What are your contrarian/"unpopular" beer opinions?

[TANSTAAFB]

Or weredeer. Except weredeer are real. No, FU, I've seen them

 

[SlitheryDee]

Do you now like specific IPAs that you used to hate, or did you find IPAs you liked?

Because I've found that the when the "Hops-Are-Meant-To-Be-Experienced-As-A-Seasoning-Not-A-Baseball-Bat-To-The-Face Heresy" expands into IPAs, the results actually come out pretty well. (IPAs I genuinely like: Sierra Nevada's Six Rights, and the two I've made. I've found a few others I can tolerate.)

I don't even know what kinds of IPAs I had before that I didn't like. I remember having one in Austin that I hated, and a few others before that that honestly tasted quite similar. Recently I had the Stone Brewery IPA and enjoyed it along with Bell's Two Hearted IPA. They are definitely two different takes on an IPA with Stone's being a bit more slap to the face compared to the much smoother and lower IBU Two Hearted, but I found them both enjoyable. I think it's literally my tolerance and appreciation of hops that has changed, and that's mostly due to drinking copious amounts of my own homebrew. Before I began brewing I mostly drank light American lagers, so my taste buds never really got conditioned for more flavorful styles. I was so afraid of making an awful bitter beer like the ones I had and hated before that it took me a while to even start experimenting with hops. I guess over time my palate has just developed more.

 

[bleme]

I think it's literally my tolerance and appreciation of hops that has changed, and that's mostly due to drinking copious amounts of my own homebrew.

I think the big difference for me was the epiphany that it is SUPPOSED to taste that way, where before I just figured they didn't know how to make beer.

 

[user 125772]

[rant]
this turbid "NorthEast IPA" fad that's the latest stampede ... stupid.

I overheard a brewer recently that said, "my latest NEIPA came out clear, I was so disappointed!"

And another thing, there is NO such style as NEIPA, so you northerners need to get over yourselves. The only appropriate style is 21B where the appearance may be "slightly hazy", not turbid and/or muddy.
[/rant]

 

[user 125772]

(my wife grows exotic peppers like carolina reapers, red morugas, and wussy peppers like habaneros and ghosts as well).

It’s only a wussy pepper if you can eat a whole one (and keep it down) :rockin:

 

[NoIguanaForZ]

It’s only a wussy pepper if you can eat a whole one (and keep it down) :rockin:

If I wanted to taste fire, I'd eat fire. >.>

 

[Bilsch]

Adding pumpkin and pie spice to a random pale/amber ale has no redeeming features.

Oh I don't know, it's probably pretty effective for disguising off flavors and covering up brewing mistakes.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Oh I don't know, it's probably pretty effective for disguising off flavors and covering up brewing mistakes.

Handy too if you're brewing in September before the new hop harvest arrives, and all you have left are hops that have been kicking round the brewery for 12 or 24 months and no longer taste of much.

 

[teal]

Another one - it's dying some lately but I still see it.

I do not have to support a craft brewery just because they AREN'T BMC. You still have to make good beer or beer that's pleasing to my palate. I shouldn't just throw money at you because you aren't someone else.

 

[RustyHorn]

[rant]
this turbid "NorthEast IPA" fad that's the latest stampede ... stupid.

I overheard a brewer recently that said, "my latest NEIPA came out clear, I was so disappointed!"

And another thing, there is NO such style as NEIPA, so you northerners need to get over yourselves. The only appropriate style is 21B where the appearance may be "slightly hazy", not turbid and/or muddy.
[/rant]

Mate, those are competition guidelines, not actual, historically accurate beer rules! :-D

 

[r4dyce]

Mate, those are competition guidelines, not actual, historically accurate beer rules! :-D

Boo to any "rules" as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Bilsch]

I do not have to support a craft brewery just because they AREN'T BMC. You still have to make good beer or beer that's pleasing to my palate. I shouldn't just throw money at you because you aren't someone else.

Very well said !

 

[r4dyce]

Another one - it's dying some lately but I still see it.

I do not have to support a craft brewery just because they AREN'T BMC. You still have to make good beer or beer that's pleasing to my palate. I shouldn't just throw money at you because you aren't someone else.

Hmm true. But I'm way way more likely to support a local brewery multiple times even if their beer isn't to the standard of the larger craft breweries. I guess I'm at a point now where I don't buy macro at all including any of the formerly craft breweries that are getting bought up. If I'm at a restaurant and my options are macro brands or no beer, then I'm not drinking.

 

[LBussy]

Never mind .. I know better than to get subscribed to this thread.

