Make IPA Clear Again

[SouthBayBrewer31]

Honestly, I’m not a huge NEIPA guy either. But I’m ok with it cause I think it’s good for craft beer to have something new. Craft beer has been in a state on stagnation for the last 5 or so years. It’s nice to see some innovation. I feel like the craft beer market has been completely saturated with west coast IPA’s for a long time. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but there’s soooo many other styles that only us hardcore beer geeks are familiar with.

 

[brew703]

I'm in the group who prefers clarity over hazy. I get the NEIPA craze and I like them. I brew them and seek them out when I'm at breweries, bars or restaurant's. But I do like a clear beer more than anything. Not so much the West Coast IPA's (hop bombs).
Will be brewing an IPA using OYL052 with citra/azacca/el dorado. Looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

 

[Nagorg]

I think its the combination of extreme cloudiness and lack of bitterness that really make me question most NEIPA's as being an IPA.

So far I've had only one (Everybody's doing it) that had the full hop character spectrum that I'd say matched the IPA style. If I did a blind taste, I'd have thought "WOW, what a great IPA". The visual aspect of these beers is just not desirable in general. Someone else posted about how you eat with your eyes. I think there is truth to this in human nature. Why consume something that's visually unappealing? Seems to be a natural aversion.

There are probably others out there like the one example I've had that did strike me as an IPA that just had very poor clarity. But the cloudy nature of the beer and the probability that its a glass of juice with no IPA bitterness make me unlikely to find them.

 

[snarf7]

Someone else posted about how you eat with your eyes. I think there is truth to this in human nature. Why consume something that's visually unappealing? Seems to be a natural aversion.

Absolutely, and I agreed with him on that 100%. But at the same time, how it TASTES is wayyyyy more important than how it looks....like 10 or 20 to 1 easil. I gave the example of BBQ...the best places to get killer BBQ are not 5 star restaurants with black tie service and white tablecloths where the food is served deconstructed haute cuisine style with shaved truffles and seared foie gras on top. No no no, the best BBQ joints are hole in the wall shacks where bubba just piles your meat and sides on a paper plate with plastic cutlery and the sweet tea is diabetes inducingly sweet. I don't give a feck what it looks like if it tastes that good.

 

[applescrap]

Shute all I drink is variety...here's todays. Btw, that jdub is nowhere near as good as boulder shake.

 

[Nagorg]

Shute all I drink is variety...here's todays. Btw, that jdub is nowhere near as good as boulder shake.

Not sure either of those claim to be NEIPA...

 

[applescrap]

Not sure either of those claim to be NEIPA...

Yes, I see that psuedo sue is apa not neipa, that said not sure that would fit pale ale category in your mind, it drinks like a neipa. Your response seems a bit strong, no?

 

[ba-brewer]

I've never had a NEIPA, but this thread has made me want to try brewing one to expand my experience, and possibly expand my tastes in beer. Can anyone recommend a recipe?

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/northeast-style-ipa.568046/page-36#post-7701386

This one uses a bit less hops
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/tomorrowland-a-neipa-experience.658505/

 

[deadwolfbones]

My latest homebrew, Lazy Haze:

As delicious as it is beautiful.

 

[applescrap]

Dang that looks good.^^

 

[Blazinlow86]

My latest homebrew, Lazy Haze:

As delicious as it is beautiful.

Looks fantastic

 

[CascadesBrewer]

My latest homebrew, Lazy Haze:

Nice...what was your grain bill?

 

[Gravitysucks]

My latest homebrew, Lazy Haze:

As delicious as it is beautiful.

"A day without orange juice is like a day without sunshine"

 

[schematix]

Filter that sludge!

 

[Wayne1]

How to make HazyIPA in a pinch.

 

[deadwolfbones]

Nice...what was your grain bill?

100% Briess Bavarian wheat DME, baby!

https://brew4fun.wordpress.com/2019/03/24/lazy-haze/

 

[Nagorg]

How to make HazyIPA in a pinch.

