I Guess I'm Just A Simple Man With Simple Tastes

[Chuck N]

With all the infection problems I've been having lately and my pipeline down to "nada" I've been trying different beers of different styles in hopes of finding and/or designing some recipes for some of them further down the road. I tried several Saisons; Not impressed and a couple I gave away or dumped as I couldn't drink them. Then I found a Pumpkin Ale recipe that sounded kind of tasty in the Zymurgy magazine. I didn't ever think I'd be interested in making or drinking one but now that I'm getting into all-grain my horizons have expanded and, along with them, my interests. So I bought a couple of bottles of Sam Adams' Fat Jack Pumpkin Ale to have with my turkey dinner. And for the football games I bought a sixer of Bells' Wheat Love Ale (I believe that's how its printed). I was VERY unhappy with the pumpkin ale and, even though I've had a couple wheat beers that I enjoyed, I was not impressed with the Bells'

So I guess I'm going to keep my beers on the simple side; Pale ales, ales, porters, stouts and some brown ales. And a "special" beer (not sure what "special" entails just yet) every now and then. There's more than enough styles right there to keep a simple man such as myself happily busy for many years to come.

[duff]

Have you tried any of the German styles? They tend to be simpler malt forward and quite tasty. I am a big fan of Bocks, Dobblebocks, and Rauchbiers. It can be hard to find a decent Rauchbier but Aecht Schlenkerla Marzen is my favorite.

[Gymrat]

Have you tried any of the German styles? They tend to be simpler malt forward and quite tasty. I am a big fan of Bocks, Dobblebocks, and Rauchbiers. It can be hard to find a decent Rauchbier but Aecht Schlenkerla Marzen is my favorite.

I love altbiers and dunkelwiezens as well.

[Chuck N]

Have you tried any of the German styles? They tend to be simpler malt forward and quite tasty. I am a big fan of Bocks, Dobblebocks, and Rauchbiers. It can be hard to find a decent Rauchbier but Aecht Schlenkerla Marzen is my favorite.

Yeah. Those would be on my "simple man" list. Some day, during the cold months and when I get all my poop into one sock, I'm am definitely going to try a lager or two.

[mashani]

Thing about saisons is that there is a vast variety of them. If what you got were the really funky, sour, or spicy kind, then the sample of what you had was tilted far to one side of that spectrum. (I have no idea what it was you drank, so I might be talking nonsense too). But a lot of American micros have gone on a sour and/or funky brett kick, and a lot of their saisons tend to be of that variety, or if not of then of the "dump a ton of black pepper in it" types. But that's not representative of the style as a whole.

Now if you tried say Ommegang Hennepin and hated that, and Brooklyn Brewing "A Sorachi Ace" and hated that too then yeah, it's quite possible your not going to like any Saisons.

[Brewbirds]

Thing about saisons is that there is a vast variety of them. If what you got were the really funky, sour, or spicy kind, then the sample of what you had was tilted far to one side of that spectrum. (I have no idea what it was you drank, so I might be talking nonsense too). But a lot of American micros have gone on a sour and/or funky brett kick, and a lot of their saisons tend to be of that variety, or if not of then of the "dump a ton of black pepper in it" types. But that's not representative of the style as a whole.

Now if you tried say Ommegang Hennepin and hated that, and Brooklyn Brewing "A Sorachi Ace" and hated that too then yeah, it's quite possible your not going to like any Saisons.

I have to +1 this one becuase, if you remember, we got some samples at a store grand opening after a post he did on the old MB site and then brewed some.

I think they do have to condtion a while longer than many other styles you could brew so now may not be the time since your pipeline is hurting but I would say to keep them in your back pocket for later in the warmer weather and give them a try. It is all about embracing a style that focuses on yeast instead of hops or specialty malts though so personal preference does matter a lot.