Are you a Hop Head?

[Ryanh1801]

I think I turned into a hop head over the last few months, every time im at a micro I end up just drinking there IPA's. Guess its that time to brew my own.

 

[Bulldog5874]

I'm just now getting into the IPA scene, but with mixed feelings. there is a lot of overhopping going on from the standpoint of the ibu's not balancing out the malts and abv. Dogfish head 90 minute imp. ipa was the beer that turned me on to big ipa's . the ibu's are up there but it has the malt flavor to balance.

So in my opinion, i wont go for a high ibu beer unless it has the high abv which denotes a good malty presence........... i'm gonna get some dfh 90 min. today

 

[paranode]

At certain times I can enjoy it (usually after a few other beers or with certain foods) but in general I don't like hoppy beers. They usually just taste too grassy and bitter to me and I have to force myself to take the next sip.

 

[BierMuncher]

...So in my opinion, i wont go for a high ibu beer unless it has the high abv which denotes a good malty presence...

I wanted the maltiness and high hop flavor, but wanted to get a 5% brew. My Maltese Falcon has about 15% Belgium Aromatic in the grain bill so I can get that up front malt and with an IBU of about 55, stay within the guidlines of bitterness.

It worked out very well and this has taken over my Nierra Sevada as a house (hoppy) favorite.

 

[Bosh]

I like strong-tasting beers. Pretty much any kind of strong flavor is OK, but I generally prefer dark chocolate-ish flavors the most.

 

[Danny013]

Not too big on the hops, myself. I like a nice and sweet malt flavor with some hops to balance it out, but still on the malty side. An Irish Red is the perfect beer for me.

However, I bought a 12'er of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (gasp! I know, I need to brew more - it was research, I promise!) - I had one and was disappointed because all I could taste was hop bitterness. However, after I worked on the rest of them over a week or 2 the hop bitterness began to fade while the 'grapefruit' flavor came to the forefront and I could taste a hint of malt, and I actually was enjoying them.

Does this mean I am becoming better at picking out the flavors (something I am not very good at) or is the bitterness growing on me?

I saw some DFH 60 the other day, maybe I'll be adventurous and give it a try...

 

[Bugeaterbrewing]

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

 

[uniconfis]

I love hops. The more IPA's I drink the better they get. It was definitely an acquired taste though. The first IPA I had gave me the feeling of chewing on tree bark. But after time I have learned to love the bitterness.