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Lagers
Lagers
Now here's a misunderstood beast. When I was growing up in the UK I was conditioned to hate all lagers, which was probably a good thing considering the quality of the macros over there. However, since living in North America I've been forced to reassess my opinion.
I've recently been craving a good lager - not a crap one, not a corn and rice-ridden one, and certainly not a macro one brewed by molson, labatt or their ilk. I was wondering what bartowellers believed were the better lagers on the Ontario market - both at the lcbo and on tap?
I've recently been craving a good lager - not a crap one, not a corn and rice-ridden one, and certainly not a macro one brewed by molson, labatt or their ilk. I was wondering what bartowellers believed were the better lagers on the Ontario market - both at the lcbo and on tap?
i posted this at 1:30 on the RB forums.
"I’d really love it if craft brewers started makeing more amazing lagers. I’m lucky to have Grand River and Creemore as great local options and Prima Pils is gonna hit our local shelves soon.
Christoffel Bier and Pilsner Urquell have permanent spots in my fridge and I’ve recently rediscovered Köstritzer Schwarzbier.
Does anyone else want craft lagers to be the next big thing?
Pimp your fav lagers on this thread!"
great minds think alike bobsy!
"I’d really love it if craft brewers started makeing more amazing lagers. I’m lucky to have Grand River and Creemore as great local options and Prima Pils is gonna hit our local shelves soon.
Christoffel Bier and Pilsner Urquell have permanent spots in my fridge and I’ve recently rediscovered Köstritzer Schwarzbier.
Does anyone else want craft lagers to be the next big thing?
Pimp your fav lagers on this thread!"
great minds think alike bobsy!
local reccomendations:
Grand River (all 3 are great)
Nickel Brook (organic and pils, both very solid on tap, hit or miss in bottles/cans)
Mill St Pils
Niagara Falls Millstone Lager (great on tap, ive never seen a fresh bottle)
Muskoka Lager (best value at TBS, makes for a very cheap session)
if your ever in Waterloo:
Gold Crown (all 3 are good, the Kings pils is the best value)
Lion Brewery and Restaurant (same building as Gold Crown, super fresh well made lagers on tap)
Grand River (all 3 are great)
Nickel Brook (organic and pils, both very solid on tap, hit or miss in bottles/cans)
Mill St Pils
Niagara Falls Millstone Lager (great on tap, ive never seen a fresh bottle)
Muskoka Lager (best value at TBS, makes for a very cheap session)
if your ever in Waterloo:
Gold Crown (all 3 are good, the Kings pils is the best value)
Lion Brewery and Restaurant (same building as Gold Crown, super fresh well made lagers on tap)
Last edited by matt7215 on Fri Jul 10, 2009 3:32 pm, edited 2 times in total.
There's some pretty decent lagers around:
Grand River Galt Knife
Creemore Lager & Pilsner
King Pilsner - one of my favourite summer beers when I can find it.
Neustadt Lager - especially on tap (like at the Top End Tavern in Neustadt)
F&M Stonehammer Pilsner
Brooklyn Lager is definitely my favourite, but I can never seem to find it anymore in the LCBO so now I'll usually get Grand River.
Grand River Galt Knife
Creemore Lager & Pilsner
King Pilsner - one of my favourite summer beers when I can find it.
Neustadt Lager - especially on tap (like at the Top End Tavern in Neustadt)
F&M Stonehammer Pilsner
Brooklyn Lager is definitely my favourite, but I can never seem to find it anymore in the LCBO so now I'll usually get Grand River.
Lots in Toronto. As I posted in the "Favourite OCB" thread, put in a request at your LCBO to transfer some Brooklyn Lager in from elsewhere.kmallett wrote:Brooklyn Lager is definitely my favourite, but I can never seem to find it anymore in the LCBO so now I'll usually get Grand River.
I plan on doing that with Grand River and Beau's since we'll likely be getting neither of their stuff here in Toronto. I want some Bumbleberry Wheat while relaxing at the cottage.
lister
This is a topic I've felt strongly about since first getting into craft beer. I've always been a strong advocate of good lagers, and seeing them perpetually under-rated just for being themselves is one of my biggest pet peeves. They really are misunderstood. I can see where the prejudice comes from, given that they happened to be misfortunate enough to be the style that macro brewers prefer.
