Use of Hops Questions

[Bartman]

I have been brewing for only a few years. When I started hops were like $4 an ounce and most recipes called for a few ounces. I had never even heard of dry hopping. Now that you can by pounds for $10, it seems like the recipes have excessive amounts of hops and always dry hopping. Now we have brown IPAs and CDA's. I like the flavor of hops.
Is all this large use of hops driven by cost or a change in style?

 

[Revvy]

No, dry hopping's been around for a long time. But it's really doesn't contribute too much to flavor, but for aroma. Since the beer is cool (or room temp in you ferm closet), you aren't getting too much of the flavor components in your beer. Just the aroma.