Make IPA Clear Again

[ghpeel]

I quit brewing around 2016-2017, and was burnt out on beer for a few years. Re-discovered my love of good lager in that phase and returned to the beer scene recently only to find the hawt new thing was ... CLOUDY IPA?!? The inmates are running the asylum! I agree that it seems like a real convenient way for breweries to sell imperfect/green beers by describing them as 'intentionally' cloudy.

 

[Brewdog80]

Hazy equals flawed in an IPA. Call it like I see it. Tastier? Not. Wheat beers are hazy, but never an IPA. Just sayin

 

[day_trippr]

You're wrong. Callin' it like I taste it. Just sayin'...

 

[Nagorg]

@applescrap I finally had a chance to try Juicy Bits by Weldwerks at GABF this week. lol That "beer" is pretty much OJ.

 

[just john]

I can't decide whether I like cloudy Neipas better than clear West Coast IPA better than cream ales better than Kolschs etc ect, so I just drink them all as much as possible.

I hope I never decide.

 

[PCABrewing]

@applescrap I finally had a chance to try Juicy Bits by Weldwerks at GABF this week. lol That "beer" is pretty much OJ.

Hard OJ?

 

[day_trippr]

The secret is they are all hazy! bwwaaaahahahahahahaha!

 

[NeoBrew]

The secret is they are all hazy! bwwaaaahahahahahahaha!

View attachment 809979

It is one of the saddest things ever. Stone used to be my favorite brewery. (And I live in Minnesota!) Total Wine often has variety packs from them, but I don't buy them anymore or I would have to throw out 3/4 of the beer because it failed to "clarify".

 

[tdf]

It is one of the saddest things ever. Stone used to be my favorite brewery. (And I live in Minnesota!) Total Wine often has variety packs from them, but I don't buy them anymore or I would have to throw out 3/4 of the beer because it failed to "clarify".

50% ain't bad . Delicous IPA and the original are both great beers. The other two I leave for guests .

Stone is still brewing a nice west coast double in Ruination, though the new recipe (post 2018) isn't as good as the original.

 

[Miraculix]

I've had a stone IPA in UK, I think it was the one in the black can.

No idea how one could enjoy these. It was just bitterness with bitterness plus another layer of bitterness. Nope, not for me.

 

[bwible]

2022, when attempts to find a decent clear (WC is my fave) IPA at local stores becomes a scavenger hunt.

I think they hide most of them with all of the Brown and Mild ales!

Lagunitas and Voodoo Ranger are 2 good clear ones I haven’t had much trouble finding. I’m in PA. Lagunitas is in CA so if i can get that here it should be available pretty much nation wide. New Belgium is in NC and Colorado so they should have some good availability too.

 

[bwible]

This isn't a popularity contest. It is about not selling everything with the label IPA so that consumers know what they are going to get.

Some of us love a West Coast IPA.

Right. And the cheap canning machines that every mom and pop can buy now and the sudden popularity of canning everything makes it even worse. Everything is in a can and you can’t see what’s in the can.

 

[Nagorg]

It is one of the saddest things ever. Stone used to be my favorite brewery. (And I live in Minnesota!) Total Wine often has variety packs from them, but I don't buy them anymore or I would have to throw out 3/4 of the beer because it failed to "clarify".

They are still a great brewery and Stone IPA is a staple often found in my fridge. But I agree on the variety pack; I skip that for the same reason.

 

[InspectorJon]

Lagunitas is in CA so if i can get that here it should be available pretty much nation wide.

Lagunitas brews in Chicago also. A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' is another clear, not overly bitter IPA they make. I like it.

 

[bwible]

Lagunitas brews in Chicago also. A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' is another clear, not overly bitter IPA they make. I like it.

I have one Hop Stoopid left in my beer fridge. Just learned they don’t make it anymore

 

[Broothru]

50% ain't bad . Delicous IPA and the original are both great beers. The other two I leave for guests .

Stone is still brewing a nice west coast double in Ruination, though the new recipe (post 2018) isn't as good as the original.

I’m onboard with everything in your post. I used to spend a lot of time in San Diego (Navy and airlines), and my son spends quite of time traveling there also in his business travels. Stone has always ranked high on both our ‘favorites’ list.

Not so much anymore. The original IPA, their low ABV (which was ahead of it’s time), Delicious and Ruination are all great beers. Other than that, I can’t remember the last time I went out of my way to even look for any other Stone beer. Maybe some day, but not any day soon.

