The Official Beer Appreciation Thread

[MattPie]

This is so true. For no apparent reason, the primary dimension of competition for U.S. microbrews has become hoppiness. They dump more and more hops into the beer, as if more hops is universally better. My German friends think it is ridiculous that Americans love hops so much!

 

I don't know that I've ever had a beer that was too hoppy for my tastes, but I've had quite a few that were mediocre beer with a lot of hop added. A good, really hoppy beer is fantastic. :)

[LGR4GM]

Let me know when it's out. I'm betting it won't suck.

 

On another note.. I had Founder's Sweet Repute this past Friday. It's a Wheat Wine aged in some maple bourbon barrels. It was absolutely incredible. If you've had a wheat wine before this is worth every penny. $18 for a 750ml. At 12% we're talking typical wine prices and you can and SHOULD drink it like a wine.

 

Terrapin makes Gamma Ray, another great wheat wine.

http://beeradvocate.com/events/info/39857

 

Sounds like they may have only made a little of this and it will be an Athens only thing. Hopefully I can make it DT to try some.

[Iron Crotch]

I don't know that I've ever had a beer that was too hoppy for my tastes, but I've had quite a few that were mediocre beer with a lot of hop added. A good, really hoppy beer is fantastic. :)

 

I'm not anti-hops by any means. I just think it has become an American obsession... an arms race among brewers... "hopsessive compulsive" behavior: http://www.slate.com...ion.single.html

Edited December 9, 2013 by Potato

[sabills]

I'm not anti-hops by any means. I just think it has become an American obsession... an arms race among brewers: http://www.slate.com...ion.single.html

 

I loove IPA's, but they don't need to be the be-all-end-all of beers. The market has become flooded with them, and I'm hoping it corrects itself before they kind of jump the shark.

[LGR4GM]

I loove IPA's, but they don't need to be the be-all-end-all of beers. The market has become flooded with them, and I'm hoping it corrects itself before they kind of jump the shark.

I dislike IPA's and get bagged on for it. I am sorry I want more than hops in my beer. The market is definitely flooded with IPA everything but I think it is something that most brewers feel they need to and enjoy producing. That being said:

[sabills]

I dislike IPA's and get bagged on for it. I am sorry I want more than hops in my beer. The market is definitely flooded with IPA everything but I think it is something that most brewers feel they need to and enjoy producing.

 

Nothing wrong with not being a hop-head. I don't love them as much as I used to, and I don't like that a particuarly hoppy beer can kill my palate for the rest of the night/tasting/flight. If I'm going to come home and drink a beer after a long day, it'll probably be an IPA, but if I'm going to be having a lot of different types I tend to stay away from them.

 

People liking IPA's kind of became this shibboleth type thing for beer lovers a couple years ago when the craft stuff was really starting to take off. Walk up to the bar and order a Hop Devil or a Cascazilla and other guys would kind of respect that you knew beer. Now the craft/micro brew stuff is so big it doesn't need to be like that anymore, there's a million different tastes for everyone, but some are stuck in their old (read: 5-10 years) ways.

[darksabre]

 

 

Nothing wrong with not being a hop-head. I don't love them as much as I used to, and I don't like that a particuarly hoppy beer can kill my palate for the rest of the night/tasting/flight. If I'm going to come home and drink a beer after a long day, it'll probably be an IPA, but if I'm going to be having a lot of different types I tend to stay away from them.

 

People liking IPA's kind of became this shibboleth type thing for beer lovers a couple years ago when the craft stuff was really starting to take off. Walk up to the bar and order a Hop Devil or a Cascazilla and other guys would kind of respect that you knew beer. Now the craft/micro brew stuff is so big it doesn't need to be like that anymore, there's a million different tastes for everyone, but some are stuck in their old (read: 5-10 years) ways.

 

I actually tend to gravitate away from IPAs for this reason. I think IPAs are what people who think they like craft beer drink so that they can say they like craft beer.

