Does Anyone Else Dislike Hops?

[DirtyJersey]

For many years now, it seems the "cool crowd" has leaned towards IPA's, double IPA's, and other highly hopped beers. I've tried everything under the sun, and I just don't like hoppy beer. In fact, when brewing at home, I don't necessarily care for the smell of fresh hops. (I don't dislike the smell, but it's not overly-appealing to me)

I guess I'm in the minority, but I just don't like hops. Give me a big malty beer with low level hops, and I'm good.

Anyone with me?

 

[cheier]

To each their own. I could down a 6 pack of DFH 60 Minute IPA, or Wild Rose IPA without issue, but my dad has a problem with the bitterness and hoppiness. While 60M is the top selling beer for DFH, Velvet Fog and Wraspberry Ale are by far Wild Rose Breweries top two.

To me, an IPA is an obviously unique beer style, and interesting in that it is easy to get wrong and hard to get right, but a good IPA is well balanced in bitterness, aroma. I've had overly bitter as well as overly aromatic, but trying out others interpretation of an IPA tends to be half the fun. I also would classify myself as a "hop head" too. But as I said in my initial sentence, "to each their own".

 

[GodsStepBrother]

Indeed, I am a malt man myself. The majority of my brews are all browns, porters, stouts, barely wines. But I wouldnt go as far as to say I hate hops! I do love IPA's. Just not as much as stouts.

(There is tons of these threads, people arguing about malt or hops).

 

[DirtyJersey]

Agreed. To each their own. I'm just surprised at the unusual looks and comments I get when I tell someone I don't like hops. I have nothing against hop heads, I just wish they would join me for a low-level hopped brown ale!

 

[Hermit]

It may be genetic. One night my son told me he was going to 'stick' me with a bitter beer he didn't like. It was a Leffe! I could taste the hops, but I didn't find it bitter. Overall, I prefer malty beers. I'm not starting to lean towards mashing high for the malt flavor and adjusting the FG with some invert sugar.

 

[weirdboy]

Did you ever think that maybe hops dislike YOU?

Maybe you should try an extending an olive branch. Then the bines can catch on and grow all over it.

 

[jwheelz]

I enjoy a good IPA from time to time, but my prefered taste is on the malty side.

I Just brewed up a scotish ale that I was able to crack into this week. It was my favorite creation yet! almost no hop detection at all, just all sweet, malty goodness! It was divine if I do say so myself

 

[SKMO]

I bet you like hops and don't even know it. Hops at a minimum balance the sweet unfermentables. Your "non-hoppy" beer that you like probably has some bitterness on the front end you do not appreciate or recognize. Bet your favorite beer would be pretty thick sweet without some hops.

Might be wrong, but .......

 

[BrewThruYou]

I guess I'm in the minority, but I just don't like hops. Anyone with me?

No. Get out of here.

 

[Airborneguy]

I wouldn't say I "hate" hops. I'll try IPA's from time to time, but never realyl choose them. My limit is about at SNPA. I actually am slightly bothered by them when I am brewing, which has always made me wonder if I am slightly allergic to them.

My favorite styles of beer are Vienna LAger and Dopplebock, so my preference is plainly obvious.

 

[BrewDocND]

I know some people who don't like hops. they're called women.

Ha. just kidding. Everyone has their own tastes. I'm lukewarm on stouts and porters, and love hop bombs.

 

[ultravista]

DirtyJersey, I am on-board with you. I like mild hops but not a over-hopped beer.

I find Rogue Dead Guy and Dogfish Head Indian Brown not hoppy, while others say both are hopped-up.

I tried the Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, that was far over the top. I like the flavor of Lagunitas Brown Shugga but hate the hops. I won't buy that again.

 

[KevinM]

Everyone has different tastes. I prefer a darker, less hopped stout as well. I may actually try making some beers without hops, using different flavorings instead. We have refridgeration so I'm not really worried about using hops for preservation. But like SKMO said, the bitterness generally balances the sweetness, but some people can use different bittering herbs, spices and such.

Not to say I don't like hops though on occasion.

 

[jer204]

My brother calls IPAs "foot beer"... because he thinks they taste like foot.
If everyone liked the same thing, there would only be one kind of beer.

 

[sprocketmaker]

As a self proclaimed hop head, I must say sir, your post topic disturbs me... anyone in need of hop or hoppy beer disposal, give me a call.

 

[munche]

My girlfriend and I are both hopheads, and sometimes we share a bit of our beer with the girls from her work.

"Oh my god, it tastes like POISON!"

So yeah, not everyone likes hops.

 

[KevinW]

I loves me some hops but more for flavor and aroma then for bitterness. I prefer to offset the high IBU's with maltiness more than hoppiness.

But that is what I like!

Brewing without hops is a great idea and may produce some awesome brews, good luck!

 

[Beard]

I like hoppy beer and i'm not a huge fan of malty beer. But its not odd that people lean to one style or another.

 

[YNOT2K]

i think "well balanced" is the key. too much of anything is a bad thing.




yes, even hops.

 

[Montanaandy]

Love hoppy beers although my palate goes through hop fatigue if I am drinking a 100 IBU IIPA night after night for a while. When this happens I switch styles until the hop craving returns (which it always does). Montanaandy

 

[two_hearted]

No!

 

[gregpio85]

I bet you like hops and don't even know it. Hops at a minimum balance the sweet unfermentables. Your "non-hoppy" beer that you like probably has some bitterness on the front end you do not appreciate or recognize. Bet your favorite beer would be pretty thick sweet without some hops.

Might be wrong, but .......

Agreed. A beer that's all hop bitterness is a bit overboard. It's all about balance.
You Get a wheaty, toasty, malty profile and balance that with a huge citrusy floral hop aroma and taste with a leveled bitterness and you've got a world class beer.

 

[cricky101]

I love hops but my girlfriend doesn't. Sometimes I wonder about our food choices, too, and the correlation. She doesn't like spicy food and likes sweet things like soda and candy. I don't eat candy or drink sugary soda and love spicy food and things like salt-and-vinegar potato chips. And I loves me a hoppy beer! (although I do enjoy malty beers, too).

 

[Zamial]

I love beer. I love hops. I love malty non-hoppy beers. I do not judge you by your IBUs.

 

[Dr_Gordon_Freeman]

I hate IPAs and other over hopped beers.

 

[JMSetzler]

My preferences lean towards the malt complexity as well. I do like hoppy beers but when a choice is available I lean towards the malts. My favorite hoppy beers are ones that have a huge malt backbone behind them like Arrogant Bastard and Double Bastard.

 

[mattmcl]

I don't mind the taste of hoppy beers per se, but they bother my stomach. Some of the uber-hopped stuff out there now is just way too much though. Gimme stouts, porters, browns, etc. anyday.

 

[Golddiggie]

I have zero love for IPA's and their ilk... Git yer HOPS outtah my YERD! [bango music playing in the background]...

I do like some hops in my brews, to give it some balance, but I also tend to lean more towards a malty brew. I also like bigger brews... I do understand that having some hops in there helps to balance the brew. I've been going with the lower half of a style's range of IBU's when brewing... Sometimes, I'm barely into the IBU range of a brew. So far, loving what comes out of the bottles.

Give me an IPA, IIPA, and such, and chances are I'll give it away. Or, I'll cook with it...

 

[robtotten]

I'm generally not a fan of hop bombs, although I love Stone's Sublimely Self Righteous. I do like the flavor of many different hops, I just prefer them when used with a little restraint. I'd rather drink Busch Light than Stone Ruination, although that's an extreme example.

 

[Heckle]

I don't like a hoppy beer either.