 

[tdf]

Stone is still brewing a nice west coast double in Ruination, though the new recipe (post 2018) isn't as good as the original.

I was in the grocery store today and found out that they have brought back the original recipe for a limited time. It's just as delicious as I remember!

 

[OleBrewing]

I really thought the hop crazed beers would have been long gone by now. The hazy beers add a slickness in the mouth to get away with not using maltier grains. The crystal clear ones are sharp and dry. I prefer the hop forward and malty goodness aftertaste. Maybe why I stick with summit APA and Two Hearted Ale.

I look at the selections at the store and am put off by so many of the same genre that I stick to what I know and enjoy.

 

[day_trippr]

The hazy beers add a slickness in the mouth to get away with not using maltier grains.

Interesting. A common ingredient in New England IPAs is oat malt (or flaked oats) which "slickness" may be the primary descriptive. As a rather hard core "hazy" brewer I would say that is by design.

And, fwiw, I use a 50/50 blend of Golden Promise and Weyermann Pilsner base malts for all of my neipas. Base malts that are not lacking in character or pedigree. And I don't think that's novel - I bet many home brew hazy aficionados don't skimp on base malt quality

Cheers!

 

[OleBrewing]

Interesting. A common ingredient in New England IPAs is oat malt (or flaked oats) which "slickness" may be the primary descriptive. As a rather hard core "hazy" brewer I would say that is by design.

And, fwiw, I use a 50/50 blend of Golden Promise and Weyermann Pilsner base malts for all of my neipas. Base malts that are not lacking in character or pedigree. And I don't think that's novel - I bet many home brew hazy aficionados don't skimp on base malt quality

Cheers!

Can't say I have had many hazys or even brewed them. But I would bet most homebrewed versions are better than commercial ones. My rant was really about the "IPA" craze there really not many good ones and a few great ones for me in the upper Midwest. Of course finally saw some 90 min from dog fish head the other day.

 

[NeoBrew]

Interesting. A common ingredient in New England IPAs is oat malt (or flaked oats) which "slickness" may be the primary descriptive. As a rather hard core "hazy" brewer I would say that is by design.

And, fwiw, I use a 50/50 blend of Golden Promise and Weyermann Pilsner base malts for all of my neipas. Base malts that are not lacking in character or pedigree. And I don't think that's novel - I bet many home brew hazy aficionados don't skimp on base malt quality

Cheers!

I think you are trying to justify slickness as a positive quality? I certainly wouldn't want beer that felt oily in my mouth!

It's true that base malt has it's own character, I believe the point that was being made is that it's not very much when you compare it to some more robust specialty malts that would be used to make a traditional IPA. For most all things that one would put across their tongue, more flavor is better.

Just in case you didn't look at the subject of this thread, it's about down with the NEIPA!

 

[day_trippr]

I'm going to give ^that^ the response it deserves:

 

[dbsmith]

As a self-professed pilsner snob, I say instead of making IPAs clear again, let's just make them all disappear. Stop ruining my bar experience by taking over half of the damned tap handles! Also, while I'm at it, I'm turning 40 soon, so get off my lawn!

 

[lumpher]

I agree with getting rid of ipa's altogether. The definition of an ipa has so been changed, spread out, and altered there is no class for it anymore. There's Black, neipa, west coast, Hazy, froot loop, dark, tree bark ash ipa, athletes foot fungus ipa, belly button lint ipa, etc. Forget it all and go back to the original IPA... and pass me an Irish Stout or a Scottish 80.

 

[Nagorg]

I agree with getting rid of ipa's altogether.

 

[bwible]

Here are all the IPAs listed on Wyeasts site under the beers that 1056 can make. Yeah - why is all this necessary?

 

[NewJersey]

Try a good Rye IPA and you'll see why that exists

 

[Group W]

HB WCIPA
Not clear enough in my book. But tastes great.

 

[Nagorg]

HB WCIPA
Not clear enough in my book. But tastes great.
View attachment 811276

Looks delicious from here... And, pretty darn clear!

 

[NewJersey]

Interestingly I'm seeing more labeled West Coast IPAs in stores and breweries near me.
I've also seen Founders advertising West Coast all day (a west Coast session IPA)
Hopefully the pendulum is swinging the other way and we can finally be rid of all these sludge IPAs