[LGR4GM]

I actually tend to gravitate away from IPAs for this reason. I think IPAs are what people who think they like craft beer drink so that they can say they like craft beer.

I could agree with that statement a bit.

 

There is a local brewpub here that brews a belgian red every once in a while and it is delicious. Smooth belgian red flavor with a hint of spice. Love that stuff.

[That Aud Smell]

I agree with the idea that IPAs have become over-exposed. But I also maintain that they came to that place, largely, because it's such a delicious and satisfying style. There's something about the kick in the mouth that an IPA delivers that just ... makes me happy. It's not unlike why, if I can't have my rye or bourbon neat, I'd almost rather have a club soda with lime rather than rum and coke. I often prefer drinking something that announces itself, loudly.

[Sabre Dance]

We had our annual holiday luncheon at Pearl Street Grill yesterday and I tried as many of their brews as I could (and still stand up). They have such a wide range...the best was the Lord Stanley Scotch ale....well, at least of the ones I tried. So many beers, so little time.... :beer:

[sabills]

I agree with the idea that IPAs have become over-exposed. But I also maintain that they came to that place, largely, because it's such a delicious and satisfying style. There's something about the kick in the mouth that an IPA delivers that just ... makes me happy. It's not unlike why, if I can't have my rye or bourbon neat, I'd almost rather have a club soda with lime rather than rum and coke. I often prefer drinking something that announces itself, loudly.

 

Agreed. I like IPA's, especially for those reasons you listed. Its the beer equivalent of a hard drink, loud, strong, and ever so slightly painful, all while being clean and crisp and refreshing. Nothing better for me after a long day's work.. I'm not going to not drink them just because some idiots also drink them, haha. I just also won't judge people who don't care for them like said idiots do.

[Claude_Verret]

I don't think the IPA craze ever was so much about hipsters trying to prove their devotion to the craft beer scene. IPA's have always been far and away the most popular entry in homebrew competitions all the way up to the national level. If you get a chance to attend the National Homebrewers conference sometime you will see for yourself that virtually none of the attendees are concerned in the least about outward appearances.

 

IPA's are popular because people love them and that is all. IMO if you open a brewery these days without an IPA to offer then you're putting yourself at a competitive disadvantage.

[SwampD]

I don't think the IPA craze ever was so much about hipsters trying to prove their devotion to the craft beer scene. IPA's have always been far and away the most popular entry in homebrew competitions all the way up to the national level. If you get a chance to attend the National Homebrewers conference sometime you will see for yourself that virtually none of the attendees are concerned in the least about outward appearances.

 

IPA's are popular because people love them and that is all. IMO if you open a brewery these days without an IPA to offer then you're putting yourself at a competitive disadvantage.

…sounds just like somethin' a hipster would say.

[Claude_Verret]

…sounds just like somethin' a hipster would say.

 

Perhaps. But to an outside observer at a beer conference watching all the bearded, overweight 30-40 something males with beer stained t shirts, hipster might be the 1000th word that comes to mind to describe the overall scene.

[Weave]

IPA's are also where the most innovation in the craft industry was happening. All kinds of novel hopping schedules to get flavors not seen in modern beers. it's where the real creativity was started in craft brewing.

[spndnchz]

I love IPA's but not all IPA's. So there's that.

[Claude_Verret]

For those interested in the history of IPA and some techniques I recommend Mitch Steele's book. Mitch is the head brewer at Stone Brewing.

 

IPA

 

Explore the evolution of one of craft beer’s most popular styles, India pale ale. Equipped with brewing tips from some of the country’s best brewers, IPA covers techniques from water treatment to hopping procedures. Included are 48 recipes ranging from historical brews to recipes for the most popular contemporary IPAs made by craft brewers such as Pizza Port, Dogfish Head, Stone, Firestone Walker, Russian River, and Deschutes.

[darksabre]

I guess the fact that so many companies try to make an IPA that is "special" is what turns me off to them. I like IPAs, and if a brewery I'm already partial to makes one I will drink it, but I'm much less inclined to try an IPA offering from a company I've never heard of if they don't offer something more challenging to prove their mettle. IPA's to me are not a beer to judge a brewery by.

