Seriously? Give me a break with the hops already.

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i just made " two time gold medal ipa" from the recibe fourums and it looks like it should be a regular IPA without the the numb the back of your mouth bitterness. im totally with the original poster. i like a regular style IPA but the hop bombs def get a little to outrageous for me. so check that recipe out its all late hop additions. ill let ya know in three weeks when its finished
 
I'm a "to each your own" kind of guy. But I do have to agree with the theory that this recent movement of the mass market to the IPA style of beer has led to other styles raising the IBU levels to style maxes and, I would surmise, in some cases further. I can't say that I'm a big fan of that. Regardless, I love beer. Hoppy, malty, sweet, spicy, yellow, black, or green. I'll drink it all. But, I would be naive to say that when I'm touring through my local craft brew store that it isn't a 3 to 1 ratio in favor of overly-hopped styles.
 
+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.

This is the problem. The IPA is no longer special when the other offerings are all hoppy.

Yes. Two-hearted is a tasty IPA.
 
Love the hot sauce analogy. I have only found a couple of beer's I thought weren't good and they added hops to hide it. I have seen numerous "Super Hoppy" that were way too sweet to enjoy. I enjoy a well balanced beer as much as anyone. However, when it's done right a super hoppy beer, just like well spiced food, is sublime.
 
I like the suggestions from the book, "The Beer Trials". I discovered some great beers I had never heard of.

Sent from my iPhone using HB Talk
 
I watched that one a few days ago. WOW!! Talk about a 100 megaton hop bomb! It was so strong,the guy put 1 drop on the back of the others tongue. Watch to see his expression!
I like a good balance myself,but I've noticed that even brown ales are getting a bit hoppy as well. Smuttynose old brown dog is like the dead guy,only hoppier. I like the dead guy better,since it still has some creamy malty mouth feel. These IPA's nowadays are getting so hoppy,their like sippers...:drunk:
 
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.

Nope- I'm with you, although I am still more into American ales or Belgians than the English stuff. I too appreciate a balanced IPA, but I think so many brewers take a lazy copout approach by not giving a damn- "Hey, I'll just add like five pounds of hops to this five gallon batch- that'll sure impress people." They think that's good beer! But it's just not- anyone can make hop soup.

IMHO, I think the trends are changing and I've spoken with a lot of brewers and consumers that feel the same. These way out of whack, unbalanced and overpowering beers are starting to lose favor. While they have their place as a nice evening sipper perhaps, it seems that more people want a really tasty beer that they can go to the bar or brewery and easily have a few pints of. Delicious and drinkable is going to be what's next... I'm working on making more sessionable ales now- although I do still crank out some burly beers for aging and enjoying on special occassions. :)
 
I agree the trend has been toward more hoppy beers, but there is still a ton of malty good beer to be had, tons. Look around. Brew what you like.
 
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?

+1 on BA isn't a very good source. I also love the reviews that praise the beer, but then rate it B-. I don't understand some peoples' expectations or basis for judgement. The only trusty "barometer" you can really rely on is your own palate. Brewers work hard to bring beer to the shelves, so I'll try anything at least once, and I think we can all do that.
 
I agree Ted. We go out to shop & get some beers to tide us over till my next batch is ready. My wife said she's proud of the way I walk right on by the usual stuff. And head right for the craft beers. I at least get some more bottles. But I have been trying the beers y'all talk about,just to get my own impressions. I'm still rooting for the dead guy!:rockin:
 
You know normally I love hop bombs - the more extreme the better. However, when I was out in Milwaukee last week I picked up a 4 pack of New Glarus "Unplugged" IIPA (small batches which NG puts out for a very limited time). Really not a good beer at all. It smelled like cat pee which does not bother me but this was over the top. It also had a really harsh, bitter taste. I think they went nuts with the bittering hops. The NG site says that it was brewed with "East Kent Golding, Cascade, Tomahawk, Warrior and Chinook". Must have gone heavy on the Thawk/Columbus, Warrior, & Chinook in the early boil. I forced myself to drink the remaining 3 bottles since I had paid around $12 for the beer (threw in a Bell's 2HA now and then to ease the pain). The only other NG beer that I have had other than this is Spotted Cow which I enjoy.
 
I bet there where people saying the same things we are saying when brewers first started using hops as a bittering agent. Now it damn near impossible to get a beer without hops.

What if long from now IPA’s will be the only style to drink. It will infest and take over everything. O, That isn’t a stout that I a black IPA, no more red ales just Red IPA’s, and IPA pilsner, IPA lambic’s (where 5 lbs of aged stale hops are put in the fermenter. This barley wine has to be screened with hops when it is poured in your glass.

Scary thought.
 
I bet there where people saying the same things we are saying when brewers first started using hops as a bittering agent. Now it damn near impossible to get a beer without hops.