My favourite style (if forced to pick one) is Dopplebock. I also have an affinity for Baltic Porters. But when it comes to Pilseners or things of the more pale sort, Budvar ranks highest, but honourable mention goes out to:
Grand River Galt Knife
Warka Strong
Urquell
Kozel
Creemore (on tap)
Hacker-Pschorr Braumeister Pils (a particular favourite of mine)
...and I could list dozens more.
Kudos to Bobsy for bringing this up. I posted a similar thread a long time ago on Ratebeer and basically got slammed for suggesting that a pale lager could ever be good. It's pretty frustrating sometimes. My other pet peeve is something that I see happening sometimes with some brewers, making something with lager yeast that is all other aspects is an ale, then proclaiming that 'lagers can be good!' IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, I feel that that is kind of spitting on what a genuine lager is, as they basically bastardized it to make it 'good' to them (a specific example of this would be Sly Fox Pikeland Pils). This is all just my opinion though, based on my own experiences and personal tastes, please don't take any offense.
My favourite style (if forced to pick one) is Dopplebock. I also have an affinity for Baltic Porters. But when it comes to Pilseners or things of the more pale sort, Budvar ranks highest, but honourable mention goes out to:
Grand River Galt Knife
Warka Strong
Urquell
Kozel
Creemore (on tap)
Hacker-Pschorr Braumeister Pils (a particular favourite of mine)
...and I could list dozens more.
Kudos to Bobsy for bringing this up. I posted a similar thread a long time ago on Ratebeer and basically got slammed for suggesting that a pale lager could ever be good. It's pretty frustrating sometimes. My other pet peeve is something that I see happening sometimes with some brewers, making something with lager yeast that is all other aspects is an ale, then proclaiming that 'lagers can be good!' IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, I feel that that is kind of spitting on what a genuine lager is, as they basically bastardized it to make it 'good' to them (a specific example of this would be Sly Fox Pikeland Pils). This is all just my opinion though, based on my own experiences and personal tastes, please don't take any offense.
Jesse, this rings true with me. Lagers are extremely undervalued on the rating sites, and I've always seen it as one of the greatest flaws of BA, RB and others. On the one hand, they're not helped by the flood of substandard and adjunct filled offerings we have available, but on the other they attract a level of disdain from people who should know better. I think the lager that opened my eyes was the Great Lakes Dortmunder - a beautifully crafted, near flawless beer.JesseM wrote:This is a topic I've felt strongly about since first getting into craft beer. I've always been a strong advocate of good lagers, and seeing them perpetually under-rated just for being themselves is one of my biggest pet peeves. They really are misunderstood. I can see where the prejudice comes from, given that they happened to be misfortunate enough to be the style that macro brewers prefer.
Its good to see beers like the Amsterdam doppelbock and the Mill Street Pils get some attention and praise. I hope this trend continues.
Denison's Dunkel is really great stuff, but it will forever be in the shadow of its other sibling.
I love the Grand Rivers; I'm a fan of Creemore (still anxious to try their keller-in-a-can).
I'm not a fan of Saaz, but I really like the Stratford Pils when it's fresh on-tap.
Steamwhistle is good when it's fresh as well.
A craft brewery cost money, and lagering facilities cost even more (additional cooling & space). But with all the German settlers here, it's surprising there aren't more, like Wisconsin & Pennsylvania.
I love the Grand Rivers; I'm a fan of Creemore (still anxious to try their keller-in-a-can).
I'm not a fan of Saaz, but I really like the Stratford Pils when it's fresh on-tap.
Steamwhistle is good when it's fresh as well.
A craft brewery cost money, and lagering facilities cost even more (additional cooling & space). But with all the German settlers here, it's surprising there aren't more, like Wisconsin & Pennsylvania.
I finally tried Neustadt Lager for the first time (I was hiding under a rock or something). Anyway, it's a mighty fine beer.
I've never been able to understand the enthusiasm for, or warm up to King Pilsner, but then again, I like a Steamwhistle on occasion.
But ultimately, if you are going to bark up this tree, I vote for Stonehammer and Creemore.
I've never been able to understand the enthusiasm for, or warm up to King Pilsner, but then again, I like a Steamwhistle on occasion.
But ultimately, if you are going to bark up this tree, I vote for Stonehammer and Creemore.
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