So freaking awesome... LOL Lets MAKE IPA CLEAR AGAIN!!!

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

funny how most of the beers in their photos are hazy smh

 

[deere322]

"A day without orange juice is like a day without sunshine"

Is that Tang or Sunny D?

 

[deadwolfbones]

Seriously though adding orange juice to an IPA at serving is freakin delicious.

 

[deadwolfbones]

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1774546596173990

 

[wepeeler]

Okay, a little reference to the Brewers Association style guidelines...

First, I think (hope) that everyone agrees that IPA actually started as an English export to... India. So if there were a good baseline of what the style should be, an English IPA should be about as close as it gets.

From the BA on American-Style India Pale Ale:
-------------------------------------------------
American-Style India Pale Ale

• Color: Gold to copper
• Clarity: Chill haze is acceptable at low temperatures. Hop haze is allowable at any temperature.
• Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Low-medium to medium maltiness is present in aroma and flavor
• Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Hop aroma and flavor is high, exhibiting floral, fruity (berry, tropical, stone fruit and other), sulfur/diesel-like, onion-garlic-catty, citrusy, piney or resinous character that was originally associated with American-variety hops. Hops with these attributes now also originate from countries other than the USA.
• Perceived Bitterness: Medium-high to very high
• Fermentation Characteristics: Fruity-estery aroma and flavor may be low to high. Diacetyl should not be perceived.
• Body: Medium-low to medium
• Additional notes: The use of water with high mineral content may result in a crisp, dry beer rather than a malt-accentuated version. Sugar adjuncts may be used to enhance body and balance. Hops of varied origins may be used for bitterness or for approximating traditional American character.

-------------------------------------------------

With me still? So far the two styles are fairly similar in Color, Clarity as well as malt and hop aroma/flavor and perceived bitterness. Subtle differences for sure..


But then out of left field comes what looks like a completely different beer...

From the BA on Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale:
-------------------------------------------------
Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale

• Color: Straw to deep gold
• Clarity: Low to very high degree of cloudiness is typical of these beers. Starch, yeast, hop, protein and/or other compounds contribute to a wide range of hazy appearance within this category.
• Perceived Malt Aroma & Flavor: Low to low-medium malt aroma and flavor may be present
• Perceived Hop Aroma & Flavor: Medium-high to very high hop aroma and flavor are present, with attributes typical of hops from any origin
• Perceived Bitterness: Medium-low to medium
• Fermentation Characteristics: Low to medium fruity-estery aroma and flavor may be present, but are usually overwhelmed by hop fruitiness. Diacetyl should not be perceived.
• Body: Medium-low to medium-high. Perceived silky or full mouthfeel may contribute to overall flavor profile.
• Additional notes: Grist may include a small amount of oat, wheat or other adjuncts to promote haziness. Descriptors such as “juicy” are often used to describe the taste and aroma hop-derived attributes present in these beers.

-------------------------------------------------

How did this ever get lumped in with "IPA"? Likely for marketing purposes since IPA has been pretty popular lately. And because of these things its taking over what folks think an IPA should be and prompting an acceptance of what would be considered flaws in most other styles.

Just saying... Can we get these beers in their own non-IPA category and MAKE IPA CLEAR AGAIN?

When comparing the AIPA and Hazy IPA, the malt taste and aroma are essentially the same. Same with the hop aroma and flavor. Literally the only difference is the haziness. And even then, hop cloudiness is acceptable at any temperature in an AIPA!

I think your blinders are keeping you from enjoying a great style. Evolution and adaptation is key and necessary in every facet of life. Beer not excluded.

 

[ong]

When comparing the AIPA and Hazy IPA, the malt taste and aroma are essentially the same. Same with the hop aroma and flavor. Literally the only difference is the haziness. And even then, hop cloudiness is acceptable at any temperature in an AIPA!

