anybody else annoyed with the whole IPA craze?

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Qhrumphf said:
I was getting tired of absolutely every style of beer being crammed into a bourbon barrel.
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this.

Qhrumphf said:
Me personally? I'm waiting for English styles to be a trend. I haven't found many US brewers to do English styles right. US-brewed Belgian-styled beers are very common (around here at least), and often very good. But I have yet to find many breweries to routinely do good traditional English ale. It's always an Americanized interpretation and they never pull it off right. English Brown Ale with Citra? Yeah, uh, no thanks. Of course, the Brits are mimicking the Americans and beginning to use more of the American hops, so perhaps I'm just dragging my feet and trying to stop the sands of time.
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And that. I love English beers. But it seems like most American interpretations are nowhere near the bar set by English equivalents. I've never had an American ESB anywhere near as good as a Brit one. Doesn't even taste remotely the same.
 
Ridire said:
IPA's have made craft beer legit. I love variety and drink all kinds of beers, but IPA is what put good beer on the map.
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I think this statement alone shows the problem with the IPA boom. I don't want to be mean, and I even appreciate a good IPA but the fact that someone would credit the boom of good craft beer to one specific beer type is ridiculous. And it proves the ridiculousness that is the IPA fad. Only a hop head would ever make a claim like this. You'd never hear a wheat addict say this about wheats, or a stout lover say it about stouts. All good beer put good beer on the map. And to credit it to one beer style is an insult to the passion of everyone on this forum.
 
I feel (just from what I have experienced) that IPAs are what the newbs judge micros on nowadays.... Who has the best IPA. Who has the hoppiest. Your average IPA is now a IIPA it seems like. That might be an exageration but not far from the truth. Honestly, I quit brewing hoppy beers for over a year and caught flack from it from people. I really dug into European beers and loved it. Yes, I can brew a hoppy pale or wheat, but I wanted to perfect a weissbier, a witbier, sours, English browns, etc.

I love hoppy beers, but its not the end all/be all. I judge a place on their beer, not a style they nail... If someone can do a solid IPA, great. But if they cant hit other styles as well, its a no-go in my book
 
My biggest issue with the IPA craze is that there are a crapload of bad ones out there. It is almost as if a lot of them just start with a bad beer and add a metric ton of hops to it and call it an IPA. Its almost as if the brewers are more concerned with what IBU they can get to with no regard to the base of the beer.
 
What "IPA" craze? I don't think their is one. There is a craft beer "craze" (if you want to call it that), but not an IPA craze. If your store sells mostly only IPAs then you're shopping at the wrong place. But I'm willing to bet that once you honestly look around (take pictures and post them here) you'll see that IPAs do not account for 4/10 beers on the shelf.

IPA is one of the more popular American styles. So yes, you'll see more of it on the shelves. American hops have made a serious mark on the map of craft beer. They have contributed a unique flavor and taste that was really never there before. Pale Ale and IPAs have been re-defined as styles. There is a distinct difference between an American west coast IPA and a British IPA. Same with Pale Ale. The variety is great, and also explains why you hear "there are so many bad, unbalanced IPAs out there", which translates usually to "I prefer more malty beer".

Yes, there are poorly made IPAs out there. But no more so than any other style. It just gets exaggerated because some people who love west coast IPAs may "hate" any other version they taste (like myself) and vice-versa.

I'll also add this: no brewer just "dumps" a bunch of hops in an IPA because they want to jump on the bandwagon. The reason so many breweries are making IPAs is because they believe they can sell it because they know so many people like it. Who the hell cares if you're not one of them? They may make a bad IPA but it's more likely due to poor process than it is the decision to use a lot of hops. Their other bees are likely also not good.
 
geoffey said:
What "IPA" craze? I don't think their is one. There is a craft beer "craze" (if you want to call it that), but not an IPA craze. If your store sells mostly only IPAs then you're shopping at the wrong place. But I'm willing to bet that once you honestly look around (take pictures and post them here) you'll see that IPAs do not account for 4/10 beers on the shelf.

