Confessions of a lager girl

Have you seen the “Evolution of a Beer Snob” image? It’s a play on the stages of human evolution, starting with craft beer lovers drinking lagers, moving on to IPAs, later big stouts, eventually sours, and finally…back to lagers. I find this image quite funny, as it speaks to my own devotion to lager.

“I’m a lager girl,” I always say when people ask what types of beers I like. It’s true, I have always loved lagers. And even after years of trying and judging many different styles of beer, when in a pub or a taproom, I will almost certainly go for a refreshing lager, trendy or not.

During a chat with a brewer recently, the topic of beer trends came up. Whilst elaborate pastry stouts and gimmicky beers might be great for marketing purposes and adding to the hype of a brewery, is this what consumers really want to drink? We both agreed, it seems that beer lovers are looking for more quenchable beers these days, like no-nonsense lagers.

When looking at some predictions for beer trends in 2025, a few common themes appear, such as more sustainable practices and farm-to-glass beers, AI-enhanced brewing, and yet more variety in IPAs. Health-aware consumers are also looking for options for mindful drinking, and we will likely see more no and low alcohol beers available, also on tap.

Interestingly, some industry players also foresee more approachable styles; instead of extreme beers, think of moderate-strength beers with high drinkability – like lagers. There are so many tasty varieties out there, from hoppy German Pilsner to easy-going Munich Helles, beautiful Märzen, and one of my favourites, dark and delicious Schwarzbier, to mention just a few.

There is also something admirable about a brewer who can make a clean and crisp lager, as the beer will have no massive hops or barrel-aged aromas and flavours to hide behind. A lager that is brewed to perfection makes me a very happy girl. So I confess, I’m hoping for more crushable lagers to devour this year.