Lager than life…

The Lager style is one of the most produced and consumed beers in the world. It may be known to you as your father’s favorite or an old stand by, but when it comes to beer, lager is hard to ignore. Often lager is considered to be part of the old guard of beer as it is the chief product of the macro-breweries that dominate the market, but it has a rightful spot in the expanding world of craft beer. Lager is a great bridge for those who are overwhelmed by the countless craft beer choices, as it is something nearly all beer drinkers are familiar with.

Lager became popular after prohibition since new technology made it cheaper and quicker to produce. Traditionally lager was differentiated from other styles of beer, such as ale, because it needed to ferment longer and at colder temperatures. In the 1950s the process of continuous fermentation came about and lager became one of the easiest beer styles to produce.  Prior to this breakthrough it took nearly twice as long to produce a lager compared to ale. While continuous fermentation made it easier to brew large quantities for mass consumption it took away much of the distinctive flavor that set lager apart from other beer styles. Most of the American macro-brew lagers use adjunct cereal and rice grains to cut production costs, subsequently creating a heavily carbonated lighter beer with little malt flavor and low levels of bitterness.  Thankfully the expansion of craft beers has allowed for a return to the traditional brewing process.           

Once you have tried an imported or microbrews lager you can immediately taste how the time provided for malt maturation during the fermentation process creates a smoother distinctive malt flavor. Lager that is given the necessary time for fermentation has greater flavor nuance than its macro-brew counterparts. 

Tags: 101, beer, lager
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Ale? Lager? Whatchoo drinkin?

For the casual beer drinker, or for the rookies breaking into the field, the various classifications of beer can get pretty confusing. Often times, the designation on the bottle doesn’t give much of a clue as to the exact nature of the brew inside. What exactly is a dubbel? Is it an ale or a lager? (It’s an ale) How does it fit in a larger spectrum?

Glad you asked. Check out this flow chart. When you’re tasting your beer, use it as a reference - if you like dark beers, like porters, maybe you can find something else you like just as well.

Get learned.

dJp

Tags: ale, beer, classifications, dark beer, flow chart, lager, light beer, porter
Category: Beer Reviews, The Beer Blog | Comments (0)