Everyone loves an underdog, and for brewers, that means underrated beers. Every brewery has a house style, but a lot of times, it’s that underrated style that brewers love most. We spoke with 11 brewers about what they think the most underrated beer style is. Here are their responses.
“Browns. We brew an American Brown Ale here at Throwback Brewery called Dippity Do. It’s the perfect balance of malt (bringing caramel, coffee, and roast flavors to the table), hops, and body. I can’t think of another beer that would go better with a burger. Yet, many customers of ours don’t even want to try brown ales. They aren’t sexy. They don’t get any hype. But, damn, when done well, browns are downright delicious. And, they are one of the most food-friendly styles I can think of. Grilled meat? Cheddar Cheese? Smoked meats? Chocolate? Pair them with a brown, and you will be delighted.” — Nicole Carrier, co-founder and president of Throwback Brewery.
“People are sleeping on porters right now. Let’s see if we can change that (check back in November).”— Damian Brown, brewmaster at Bronx Brewery.
“American Amber Ale.”— Eric Meyer, brewmaster at Cahaba Brewing.
“Personally I think ambers are underrated. You can pack so much flavor into a good red that either leans toward hops or toward malt. Lots of room to play with flavors in this category but I don’t see a lot of commercial shelf space being dedicated to it. I brew lots of reds and sell them all very well.”— Pete Anderson, co-owner of Pareidolia Brewing Company.
“Helles Lager.”— Chris Davison, head brewer at Wolf’s Ridge Brewing.
“Irish Red… dry, hint of caramel, hint of roast, perfect for any occasion.”— John Falco, head brewer at Lincoln’s Beard Brewing Company.
“Maybe the lager. Clean, refreshing, difficult to do on a technical level. It let’s the brewer show off their skill a little bit to those who care and lets everyone who doesn’t just drink it.”— Jon Mansfield, brewery operations manager at Warhorse Brewing Company.
“English Style Brown Ale”— Chris Riphenburg, co-owner and head brewer of Ale Asylum.
“German dark lagers, i.e., Märzen, Dunkles, Schwarzbier. These beers kill it when it comes to flavor, body, and mouthfeel, but a lot of craft fans pass them by. They are really great but don’t take my word for it, just try one“— Kevin Blodger, co-founder and director of brewing operations at Union Craft Brewing.
“Lambics and other terroir beers have gotten a bad rap from certain beer drinkers for far too long. Not only are these beers fantastic, but they also have a rich history of supporting local production. “— Alan Windhausen, head brewer at Pikes Peak Brewing Company.
“Pale Ale”— Ian Smith, co-owner of Three Rings Brewery.
