Sierra Nevada Pale Ale "Hoppiness"

I must admit, I love all beer, but have only tried Sierra Nevada in the recent months.

Upon first impression, I thought the bitterness was a bit too much for me... but I gotta say I'm starting to like it.

As reference for a newb like me... How would you guys rate Sierra Nevada's "Hoppiness"? I kinda find it a good balance, and can't imagine much more bitterness in a beer. Maybe I'll never be a "hophead?"

As per their site SNPA is right around 37 IBU's. It's an APA, which range from 20-40 IBU's, so it' on the high side you might say but there are way hoppier offerings out there. Go and buy a single of one of the Sierra Nevada Wet Hop Harvest and see if you like that, its about 65 IBU's.

Maybe it's not for you, but I bet it will grow on ya.

SNPA is pretty hoppy, particularly if you aren't used to that sort of thing. Keep in mind that it's just a pale ale, so those 37 IBUs go a long way. There are many beers that are much hoppier, though that doesn't mean they come across as a lot more bitter.

Talk about hops try dogfish heads 120 minute IPA!!!! OFF THE RICHTER!!!!

but the 120 isnt bitter at all

What would be a good example of a beer that is hoppy (or higher in IBU) but still well balanced and doesn't make you pucker when you drink it?

I think it's all perception- I think SNPA is a balanced beer. Kind of boring, in a way- neither hoppy nor bitter. But I think if you look at the IBU:SG ratio, you could determine what makes a beer bitter.

What I mean is, 39 IBUs in a 1.090 OG beer is nothing. But 39 IBUs in a 1.030 OG beer would be bitter. So, for a "balanced beer", you'd want to have the IBUs in line with the gravity of the beer. Software helps a lot with that- it helps when you calculate how "bitter" that beer is going to be.

Basically what I am trying to say is, that the more malt in a beer, the more hops you need to counter the malt sweetness. So, any number of beers can be balanced between the hops and malt. As far as a style that almost always shows balance, I think of American Amber. Neither malty, nor hoppy, but balanced.

Puckering is more an issue of astringency, or perhaps sourness. Maybe you just have to work your way up. Great Lakes Commodore Perry is a pretty hoppy but balanced IPA, IMO.

But I still say that what sets big hop bombs apart isn't their bitterness, it's their mass of hop flavor. It can turn you off at first. Stone Ruination was hard for me to drink at first, but it wasn't really the bitterness to blame.

Victory had the Yakima Twilight a little while back that was a double IPA but not super bitter. very well balanced and super dark. One of my all time favorites.

Well, maybe I'm not using the correct terms, but for example, the first time I had a Stone ABA, that first sip felt like I got smacked in the mouth. Not that it was technically "bitter" (in terms of astringency) but that is was like hop overload. The front of my tongue felt like it had a seizure and the after taste was consuming, but not necessarily in a good way. On the other hand, I tasted a very well balanced IPA at my local homebrewers club meeting last night that was quite hoppy, but didn't feel overloaded like the Stone ABA, as it was well balanced. The front of the tongue definitely noticed the hops, but there was enough malt to counteract it and leave my mouth feeling like it was not dying. I hope I'm making sense here.

I cannot get over how much I've learned in the month since I decided to get into HB'ing! Why, I never knew what hops or malt even were, or why certain beers taste the way they do. This is an instructive thread that caught my eye because we're talking about beer I know. So if it isn't straying or jacking the thread, may I ask...?

What is the distinctive taste I get out of New Belgium's Fat Tire? Good lord, I LOVE that beer. I'm guessing it's very malty, with little hoppiness to it. How would y'all describe it?

Definitely, the replies you guys have given me have been very helpful.

Since I don't really have any beer "connoisseur" friends, it's really hard for me to get to learn the intricacies of these new beers I'm tasting.

I just had two SNPA's... and I really do love this stuff now! The "hoppiness" that initially surprised me has now truly grown on me. I gotta try some of these other beers you guys are recommending...

You gotta try Dogfish Head 60 minute, if its available where you are. Then you can graduate to the 90 minute. Make sure its fresh though! I bought some 6 month old 90 min and it tasted like a strong Scottish. That's the problem with hoppy beers, the flavor can fade pretty fast.

I just drank a Summit Extra Pale Ale. Really nice hoppy flavor. Little more than SNPA.

jharres said:

What would be a good example of a beer that is hoppy (or higher in IBU) but still well balanced and doesn't make you pucker when you drink it?

Click to expand...

To me the best example of super gnarly hoppiness but good balance is boundary bay IPA. An amazing beer.

Try Dogfish Head 60 and 90 minutes. Widely available and highly regarded. Also, like I said earlier any of the Sierra Nevada Harvest Special Releases are really really tasty.

