By Jeff Josenhans | Drink Shrink

Despite San Diego being the craft beer mecca that it is, you truly don’t see many lagers coming out of the San Diego region.

Traditionally, English style beers — such as the IPA, stout, brown ale, etc. — have dominated our local craft beer scene. On the other end of the spectrum, you have your mass-produced beers, dominated by lagers such as Corona, Bud, Heineken, and the list goes on …

Ever wonder why this odd dual existence came about? Why do most believe lagers are the “cheaper” option in comparison to ales?

I think you will be surprised when you dig a little deeper, and after all, it is spring, so a good lager just might be in order.

But before we get into why the market looks the way it does, let’s define in simple terms what lager actually is. Simply put, lager is a beer fermented with a type of yeast that thrives in colder temperatures, while ale is made using yeast that ferments at higher temperatures.

That is the technical difference between a lager and an ale. That’s it — not the color, alcohol level, carbonation level, etc. If you thought it was the color or one of these other factors, you probably just haven’t realized your mind has been shaped by years of marketing coming from American big beer companies.

Since lager yeast thrives in lower temperatures, not only does the process take longer to ferment the wort (what the brewer actually makes), but it also imparts far less flavor than what most ale yeast does. As a result, you get a beer that is “cleaner,” with an emphasis on the malt used to create the lager. A brewer can still choose dark malt, opt for different hopping styles, and make the beer imperial strength, if they desire.

Despite the rise of the American craft beer scene, the Germans and Czechs still tend to be the kings of lagers, to this day. I predict this will change, however, similar to how Belgian styles are now produced on a much larger scale locally.

If you have the opportunity to visit one of the better beer shops in town, I strongly recommend you try a few things to open your mind to lagers.

For a world-class example of a lager, try something from Ayinger or Aecht Schlenkerla. This is a great starting point. Ask for a Munich Helles style, Dortmunder Export style, or if you are adventurous, try a Rauchbier. From there, move on to a doppelbock from a producer like Schneider-Weisse.

Lastly, make sure you try a Czech lager. The traditional Pilsner came from the Czech Republic so I encourage you to try both a Czech Pilsner as well as the darker Cerny version.

Trust me, after this exercise you will never see lager the same.

Now what about Corona, Bud, and all of those other big name lagers? Most of them are made with adjuncts, such as rice or corn added to the mash bill, and typically use far less malt and hops in the production of the beer. THAT is where lager’s poor reputation comes from.

So why don’t we see many lagers (yet) in our local craft beer scene? The answer is shockingly simple and two-fold.

First, a lager will take at least two to three times longer to produce than an ale, leaving brewers with a less desirable economic situation to tackle. Second, they have to overcome the public misunderstanding that a lager is a cheap beer, even though for them it’s more expensive to produce.

Do your part this summer and help San Diego produce some lagers!

—Level 2 CMS Sommelier and Master Mixologist Jeff Josenhans — who just recently added a Cicerone certification to his resume — has changed the dynamic in The Grant Grill Downtown from a classic institution to an exciting lounge and elegant restaurant. Follow his drink-related posts on Instagram @jeffjosenhans.