FIVE TOP LAGER BREWERS OFFER ANTIDOTE TO IPA BURNOUT.
The “brew bros” ahead of me in the checkout line at the Bottlecraft shop in North Park had just hit the cold case, stocking up on Pliny the Elder from Russian River Brewing and an assortment of IPAs produced by Alpine Beer Co. in east San Diego County.
I was looking for something else: made-in-San Diego lagers. Word is that lagers have gained a new prominence in the beer scene that IPAs built. So when I reached the register, armed with an assortment from local brewers, I floated that notion to Gene Fielden, the store’s manager and beer buyer.
Fielden gave me a look, a slight smile on his face. For a moment, I assumed it was the kind of silent putdown that those in the know like to deliver to those who don’t know. But I had asked the right guy. Dude certainly knows (and loves) lagers.
“Oh, absolutely. We’re seeing a resurgence in lagers across the board,” Fielden said, before launching into an explanation of the style’s virtues. “If you make mistakes with your IPA, you can add some hops and cover it up. But lager beers, Helles Lager or especially a Pilsner, are known as the ‘Brewer’s Beer.’ ”
“Brewers use lager as a measuring stick for one another. That’s because you really can’t hide behind any flaws. It’s naked and open and free,” said Fielden. “A well-made lager is a thing of beauty.”
Lager, he explained, is a process, not a single type of beer, and Fielden has seen San Diego craft brewers start producing the full range of styles. While West Coast IPAs still dominate in San Diego, he believes that lagers have grown in popularity as beer lovers search for greater sessionability: brews with lower alcohol by volume and reduced hoppiness that allow people to drink more than one without paying the price later.
Based on Fielden’s recommendations and some unscientific sampling around town, here’s where to find some of San Diego’s top lagers.