Golden lagers don’t pounce on you like a needy puppy, humping your leg and looking for approval. You have to come to them, meet them on their own terms, and live with them for a while. Slow down and pay attention. Only then will they reveal their charms.
It’s easy to feel the impact and complexity of imperial stouts and triple IPAs. Their sensory qualities blast you with layers of malt plus the bitter power and aromatic richness of hops. But what about what my brewer refers to as “beer-flavored beers”? They may be delicate and easy, but they’re not “simple.” Intensity is not the same as complexity. They are not as Instagram-friendly. You need more than a few sips to pass judgment. It takes some time to peel apart the layers. Drinkability means you can have more than one; to find that in a characterful beer is a delight.
These beers present a small target for the brewer, so the recipe choices are limited. Only the palest malts will brew a straw- or golden-colored beer. Hops, while important, have clearly defined roles of being subtle and Noble and quintessentially European in character. Lager yeast is the least flavorful of all brewing strains because it ferments cool, to limit the production of yeast-specific flavors such as fruity esters. Step outside those boundaries, and the beer becomes something else.