 

[jalc6927]

AG brewing is overrated stick to partial mash with extract

 

[cmac62]

AG brewing is overrated stick to partial mash with extract

I learned AG from the beginning of my brewing and with the equipment it is just as easy as extract, takes more time, but not difficult. You also do have more control of the ingredients. To each his own. For me I don't mind the extra time required to mash, my brew day is a brew day, not a few brew hours. By the time I'm done I have usually consumed much beer and the day is spent regardless of time.

 

[cmac62]

Boo to any "rules" as far as I'm concerned.

Right! I say brew tasty beer, if it happens to fit into a style call it that, if not its an ale/lager, it Fxxxxng beer, drink up.

 

[cmac62]

Never mind .. I know better than to get subscribed to this thread.

No Doubt

 

[r4dyce]

I learned AG from the beginning of my brewing and with the equipment it is just as easy as extract, takes more time, but not difficult. You also do have more control of the ingredients. To each his own. For me I don't mind the extra time required to mash, my brew day is a brew day, not a few brew hours. By the time I'm done I have usually consumed much beer and the day is spent regardless of time.

Yea I don't think anyone thinks it's difficult. Brewing is no more difficult than cooking. You (mostly) follow a recipe and the quality of your ingredients get you there. Better ingredients, better equipment etc will improve it, but I mean come on let's be honest most of the work is being done by the yeast. The hands on time in brewing is pretty small, we just like to think we're super important in the process. Lol

 

[r4dyce]

I learned AG from the beginning of my brewing and with the equipment it is just as easy as extract, takes more time, but not difficult. You also do have more control of the ingredients. To each his own. For me I don't mind the extra time required to mash, my brew day is a brew day, not a few brew hours. By the time I'm done I have usually consumed much beer and the day is spent regardless of time.

Yea I don't think anyone thinks it's difficult. Brewing is no more difficult than cooking. You (mostly) follow a recipe and the quality of your ingredients get you there. Better ingredients, better equipment etc will improve it, but I mean come on let's be honest most of the work is being done by the yeast. The hands on time in brewing is pretty small, we just like to think we're super important in the process. Lol

 

[GrogNerd]

most of the work is being done by the yeast.

Yeah? I don't see the little effers helping with cleanup

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

Yeah? I don't see the little effers helping with cleanup

Almost seems that the little buggers could care less whether I use Oxyclean or PBW right up until I use Oxyclean and the little efffers hang on to the glass at the water line of my last beer.

 

[Bosh]

Right! I say brew tasty beer, if it happens to fit into a style call it that, if not its an ale/lager, it Fxxxxng beer, drink up.

Yup, if anything I go out of my way to **** with style. End up with stuff like a bock with a bunch of brown malt and a good bit of Northern Brewer hops at flameout.

Loved that beer. Only one bottle left

 

[ShareBrewing]

Style means nothing. I think Dogfish Head established that rule years ago. Like Bosh, I go out of my way to intentionally **** with styles to make something new and creative, something you can't get on the market. Why not?

Also, does anyone avoid buying IPA's at bottle shops, and only drink them at breweries/bars? The beer is often guaranteed to be fresher and more flavorful, due to less degradation/oxidation of the hop compounds. Example: it's hard to find an exceptional IPA. Tried Golden Road Wolf Pup session IPA on draft the bar I worked at at. Tried it many months later in a 15pk of cans. They must've sat on the shelf for several months because the beer stated nothing like before. All the juicy fruity tropical notes were gone. Tasted like grass n malt. Just another IPA.

I just stick to buying other styles when I got to the bottle shop, unless I can see a very recent manufactured date on the bottleof the IPA. Hah, good luck.

 

[schematix]

Also, does anyone avoid buying IPA's at bottle shops, and only drink them at breweries/bars? The beer is often guaranteed to be fresher and more flavorful, due to less degradation/oxidation of the hop compounds. Example: it's hard to find an exceptional IPA. Tried Golden Road Wolf Pup session IPA on draft the bar I worked at at. Tried it many months later in a 15pk of cans. They must've sat on the shelf for several months because the beer stated nothing like before. All the juicy fruity tropical notes were gone. Tasted like grass n malt. Just another IPA.

I just stick to buying other styles when I got to the bottle shop, unless I can see a very recent manufactured date on the bottleof the IPA. Hah, good luck.

I won't buy *any* beer without a packaged date or a 'best by' date that can easily be cross referenced to the packaged date. For an IPA i won't go older than 4 weeks, and i pretty much limit myself to cans. Seems like everything in bottles is no good. There are some exceptions though (Goose Island IPA is one that seems to be consistency fresher longer).

