Lessoned Learned

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

For example, I once had a smoked beer from the Purple Onion (Outter Banks, NC). Tasted like what I assume would be licking an ashtray.

I want a beer that tastes like BEER. Not strawberry, not cherry, not lime, not coffee, not lemon, not....well, you get the point.

I blame it on today's generation which has to have some type of gum flavor in everything, from their coffee to their beer, water to vodka.

What, exactly, is it, that you think beer should taste like? Using different methods, ingredients, flavors is historically a part of brewing. If it weren't, there would be only one type of beer. No porters, stouts, pale ales, wheat beers, dortmunders, marzens, lagers, pilsners...etc. Belgian trappists have used fruit in their brewing for centuries (lambics.)

Smoking the malt to roast it has been around for a while, as well. I am sure that there are some really bad smoked beers, as there are really bad all types of beer. However, there are also some really good examples of the style. One of Alaskan Brewing's more successful offerings is a seasonal smoked porter. Tasty, but rich.

My point is diversity in brewing is an age old tradition, not some Johnny come lately scheme to play into the hands of wealthy metrosexual bar rats looking for the next big thing. Do some modern day brewers use tradition methods for that reason? No doubt. But all in all, diversity of flavor and style are long a part of the tradition, and one that I embrace.