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Comment by toomanybeersies | Hacker News Reader

Craft brewers don't do many lagers for two reasons.

The first is that they're "boring". You can already get lots of different mass market lagers, and they're all similar.

The second reason is that they're hard to brew. You can hide the fact that you're a shit brewer behind malt and hops (to an extent). You can't cover up poor technique in a lager. The big megacorps have got their technique down to a tee.

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They typically take longer to finish as well.

That said, I’ve been encouraged by more lagers from craft breweries showing up. There are some terrific ones that have been around for a long time too, say Prima Pils from Victory.

What do you mean by finish? I was taught by a brewer friend that lager takes a fraction of the time ales do. (due to faster fermentation from the yeast being on top and nearer oxygen).

Lagers are (or should be) fermented at around 10 deg C, and thus take longer to ferment than ales that are fermented at room temperature. They also need to be 'stored' (that's what 'lager' means) at 8-10 deg. for several weeks after primary fermentation to develop that characteristic lager flavour.

Common misconception. Fermentation happens throughout the wort, which is one reason you want it well-aerated before pitching the yeast. Yeast, when _done_ fermenting, flocculate at the top or bottom. Very little oxygen should be near the top of the wort during fermentation, due to CO2 accumulation.

That is exactly backwards - ale yeasts are so-called "top-fermenting", prefer higher temperatures, and typically finish faster. Also, there is typically no oxygen available during fermentation beyond what is dissolved in the wort to begin with. Any oxygen in the fermenter's headspace is quickly pushed out by the yeast's CO2 production. The dissolved oxygen is quickly consumed by the yeast.

That said, I believe many breweries have figured out rapid lager production processes and are able to turn around lagers in about the same time as ales.

Macrobrew can also get away with adjuncts - making their beer from corn, and cheaper - while a craft brew audience is going to be wary of corn beer (unless specifically marketed as such) and expect a more expensive malt bill.

I'd question the savings for a microbrewery on using adjuncts. Corn isn't easy to work with, especially on the standard microbrewery system with a combined mash/lauter tun without direct heating.

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