Favorite of experienced brewers.

[corkybstewart]

Those of you that have been brewing for over 5 years and have tried to brew many or even most types of beer, what has become your favorite drinking beer?

Please do not reply here if you have less than 5 years experience.

I have a theory that many of us come to the same conclusion. I'm not going to say what I think until I've seen some results.

There's a type of beer that's the reason I started brewing and I've seen many seasoned brewers talk about that type as their favorite.
I wanna see how common that is

I just absolutely love that type and wish it had all the nutrition a human body needs 'cause I'd be up for drinking that all day every day

I've been brewing for 32 years now and have yet to find an absolute favorite. I've brewed UK styles like bitters, browns, porters and stouts I love them all. A brown I brewed made it to the finals of a big competition. I've brewed Belgians: quads, blindes, sours. I won a best of show with a crabapple brett beer. I brew German styles, rauchbier and hefeweizen in particular. And I brew overhopped American style beers because my wife and I love them. In my serious homebrewing years I almost always had 10 different beers on tap in the garage, now just 2 or 3 at best.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

The UK brought that upon themselves.



Would they admit to being British?

Cheers!

Yes they would it’s being called English that they hate.

 

[balrog]

It’s a Scot and Whisky with no e

 

[Witherby]

Yes they would it’s being called English that they hate.

I appreciate that reminder.

My reply was “Kellerbier, German Pils, Best Bitter, and Vienna Lager” but I should have been more specific because I think regional differences and variations are important and so my real answer is Franconian Kellerbier, Northern German Pils, Yorkshire Bitter, and Vienna Lager.

I’ve had cask bitters from Wales and Scotland but the beers that have influenced me the most are from Yorkshire and London, but I will refrain from calling them English bitters.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Yes they would it’s being called English that they hate.

I'm glad I live in the US.

 

[corkybstewart]

Interesting that Wikipedia says "Bitter is an English style of pale ale" while most references do say "British". I am an ignorant Yank to be sure, and really got reamed by a temperamental Scott for saying "scotch" when I should have (clearly) said "whiskey". No offense intended.

Gotta check the spelling. There's no e in Scotch whisky. In France bourbon comes from USA, whisky is European, even French whisky.

 

[YeastFeast]

Hazy IPAs

Runner up: Stouts

I have a 3 tap setup and always have a Hazy and a Stout on.

 

[HM-2]

Although I probably brew more NEIPAs than anything else, my go-to "comfort beers" are:

• Best Bitters / Strong Bitters
• Pale Saisons
• BIG (8%+) West Coast IPAs

 

[JAReeves]

^Thanks for reminding me^ that I need to give the "brut" style a try soon.
I have all I need: enough glucoamylase to dry out The Great Lakes

Cheers!

Cheers to @bracconiere!

 

[pvpeacock]

IPA
Saison
Kolsch
Mexican lager

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Gotta check the spelling. There's no e in Scotch whisky. In France bourbon comes from USA, whisky is European, even French whisky.

Whisky name is a derivation in Gaelic for water of live. And as the Gaels were the ancient Franks then fair due to them.

 

[Brushwood Brewing]

Saisons (during summer)
Russian Imperial Stouts (during winter)

That being said, I also really like West Coast IPAs and American Pale Ales, but so far I prefer commercial examples to my own...

Brewing experience: 10+ years

 

[corkybstewart]

Whisky name is a derivation in Gaelic for water of live. And as the Gaels were the ancient Franks then fair due to them.

Currently I am sitting on my porch in France drinking eau de vie (water of life) that my father in law made at least 50 years ago.

 

[MaxStout]

Spring and summer: German lagers, Hefe, Kolsch, Altbiers.

Fall/Winter: Brit/Irish ales, imperial stouts.

 

[pvtpublic]

Siasons, German pils, and American light lagers for me. I made an American light lager for my wedding, since I had a lot of family coming in from South Dakota. Turns out I really enjoyed making it and I was surprised how good it actually tasted, so it became an "after drinking-drinking beer"

 

[szap]

Cold and wet is my favorite type of beer.

And free!

 

[Miraculix]

Siasons, German pils, and American light lagers for me. I made an American light lager for my wedding, since I had a lot of family coming in from South Dakota. Turns out I really enjoyed making it and I was surprised how good it actually tasted, so it became an "after drinking-drinking beer"

I love a good American light lager! What ibus are you after? How is head retention?

 

[FloppyKnockers]

And free!

Okay.. I have a new favorite.

 

[Ingo]

Siasons, German pils, and American light lagers for me. I made an American light lager for my wedding, since I had a lot of family coming in from South Dakota. Turns out I really enjoyed making it and I was surprised how good it actually tasted, so it became an "after drinking-drinking beer"

I've always found American lagers kind of dull. Lacking something. But I don't know many brands. Bud, Miller and Coors mostly and Miller the best of them. Works on a hot day that we don't have too many of here in Iceland.
But what's your recipe?

