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I really despise this about the American beer industry. Your typical tap list these days is 8 IPAs, 1-2 dIPAs, 4 sours, something that contains coffee, some oth

I really despise this about the American beer industry. Your typical tap list these days is 8 IPAs, 1-2 dIPAs, 4 sours, something that contains coffee, some other weird shit (cucumber göse e.g.), and like one normal everyday lager or pilsener that isn't making some sort of personality statement and pairs well with food. Worse, this appears to be catching on among trendier bars in Europe, even in places like Munich and Vienna that have had spectacular beer for centuries and should know better.

NoboruWataya 3y ago
They're there because they sell, and they sell because people like them. IMO one pilsner or lager is enough; what's the point of having a whole bar full of different beers that all pretty much taste the same? They certainly don't justify the premium pricing that these bars often charge. Germans think their own beer is the best in the world. To the rest of us, it is reliable but boring. It's not just an American thing, Scandinavia and the UK also have a much greater variety of styles and tastes. I think all that's happening in Munich and Vienna is people are getting more exposure to this variety and are realising they like it.
- kdmccormick 3y ago
  As an American, I find German lagers to be just as varied and interesting as American IPAs. I didn't realize this until I moved near a pub with multiple rotating taps of German lagers. Later, I went to Oktoberfest, and tried multiple fresh lagers a day for four days, which only convinced me further. I am convinced, in general, that we don't notice subtle variations within styles of (beer, wine, music, etc) until we are repeatedly presented with multiple options within thay style. Of course it'll seem like all lagers taste the same if you only have one good lager to try at a time.
lockhouse 3y ago
We need more Porters and Stouts! You’re lucky if you can even order a can of Guinness most places.
- MikeTheRocker 3y ago
  San Francisco is in desperate need of this. The only dark beer I typically see at restaurants here is Old Rasputin.
fishtoaster 3y ago
I think the trend is starting to turn. I visit the Great American Beer Festival nearly every year, and there was definitely a period where everyone was all-in on relatively extreme beers: ipas, sours, bourbon-barrel aged stouts. Last year, I saw a refreshing trend towards pilsners, lighter lagers, and ambers. I feel like GABF is a bit of a bellweather for these things - west coast craft beer bars will probably take a few years to catch up, but I think we're headed in the right direction.
kelnos 3y ago
Heh, I wish there were four sours at most bars; that's what I usually find most interesting and tasty (I also enjoy porters/stouts, but rarely see much of those these days). Most bars I see don't even have sours, and if they do, it's usually only one or two, at most. I was never the biggest beer drinker, but the lack of choice (and flood of crappy IPAs over the past couple decades) has only pushed me farther toward cocktails and wine.
munificent 3y ago
> Your typical tap list these days is 8 IPAs, 1-2 dIPAs, 4 sours, something that contains coffee, some other weird shit... Yup. I live close to a bunch of breweries in Seattle. The taplists of the two nearest are: Stoup: // IPAs: Mosaic Pale Ale Citra IPA Chur to Twelve IPA Rainbow Bubbles IPA Nothing Crazy IPA Simcoe Studies IPA Stoup Dog IPA Sir Dank A Lot IPA Space Garden IPA Paraderade IPA Easy A IPA // Everything else: German Style Pilsner NW Red Imperial Porter Cervecita Mexican Lager Bavarian Hefeweizen What a Tart Raspberry Sour Bale Breaker: // IPAs: Field 41 Pale Ale Topcutter IPA Bottomcutter IIPA Daybreak Pale Ale Hazy L IPA Frenz IPA: Sierra Nevada Long White Clouds IPA Evenfall Hazy IPA Bubba's Brew IPA Bale Breaker Why the Ek-Not IPA Bale Breaker Tropical Penguin // Everything else: Bale Breaker Pilsner PNW Pilsner Dormancy Stout - Coffee Raging Ditch Dry-Hopped Blonde Blonde Ale Bale Breaker Pasketti Sauce Pilsner - Italian YOXI Lime Agave Ranch Water Hard Seltzer And note that even the "everything else" category can't escape the "hop the fuck out of everything" trend. Stoup's pilsner is described as "spicy hop aroma and refreshingly dry, hop-forward finish". The Red "provides a distinctly Northwest hop character". I get it, Cascadia grows a lot of hops. But some of us just want to taste beer and not win some macho contest to see who can choke down the most IBUs per fluid ounce.
- hooli_gan 3y ago
  Pils, Weizen, Helles would else could one need?
- TheAdamist 3y ago
  The modern ipa trend is not to have a lot of IBUs, i wouldnt be surprised if the 'everything else' beers were higher ibu. Particularly the porters. The modern ipas will have a ton of hops added on the cold side of the brewing process which adds your aromatics and flavors, but not bitterness.