I think your blinders are keeping you from enjoying a great style. Evolution and adaptation is key and necessary in every facet of life. Beer not excluded.

I don’t think this is true at all. Hazy IPAs have a very different flavor (lower bitterness but more steeped hop character) and mouthfeel to me. It sounds like you’re saying they’re just WCIPAs that look funny.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I don't quite understand the uproar. IPA are, historically, known for what? They're hoppy ales.

We know that hoppiness can be manifested in several ways. Early boil additions lend bitterness with little flavor. The later the hops are added, the less they contribute bitterness and the more they contribute flavor and aroma.

So, is a 40 IBU beer with intense hop flavor and aroma less "hoppy" than a 90 IBU beer that focuses more on bitter than flavor and aroma? Nope...it's just using the hops in a different way. They're both hoppy as hell. One is bitter, the other is flavorful. Some NEIPAs are also pretty damn bitter (60-70 IBUs).

So calling it an IPA makes sense to me...it's a hoppy ale, just as IPAs are known for.

As far as the haziness being a flaw...is it a flaw to have a hazy Hefeweizen? Nope, it's a normal side effect of the brewing process. So is a hazy NEIPA flawed? Nope, just like the hefe, it's a normal side effect of the brewing process. From what I've read, the original NEIPA brewers worked hard to get rid of the haze, but the flavor and aroma were not there.

So we have a hoppy beer that that is hazy and we're calling it a New England IPA...makes sense to me.

Regarding "balance". Balance is in the eye of the beholder. Which beer is balanced....Stella Artois or Bells Two Hearted? Radically different beers, both considered pretty good beers. Is neither balanced (and thus poor beers)? Both balanced (but "for the style") and both are good? The answer is that there is no single proper "balance". A "balanced" beer is one that mixes flavors in a way that is appealing. Clearly NEIPAs are appealing given the wild popularity and takeover of the IPA taps, so I'd propose they're "balanced" (for their style).

So all this whining is just some people who don't like the beer's flavor, looks and/or categorization...all of which are fine. I guess we better get off their lawn.

 

[emcfarden]

Don't like Hazy IPAs? Then don't drink them!

I love hazy IPAs, but I also still love clear ones. To me clarity and staying true-to-style isn't a top priority when I drink or brew beer. Obviously that would matter if I was entering competitions, but I'm not.

 

[Nagorg]

I think "haze" is being grossly misused. Some "haze" can be normal for an IPA. But there is a marked difference in "haze" and absolute turbidity. The latter, with no detectable bitterness, is what I see more commonly represented as NEIPA. Those beers should not be in the IPA category.

 

[snarf7]

Regarding "balance". Balance is in the eye of the beholder. Which beer is balanced....Stella Artois or Bells Two Hearted? Radically different beers, both considered pretty good beers. Is neither balanced (and thus poor beers)? Both balanced (but "for the style") and both are good? The answer is that there is no single proper "balance". A "balanced" beer is one that mixes flavors in a way that is appealing. Clearly NEIPAs are appealing given the wild popularity and takeover of the IPA taps, so I'd propose they're "balanced" (for their style).

You're sort of confounding different aspects of it here but you still came to the correct conclusion. There's always a balance point, but it's not going to be the same across all styles...to do so would be like judging Champagne and Cabarnet Sauvignon alongside each other with the same ruler, they are completely different in color, sweetness, fruit, carbonation etc.

I think the bane of the craft brewing world is this obsession with more, more, MORE! Whether it's more bittering hops or more flavoring hops, more alcohol, more flavorings whatever the trend happens to be it inevitably goes off the rails and you wind up with something undrinkable. If that's what you like then knock yourself out, but it's not balanced and it's not something I want to drink.

 

[applescrap]

What would everyone who has had it call this?

 

[applescrap]

Here you go naggy. Wasn't too far off

 

[grampamark]

What would everyone who has had it call this? View attachment 619265

A seriously underexposed photo?