Ales vs. Lagers: Battle of the Brews

I made an interesting discovery on my most recent trip to Canada.  Turns out, I think I might be growing a bit fond of some craft lagers.  Now, I know that the word lager might make you cringe.  You think yellow fizzy bland water.  But nowadays, craft breweries are testing out lager styles to set them apart from everyone else.  After I twisted the arm of one of my most respected beer palettes (Dan O'Leary of DUO Brewing), a nearly formal beer battle was on deck. 

Battle #1

American Porter (ale) vs. Baltic Porter (lager)
This last minute match up became our first battle of the evening.  After pouring all three into pints, we noticed right away that the Black Boss Porter was substantially lighter than the other two.  While it was tasty, it definitely didn't come across as a porter to me.  So the match up truly came between Baltika 6 and Schooner Exact's Profanity Hill Porter (www.schoonerexact.com).  The Baltic Porter from Russia seemed thin yet mildly buttery, which while true to style, didn't seem to match the thickness I expected from its dark hue.  Profanity Hill had a thick raisiny texture which prompted us to finish the pint.  
Winner: Ale

Battle #2
India Pale Ale vs. India Pale Lager
Lord of the Hops IPA and Hoparazzi IPL, both from Parallel 49 Brewing Company (parallel49brewing.com), went head to head in this match up.  While I was at Parallel last month, I tried both of these hoppy treasures.  Whether it was the sunny afternoon or the five kilometer walk it took to get to the brewery, something about the IPL seemed a bit more favorable than the IPA.  This time around, in a side by side comparison, Lord of the Hops was malty and thick.  The unfiltered pint was quite pleasingly bitter, as you would expect from the name.  Hoparazzi poured clear and crisp, as to be expected by a lager.  Adequate bitterness with a clean finish, the IPL seemed to be the perfect combination of taste and refreshment. 
Winner: Lager

Battle #3

Cascadian Dark Ale vs. Cascadian Dark Lager
Another Canadian beer battle courtesy of my recent imports.  This time Black Hops CDL from Parallel 49 met up with Cloak and Dagger CDA from Granville Island Brewing (gib.ca).  What I love about this multi named style (Black IPA, India Black Ale, or CDA) is how the dark roasty malts pair with a side of hoppy bitterness.  These two did not disappoint.  The CDL had the roast and bitterness with a clean crisp finish.  The CDA had a lingering hoppiness that I loved.  After finishing off the bottles, it was clear that they were both well loved.  In fact, Dan and I kept going back and forth naming the winner, having a hard time picking just one. 
Winner: Tie

With today's craft beer options, our advancing palettes are quite spoiled.  The difference between one really good beer and another really good beer is simply preference.  Whether it be lagers or ales, porters or stouts, get out and try some new styles.  Chances are, you just might be surprised at how much you enjoy your new discovery.