[SwampD]

Perhaps. But to an outside observer at a beer conference watching all the bearded, overweight 30-40 something males with beer stained t shirts, hipster might be the 1000th word that comes to mind to describe the overall scene.

:lol:

[That Aud Smell]

loud, strong, and ever so slightly painful, all while being clean and crisp and refreshing.

right on.

 

to an outside observer at a beer conference watching all the bearded, overweight 30-40 something males with beer stained t shirts, hipster might be the 1000th word that comes to mind to describe the overall scene.

there's nothing so unhip (or, at least, unhipsterish) as the craft brewers scene.

[neverenough]

IPA's are alright but I would take a nice smooth pale ale over that. Yes Sierra Nevada I'm talking to you.

[That Aud Smell]

IPA's are alright but I would take a nice smooth pale ale over that. Yes Sierra Nevada I'm talking to you.

 

beyond sam adams (a lager, so ...), this was among the first craft-ish beers i ever had. i still love it.

Edited December 11, 2013 by That Aud Smell

[sabills]

Had an Ithaca Cold Front last night : http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/651/52334. IDK if it just hit the spot or what, but it was really good. Caramelly amber ale, little bit of spice but not over powering like alot of the winter ales tend to be. I'll be getting some more, for sure.

[Claude_Verret]

IPA's are alright but I would take a nice smooth pale ale over that. Yes Sierra Nevada I'm talking to you.

beyond sam adams (a lager, so ...), this was among the first craft-ish beers i ever had. i still love it.

 

If you ask Ken Grossman (Sierra Nevada) or Bill Koch (Sam Adams), they will tell you the father of the craft beer revolution is Fritz Maytag of Anchor Steam fame. We owe it all to Fritz.

 

A few years back at one of the west coast NHC's, Ken Grossman of Sierra Nevada gave the keynote address. It was a fascinating history of Sierra Nevada, from it's humble origins to the state of the art brewery he has today. He basically started the company brewing beer in a glorified shed. He also shared a slide of his hand written recipe from a spiral notebook of the very first batch of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Good stuff. Then he announced that all the first place style winners from the national competition would be invited to the brewery for a "beer camp". My friend won a silver that year for his schwarzbier (that he brewed at my house so I always try to steal some credit) and just missed out on the camp. The winners all collectively picked a beer to brew on the commercial system, then a few kegs were provided to an establishment in each persons hometown where they were able to preside over the official tapping ceremony of the special release. If memory serves I think they decided to brew an Old Ale, which is a style you don't see too often from craft brewers, although I had Southern Tier's "Old Man" when in WNY for Thanksgiving that was very good..

[LTS]

i don't know if this is necessarily the case, it's not like brewers are dumping extra hops into beer styles when it isn't called for. The american palette in general tends to gravitate towards the hoppier styles like pales and IPA's, so the craft brewers are just providing what the market is demanding. Having said that I think that some craft beer lovers would be well served to branch out into say a nice German altbier or pilsner every now and then.

 

Americans are naturally bitter people, so they like hoppy beers. They also like bigger and bigger, more and more, so they want hoppier beers. :)

 

http://beeradvocate....ents/info/39857

 

Sounds like they may have only made a little of this and it will be an Athens only thing. Hopefully I can make it DT to try some.

 

C'est la vie. I can't win them all.

 

I actually tend to gravitate away from IPAs for this reason. I think IPAs are what people who think they like craft beer drink so that they can say they like craft beer.

 

I'd much prefer to gravitate away from IPAs for other reasons. There are a lot of truly fantastic IPAs. They can be used to really show off the capabilities and profiles of a hop. They can also be thrown in with reckless abandon. Brewing a balanced, functional IPA is far from what most breweries turn out. That does ruin it.

 

I'm all over the place. The only style of beer I don't particularly like (besides the American Adjunct Lager) is the California Common Ale (aka Steam beer). Just don't particularly like the styles.