30 replies to this topic

[stellarbrew]

I was having a conversation with a few guys the other day about which style of beer presents the greatest challenge to brew well and to style. Some potential candidates for the title which were opined were: Standard American Lager, Bohemian Pilsner, Saison, Belgian Tripel, and Straight Lambic, each for it's own reason. I'm sure there were some obvious candidates left out of our discussion. So what do you guys think? Which style is most challenging and why?

[pods8]

A true lambic would be the most challenging (read impossible) to brew unless you are in the specific region because anything else that used cultures rather than natural inoculation is a pseudo-lambic.However I think were looking for techniques in the various brewing rather than a technicality like that.

[stellarbrew]

A true lambic would be the most challenging (read impossible) to brew unless you are in the specific region because anything else that used cultures rather than natural inoculation is a pseudo-lambic.However I think were looking for techniques in the various brewing rather than a technicality like that.

The guy who suggested Lambic, that was the main part of his argument. Those wild yeasts and bugs occur in the right proportions only in that region. I don't know whether or not that style has any special challenges in technique.

[earthtone]

haha this is the opposite direction from how I brew. I like it easy and simple and tasty!"toughest" I've made would be liquid stupid - it needed some babying along to dry out nicely.

[dagomike]

A lot of different styles have their tricks and challenges. A true wild beer I think can be tough since it's not just about the brewer, but the equipment, and getting the bugs to cooperate. And then comes the blending. That's probably the closest to an art form of any style.

[pods8]

The guy who suggested Lambic, that was the main part of his argument. Those wild yeasts and bugs occur in the right proportions only in that region. I don't know whether or not that style has any special challenges in technique.

It takes some skill/experience to blend the final product from the various casks and such. But the main point is if you aren't there you can't truly brew one. That isn't to say you can't brew a mean pseudo-lambing though.

[Sidney Porter]

From judging- people struggle with getting the balance in wits.

[BrewerGeorge]

American light and standard, IMO.

[MtnBrewer]

You may not be able to brew a true lambic anywhere but Belgium but you can make wild beers just about anywhere. The results can be anywhere from incredible to horrible depending on what bugs are in your microclimate and what time of year it is. Even so, lambics are pretty challenging with all the aging, blending, etc.I'll throw one out that hasn't been mentioned so far: Munich helles. It's basically a pilsner with less hops to hide behind. American pilsners are probably even more difficult for the same reasons.

[Sidney Porter]

byo listed there top 10 hardest back in 2005Wit - getting the flavors to balanceWee Heavy - big ale w/o fruity estertrippel - getting to finish light enoughSchwartzbier - keeping the roast subdueRauchbier - getting the water to balance with the smoke and not create a phenol messGueuze - the art of blending and having the various lambics availableEisbock - High gravity doppelbock and then freezing to extract the flavors you want from the original beerdry stout - keeping it from getting too acidic, balance of roast, and having it finish dry enoughberliner weisse - really small beer that needs proper amount of souringAmerican standard - flavorless and flawless

[stellarbrew]

byo listed there top 10 hardest back in 2005Wit - getting the flavors to balanceWee Heavy - big ale w/o fruity estertrippel - getting to finish light enoughSchwartzbier - keeping the roast subdueRauchbier - getting the water to balance with the smoke and not create a phenol messGueuze - the art of blending and having the various lambics availableEisbock - High gravity doppelbock and then freezing to extract the flavors you want from the original beerdry stout - keeping it from getting too acidic, balance of roast, and having it finish dry enoughberliner weisse - really small beer that needs proper amount of souringAmerican standard - flavorless and flawless

Interesting list! Looks like byo agreed with your number one pick.

haha this is the opposite direction from how I brew. I like it easy and simple and tasty!"toughest" I've made would be liquid stupid - it needed some babying along to dry out nicely.

earthtone, looks like dry stout made the number 8 spot. You were challenging yourself all along and you didn't even know it.

[brewhead]

for me - a lite beer - under 4 % - that still has mouth feel and character. sounds easy enough but it has been my quest.

[Sidney Porter]

I think a lot of homebrewers make big beers harder than they need to be. Because they want to be at the top of the guidelines rather than the bottom or middle. You see the post of the 1.100 BGS, BDS or American Barleywine where they cannot get them to finish, the brewer would have probably had a better chance if they aimed in the 1.080-1.090 (which is still a big beer) but I think people shoot for that magic 1.100+ and end up with poorer quality product.

[MolBasser]

For a homebrewer, I think that the American Light Lager would be the most difficult to replicate.BrewBasser

[dagomike]

I think a lot of homebrewers make big beers harder than they need to be. Because they want to be at the top of the guidelines rather than the bottom or middle.

It goes to 11-00!

For a homebrewer, I think that the American Light Lager would be the most difficult to replicate.BrewBasser

Why do you think that? The gear?

[Bearphin]

our last competition went to a German Pilsner. And the main reason everyone agreed to was the fact it is such a difficult beer to master.Light yet flavorfullRight malt vs hopsGood overall fermentation without any issues (in this one, they show easily)So that is my nomination.

[MolBasser]

Why do you think that? The gear?

Pretty much. It is really important to do a lot of things with the wort/beer with a Light American Lager with very fine control over the process. Particularly controlling DMS production. But lots of others such as clarity.Also, it is such a light flavoured beer that any imperfection is glaring immediately.BrewBasser

[BrewerGeorge]

byo listed there top 10 hardest back in 2005Wit - getting the flavors to balanceWee Heavy - big ale w/o fruity estertrippel - getting to finish light enoughSchwartzbier - keeping the roast subdueRauchbier - getting the water to balance with the smoke and not create a phenol messGueuze - the art of blending and having the various lambics availableEisbock - High gravity doppelbock and then freezing to extract the flavors you want from the original beerdry stout - keeping it from getting too acidic, balance of roast, and having it finish dry enoughberliner weisse - really small beer that needs proper amount of souringAmerican standard - flavorless and flawless

Cool. I make four of those regularly - wit, schwarz, berliner, and Am Standard - and have even won with two of them. I didn't even know I was that awesome. OTOH, I still to this day can't make a dry stout worth a damn.

[djinkc]

I'll throw Kolsch into the mix. I'll stand with Swag on this, one of the easiest to make and and the hardest to make well. Just another.........

[kbhale]

I think it is very hard to make the same beer twice as home brewer and have it identical in a taste test. At least it is for me. Mine always turns out very similar but never identical in taste.