Well put Kendall! It is all about taste. Too many people respond to what they are told is good and cannot tell the difference.

Many people do feel that they are experts but it seems that they only react to ads. The Wychwood Brewery advert that Purple Sandpiper put up is a good example. I am sure the brewers at Wychwood realize that lager is complex and is not a tasteless brew, but they are serving a market that has been trained to believe that "ale" is superior. So, they come up with a clever campaign that works. The trained seals that are their consumers jump on it. Well done!

In actuality, many ales have less alchol content than lager and the flavors are not as complex as those in a well crafted lager. Many brewers cannot replicate lagers with any consistency so they stick to the easier brewed ales. As a homebrewer, I know that I cannot make a decent lager due to the lack of space for proper lagering. Ales can be easily made and it is why most home brewers stick to that style. You can make some very good beers by sticking to the ale family.