Help me like IPAs...

[BrettFitz]

I like your plan of brewing a two hearted clone. Its an easy beer to make, and you can start tweaking the recipe after the very first one. Try different bittering hops, OR different finishing hops, but since you are still "iffy" on hops overall, don't do both. Maybe you can isolate exactly what you do/don't like about them.

Once you have your personal best IPA dialed in, screw the commercially available stuff! This is why we brew - to find out our own personal preferences, then make beer that we enjoy.

Me personally - I've been trying to dry that clone out a bit by adding a touch of honey. Also just modified it with different hops and added a bit of juniper berries (and honey at f/o, and primed with honey, and used honey malt). Obviously I've strayed quite a bit from the original clone, which I plan on getting back to next batch just to see how it stacks up to some of my variations. Right now a Bell's Hopslam clone is bubbling it's little heart out. Can't wait for that one.

Good luck and good brewing-
Brett

 

[wile]

I am going to respond directly to the question - (to help you like IPAs).

IPAs (APAs) are my favorite beer style by far. Until recently, I found it extremely frustrating that my wife didn't like them because I really wanted to brew them a lot and clone my favorite beers. She is now converted, and I have since converted two more non-IPA people.

Basically, I suggested that you don't taste the full balance flavor of an IPA if you just sip it - you really taste a lot more of the bitter, and less of the malt sweetness. Of course, people who are apprehensive of IPAs will do just that every time.

I convinced my wife to take a big swig of it and after one weekend, she was sold. The same was true for the other two people (and it wasn't inebriation, I swear). I'm not saying that all IPAs are the same - I'm actually very picky. I happen to really like APAs because of the hop varieties, even if they are very bitter. I don't so much like British IPAs and I really don't like Amarillo hops in any quantity.

Anyway - best of luck, and if you still don't like them, no biggie.

 

[eastoak]

the first time i tried a bottle of pliny i spit it out and gave the other bottle away to my neighbor. now i love hoppy and bitter, SNPA is like budweiser to me now - who knows how and when the shift can happen.

 

[mredge73]

torpedo sierra nevada

Torpedo is great. It is not as harsh as most IPAs.

 

[thekage]

Again thanks for all the awesome replies. I'm just stoked that my second thread on HBT goes 5 pages! WooHoo

 

[two_hearted]

Lots of truths spoken here. For one, two hearted IS the best IPA. You should brew it, drink it and love it. I have also recently fallen head over heals for a good, balanced English style IPA. I'm a fan of Great lakes Commodore Perry. Hop bombs are fun, but more delicate...nay, balanced IPAs are amazing too.

Hop bursting is also a great way to make a "hoppy" beer that is not overly bitter. Skimp (or skip) out on a bittering addition and toss all of your hops in at 10 min, 5 min and flame out. If you like two hearted, check out Racer 5 IPA. Its very similar and very delicious.

 

[thekage]

Lots of truths spoken here. For one, two hearted IS the best IPA.

Your name leads me to believe you might be slightly biased....

 

[mewithstewpid]

Lots of truths spoken here. For one, two hearted IS the best IPA. You should brew it, drink it and love it. I have also recently fallen head over heals for a good, balanced English style IPA. I'm a fan of Great lakes Commodore Perry. Hop bombs are fun, but more delicate...nay, balanced IPAs are amazing too.

Hop bursting is also a great way to make a "hoppy" beer that is not overly bitter. Skimp (or skip) out on a bittering addition and toss all of your hops in at 10 min, 5 min and flame out. If you like two hearted, check out Racer 5 IPA. Its very similar and very delicious.

oh yeah racer 5 is amazing!

i had it recently at the american craft beer fest in boston and was totally blown away. i could easily see myself drinking that beer all day and not getting bored with it.



and OP, just a little advice i have learned form past experience: change your posts-per page to view 40 at a time. it will save you a lot of clicking back and forth.

to do this, click my account at the top right of the page, then click edit forum options, fourth from the bottom. from there scroll down about 3/4 of the way and change number of posts to show per page to 40.

or course this is personal preference but i have found it very helpful

 

[drives_a_bike]

It took me a long time to like IPAs and now it's by far my favorite beer! I didnt constantly try to make myself like it either...there was a point when I was 21 years old and I tried a Summit EPA and spit it out. THAT was too hoppy for me...then a few years back a buddy had me try Surly Furious and I've never gone back (I'm 31 now). I personally think Odell's IPA and Sierra Nevada Torpedo have the best finishes when it comes to IPA, but I also love Surly Furious, Bells Two Hearted, and Crow Peak's 11th Hour IPA.

If you want something close to Two Hearted, Northern Brewer has a pseudo clone called Dead Ringer IPA, I'd say buy that kit and dry hop it for a little extra oomf!

 

[jkendal]

You can call me a wuss or what ever, I don't care. I just can't get over the real hoppiness of IPAs. Anything past like a 55-60 IBU rating and I just can't do it. I pucker up like the old bitter beer face..
The problem is I really want to like IPAs. I get one all the time to see if I will like it and I never do. The only exception is Bells 2 Hearted Ale, but it's right in that 50 range, which is low for an IPA, it tastes more like an Amber Ale to me.

Beers I love are usually Bitters, especially Fuller's ESB, I love Amber ales, and darker stouts and porters.

Can you give me a recipe for something like a beginners IPA - something just like one step past Bells 2 Hearted. Kind of like dipping your leg in the pool before you jump in..

I find that life is too short to drink beer you don't like. That's why I brew my own.....

 

[thekage]

So I had a Sierra Nevada Torpedo last night... it wasn't horrible. It was actually quite nice.