) - definitely not offended at any point.



You really should try harder to be offended... you've offended him now by not being offended.

(No offence Bjorn if you weren't offended, either.)


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## King Brown (2/9/10)

I felt the same way pretty much till I went to Munich. Helles and Bock served unpasteurised, unfiltered, gravity poured straight out of the wooden cask. I suppose the British would be offended by this but it's pretty much top fermented real ale. And then I went to Bamberg and straight to the Aecht Schlenkerla Tavern... I enjoy that beer bottled but nothing comes close to the cask version. I also didn't mind Budvar (the real Czech Budweiser)



Eeeza said:


> I also tried for the first time the other week a "Hop Rocker Pilsner". I think it was Mac's Brewery? Came in a funky can. It was great.



+1 for this, It is Mac's brewery, has the hop character of an APA very tasty :icon_drool2: 

No affiliation et al

edit - Speeling


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## bradsbrew (2/9/10)

manticle said:


> Something's been misunderstood. I was making a joke in response to yours (and in response to bconnery) - definitely not offended at any point.
> 
> I tried to find an image of an eastern european looking dude carrying a suitcase but failed so I made a penis joke instead.



Sorry its the best I could do.







And to keep it on topic. Pilsners are good.

Brad


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## Bizier (2/9/10)

I dream of cask lagers... esp Schlenkerla I will have to make Germany happen.

Notable lagers: Zywiec Porter, fresh Budvar, Coopers 62


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## King Brown (2/9/10)

Bizier said:


> I dream of cask lagers... esp Schlenkerla I will have to make Germany happen.
> 
> Notable lagers: Zywiec Porter, fresh Budvar, Coopers 62



Definitely worth the trip to Bamberg, beautiful town with beautiful beer :icon_cheers:


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## Bizier (2/9/10)

Let us see if Mr Weyermann notices his luggage is slightly heavy on the return trip...
To Bamberg I say!


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## jlm (2/9/10)

Snow said:


> Plenty of lagers out there without that "Euro-lager" taste you speak of. I recommend Kostritzer schwartzbier, Kloster asam bock, Schlenkerla Marzen Rauchbier, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Kozel(?) dark lager and Matilda Bay Dog Bolter just for starters.
> 
> Cheers - Snow



All of these. And Emmersons Pilsner, if you get a good bottle, will change the way you think about pale lagers. And also Mac's Black is worth a look, and while I think of it Zeitgeist brewed by Brewdog, although I don't think it says it on the bottle, is another outstanding lager imo.


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## crozdog (2/9/10)

Don't lump all lagers together.

lagers aren't all the same, just like ales aren't - look out for & try some amber & dark lagers, lovely malt richness personified (IMHO :icon_cheers: ). Hard to do well, but packed full of flavour.

schwartz & bocks come to mind as do viennas, helles, marzens & octoberfests. :icon_drool2:


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## jakub76 (2/9/10)

crozdog said:


> Don't lump all lagers together.


Yeah...it's yeast racism.

I love a good lager, big fan of malt forward beers. I know I'm in a minority but I don't like Pilsner Urquell and definately not a fan of the Coopers 62 but I really like Budvar and generally most of the malty marzens and darker lagers out there. My regular house brew is a ricey lager brewed with munich lager yeast Wy2308. The sulphur taste settles out and disappears after a couple weeks lagering.


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## Synthetase (2/9/10)

Funny this thread should pop up while I'm cradling a bottle of Big Helga. It's not a bad beer at all, although I think my Helles is better (as you do  ). Malt-forward with well-balanced bitterness and a subtle noble aroma. Good body as well.


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## Bizier (2/9/10)

jakub76 said:


> ...definately not a fan of the Coopers 62


 

If that is a response to me, it was just my lame attempt at a joke. I think it is a beer that typifies what is wrong with beer, like a gronky Budweiser but with more of that crisp, fresh 'green apple'. 

I got a case of Budvar with my old man the other week and was really impressed with the hoppiness and overall balance. 

I think the main issue is that we live in Australia and most beers are absolutely murdered across the equator, and then we get charged about eight times what we should for damaged goods. Or we could drink the local fare... I was really excited when Murray's released their pilsner, because it was a bottle conditioned lager that I could get fresh.


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## barabool (6/4/11)

Lager is my bread and butter. It took me a while to work that out but the crisp deep hop taste of a 'good' lager makes me wet.
Some of the lagers mentioned are nowhere near my favourites but that's why we have thousands of different types of beer instead on just one.
Never listen to anyone who says that a certain beer or type of beer is crap. You need to try it yourself. 
Big world, lots of beers .....Thank god!


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## super_simian (7/4/11)

This zombie thread is as good a time as any to introduce my blog, as I just did a post on the same topic:
www.becomingabeersnob.blogspot.com


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## wrath (7/4/11)

For my tastes, Trumer Pils cannot be beaten on the Lager front.

Alas, I am an Ale man too.


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## warra48 (7/4/11)

I'm also an "Ale Man", but our son-in-law is a confirmed "Lager" consumer.
He is educated into what makes a good Lager, so he searches out the imported Euro lagers. He won't drink Aussie mainstream stuff (notice how cleverly I avoided the term "megaswill").

So, when mrs warra and I are down in Sydney, it's a compulsory stop off at Dans to get a supply of good stuff, before we hit daughter dear's front door.
Depending on which one I crack first, my favourite, time and time again, is either Pilsner Urquell, or Budvar. They are fantstic beers. My efforts haven't come close. The rest are all runners up only.


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