 

[capt82]

ANY Brown Ale...hands down. American, Belgium, German, etc...it doesn't matter. The hops and roasted malts just mesh like PB & J. I messed around brewing different beers, some with success and some with fails. I have never dumped a batch of beer but have struggled to drink some down. Brown Ales always work out. Easy with many different ways to change them up a bit, and every one I have brewed has body and flavor. I am not an adventurous brewer by any means and I have more success with basic and simple.

 

[capt82]

I've always found American lagers kind of dull. Lacking something. But I don't know many brands. Bud, Miller and Coors mostly and Miller the best of them. Works on a hot day that we don't have too many of here in Iceland.
But what's your recipe?

Those "American Lagers" you speak of are dull and lacking INGREDIENTS. After growing up on Coors, I can't stand it anymore after years of brewing my own. I believe they stretch the grains and hops, water it down, for more profit. Those aren't good examples of American Lagers. Try some craft lagers. I believe Sierra Nevada is the best American craft brewery and you will see a huge difference.

 

[madscientist451]

Low ABV session NE IPAs. I like my versions better than the few commercial examples available.

 

[Tomahawk47]

The answer to your question is some variation of historical corn adjunct beers and ales. I have been brewing steadily for 40 years. I have to have something with a good amount of corn in it. I used to steàdily brew a CAP until about 25 years ago. Then I started brewing cream ales. Same recipe but now it's og is 1.070. Still an occasional CAP.
Also a recurring Maibock recipe, a strong english pale ale, a strong brown and a blonde ale ‐ anyone of which can be found in my kegerator.
And, basically, I like to brew the maltier styles with a more subdued hops flavor.

 

[mashpaddled]

I've been brewing sixteen years as of July this year. Definitely gravitate more towards beers in the ~5% range for brewing along with a mix of Belgian styles. In other words, back to the beers I started drinking that lead me into craft beer and brewing. I still drink a lot of unusual beers, high gravity beers and adjunct laden stouts. They are just rarely brewed these days.

It's a pretty common homebrewing journey from repeating the beer styles you like to maximum exploration to coming back to the beers you enjoyed in the first place. There's some nostalgia there along with age making it tougher to pound high ABV beers all the time. IMO there's also a sense of permission with time and exploration to come back and just brew the beers you like regardless of popularity or bragging rights. Probably also an effect of the craft beer market which has left a lot of those lighter ales behind in favor of various IPAs, lagers and stouts which dominate craft beer these days. What's old is new again. Seeing a slow return of cask beers, APAs, etc. which are mostly unfamiliar territory for beer drinkers in their 20s.

 

[SFC Rudy]

I started brewing while stationed in Germany in 2001.

Hefeweizen, Altbier, Kolsch, Amber ale

 

[WesBrew]

The answer to your question is some variation of historical corn adjunct beers and ales. I have been brewing steadily for 40 years. I have to have something with a good amount of corn in it. I used to steàdily brew a CAP until about 25 years ago. Then I started brewing cream ales. Same recipe but now it's og is 1.070. Still an occasional CAP.
Also a recurring Maibock recipe, a strong english pale ale, a strong brown and a blonde ale ‐ anyone of which can be found in my kegerator.
And, basically, I like to brew the maltier styles with a more subdued hops flavor.

Kentucky Common is on my soon to be brewed list

 

[Ingo]

I've been brewing sixteen years as of July this year. Definitely gravitate more towards beers in the ~5% range for brewing along with a mix of Belgian styles. In other words, back to the beers I started drinking that lead me into craft beer and brewing. I still drink a lot of unusual beers, high gravity beers and adjunct laden stouts. They are just rarely brewed these days.

It's a pretty common homebrewing journey from repeating the beer styles you like to maximum exploration to coming back to the beers you enjoyed in the first place. There's some nostalgia there along with age making it tougher to pound high ABV beers all the time. IMO there's also a sense of permission with time and exploration to come back and just brew the beers you like regardless of popularity or bragging rights. Probably also an effect of the craft beer market which has left a lot of those lighter ales behind in favor of various IPAs, lagers and stouts which dominate craft beer these days. What's old is new again. Seeing a slow return of cask beers, APAs, etc. which are mostly unfamiliar territory for beer drinkers in their 20s.

I was in my late 20's when I was introduced to bitter on cask and that was when I first started to fully appreciate beer.
And english bitters were the reason I went into homebrewing 'cause they are hard to find in Iceland where I live.
But recently I heard of a place serving cask ales. Still haven't checked it out thou.

 

[capt82]

It's a pretty common homebrewing journey from repeating the beer styles you like to maximum exploration to coming back to the beers you enjoyed in the first place.

True for me. I still like to explore new beers now and then but more often than not I end up wishing I just brewed my go to. I am a creature of habit and resist change so I can drink the same beer...BUT it only gets better batch after batch.

