Bitterness coveted...

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GeorgiaTiger

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Why? why do people want that bitter, hoppy taste in a beer? I like all kinds of beer, my favorites being Stouts, and I am trying my damndest to get into IPA's but they are just bitter on the back of my tongue to the point that Im not sure I really like them. I have read a LOT of people saying that the hoppy/bitter taste is what they want and the more the better...Maybe I dont know what Im SUPPOSED to taste with IPA's or what im looking for when I drink one. I want to like them, I really do.

Hopefully this makes sense...:confused:
 
I know what you're talking about. It took me awhile to appreciate a good IPA. There are a lot of varieties to choose from. I kept trying until I found the realm of IPA that I like. I lean twards the sweeter side like Stone and Racer 5, they are really tasty and now one of my favorite types of beer.
 
I love hoppy beers, but for me it isn't all about finding extremes of bitterness. It's about finding new and interesting hop profiles concentrating more on hop flavor and aroma.
 
I'm not an expert at beer tasting nor any other aspect of drinking/brewing beer...but I am an expert at what I personally enjoy and IPA's is my beer of choice. I LOVE that bitter on the back of my tounge that you speak of. Then after a swig, I breath slowly through my nose and savor the aftertaste. I am currently enjoying a wonderful Stone IPA with 60 IBU.

There are some really bad ones out there too. My favorites are Stone and Firestone "Union Jack". Ive also brewed a couple winners(in my opinion) too.

Keep trying, you will grow to love them.
 
I think in some ways it's like enjoying a cigar or good liquor. There are a lot of subtle flavors and aromas to look for, and the experience can be unpleasant to the uninitiated.
 
I love bitter. I don't like anything sweet. I think its just a personal preference. Good thing there are a lot of different styles out there. You can always find something you like.
 
Yeah, but a lot f people dont like stouts. "too dark" they say. "Too thick" they say. I just stare at them. LOTS of complex flavors in a good stout. I can taste the flavors and even pick them out with the IPA's, but its that bitterness that turns me off, I think. Maybe it's just a little too harsh to me...eh, who knows.
 
I dont really like a SWEET beer...and dont mind subtle bitterness. Most of what I have had with the IPA is really harsh, though. Guess im just strange.
 
I guess I also am in the camp that I don't understand where you come from!

I love a 100 IBU hop bomb IPA. The hoppier, the better.

However, I have gone so far I have a lupulin threshold shift.. I had to give them a break, because I got to the point where they didn't even taste bitter and hoppy enough.

The easiest thing to do would be to start low.. Grab a pale ale.. Get used to a pale ale that has like 30-40 IBU's.. Something like... SN Pale Ale.. Dales Pale Ale.. easy to find good pales..

You are in Marietta... Grab a Sweetwater 420 then... Extra Pale Ale... then move onto their IPA.. Great piney, citrusy IPA with a good clean bitter profile. Baby steps... maybe you just don't like the flavor of hops...?
 
Im not sure...I have tried the 420 on several occasions. Maybe it is the fact that I havent had a LOT of hoppy beers. Hell, this time last year, I thought Michelob was a GOOD beer...I didnt really get into "tasting" good beer until about a year ago when one of my wife's friends turned me on to some craft beers from around here. She likes IPA's and more hoppier type beers. I try them, and I "like" them sometimes, but just gravitate back to the stouts. Maybe Ill grab some 420's and really give them a chance and then move up from there. Think I will take your advice.

Just to clarify...the IPA's are generally more IBU's than the pale ales or extra pales? Im going to look up the IBU's of this IPA I had tonight from Atlanta Brewing Company - The Hop Lanta.
 
Have you had Firestone Walker Wookey Jack? That's an American Black Ale, might be more of a gateway beer for you, a little roastier than an IPA, really dark, and full of flavor you can appreciate along with the bitterness.

Some others:

Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale by Stone
Pitch Black IPA by Widmer
Hoppy Feet by Clown Shoes

I think you can get Hoppy Feet in Georgia, I have before, and surely Sweetwater Dank Tank Ghoulash.
 