As much as i hate to admit it, I will walk out of the store with a 30-rack of some fresh cheap swill before i drop $9-12 on a 6er of questionable quality.

These days I always seem to be disappointed with commercial IPAs unless its super fresh cans. Ever since i started doing low-oxygen IPAs at 1lb per 5 gallons my perception of what an IPA can be has been changed and i can't go back.

 

[brewstergalVT]

I agree. Too many times I've been burned buying beer (any style but especially IPA's) from some smaller brewery with either little control or little care about their beer. I know, once it leaves the brewery they don't have much in the way of control of how it's handled but I've even been burned buying cans at a brewery where they had total control and what I brought home I couldn't manage to drink which was a fine example of an oxidized IPA. Tasted quite different on draft. Three strikes and you're out for a brewery is my MO....unless what I try is truly awful on the second round, then I'll only give it a 3rd try if I get the beer for free. Free beer always tastes better.

My contrarian comment? Commercial beer should ALWAYS taste better than my homebrew. Not contrarian enough for you? Try this:

I think women only beer events/clubs/activities are a bad idea. I enjoy events that include all homebrewers/beer enthusiasts and in addition us women often can pick out aromas and flavors better than some men so it's silly that they'd want to be exclusionary. Beer is about being social and sharing. Isn't it? Don't be afraid, I can handle your comments which may be contrary to mine.

 

[bolus14]

Right! I say brew tasty beer, if it happens to fit into a style call it that, if not its an ale/lager, it Fxxxxng beer, drink up.

Agreed, If everybody stuck to style there wouldn't beer dessert beers, NEIPA's wouldn't exist, as someone else said most of Dogfishead's beers wouldn't be made, etc. Some breweries have put themselves on the map because they were willing to blur the lines, and now it's more of a trend than ever.

As for buying IPA's I have stopped for the most part, just because when I have the urge to have one I don't see enough difference in what's commercially available. All the large breweries want to use The C hops/Mosaic/Chinook, etc, with another variety mixed in. In the end there just isn't enough of a flavor difference for me to care anymore.

I look for the few that break out of the box and use different hops, instead of using the old standby's with something new in the background for some "subtle notes."

 

[triethylborane]

Just saw a LHBS is offering a chocolate pumpkin porter kit. Skip.

 

[Randomnoob]

Batch sparge is easier and works just as well as fly sparge.

I never rehydrate dry yeast, even if the package tells me to.

Really strong, bitter IPAs are overrated.

I think both extract and all grain beers are great. I've made plenty of all grain beers I wasn't happy with while making some really nice extract beers that surprised me. I will say though that extract is mostly used as a time saver when I'm busy and just don't have time to brew all grain while needing some beer.

I will drink BMC beers if they're free.

 

[RichBenn]

Style means nothing. I think Dogfish Head established that rule years ago. Like Bosh, I go out of my way to intentionally **** with styles to make something new and creative, something you can't get on the market. Why not?

Also, does anyone avoid buying IPA's at bottle shops, and only drink them at breweries/bars? The beer is often guaranteed to be fresher and more flavorful, due to less degradation/oxidation of the hop compounds. Example: it's hard to find an exceptional IPA. Tried Golden Road Wolf Pup session IPA on draft the bar I worked at at. Tried it many months later in a 15pk of cans. They must've sat on the shelf for several months because the beer stated nothing like before. All the juicy fruity tropical notes were gone. Tasted like grass n malt. Just another IPA.

I just stick to buying other styles when I got to the bottle shop, unless I can see a very recent manufactured date on the bottleof the IPA. Hah, good luck.

I agree. Here are a couple data points that support your thought.

1. I recently went to Canfest in Reno. I thought none of the numerous IPAs were as good as my best ones, which I serve from a keg. But when I go to San Diego, there is a brewery on every corner that has a high probability serving at least one IPA that blows my socks off. It's getting that way in Reno, too! But I bought a Pliney the Elder 6 pack at a liquor store there that was totally non spectacular. Compared it with a clone I had on tap and there was no comparison.

2. Costco has been selling bombers of good dry hopped beers for the last couple of years. Their turnover is amazing! The ones from a Coronado Brewery near San Diego are as good as on tap in Coronado,. They dry hop aroma was excellent. Stone "Enjoy By" brews were there for a while with early date code and were similarly great. Yet some of the liquor stores have had very expensive IIPAs in bottles that taste more like an aged barley wine. Guess they are the place for buying beers meant to be aged