SINGAPORE, Oct 10 — There is no doubt Singaporeans love their beer. And there is no better way to celebrate it this month than with Oktoberfest activities around the island. And come Thursday is the three-day long party, Oktoberfest Asia. Previous editions of this festival saw the average person guzzle about three litres of beer, and this year’s event is set to be even bigger, with all early-bird tickets already sold out.

There has also been growing interest in artisanal beers. In March, Singapore had its first ever all-craft beer festival, Craft Singapore. Joining the many craft beer bars, such as Druggists, Freehouse and Tap Craft Beer Bar, this year is our very own Mikkeller Bar — the cult brand for beer geeks from Copenhagen.

As consumers become more knowledgeable and sophisticated, ales have become trendy. After all, ales allow for a lot of room for experimentation and a wide range of flavour profiles. On the flip side, lagers have become somewhat overlooked — with people perceiving them to be indistinctive and mass-produced.

But there is no denying lagers still outsell ales by a landslide globally. The top 10 best-selling beers in the world in 2015 were all lagers, according to research company Euromonitor. This included four beers from China, Skol and Brahma from Brazil, Bud Light, Budweiser and Coors Light from America, and Heineken from the Netherlands.

One might argue that the biggest players in the market produce mainly lagers, and they have the marketing budget and resources to retain control in sophisticated markets while expanding into developing ones. One might also say lagers are significantly more popular in Asia, and massive markets such as China are tipping the scales.

Beer-y different beasts

There is more to this story. The big boys might be making mainly lagers, but there are reasons why craft breweries are not making that much: Lagers are more expensive and less forgiving to brew than ales.

The key difference between ales and lagers is in the yeast species used: The yeast in ale produces a more robust and aromatic beer, while the yeast used in lagers gives the beer its defining light and crisp qualities.

While ales can be fermented at room temperature, the specifications of lager yeast require it to be fermented at 2°C to 12°C followed by maturation in cold storage that can take weeks even months longer than most ale fermentations. The chilled temperatures usually require more expensive equipment, and the longer time taken to produce lagers means higher costs that might not be viable for smaller breweries, especially ones that were set out to produce ales.

There is also craftsmanship specific to making a good lager. Because ales tend to be hoppier and have stronger flavours, it is a more forgiving beer to brew. On the other hand, lagers’ taste profile is clean and delicate. In other words, it leaves little to no room for flaws or off-characteristics. As a result, it is a significantly more complex process that requires a lighter touch and attention to detail throughout the entire process. This is why new recreational home brewers are usually advised to start with making ales before dabbling in lagers.

Because lagers are defined by the yeast species and cold fermentation, the end result is not always just the pale, crisp beer that comes to most people’s mind when they think of lagers. The styles of lagers vary in colour, alcohol content, and flavour. In Mexico, Vienna lagers distinguished by its amber hue and moderately bitter flavours are popular. Dunkels are a broad category for dark lagers and, despite its colour, usually have a thin mouthfeel. In Japan, you will find beers that use rice instead of corn, and this results in a highly effervescent beer with a dry finish. There are even black lagers called Schwarzbier that are mildly bitter and chocolate-y but retain the light body and refreshing qualities of a lager.

Heineken is brewed longer — for 28 days, about double the time taken for other lagers.

Going back to basics

With lagers being an underappreciated and misunderstood craft, it is understandable that some of the biggest lager brands with a long history of brewing this challenging style are spending time and money to educate people on what it takes to get it right each and every time.

One such brand is Heineken. While its previous campaigns, such as the "The Entrance” in 2011 and image-obsessed "Legends” in 2014, were more about attitude, its new campaign "More Behind The Star” is product-centric.

"We find that people know of Heineken beer, but they don’t know much about the brand, our heritage or what’s behind our star logo,” shared Venus Teoh, head of marketing for Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore Pte Ltd

This campaign also addresses the growing misconception that only craft is good, and beers brewed by big companies are sub-standard. "We can all agree that the F&B scene has changed considerably over the years, with customers growing increasingly sophisticated and more well-informed. Compared with the past, people now care a lot more about what goes into the making of their food and beverages. With this growing appreciation of craft, we thought it was timely to highlight and reaffirm Heineken’s dedication to craftsmanship and quality,” Teoh explained.

The campaign includes advertisements featuring Benicio Del Toro and Heineken Brew Master Willem van Waesberghe that have been airing on television, in cinemas and online since July this year. These advertisements highlight Heineken as a five-generation family-run business, and the continued use of its original recipe of just three natural ingredients: Water, hops and barley. "Most people don’t know that we brew Heineken longer — for 28 days, about double the time taken for other lagers.” Teoh said. To go along with that, Heineken also curated Singapore’s first-ever holographic installation at 1-Altitude Gallery and Bar where people could experience the brand’s product stories through 3D animation.

Internationally, Heineken is also addressing the fact that lager is a drink on par with the finest food, and you can pair it just as well with gourmet dishes with the newly launched flagship Heineken bar in Sydney International Airport’s Terminal One. Called Heineken House, the menu is by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, while the beers available include Heineken’s latest Extra Cold, which is served between minus 3°C and minus 1°C, poured into a frozen Heineken glass.

At the end of the day, lager or ale, beer is created for enjoyment. So whether you prefer craft beers on principle or ales because they are more diverse, there is no shame in loving lagers. "I love beer and I enjoy trying new ones. But when it’s an incredibly hot day, just give me a lager. There’s nothing more refreshing and thirst-quenching than a crisp, cold lager.” Elaine Ang, 36, a consultant, shared. — TODAY

The newly launched flagship Heineken bar in Sydney International Airport’s Terminal One.