IPA is one of the more popular American styles. So yes, you'll see more of it on the shelves. American hops have made a serious mark on the map of craft beer. They have contributed a unique flavor and taste that was really never there before. Pale Ale and IPAs have been re-defined as styles. There is a distinct difference between an American west coast IPA and a British IPA. Same with Pale Ale. The variety is great, and also explains why you hear "there are so many bad, unbalanced IPAs out there", which translates usually to "I prefer more malty beer".

Yes, there are poorly made IPAs out there. But no more so than any other style. It just gets exaggerated because some people who love west coast IPAs may "hate" any other version they taste (like myself) and vice-versa.

I'll also add this: no brewer just "dumps" a bunch of hops in an IPA because they want to jump on the bandwagon. The reason so many breweries are making IPAs is because they believe they can sell it because they know so many people like it. Who the hell cares if you're not one of them? They may make a bad IPA but it's more likely due to poor process than it is the decision to use a lot of hops. Their other bees are likely also not good.
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If a place stocks 3/10(a realistic amount from what I have seen my way) beers as an IPA thats a 30% IPA beer stock level. If one takes into account lagers taking up another 30%, then you are looking at 40% for every other style of beer out there.

Simply put if a store stocks 100 different brands of beer(a fairly good amount) 60 of them will be lagers or IPA's. Realistically if there is a 50% good to bad ratio of IPA/lager then there are almost as many bad IPA/lager as there are other brands of beer.
 
kurds_2408 said:
All good beer put good beer on the map. And to credit it to one beer style is an insult to the passion of everyone on this forum.
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While I agree that IPA's are not what made craft beer legit, your statement goes to the opposite extreme of overstatement. It's hard to pinpoint what style beer brought craft to where it is today, but I'd give a nod to APA's like SNPA.

But it is safe to say that the hipsters have pushed IPA over the top. It will pass and then I can go back to drinking my IPA's without looking like one of them.
 
Not at all, maybe you need to find a better bottle shop! I for one am annoyed with posts similar to this one crying about one type of beer or another. It's beer by god, drink and be happy.
 
clintandhisbeer said:
First things first, I enjoy an IPA from time to time but the industry is being overly consumed by it... I went to one of the local beer stores earlier and decided I would turn away from the Belgian part of the store and try to find some Belgian style beers in the american beer section to save some money... Well after walking down the two ailes it seemed like all I saw was "IPA" "double IPA" "imperial IPA" and so on and so on... It kind of annoyed me that the market has become pretty much nothing but IPA... I saw the section for green flash and 4 out of the 5 beers they had were IPA, the other being a black ale, which I'm sure had a big stack of hops... I don't understand why IPA has gotten this big, a lot of the time they come completely unbalanced with overloaded hops and little malt profile.. I personally think Belgian beers are the best styles but since they don't have 100 IBUs they get little attention... Smh so many closed minded people
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Wow lol. I thought I was the only one left in America that had gotten over loaded with all the IPA craze. I have to agree with you. And, if I may add to that observation is all the speciality aged beers going into bourbon barrels. What happened to just good old barrel aged beers that were allowed to be their own flavor without stealing from a totally different fermentation process?
 
Yo !!! I'm with you, it's true, the marketing is overshooting the dad that is subsiding. I like a few IPA's myself and I am a BIG Belgian dark quad lover, but,all breweries are try to get their share of money from the taste testers out there. That's good business. So, the Market floods. But, imo, people have gravitated back towards the STYLE they crave deep down �� Like us Belgian Quad fans.
 
brettg20 said:
Will never get tired of IPA's...I am getting tired of fruity beers but that's the great thing about beer...there is no right or wrong
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You hit it right on the nose! I personally love the fact that now I can go to my local liquor store and it will take me a half hour to pick something out. I agree that IPA's are the abundance of the selection but I love IPA's, so I can literally try something new almost every time I go. If you like belgians, which I do too, talk to the store owner and express that to him or her. They will probably be glad to order whatever you want. If they won't... Brew your own. This is a home brew forum after all.
 