Vegan...I think you hit the nail on the head for me...I like a roastier beer, I think. even with some bitterness in it, I can drink it. I have not had any of the beers you mention, bbut would love to try them.
 
Well, not all IPAs are hyper hoppy, and the human palate can't recognize bitterness from hops above 100IBU so there's a bit of a spectrum. Lots of high-IBU beers don't even taste that bitter because they're either malty sweet, nicely balanced, or just full of juicy hop flavor you don't notice it.

Some beers are agressively bitter, though, and that's just another element of flavor, but if you don't think you can ever drink an IPA because they're too bitter, you should keep looking. I love Lagunitas IPA (45 IBU- that's APA territory) and I also love Green Flash's West Coast IPA (95 mouth-puckering IBUs). There's something for everyone.
 
Isn't there a growler place in Marietta? I went down to brewmasters warehouse one time and they told me there was a large growler store on that same road there in Marietta. They might have something you might not find in bottles or at that big beer store in N. Atlanta.
 
Try some good English IPA's... IME/IMO, they are less about the bitterness and more about the hop flavor and aroma. I have one on tap right now that has great hop aroma and flavor with just enough IBUs to make it work. :D I also can't stand the hop-bombs that most American breweries seem to be making. I don't like, or want, a 100+ IBU hop bomb. If the IBUs are in the 40-50 range, but it has great flavor and aroma, I'll drink it all day long.

Check out my MO SMaSH IPA recipe. I know the English IPAs on the market don't do hop bursting. But, IMO, it's a great way to get tons of flavor and aroma without getting too many IBUs too.
 
Im not sure...I have tried the 420 on several occasions. Maybe it is the fact that I havent had a LOT of hoppy beers. Hell, this time last year, I thought Michelob was a GOOD beer...I didnt really get into "tasting" good beer until about a year ago when one of my wife's friends turned me on to some craft beers from around here. She likes IPA's and more hoppier type beers. I try them, and I "like" them sometimes, but just gravitate back to the stouts. Maybe Ill grab some 420's and really give them a chance and then move up from there. Think I will take your advice.

Just to clarify...the IPA's are generally more IBU's than the pale ales or extra pales? Im going to look up the IBU's of this IPA I had tonight from Atlanta Brewing Company - The Hop Lanta.

Yes, in most cases, style wise, IPA's have more IBU's than Pales.

Do you like Russian Imperial Stouts? Those are generally more bitter than a normal stout, due to more hops, bigger beer, and more roasted grains that come across bitter.

The Hoplanta isn't a bad beer, Red Brick generally likes to make a really bitter IPA, but still tries to balance it, ala east coast style.

West coast style IPA's are unbalanced. It's all about the hops.
 
Have you had Firestone Walker Wookey Jack? That's an American Black Ale, might be more of a gateway beer for you, a little roastier than an IPA, really dark, and full of flavor you can appreciate along with the bitterness.

Some others:

Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale by Stone
Pitch Black IPA by Widmer
Hoppy Feet by Clown Shoes

I think you can get Hoppy Feet in Georgia, I have before, and surely Sweetwater Dank Tank Ghoulash.


He can get all of those beers, save for FW. The SW Dank tank isn't a beer they release often, and most are one off's or brewed a couple times randomly.
 
Im not sure about the growler place. Maybe Ill ask about it tomorrow when I go to BMW...


It is Moondogs. I would avoid them, unless you feel the need to overpay through the nose for the same beer you can find else where in town and throughout Atlanta.
 
For me personally, I just like bitter foods and drinks in general. Love the bitter veggies like Brussels sprouts, I love my coffee strong and black, I love IPAs. The more bitter, the better.
 
Some people prefer sour things, others prefer salty things. Some prefer bitter over sweet and vice versa.

It's called having a different palate.

I personally like to think of it as those with a sweet tooth need to catch up... All kids like sweet candy, but they only usually appreciate something like bitter arugula when they are an adult. Though it wasn't until I kept trying IPA after IPA that my tastes evolved from enjoying sweetness to now avoiding it whenever I have the chance.
 
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