I am sort of a hop head. I do enjoy some of the extreme beers like Pliny the Elder and Dogfishhead 60 Minute IPA. I even brew clones of these from time to time. However, I enjoy a wide variety of beers. I like thick, syrupy dopplebocks, British milds, belgian lambics, and most other styles.
I love the variety out there. The extreme hoppiness right now is just a passing fad like the infatuation with Cascade hops a few years ago. Imperial IPA's are here to stay, but the obsession with them by brewers will fade. Some other "extreme" will gain popularity in its place for awhile.
The emphasis on heavy hopping rates and "imperial" styles right now is primarily a part of the backlash against the bland, flavorless light American lagers that the marketing departments of the big three brewing companies have been trying to brainwash us into believing that are the only beers worth drinking. While these beers are quality brews in their own right, the emphasis on their production is driven by the accounting departments of those breweries not by the brewing departments. The light lagers are cheap to produce and the profit margins are high. The alcohol percentage is kept low so consumers will buy and drink more bottles/cans per drinking session, further driving sales up. The job of the marketing department is then to "educate" the public that these are the only types of beer we should like and drink. The brew scene in the U.S. is the laughing stock of the rest of the world. It has only been in the last few years since the beginning of the craft beer movement that we are starting to get some credibility back.
Back more on topic, we need all the varieties of beer. Diversity is what makes sampling beers an interesting, enjoyable adventure.
Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company