[Wilbur]

Are they really so challenging to brew? There's only so many variables to play around with, and the same process flaws will wreck an IPA or porter. I think there's been the GDP of a small country spent on research for lagers, although there seems to be an lot more emphasis on researching hopping techniques and oils recently. I think it's really just cultural differences that make up the differences between the US and Europe. I also think it's a lot harder to to sell a $12 6 pack of craft lager when it's sitting next to a $12 18 or 30 pack of corona or bud.

Yes, American light lager is more challenging to brew than ale.  The main reason is because the flavor is so light that even minute flaws stick out like sore thumbs. Why do think why so many new brewers stick with porter, stouts, and other flavor positive styles after failing with lighter, less positive styles?  In the case of IPA, dry hopping will hide a multitude of sins, not the least of which is excessive higher alcohol production.

They stick with porters stouts, etc. because it's a business and that's what people want to buy.

Probably so. But the craft beer pubs that are in my part of the world rarely have a Porter or a Stout on tap. Nor do they have a good Munich Helles on tap. But you will always find IPA's available.
It's so bad that we rarely go out anymore. Plus with 6 beers on tap in my upstairs bar, no reason to go out. And...you won't find an IPA in my house! Or any of my friend's houses.
And not in any of the bars that I frequented in Frankfurt, Munich, Amsterdam, Tokyo. I did find a bar in London that had some American style ales, with the obligatory IPA.

The menu in 99% of places I've been to in Japan has been Asahi super dry, nikka whiskey, nikka whiskey highball, and sake... Not what I'd call a great beer scene. Haven't really tasted a proper IPA over there either, but the yuzu lager was great.

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[Oiscout]

Man I never thought my annoyance with my local beer scene would stem this type of discussion. Please continue

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[Wilbur]

Man I never thought my annoyance with my local beer scene would stem this type of discussion. Please continue

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I'm kind of hoping to hear more about fly fishing.

Also, if I'm off on the beer scene in Japan please let me know. Hitachino has a great rooftop bar above the Tokyo train station, I've been to Miyamoto, and some Kyoto brewing beers. There's a pretty good beer bar in Kobe called Hops and, they had some incredible fried chicken.

I also hope I never tire of IPA.

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[Oiscout]

I don't do much flyfishing anymore. I sold my fly rods to a buddy for brewing equipment. Im more of a spinner man myself. Though I do frequent a lot of great places to fly fish in the middle of nowhere. Up the road from my mom's is a metric ton of old pig iron furnaces built in the 1700s that line the creek I like to fish, it's always cool running into these artifacts so many miles from civilization.

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[BrewBama]

It's a business, not a charity.  They brew what sells.

+1.  That’s one reason why we brew our own: so we can get what we like that we can’t find (aka doesn’t sell so very few brew it).


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[Bel Air Brewing]

It's a business, not a charity.  They brew what sells.

+1.  That’s one reason why we brew our own: so we can get what we like that we can’t find (aka doesn’t sell so very few brew it).

In addition, the primary reason we brew is to ensure that we have fresh beer available. And the beer we want to consume, not the watered down light beer that the legacy breweries want us to purchase.

As my palette leans towards Euro-Lagers, it is not easy to get a 1/2 bbl keg that is fresh, or will remain fresh until the keg is emptied.

So we brew our Munich Helles is 10 gallon batches, and the beer will remain fresh in taste until the keg is finished.

My last keg of Hofbrau Munich Helles did go bad, near the end of the keg.

I have had Budweiser and Sam Adams beer go bad while in the keg.