Hey shlongstar, where are you at? So Cal is a big place.

And once you get done with the Sierra Nevada, try the Stone IPA. I once thought that beer was a mouthful of hops, and now its a regular go-to.

Brewsmith said:

Hey shlongstar, where are you at? So Cal is a big place.

And once you get done with the Sierra Nevada, try the Stone IPA. I once thought that beer was a mouthful of hops, and now its a regular go-to.

Click to expand...

Haha, I just answered a PM asking the same question. I'm in Marina del Rey, but I put SoCal cause I figured most people on these boards outside of Cali wouldn't know where that was. I guess I'll change my profile

Which beer did you think was a mouthful of hops? The Sierra Nevada, or the Stone IPA?

The Stone. I love that beer. I tried it for the first time before I started brewing, maybe about 5-6 years ago. It was the first IPA I ever had. I remember it being grassy, very bitter, and wondering how anyone could ever like it.

I don't mind the Southern California thing, but when I see it, I wonder if they are local or not.

Welcome to the board. If the 405 wasn't always jammed, you'd be about 25 minutes away!

Where do you get a Stone out here anyway? I've never seen the majority of these beers listed... I'm assuming I won't find them at my local Ralphs or Albertsons.

Some grocery stores carry it. If there's a Pavilions or Bristol Farms, they probably have it. If not there has to be a Bevmo near you.

Good site to find beer bars and beer stores: BeerFly - BeerAdvocate's Travel Guide - BeerAdvocate

Pickup anything you can from Alesmith or Russian River... Stone should be relatively easy to find there too. Ballast Point and Pizza Port make great stuff too.

im only a 30min drive away hahah. having access to their brewery only limited beers is pretty sweet.

trying to find out if they use a conditioning yeast or something different than their brew yeast in the final product, i always have a 2L growler sitting around so im gonna try to culture their beers.

also, for a hoppy beer pushing the limit, id say hop juice, forgot the brewer but if you think ruination was hoppy this stuff is a step higher than ruination.

If you're in Marina Del Rey then you have to go to Father's Office in Santa Monica. They usually have Pliny on tap, and if you're going for an extremely well balanced hoppy beer, it's a definite standout in the category. Not to mention the rest of the list there is usually very well selected. Just make sure you go on an off night if you can, or at least early on a busy night, otherwise it quickly turns into standing room only.

magnj said:

Try Dogfish Head 60 and 90 minutes. Widely available and highly regarded. Also, like I said earlier any of the Sierra Nevada Harvest Special Releases are really really tasty.

Click to expand...

Bleh. I think 60 and 90 are overrated. So damn malty. Get something from our region as a comparison. Like the Alesmith IPA or the Green Flash West Coast. Dry, hoppy, and amazing. None of that cloying sweetness that really gets in the way. Dogfish Head is ok and all, but their IPAs are not on par with San Diego or even Russian River.

dude. san diego is the place to be for hoppy beers. Stone, Green Flash, port. Some of the best IPA's in the world I think are coming out of SD county right now.

heinz57 said:

If you're in Marina Del Rey then you have to go to Father's Office in Santa Monica. They usually have Pliny on tap, and if you're going for an extremely well balanced hoppy beer, it's a definite standout in the category.

Click to expand...

yes yes yes. Pliny is one of the best beers in the world.

nutcase said:

dude. san diego is the place to be for hoppy beers. Stone, Green Flash, port. Some of the best IPA's in the world I think are coming out of SD county right now.

Click to expand...

ALL of the best. Hands down. People just don't get it when they're from other places. If Ballast Point made more Sculpin, people would be crapping themselves to get a bottle. Amazing.

carnevoodoo said:

ALL of the best. Hands down. People just don't get it when they're from other places. If Ballast Point made more Sculpin, people would be crapping themselves to get a bottle. Amazing.

Click to expand...

Ive had some ballast pt beers but not the sculpin. What is it? an IPA or an imperial?

nutcase said:

Ive had some ballast pt beers but not the sculpin. What is it? an IPA or an imperial?

Click to expand...

IPA. I have a clone recipe upstairs and it is insane. It is definitely an IPA with a IIPA hop schedule. 3 oz. just in dry hop alone. It is a special release and it goes faster than they can make it. There are still a few bottles left in the county, I think. We had 3 of them at my house tonight. Ballast Point is incredibly underrated, but their special releases aren't distributed widely enough for people to get it.

carnevoodoo said:

ALL of the best. Hands down. People just don't get it when they're from other places. If Ballast Point made more Sculpin, people would be crapping themselves to get a bottle. Amazing.

Click to expand...

There is a very good reason I support the change of name from Imperial IPA to San Diego IPA, and I know I'm not the only one.

heinz57 said:

There is a very good reason I support the change of name from Imperial IPA to San Diego IPA, and I know I'm not the only one.