I keep hearing they the store I shop at sucks but honestly it carries a nice selection of of different breweries... Okay let me back pedal a bit, the store does have some Belgian style domestics but its all in bombers.. I guess I would like to see more 4packs/6packs... I don't expect to see a quad or a sour in that packaging but it would be nice to see more saisons, dubbels, triples blondes ect... Along with other styles not in the Belgian category
 
sandyeggoxj said:
I'm annoyed by all the choices these days. Back in the day I could just go buy a regular old beer. Now I have to choose. I miss the good ole days when it was just the big 3. :(
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I hear that... I used to tell the wife I was just going to run and get beer, 5 mins, boom, done.

Now I tell her I'm going to the liquor store, and she doesn't expect me back for at least a half an hour.
 
I've been hunting as many different IPAs as I could for years. The recent explosion is awesome. I still stick to my favorite which is Stone IPA. I've been adventuring the world of stouts recently and planning one for my next brew day. I'm pretty stoked about it
 
leightonp said:
I've been hunting as many different IPAs as I could for years. The recent explosion is awesome. I still stick to my favorite which is Stone IPA. I've been adventuring the world of stouts recently and planning one for my next brew day. I'm pretty stoked about it
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Right on brotha! Stone IPA is a great beer, they pioneered the way for the style.. I just picked up a victory - wild devil... Its an IPA with Brett yeast, pretty freaking tastey :)
 
IPAs are not my go-to style. I'll try almost anything else from a brewery before I try their IPA. I've never brewed an IPA. I do enjoy them, I just hate getting hit over the head with hops, hops, and more hops. There are definitely some out of balance IPAs that breweries are producing just to see how hoppy they can get a beer.

Here's what makes me mad: my wife and I went to a relatively nice restaurant awhile ago, where of the seven craft beers on the menu, five were IPAs. I don't remember what they were. That was really a tipping point for me. There are just too many good beers out there for that to happen.
 
I just finished kegging my black IPA, Darth Muerto. Of course I sampled. Delicious as usual.
 
MaddBaggins said:
I just finished kegging my black IPA, Darth Muerto. Of course I sampled. Delicious as usual.
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I just finished bottling an IPA I brewed several weeks ago. Have to say that, for personal tastes, I nailed it. Tastes good, even before bottling.
 
I don't understand cellaring at all. I buy and brew beer to drink it, not yo sit on it for a year. I'm sure my opinion will change.
 
I keep some big beers and sours. They get wonderful with age. But i wouldn't do it with a hop forward beer and expect the hops to last. This is a stupid marketing gimmick on Stone's part that exemplifies what's wrong with the IPA trend.

That's my 2c at least.
 
I understand the concept. I collect Irish whiskey and store it away and I know wine people do the same. I also know home brewed stouts usually don't hit their peaks until around 8 months or more in some cases. I just have little patience with most beers for some reason. If it's a special event like a wedding or milestone birthday or something I am breaking out the whiskey.
 
Ridire said:
IPA's have made craft beer legit. I love variety and drink all kinds of beers, but IPA is what put good beer on the map.
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Gotta disagree. Bottle conditioned Pale Ale put good beer on the map.

That said, I friggin LOVE IPAs....and APAs....and almost every other style. The more variety within a style the better, if you ask me.

:)
 
I just picked up some Ballast Point Habanero Sculpin and Hop Concept Dank & Sticky IPA (Hop Freshener Series)

...you mad?
 
In my opinion IPAs are great beer, but the double & triple IPAs are absurd. If I wanted sour grapefruit I wouldn't buy beer. But even if you make extract you can tailor your beer to a profile I like. If I think a recipe has too much hops I cut it back and save it for a brew that does not have enough, or use it for a home-made kit.
For instance I love British ales and after making a lot of them I know about what goes in them. But I like them at about 5.5% so I usually buy extra DME . A few grains some DME and the right hops and boom - very similar British ale !!

