Seriously? Give me a break with the hops already.

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

40watt

Supporting Member
HBT Supporter
Joined
Mar 6, 2011
Messages
665
Reaction score
56
I don't get it. I like a good IPA, but these over the top, hopbomb, I can cram more hops in a beer than you can, offerings are not my cup of tea.

I'm learning that somewhere between an IPA and a Double Super Hops Up Your ass IPA is where I get off the train.

Sometimes I don't see it coming, and that is even more annoying. I drank a 2011 Big foot Barleywine. I know Sierra Nevada loves the hops, but this thing was nearly undrinkable.

Thank you West Coast, for taking a good thing, and taking it too damn far.
 
really? I didn't think 2011 Bigfoot was anywhere near as hoppy as a lot of other beers. At least it has the malt to back it up.

I hate all those 2-row and tons of hops beers.

Edit: "hate" was the wrong work choice. I'll drink 'em, but I prefer an IPA with some color and a little maltiness. A hop bomb can be a wonderful thing if done right.
 
I don't get it. I like a good IPA, but these over the top, hopbomb, I can cram more hops in a beer than you can, offerings are not my cup of tea.

I'm learning that somewhere between an IPA and a Double Super Hops Up Your ass IPA is where I get off the train.

Sometimes I don't see it coming, and that is even more annoying. I drank a 2011 Big foot Barleywine. I know Sierra Nevada loves the hops, but this thing was nearly undrinkable.

Thank you West Coast, for taking a good thing, and taking it to damn far.

The story goes that SN made the first batch of Bigfoot and sent it to Seibel for analysis. Seibel says "hey here is your IBU and VKDs and yada yada but you might want to know that this beer is horribly unbalanced". SN's response was, "Great, that's what we were going for".

Fresh Bigfoot is, let's say, an acquired taste. If you don't like it I would still suggest that given how damn cheap it is you buy a six pack every year and do a vertical each year. I think you'll like it aged.
 
Love my hops here too. I also like some less hopped beers, but there's little better than a Wolf Hills IIPA.
 
The story goes that SN made the first batch of Bigfoot and sent it to Seibel for analysis. Seibel says "hey here is your IBU and VKDs and yada yada but you might want to know that this beer is horribly unbalanced". SN's response was, "Great, that's what we were going for".

Fresh Bigfoot is, let's say, an acquired taste. If you don't like it I would still suggest that given how damn cheap it is you buy a six pack every year and do a vertical each year. I think you'll like it aged.

Exactly, my thoughts. I'll bet it's pretty damn good once the hops fade out a little.

I'm aware a lot of people disagree. That's why this stuff sells so well. Let's just say, that the English/Scottish approach is more my style. I was curious if I was the only one.
 
40watt said:
I don't get it. I like a good IPA, but these over the top, hopbomb, I can cram more hops in a beer than you can, offerings are not my cup of tea.

I'm learning that somewhere between an IPA and a Double Super Hops Up Your ass IPA is where I get off the train.

Sometimes I don't see it coming, and that is even more annoying. I drank a 2011 Big foot Barleywine. I know Sierra Nevada loves the hops, but this thing was nearly undrinkable.

Thank you West Coast, for taking a good thing, and taking it to damn far.

Totally with you on this one. My favorite aspect of brewing and beer in general variety. While I appreciate a good IPA, I do see a trend of many of them overdoing it on the hops. Not only that but it seems like everyone is making more and more IPAs at the expense of others styles.

Even the non-IPAs seem to be upping their hop levels lately. Last week I got 3 or 4 different oatmeal stouts to try, one was near-undrinkable as I couldn't taste anything other than the hops.

I guess like was said in another post above is that it is all personal taste... I lament the disappearance of more balanced IPAs, but they are popular and must be selling pretty well.

Sent from my iPad using HB Talk
 
Totally with you on this one. My favorite aspect of brewing and beer in general variety. While I appreciate a good IPA, I do see a trend of many of them overdoing it on the hops. Not only that but it seems like everyone is making more and more IPAs at the expense of others styles.

Even the non-IPAs seem to be upping their hop levels lately. Last week I got 3 or 4 different oatmeal stouts to try, one was near-undrinkable as I couldn't taste anything other than the hops.

I guess like was said in another post above is that it is all personal taste... I lament the disappearance of more balanced IPAs, but they are popular and must be selling pretty well.

Sent from my iPad using HB Talk

I like Boulevards Single Wide IPA. I like basically any IPA that isn't over the top.

As you said, it's all well and good until brewers sacrifice balance on other styles or start producing only hop forward beers.

As for the Bigfoot, this 2011 is gonna get another day in court in 2013.
 
I've been steadily consuming my 6 pack of Bigfoot. I was surprised by the hop flavor too but I found it a pleasant surprise. A very, very, pleasant surprise.
 
