mpcondo

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I just came across the below article that questions the extreme craft brewing movement in America. It raises some interesting questions. I have difficulty understanding why we insist on moving away from beer that has been perfected over hundereds of years just so we can over hop, spice, or add something else to.

http://www.speakbeer.com/extreme-beer-in-america-circus-novelty-or-the-new-normal/

hoppyhoppyhippo

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Extreme beers should exist, I love them, but you need some session beers as well.

mpcondo

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I'm not necessarily pointing out the strength of beer, I think traditional german and english beers are fantastic and the Americanized versions of those beers do not do them justice. So, why do we insist on abandoning the old ways?

Nightshade

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Ever raced cars?

I know I have and racing taught me how to drive even better on the road. It also taught me how far you can build an engine, suspension etc. to its very limits and still be reliable for its intended use.

This is why extreme beer making and recipes are valid extensions of the craft brew segment.

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looneybomber

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As with everything in life, change is inevitable and nothing is ever perfect/perfected. There will always be technological advances and forward progression because folks will try something different, and sometimes those differences turn out to make great things. 100yrs from now, how different/similar will the beer brewing process be?

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Queue: King Tut ale, BIG barleywine, Desire mead, AHS Aniv Wit, Lemon wheat, Blond rye.
Fermenting: Skeeter pee w/cranberry
Secondary: Electrical engineering finals in 1 day.
Bottled: <1.060: Bluemoon
<1.090: Rye wheat ale, spiced tripel, tripel w/orange, baltic porter, skeeter pee lemon, skeeter pee lime
<1.110: Reverend clone, IIPA. Chocolate RIS, Bourbon Barrel Quad, chocolate RIS w/oak & whiskey
>1.110 OG: Double W (inspired) stout, Choco milk Czar, Mephistopheles (inspired) stout..

MalFet

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American craft breweries make a tremendous amount of beer in traditional styles. Your objection is that they don't make only that?

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ktblunden

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That's an opinion, not a fact. Many people do not share the opinion. Drink what you like and like what you drink. I personally like American extreme styles as well as malty German and English beers.

hoppyhoppyhippo

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Well for a slew of reasons. For starters, the knowledge people have about beer. You can find American beers that are like traditional German Lagers or English Ales, they do exist, but there's also something about taking something and putting your own stamp on it. if everyone brewed the same lagers wouldn't it be boring?

jiggs_casey

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Great write up! I have always had a hard time accepting the term 'extreme' in certain contexts. Brewing being one of them. Err, cooking in general. If I roast a chicken and then cover it in a crusty shell of black pepper and sugary donut dough, does that make it 'extreme chicken'? Same goes for brewing. Just because you use an obscene amount of hops or decide to incorporate lavender, rose pedal, ginger root, or whatever, does not make it 'extreme', it makes it interesting, it makes it creative, and I don't see the logical connection to 'extreme'. Let's save that tag for the professions that it applies to!

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mpcondo

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I am not objecting to American craft beer, or saying that anything should be done differently. I prefer traditional english and german beers, that is my personal taste. Anyone can brew whatever they want. I'm asking the question why American breweries are making these hop bombs, or flavoring beer with unusual ingredients? Is that the American taste, are American breweries trying to be different, trying to create their own styles, or just trying to out do each other?