I bought an extra large nylon bag and has allowed me to use up to 4 .25 pounds of grain. This gives me lots of flexibility in my kits.
 
leightonp said:
I understand the concept. I collect Irish whiskey and store it away and I know wine people do the same. I also know home brewed stouts usually don't hit their peaks until around 8 months or more in some cases. I just have little patience with most beers for some reason. If it's a special event like a wedding or milestone birthday or something I am breaking out the whiskey.
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Whiskey does not improve with age once it's in the bottle... The barrel is where all real "aging" takes place with whiskey.

H.W.
 
There are almost no IPAs made in the US.......The ales that represent themselves as IPAs are usually way over the top in IBUs as compared to true IPA. They also tend to use hops that are completely inappropriate for a true IPA.

While I like many of the so called IPAs, I recognize that the name is mis-applied. It's time we came up with a suitable name.... American Bitter Ale for example. Many American so called IPAs have triple digit IBUs. Original IPA IBUs would be in the 40 or 50 range, not 90 to 150. Neither is high citrus grapefruit flavor in any way related to IPA. Hops like Fuggles and Goldings are what would have been in a real IPA..... the big C hops didn't even exist.

IBU might be a name that would better describe the product.......


H.W.
 
Owly055 said:
There are almost no IPAs made in the US.......The ales that represent themselves as IPAs are usually way over the top in IBUs as compared to true IPA. They also tend to use hops that are completely inappropriate for a true IPA.

While I like many of the so called IPAs, I recognize that the name is mis-applied. It's time we came up with a suitable name.... American Bitter Ale for example. Many American so called IPAs have triple digit IBUs. Original IPA IBUs would be in the 40 or 50 range, not 90 to 150. Neither is high citrus grapefruit flavor in any way related to IPA. Hops like Fuggles and Goldings are what would have been in a real IPA..... the big C hops didn't even exist.

IBU might be a name that would better describe the product.......


H.W.
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I'd have to disagree that "many" American IPAs are in the triple digit IBUs.

I do agree on the concept though that there is an IBU shift to the upper echelon of style. Some places APAs are more of an IPA, and some places IPAs are more of a DIPA.
 
Natdavis777 said:
I'd have to disagree that "many" American IPAs are in the triple digit IBUs.

I do agree on the concept though that there is an IBU shift to the upper echelon of style. Some places APAs are more of an IPA, and some places IPAs are more of a DIPA.
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DIPA is an American term, and while triple digit is perhaps an exaggeration for American "IPAs", few of them fall in the IBU range of a true IPA which normally would be under 50, and few are built with the hops that would have been used in a true IPA. They really are ABAs.... American Bitter Ales.

H.W.
 
Owly055 said:
There are almost no IPAs made in the US.......The ales that represent themselves as IPAs are usually way over the top in IBUs as compared to true IPA. They also tend to use hops that are completely inappropriate for a true IPA.

While I like many of the so called IPAs, I recognize that the name is mis-applied. It's time we came up with a suitable name.... American Bitter Ale for example. Many American so called IPAs have triple digit IBUs. Original IPA IBUs would be in the 40 or 50 range, not 90 to 150. Neither is high citrus grapefruit flavor in any way related to IPA. Hops like Fuggles and Goldings are what would have been in a real IPA..... the big C hops didn't even exist.

IBU might be a name that would better describe the product.......


H.W.
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"Real" IPA has changed, that's all. The same way that Mild has changed. Pale Ale has changed. And English brewers are using new world hops too.

And frankly, historically, since we're playing that card, there isn't really a distinction between Pale Ale and IPA. Whatever the brewer felt like calling it is what the difference was. One day the SAME BEER from the SAME BREWERY would be called Pale Ale, the next day India Pale Ale (ok perhaps not the same day, but you get the point). And one brewery's Pale Ale would be substantially more highly hopped than another brewery's IPA.

And if you look at old recipes for Pale Ale and IPA, the amount of hops they used was insane. Now, I'm sure they hadn't bred up the alpha acids to levels like we see today, but the IBUs are very, very high.

Ron Pattinson. Read his work. Especially before you try to take beer history and throw it all out of context.
 
Example (from Ron Pattinson's recipe book for homebrewers on vintage English Ale). 1868 Tetley East India Pale Ale. Has an IBU rating of 146.
 

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