Why do most homebrewers make really hoppy beer?

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I like IPA's and IIPA's but I have not made one yet, The Hops are hard to find for me and I think it would take me forever to drink 5 gallons because im the only one around here that likes them. But I dont like them So much to where Ill sit around and drink 4 or 5 a day like I do with my other brews.
 
Originally posted by Bernie Brewer
I'm not a hophead, never have been. And if 10-some-odd years of homebrewing hasn't changed that, nothing will.

I don't know about that Bernie...maybe you should talk to Yooper. ;)
 
IMO the IBU system of measuring hop presence in beer is seriously flawed. A GOOD IPA may have 100IBU and taste fabulous, but one made with the wrong hop variety could have 50 IBU and taste horrible. IMO the IBU content should be matched to the style, but the variety of hop used has WAY more to do with whether or not the hops overpower the malt.
 
shafferpilot said:
IMO the IBU system of measuring hop presence in beer is seriously flawed. A GOOD IPA may have 100IBU and taste fabulous, but one made with the wrong hop variety could have 50 IBU and taste horrible. IMO the IBU content should be matched to the style, but the variety of hop used has WAY more to do with whether or not the hops overpower the malt.

Yes, I think that's the key. Even though Brewtopia started me on the path to hopheadness, every hoppy beer that I love has balance. An IIPA has a malty backbone, for example. I would not like a flawed beer that covered the flaws with hops.

But, I really think you are on to something with the tasting. I LOVE spicy food. Thai food, African food, Indian food. I adore coffee. I can't stand anything sweet or creamy- I hate ice cream, chocolate, puddings, cake, frosting. So, the sweet-ish syrupy beers are not my thing at all. That's why I've gravitated toward the hops- it's a blast of things going on in the bitterness, the flavor, the aroma and the balance of malt that I love. Wow- it's not even 8 AM and I'm talking myself into an IPA!
 
YooperBrew said:
WTF? What's wrong with being close to 50? :drunk:

Haha! Nothing wrong with it at all. It's just that around age 50, ye olde tastebuds start to die off and differentiating tastes begins to get more difficult. Sorry for any confusion!
 
YooperBrew said:
WTF? What's wrong with being close to 50? :drunk:



Whoa There!! Back up the f-ing truck. You are MY age, and I am NOT close to 50!!!! I am still on the low side of the forties, dammit!!!!

for a few more months, anyway.........:(
 
Bernie Brewer said:
Whoa There!! Back up the f-ing truck. You are MY age, and I am NOT close to 50!!!! I am still on the low side of the forties, dammit!!!!

for a few more months, anyway.........:(

Well, you're right- I'm 44 (in a couple of weeks). But my husband is 53. And, actually, he's pretty hot! But, 50 is creeping up on me too! I have about 2 years until retirement, though- so getting older rocks!
 
YooperBrew said:
Well, you're right- I'm 44 (in a couple of weeks). But my husband is 53. And, actually, he's pretty hot! But, 50 is creeping up on me too! I have about 2 years until retirement, though- so getting older rocks!

LOL...I'm 43 myself.
 
YooperBrew said:
But, 50 is creeping up on me too!
I used to think it was creeping up on me...now it seems like it's running straight towards me, at Jesse Owens speed!
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I'm just a touch older than you Yoop, turned 44 last September. At least I got to turn 44 in Paris, that took some of the sting out of it. Tell your hubby to take you to Paris for your birthday! :mug:
 
I am completely new to homebrewing but I have to agree that I am not a huge fan of super-hoppy beers. I have been trying to increase my appreciation of hoppy microbrews for years, but I still find myself coming back to the maltier varieties.

In another thread, I came across this chart:
Hops-Gravity Relationship

You could use this chart to ensure that your beer ended up on the maltier side, even if you are brewing a higher gravity beer.
 
barnettcb said:
I am completely new to homebrewing but I have to agree that I am not a huge fan of super-hoppy beers. I have been trying to increase my appreciation of hoppy microbrews for years, but I still find myself coming back to the maltier varieties.

In another thread, I came across this chart:
Hops-Gravity Relationship

You could use this chart to ensure that your beer ended up on the maltier side, even if you are brewing a higher gravity beer.

Good to Know Barnettcb !! Thanks for the link !!
 
I tend to brew on the hoppier side, but I can make concessions. I brewed an Irish Ale for my girlfriend yesterday with an IBU of 17.0. Got to keep others happy!
 
I brew hoppy beers because my wife is a hop head.

For myself I make bitters, porters, and low/med IBU Pale Ales.
 
While still a teenager, I drank Coors Light, and though it was strong! But, after turning 21 (And it became easier to acquire more different beers), I started tryign different things. About the time I tried brewing myself, and started knowing more about different beer styles, I got hold of some "real" beer.

At first I had to drink them slowly, and carefully. I'd try and pick out the different flavors and aspects. Eventually, I got used to stronger beers, both malty and hopped, and have not been able to enjoy a light American style since.

I don't prefer a IPA in general, but sometimes they hit the spot. That is all my friend ever brews. He's a real hophead. He is always trying to find a more hoppy beer! I like variety. I just got done brewing an IPA, just to see how it goes (and I love the smell!) But I like Bass Pale Ale, and Nut Browns. Really it's what sounds good at the time.

There are plenty of different beers to brew, and nobody says you have to enjoy an IPA to enjoy brewing. This IPA I just made was my first. Now that it's done, I'll likely move on to something completely different.
 
I thought I would be a hop man forever after these past two years. but this past week (with a dry hopped Ale ready for bottling) I am starting to steer back into porters and stouts. That is my next extract kit. Any recommendations for a good heavy strong Stout. Don't really want an oatmeal stout though.
 
I like a wide range of beers. (Still trying to wrap my senses around Belgians though) As the ready availability of small craft beers increased over the past 10 yers or so, I've sampled a lot of beers. Bad mouth them all you want, but I believe Sam Adams really opened a lot of people's minds to the fact that beer could mean something other than BMC. I certainly agree that balance is essential. I find that the balance I like in a beer varies. Most of the time I really don't care for SNPA, but I know it was sampling things like Stone IPA and DFH IPA that got me into home brewing.
 
I'm not reading through this whole thread, but just because someone doesn't like really hoppy beer, does not mean they're a BMC beer noob... they might just not like the taste of really strongly hopped beer.
 
I am not that the original premise is correct. Every few months, my LHBS has beer tastings, and in general. I'm the only person that brings really heavily hopped brews. Everyone speaks respectfully of Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA and Hop Devil and all of those, but most people bring along stouts and porters and Scottish ales and stuff like that.

There's no deep dark secret about why I brew heavily hopped beers - I just like them best is all. Others like malty brews. It's not a matter of which is better - it's all about what you like.
 
I think what's important is the integrity of your beer. If you know what beer style you're trying to brew (or a lack of style) and are happy with how you want it hopped, then great... it's your creation. I also think that our culture and environment helps determine how we taste bitterness. This is improving, but we in America (but not just America) are brought up on a lot of sweet and savory foods (soda, fast food, etc.). Bitterness is the antithesis of that and it takes an open mind to make the change.
 
i think you've got it right mensch. My taste for beer is growing up, just like my taste for food has. I can hardly eat a piece of chocolate anymore. I don't like ice cream. I'm starting to really love IPAs.
 
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