Click to expand...

You aren't. I would actually be happy if it was changed to West Coast IPA. San Diego might be too specific, what with Russian River being in Nor Cal and starting technically right outside of San Diego.

carnevoodoo said:

IPA. I have a clone recipe upstairs and it is insane. It is definitely an IPA with a IIPA hop schedule. 3 oz. just in dry hop alone. It is a special release and it goes faster than they can make it. There are still a few bottles left in the county, I think. We had 3 of them at my house tonight. Ballast Point is incredibly underrated, but their special releases aren't distributed widely enough for people to get it.

Click to expand...

wow. thats alot of dry hop. next time I'm in SD my mission will be to find some sculpin

Could you possibly post or pm me the clone recipe sometime?

carnevoodoo said:

You aren't. I would actually be happy if it was changed to West Coast IPA. San Diego might be too specific, what with Russian River being in Nor Cal and starting technically right outside of San Diego.

Click to expand...

west coast would be good. i've lived in soCAl, norcal and now washington state and I have to say that there are some pretty damn good BIG IPA's in the northern part of the west coast too.

carnevoodoo said:

You aren't. I would actually be happy if it was changed to West Coast IPA.

Click to expand...

I'd have no problem getting behind that.

When I said I'm not the only one, I just meant that I'd read that commercial brewers feel the same.

Take Garrett Oliver for example, or even the fact that this article credits Vinny himself with the style.

Man, this thread really makes me realize how much more beer there is out there to try! I definitely need to look outside of Ralphs

heinz57 said:

If you're in Marina Del Rey then you have to go to Father's Office in Santa Monica. They usually have Pliny on tap, and if you're going for an extremely well balanced hoppy beer, it's a definite standout in the category. Not to mention the rest of the list there is usually very well selected. Just make sure you go on an off night if you can, or at least early on a busy night, otherwise it quickly turns into standing room only.

Click to expand...

I somehow skipped over this post directed towards me.

I have been wanting to go to Father's Office for some time because it's literally recommended to me on a monthly basis. Must be good stuff! I hear their burgers are really good too.

I'm always given the usual "go when it's an off night" warning as well, which is probably why I haven't had time to go check it out yet!

IMHO,

DFH 90 min is a great beer to try. I know they get a lot of perhaps excess credit, but to my tastes it's a perfect example of how malt can balance hops and vice versa. Yes, DFH IPA's are malty, but to me the usage of malts with high IBUs is a major difference in IPA's that could warrant a better classification/naming system.

There's a trend for more hops (bitterness, flavor, aroma) and malts are only used to keep the beer drinkable...but the star is the hops. Many west coast beers are in this camp. Then there's another style that I think DFH 90 is in where the malt and hops are co-stars...it's not about just showing the beer world that my hops are bigger than your hops...it's about crafting a balance. One where the complexity of the malt is as important as the hops. For instance, when I drink a 90 minute I get the amarillo and simcoe (a great hop combo) but I also experience a distinct mellow sweetness and a nuttiness that just adds an extreme sense of depth.

Garrett Oliver has also said that he is not a fan of the more hops for the sake of more hops trend. I like those beers too...sometimes it's great to be knocked over by the hops. But it's kind of like being a pastry chef and trying to be innovative by adding more and more sugar...at some point you need to add more dough.

Maybe we could have Imperial IPA (big time hops) and Pastoral IPA (seeking balance).

A few I've had recently that I recommend trying:
-Rogue Frog Rye IPA
-Victory Yakima Twilight (had it on cask...looks like a brown, tastes like heaven)
-Ninkasi Tricerahops
-DFH 90 minute
-Southern Tier Unearthly

The whole problem with the "West Coast" (Stone, AleSmith, Pilney...) vs. "East Coast" (60 min, 90 min) debate is that no one on either side of the country has access to good examples of the bottles. I've heard stories of Stone beer in TX tasting sweet and stale. Until recently, the only way I could get a DFH beer was if one of you guys sent it to me. IPAs do not travel well at all and all of the hop character gets ruined very quickly. It's the reason that I have to look far and wide just to get Pliney thats made in my state. Vinnie won't ship it if it's not going to be handled right.

I say we settle the debate at the NHC this year. Everybody bring your favorite local IPA and we'll do a side by side tasting.

If your liking SNPA, try the Celebration Ale as well. IMO it is very hoppy and very tasty. i would imagine it's available to you down south. Also try the other Seasonal ale. Anniversary ale and ESB are both very tasty and hoppy. In the summer they put out Summerfest which is one of their more mellow beers, it's a lager actually. Go check their website out if you haven't already, they put out a pretty good list of ingredients for each beer along with IBU's and gravity.