No one forces you to buy or drink anything you don't want to :) a quick search on beer advocate will help you decide if you should buy something or not... no more surprises.
 
Try that 2011 Bigfoot this time next year and you'll be singing a different tune, OP. A little age on that beer works some wonders. I like it well enough when it comes out, but it's a-freaking-mazing after a year or two of aging.
 
Exactly, my thoughts. I'll bet it's pretty damn good once the hops fade out a little.

I'm aware a lot of people disagree. That's why this stuff sells so well. Let's just say, that the English/Scottish approach is more my style. I was curious if I was the only one.

I also prefer the English/Scottish approach as well. When brewing I don't even go over 25 IBU's but am usually in the 10-15 IBU range. Hops just aren't that great according to my pallet, but hey that leaves more for everyone else! :tank:
 
I don't get it. I like a good IPA, but these over the top, hopbomb, I can cram more hops in a beer than you can, offerings are not my cup of tea.

I'm learning that somewhere between an IPA and a Double Super Hops Up Your ass IPA is where I get off the train.

Sometimes I don't see it coming, and that is even more annoying. I drank a 2011 Big foot Barleywine. I know Sierra Nevada loves the hops, but this thing was nearly undrinkable.

Thank you West Coast, for taking a good thing, and taking it too damn far.

Your problem on the Bigfoot might have been drinking an unaged barley wine?

But anyways, all a matter of taste and preference.
 
Try that 2011 Bigfoot this time next year and you'll be singing a different tune, OP. A little age on that beer works some wonders. I like it well enough when it comes out, but it's a-freaking-mazing after a year or two of aging.

Yeah, I figure they know people will age them, so they load up the hops. That way it will still have the SN hoppyess in a year or so.
 
I have yet to find a beer that is too hoppy. The thing that turns me off are beers that are supposed to be hoppy that turn out to be a sweet malty mess.

No one forces you to buy or drink anything you don't want to :) a quick search on beer advocate will help you decide if you should buy something or not... no more surprises.

Beer Advocate is not a good barometer on whether a beer is good or not. The rating system is very flawed and most reviewers seem to think that B is average. I just love the reviews that trash a beer and then rate it a B-. WTF?
 
The first bottle of Pliny the Elder I ever had was to much for me. I dumped it. Same with Stone Ruination.

Still am not crazy about IIPA's, though I no longer think they are undrinkable.
 
No one forces you to buy or drink anything you don't want to :) a quick search on beer advocate will help you decide if you should buy something or not... no more surprises.

This needs to be addressed. Normally I would agree.

In rural Oklahoma it has taken years for liquor stores to start stocking ANY craft beer or out of the ordinary imports. When the entire industry goes hop crazy, a small store that orders only a distributors best sellers, will offer no alternative.

After striking out at a couple local stores, I think I finally found someone willing and able to special order for me.
 
I enjoy hops, but I agree with the original poster that it is getting harder to find a fun new beer that isn't buried in hops.

I don't like it when they say "we took the class style of (what-have-you) and dumped a bunch of hops in it for a new twist.

In revolt, I held a Bock tasting a couple of weeks ago. Fun times.
 
I just love the reviews that trash a beer and then rate it a B-. WTF?

The rating is broken down into sections, so instead of giving a score you think a beer deserves, you score individual parts of it. I like this method because it causes people to think more about the beer in every respect. I'm sure many of us have had a beer that looked great but didn't taste as good, or one that tastes great but is uncharacteristically murky. This way you can see a beer that would normally be rated as a C for cloudiness and read that people give it an A for flavor.
 
I agree over hopped beers aren't my thing. don't get me wrong i enjoy a good IPA but i like a good balance of malt and hops. i tried the stones double bastard i didnt like it what so ever but i do enjoy there IPA.
 
Never had the real thing but...I'm on my 3rd round of a Pliney clone. 19 oz of tear your face off hops in mine! I prefer mine mashed low for dry finish. This time I have a little more malt backbone to smooth it out. I love hops! Just unloaded 4 lbs. into the freezer!
 
shuggy said:
I have yet to find a beer that is too hoppy. The thing that turns me off are beers that are supposed to be hoppy that turn out to be a sweet malty mess.

Beer Advocate is not a good barometer on whether a beer is good or not. The rating system is very flawed and most reviewers seem to think that B is average. I just love the reviews that trash a beer and then rate it a B-. WTF?

I only use BA for descriptions, not judgement of beer. It seems if it isn't a hopbomb they don't like it. For suggestions I turn to Pintly.com (like Pandoa for beer).
 
The rating is broken down into sections, so instead of giving a score you think a beer deserves, you score individual parts of it. I like this method because it causes people to think more about the beer in every respect. I'm sure many of us have had a beer that looked great but didn't taste as good, or one that tastes great but is uncharacteristically murky. This way you can see a beer that would normally be rated as a C for cloudiness and read that people give it an A for flavor.