 

[Tomahawk47]

Kentucky Common is on my soon to be brewed list

Yes! Let us know how it turns out!
Just made one. Calling it, "Louisville Slugger". Not cleared, yet. This one has 2 lbs rye malt (with 22% flaked maize). Tweaking an earlier version.

 

[BandonBrewingCo]

Kölsch getting a lot of love in here.

I love to brew regularly kölsch, Witbier (with and without raspberries) and Saison (the cottage house Saison from here) and the cascade Orange Pale ale from here too.

I like to brew the Saison in Summer and enjoy it nicely matured in winter.

Now I finally got a decent fermentation chamber I don't need to brew to the seasons so much but my wort chilling abilities still dictate it to an extent so this weekend will be my last chance to brew a kölsch before it gets too hot.

 

[WesBrew]

Yes! Let us know how it turns out!
Just made one. Calling it, "Louisville Slugger". Not cleared, yet. This one has 2 lbs rye malt (with 22% flaked maize). Tweaking an earlier version.

Its my second run of this one too with some minor tweaks. same, 22%corn, 12oz total rye: some of it chocolate rye.

 

[BrewZer]

If I could clone Pilsner Urquell, I'd brew that all the time.

But I can't. So I exbeeriment. I seem to settle on American Pale or Amber ales mostly.

 

[kevin58]

I've been brewing closer to years and my favorites are London Porters and Stouts... with English and American IPAs next in preference... within the past years I've come to enjoy historic and oddball lagers.

 

[Much2Brew]

Ha ha ha, came back to this thread to see what the original poster was getting at. Found my last post where I asked the original poster what his/her theory was had been deleted by a mod. I can't believe I behaved so poorly. How did I have the gall to actually ask what the theory was. My oh my, I am so ashamed. They should probably just delete my account with actions like that. Good grief!
Seriously though, what is wrong with asking the original poster what the theory was?

 

[Bramling Cross]

Over the decades my gravities have gradually diminished, then plummeted. It's been years since I've brewed above 1.060 and I seldom blip above 1.050 anymore.

I find I enjoy the challenge of making small, flavorful beers because it really is a challenge and there isn't much beer there to hide your flaws. You've gotta be on your game with small beers, really on your game.

Additionally, I like to keep my kegs turning over regularly. I used to brew a big Burton Ale for Christmas, but as that keg kept hanging around deeper into the Spring, Summer, and eventually Fall of each following year I realized that not all traditions are worth hanging onto. I've flirted with the idea of getting a 3-gallon keg, but it would still get in the way.

Style-wise, I still think of my brewery as being UK-focused. However, during COVID I decided to tackle N. American fizzy yellow swill, perhaps the most difficult style of them all, and that's diluted my prior UK focus rather considerably.

Styles: UK bitter, mild(!), brown porter, brown ale, pale ale; N. American fizzy yellow swill; a spattering of proper continental lagers and US pale ales.

[Edit: I've also failed to jump on the RO water+spreadsheet water calculation bandwagon. I enjoy brewing with the seasonal rhythms of my DC tap and rejoice in my ability to adjust on the fly to its occasional wild spasms. It's a fun puzzle to crack, not an obstacle! I love that unpredictability, it lets me flex my knowledge--and sometimes it humbles me. I love brewing with wild, uncontrolled water. Brewing with RO? That's for people that take bus tours and have exotic dinners at the Olive Garden. Yeah, no thanks.]

 

[CascadesBrewer]

My favorite styles to have on tap/bottle are hoppy American ales (Pale Ale, IPA, Hazy Pale/IPA), Belgians (Saison and Trappist), with a Stout or Porter in the mix.

I have said that I just made 5% American Pale Ales, I would be happy. These days I might replace that with a 5% hoppy lager (West Coast Pilsner...really just a light bodied Pale Ale). I really enjoy having a 6.5% classic American IPA on tap, and I enjoy the challenges of brewing Hazy IPAs and playing with all the new hops.

Belgians are getting harder and harder to find on tap or in stores. I also might be happy if I just made Saisons, but I also love the complexity of the Single, Dubbel, Tripel, Quad line of beers.

I have been brewing more lagers and light ales. I see the appeal of a Helles or Mexican Lager, but I find that I just don't crave them myself. I have never been a huge fan of the character of noble German hops, so German and Czech Pils are not my favorite. I tend to like a Kolsch or Blonde Ale more than a traditional pale lager.

In theory I like the lower ABV English/UK Bitters and IPAs. I really enjoyed having many on cask the last time I visited Scotland and Ireland. I just find I enjoy American hop character more, and I don't really want to invest in a beer engine at home. I tend to think that an engine or nitro tap is key to adding life to a 3.5% "IPA".

 

[Beermeister32]

Always interesting how these things seem to drift away from the original post. Here it is again:

"Those of you that have been brewing for over 5 years and have tried to brew many or even most types of beer, what has become your favorite drinking beer?"

That's ONE beer.

For me, Bavarian Pilsner.