I want to start today’s review off with a general defense of the lager style of beer. To many craft beer lovers, the lager style has unfairly become synonymous with American Light Lager, a.k.a.: "BMC" (Bud/Miller/Coors) — fizzy yellow water, “put it back in the horse”, flavorless macro-brew. But the lager is a classic style with a rich history and includes some very good pilsners as well.
The lagers and pilsners from American breweries like Heavy Seas Small Craft Warning, Oskar Blues Mamas Little Yella Pils, and Great Lakes Brewing Elliot Ness are all excellent brews. And if you can get your hands on some of the real lagers from Europe, you are in for a real treat. Crisp, refreshing, and full of flavor, they are nothing like the travesty that has been committed in their name by the Big Guys over here in the states.
Florida in the summer is the perfect place for a good lager or pilsner. Sitting on the porch or by the Gulf of Mexico with the breeze off the water and the sand in your toes just calls for something light but flavorful, simple yet refined.
This article appears in Jun 24-30, 2010.