I'm fully aware of how the ratings are compiled. Generally you do not see a whole lot of score variation across the five categories for any given beer review. The recent changes in weighting for each category along with changing drinkability to overall has helped slightly bring scores closer to where they should be but they are still out of whack. The best way I've found to use their rating system is to take the rAvg score and multiply it by 2 and use that against the typical school grading system. For example: rAvg 3.85 B+ is translated into a 7.7 which would drop it to be in line with a C+ or C.
 
I don't get it. I like a good IPA, but these over the top, hopbomb, I can cram more hops in a beer than you can, offerings are not my cup of tea.

I'm learning that somewhere between an IPA and a Double Super Hops Up Your ass IPA is where I get off the train.

Sometimes I don't see it coming, and that is even more annoying. I drank a 2011 Big foot Barleywine. I know Sierra Nevada loves the hops, but this thing was nearly undrinkable.

Thank you West Coast, for taking a good thing, and taking it too damn far.


I am with you. It is not unlike spicy foods. Some people have to choke down the hottest chili they can, just to say they were able to do it and so they can call you a wuss. Kinda like a dick measuring contest. Show me the malt, baby!!!1
 
And here I thought there were no new hopping techniques.

Do you remember the old Metallica Metal Up Your Ass t shirt? Replace the knife with a fistful of hops and you have a sweet label. One of you hopheads can take that and run with it.
 
I am with you. It is not unlike spicy foods. Some people have to choke down the hottest chili they can, just to say they were able to do it and so they can call you a wuss. Kinda like a dick measuring contest. Show me the malt, baby!!!1

Total pissing contest.
 
The best way I've found to use their rating system is to take the rAvg score and multiply it by 2 and use that against the typical school grading system. For example: rAvg 3.85 B+ is translated into a 7.7 which would drop it to be in line with a C+ or C.

This system sort of makes the assumption then that there are no B or higher caliber beers in the world.


EDIT: nevermind I thought their scoring system was out of 4, but I guess it's out of 5. You can tell I don't ever look at those scores.



BeerAdvocate scores seem to trade a lot on rarity moreso than actual beer quality. You can make a really average imperial stout, make sure it's like 18% ABV or so, age it in oak barrels made by trappist monks and then release it once every three years and sell it for $75/bottle and probably get yourself a top 10 rating.

Plus those guys trade beers like pokemon cards. It's kinda creepy.
 
This system sort of makes the assumption then that there are no B or higher caliber beers in the world.


EDIT: nevermind I thought their scoring system was out of 4, but I guess it's out of 5. You can tell I don't ever look at those scores.



BeerAdvocate scores seem to trade a lot on rarity moreso than actual beer quality. You can make a really average imperial stout, make sure it's like 18% ABV or so, age it in oak barrels made by trappist monks and then release it once every three years and sell it for $75/bottle and probably get yourself a top 10 rating.

Plus those guys trade beers like pokemon cards. It's kinda creepy.

The Imperial Stout categories are the worst ratings examples for the entire site. There's like 1000 beers rated and 97% of them are B- or higher? It's a joke.

The trading has gotten out of hand in the past 12 - 18 months. I like to call it The Bruery Effect.
 
I am with you. It is not unlike spicy foods. Some people have to choke down the hottest chili they can, just to say they were able to do it and so they can call you a wuss. Kinda like a dick measuring contest. Show me the malt, baby!!!1

+1:rockin:

I also agree with the OP on this one. Used to be you could get a 6 beer sampler at a brewpub and the IPA would be the only hoppy beer. Now everytime a get a sampler they all taste the same.....hoppy as hell. The stout is usually the only beer that tastes like beer, but sometimes even that has been hopped to death. Like they dumped a sh*tload of hops in to cover up a not so great beer. I was in Mad Anthony's in IN a few weeks ago and lost track of what sampler beer was what. So I tried to guess by taste then asked the server if I was right. I couldn't tell the difference between the hefe, pale ale and IPA. Thats just not right.

Drinking a Bell's Two Hearted right now and have to say it is a well balanced IPA. Not hopped to death.
 
Exactly, my thoughts. I'll bet it's pretty damn good once the hops fade out a little.

I'm aware a lot of people disagree. That's why this stuff sells so well. Let's just say, that the English/Scottish approach is more my style. I was curious if I was the only one.

I am with you. It is not unlike spicy foods. Some people have to choke down the hottest chili they can, just to say they were able to do it and so they can call you a wuss. Kinda like a dick measuring contest. Show me the malt, baby!!!1

I'm with you. Hoppy beers turn me off. Give me a good Scottish or English Ale (like Fuller's 1845) any day. I'll use Pliny to strip the paint off my deck.
 
Back
Top