NoboruWataya 3y ago

They're there because they sell, and they sell because people like them. IMO one pilsner or lager is enough; what's the point of having a whole bar full of different beers that all pretty much taste the same? They certainly don't justify the premium pricing that these bars often charge. Germans think their own beer is the best in the world. To the rest of us, it is reliable but boring. It's not just an American thing, Scandinavia and the UK also have a much greater variety of styles and tastes. I think all that's happening in Munich and Vienna is people are getting more exposure to this variety and are realising they like it.

kdmccormick 3y ago
As an American, I find German lagers to be just as varied and interesting as American IPAs. I didn't realize this until I moved near a pub with multiple rotating taps of German lagers. Later, I went to Oktoberfest, and tried multiple fresh lagers a day for four days, which only convinced me further. I am convinced, in general, that we don't notice subtle variations within styles of (beer, wine, music, etc) until we are repeatedly presented with multiple options within thay style. Of course it'll seem like all lagers taste the same if you only have one good lager to try at a time.

lockhouse 3y ago

We need more Porters and Stouts! You’re lucky if you can even order a can of Guinness most places.

MikeTheRocker 3y ago
San Francisco is in desperate need of this. The only dark beer I typically see at restaurants here is Old Rasputin.

fishtoaster 3y ago

I think the trend is starting to turn. I visit the Great American Beer Festival nearly every year, and there was definitely a period where everyone was all-in on relatively extreme beers: ipas, sours, bourbon-barrel aged stouts. Last year, I saw a refreshing trend towards pilsners, lighter lagers, and ambers. I feel like GABF is a bit of a bellweather for these things - west coast craft beer bars will probably take a few years to catch up, but I think we're headed in the right direction.

kelnos 3y ago

Heh, I wish there were four sours at most bars; that's what I usually find most interesting and tasty (I also enjoy porters/stouts, but rarely see much of those these days). Most bars I see don't even have sours, and if they do, it's usually only one or two, at most. I was never the biggest beer drinker, but the lack of choice (and flood of crappy IPAs over the past couple decades) has only pushed me farther toward cocktails and wine.

munificent 3y ago

> Your typical tap list these days is 8 IPAs, 1-2 dIPAs, 4 sours, something that contains coffee, some other weird shit... Yup. I live close to a bunch of breweries in Seattle. The taplists of the two nearest are: Stoup: // IPAs: Mosaic Pale Ale Citra IPA Chur to Twelve IPA Rainbow Bubbles IPA Nothing Crazy IPA Simcoe Studies IPA Stoup Dog IPA Sir Dank A Lot IPA Space Garden IPA Paraderade IPA Easy A IPA // Everything else: German Style Pilsner NW Red Imperial Porter Cervecita Mexican Lager Bavarian Hefeweizen What a Tart Raspberry Sour Bale Breaker: // IPAs: Field 41 Pale Ale Topcutter IPA Bottomcutter IIPA Daybreak Pale Ale Hazy L IPA Frenz IPA: Sierra Nevada Long White Clouds IPA Evenfall Hazy IPA Bubba's Brew IPA Bale Breaker Why the Ek-Not IPA Bale Breaker Tropical Penguin // Everything else: Bale Breaker Pilsner PNW Pilsner Dormancy Stout - Coffee Raging Ditch Dry-Hopped Blonde Blonde Ale Bale Breaker Pasketti Sauce Pilsner - Italian YOXI Lime Agave Ranch Water Hard Seltzer And note that even the "everything else" category can't escape the "hop the fuck out of everything" trend. Stoup's pilsner is described as "spicy hop aroma and refreshingly dry, hop-forward finish". The Red "provides a distinctly Northwest hop character". I get it, Cascadia grows a lot of hops. But some of us just want to taste beer and not win some macho contest to see who can choke down the most IBUs per fluid ounce.

hooli_gan 3y ago
Pils, Weizen, Helles would else could one need?
TheAdamist 3y ago
The modern ipa trend is not to have a lot of IBUs, i wouldnt be surprised if the 'everything else' beers were higher ibu. Particularly the porters. The modern ipas will have a ton of hops added on the cold side of the brewing process which adds your aromatics and flavors, but not bitterness.