What if long from now IPA’s will be the only style to drink. It will infest and take over everything. O, That isn’t a stout that I a black IPA, no more red ales just Red IPA’s, and IPA pilsner, IPA lambic’s (where 5 lbs of aged stale hops are put in the fermenter. This barley wine has to be screened with hops when it is poured in your glass.

Scary thought.

Or when you order a beer, they just bring you a glass of ground hops.
 
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.


So true! Soooooo soo true! Personally I don't like to put a lot of flowers in my beer :cross:
 
The current state of commercial craft beer trending towards over-hopping has pretty mch put a halt to my commercial beer purchases. I homebrew almost ever drop I drink.
 
I can drink super-duper hop explosions, but really only a couple and Im begging for a malty beer. Its like I get burnt out on the acids quickly or something.
 
I agree that there are a lot of beers out now that are trying to make up for the majority of the under-hoppers. I agree that it masks flaws in your beer. Overhopping does not make me like a beer more. I do like IPAs that are true to style. Also, I have had some IPAs that surprise me with how little hops they use. I like bitter beer, but I'm not a hop bomb overdose fan.

I do like eating wings and such that are beyond spicy. 6 Blazin' wings from BWW's are kind of pushing the limit of spicy for me. Not doing that again. I have never felt physical pain from spicy food other than those wings.
 
Beer can be amazingly complex, seems silly to only chase after unbalanced single note beers. I love super hoppy beers and I think they have their place but it's only a small part of what I drink.
 
i like a lot of hops at the end of the boil and weighted down in a bag at the bottom of the kegs. not really a bitter guy but do like the aroma.
 
Honestly, to my taste, IPA is one of the least interesting beers, not that I
I dislike it, cause I do crave a couple every once in a while, but they are just too simple on taste and mouthfeel. Usually dominated by high aa hops, you pick your favorite, with unimpressive variations in malt character. Pretty easy to brew as well...
 
I started the Farmhouse Pale Ale project in hopes of getting to know my hops better. I'm going to do 20 single hopped beers, I got 2 done. I thought I could bang out at least 5-6 in a row, got to 2 had to make a mild. Then the Dunkleweizen got in the way and now the Roggen is coming.

I have to agree I like hops as much as anyone but there does seem to be a bit of over use going on (IMO). I also think alcohol content is sometimes a little higher than it needs to be. I wish more pub/bars would sign onto the The Session Beer Project, http://sessionbeerproject.blogspot.com/. Would make drinking at the bar a little easier and worry free for my wife. Sorry tangent!
 
The two things that are out of control, hopzilla and Imperial everything.
Again, I love a good IPA or an Imperial Stout, but we always get caught up in trends till we take it to far.
 
"Oaked", "Bourbon", and "Barrel Aged" beers aren't out of control?

Depends. In my little corner of the world, I don't have trouble finding beer that is NOT bourbon or "barrel aged".
Trying to find a new well balanced brew to try? Needle in a hay stack.
 
I feel like I should clarify my opinion.

I have an issue with the over hopping trend that commercial "craft" brewers are caught up in. My singular issue is that it affects the kind of beer available for me to purchase.

I don't care if a home brewer wants ten lbs of hops in their brew. Brew what you like. That's why I'm not bothered by the bourbon barrel trend. It hasn't affected my beer options.
 
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.

strange, I thought the 2011 was sweet compared to the 2010, so much so that I decided to age them because I wasn't getting any bitterness anyways.
 
i agree with the OP. i used to hate ipas. i actually like them now. but i hate that the majority of new beers i see are ipas. or dry hopped this and that. don't get me wrong, the beers are good, i just want some variety.
 
40watt said:
I feel like I should clarify my opinion.

I have an issue with the over hopping trend that commercial "craft" brewers are caught up in. My singular issue is that it affects the kind of beer available for me to purchase.

I don't care if a home brewer wants ten lbs of hops in their brew. Brew what you like. That's why I'm not bothered by the bourbon barrel trend. It hasn't affected my beer options.

I didn't really see that kind of trend around where I go for commercial crafts, but they wouldn't do that if there was no demand for it. That's what hop lovers look for, and according to a previous poll here, most people are brewing IPAs than anything else by far! Just not my thing though.
 
Thanks to the OP for this, and yes, Bigfoot tastes like stomach bile. I love hops and probably overhop every style of beer compared to the "traditional" style, but I dont think I could tell the difference between two american IPAs to save my life. No malt backbone, maybe a bit of caramel, and cascade, cascade, cascade.

If Double Bastard isn't hoppy enough for you, I think your tongue must be broken.
 
It's like the Amarillo hop. It's a really nice Cascade variety of hop...unless you use six ounces every step of the process. No wonder they are in short supply.
 

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