Good beers for people who want the opposite of IPAs....

[zardozap]

I always give out a Kolsh to friends wanting to try my home stuff. It's not even close to anything from BMC, and isn't overpowering. Then, if they like it and ask for something along the lines of more bitterness, I go for the pale ale. It's got some kick without the overabundance of hops in an IPA or a IIPA.

Sierra Nevada pale ale, or Oscar Blues Dale's Pale Ale are two of my favorite pale ales of late.

 

[bu_gee]

Based on the initial post I would have said a porter, maybe a Baltic porter. Something dark rich and creamy. Maybe a milk stout.

I originally recommended a hefe, but, you know, I'm saluting that. My wife isn't too much of a fan of the IPAs either, but she will put a hurting on some stout. Maybe it is time for me to appease her and brew up one of those.

 

[podz]

Pilsner Urquell
Hofbräu Dunkel
Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier
Paulaner Oktoberfest

und so weiter...

 

[Billy-Klubb]

Sorry, Atom, I should have mentioned it in my opening post, but I am experiencing a day of heavy multi-tasking.

My wife and a couple of friends have said that they don't like IPAs because of the in-your-face bitterness (presumably from the hops). I am looking for alternatives (i.e., not "overly-bitter") that will allow me to introduce them to good and unique home-brews that showcase the great things about home-brewing and perhaps foster some interest.

This goes double for the wife, who is currently asking why in the nether hell I can't simply go down to the Quick-Mart and pick up some Milwaukee's Best (or whatever)........

how about the Pliny, Two Hearted, Haymaker, eggs, sausage, Furious and Abrasive? that doesn't have much IPA in it.

*sings* IPA, IPA, IPA, IPA!:rockin:

 

[paperairplane]

Go for the Scottish Ales, They are malt forward and there are a lot of great options.

Oskar blues - Old Chub
Belhaven - Wee Heavy
Founders - Dirty Bastard
Cigar City - Big Sound
Odell - 90 Shilling

I totally agree - I actually don't like the style much because they are so sweet and malty.

 

[Ditchwater]

How about some type of Lambic, a Kriek maybe? Give em da bubbly

I know I love a good Lambic or Flemish to change it up. Tho we have plenty of Cantillion around here

 

[WouldBeBrewmaster]

English mild

Kolsch

Marzen

Any of the Belgians

Vienna lager

Helles lager

I second the English mild. It's easy to brew, sessionable, and it showcases the yeast as much as anything.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[balrog]

Recommed reading English Ales post here.

My preference, to quote from the temple of Apollo at Delphi, "Nothing Too Much". I like balance...ok, I like malty caramel notes, but I prefer anything balanced over anything overly roasty/sweet/bitter/hoppy(not same as bitter necessarily).

Preference is an amazing thing--some love spicey, some not; some crave citrus hops, some earthy; sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't.

 

[sburnt]

I would have to go with doppelbock as the opposite of IPA within the world of beer.

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

APIs?

 

[hlm123]

IPAs cover such a wide range that the only safe bet for opposite would be a sour

 

[drainbamage]

"Opposite of IPA" just means "not overtly hoppy", which is still a huge variety of beer. Do you want...

...Roasty beers (stout/porter, some of which are still perceived as hoppy due to roasted malt bitterness)
...Malt bombs (Scottish ales, bock/doppelbock, Belgian dubbel)
...Lighter-bodied, mild styles (blonde, cream ale, kolsch, hefeweizen)
...Middle-of-the-road styles (amber, brown ale)

If your friends are new to craft beer in general, the lighter and milder is probably the least intimidating. Start with a blonde ale or cream ale, maybe a hefeweizen if you think they won't be weirded out by the banana/clove esters. If you think they could be a little more tolerant, try the amber or brown ale for something with a little richer malt character.

 

[Sovietnam]

Kolsch, Pilsner, Hefeweizen, Dunkelweizen, Lager, Porter/Stout(not Imperial) and Bock, to name a few...

 

[cank]

A good wheat beer. My wife hates my IPAs (to bittet) but love wheat beers.

 

[Ramitt]

I would say a Scottish ale is about as close to the polar opposite of a very hop forward West Coast IPA. All about maltiness and just enough hops to claim they are there.

 

[Ramitt]

As far as my pallet is concerned, the furthest from IPAs are European Pilsners: no distinct bitterness, no hop flavor, no aroma. They are still enjoyable at times, but about as 180 from IPA as it gets.

Not sure what European Pilsners you are drinking, but the better ones certainly have bitterness and Noble hops aroma. Certainly nothing like a WCIPA, but mucb more than an American adnunct Lager.

 

[drainbamage]

Not sure what European Pilsners you are drinking, but the better ones certainly have bitterness and Noble hops aroma. Certainly nothing like a WCIPA, but mucb more than an American adnunct Lager.

Czech pilsners are a little bit sweeter than German ones. Although they include some hop character, they're usually based around more floral or herbal hops like Saaz that aren't aggressively bitter.

 

[podz]

Czech pilsners are a little bit sweeter than German ones. Although they include some hop character, they're usually based around more floral or herbal hops like Saaz that aren't aggressively bitter.

There's a hell of a big difference between an Urquell, which is the definition of the style, and Becks which is a German representation. Becks' got bite, Urquell don't.