Article on Over-Hopped Craftbeer

[Bribie G]

Like my Yorkshire Grandma would say "takes all sorts to make a world"

 

[bum]

No I'm suggesting that one beer style out of 71 representing 25% of all beers at a big craft beer festival indicates a disturbance in the force.

A good indicationof this disturbance is the oxymoronic Black IPA. They're IPA obsessed, and it's affecting the "Craft Beer" 'brand' to those unfamiliar with it.

Yes, BIPA is the worst shit ever. Easy.

And, yes, I doubt anyone could dispute that they are heavily represented at such events but how does 25% constitute a significant enough figure to exclude anyone from the market? It just doesn't make sense. There's plenty of beer for everyone.

Furthermore, I'm not sure comparing 25% against 71 styles is all that convincing anyway. You think it is appropriate that there should be the same number of IPAs as, say, gruits? I'm sure gruit isn't style on its own but I'm equally sure you see my point.

 

[Nick JD]

I'm equally sure you see my point.

Now you mention it - actually, you're completely right. I don't know what came over me. Maybe it was because when I went to look for some fast food just before, 25% of the places I saw sold burgers. And were American.

 

[bum]

I was referring to you following my point on the gruit thing rather than thinking that I'd somehow managed to sway your opinion.

Naive of me, I guess.

 

[tanukibrewer]

I usually find a beer within most of the styles that I have tried that I like.Pale ales,IPA,DIPA,english ales,stouts Imperial and dry,porter,German pils,smoked,ales and lagers,Belgian strongs pale and dark,double,triples and trappist,I havent tried a lot of styles such as Belgian krieks,sour beers and saisons but I guess I would find one of each or more that I like.
The very hoppy beers are extreme in flavour and I like them too and extreme is easily marketable.Marketable means that after typing this I will drink a 500ml bottle of Hop Zombie that cost me $16 from a local bottle shop where most of the brews cost about the same as bottle of cheap wine.Just as lots of people with passion for beer are thriving in the craftbrewing boom so too are the copycats who are just in it for the money.The current extreme hopped IPA,DIPA,BIPA etc craze will fade and the brewers pushing the boundaries will move onto something else and only the really good versions of these will remain.Anyway, rant over off for a few beers

 

[slash22000]

Am I the only one who tries something more than once? Damn.

Lots of comments in this thread like "IPA's will destroy the beer world because Bud Light drinkers don't like them". I found a few beers I didn't like when I first started drinking craft beer instead of Tooheys etc ... so I tried some other ones instead. :chug:

 

[manticle]

Who said that?

 

[bum]

Who said that?

(Without looking) I suspect he means comment on the original article.

But article comments are populated only by trolls, so whatevs.

 

[manticle]

He referred to 'this thread' so I assumed that's what he was talking about.

 

[bum]

Yah, I know. Not unreasonable on your part.

NT, you know?

 

[slash22000]

I was obviously exaggerating, but am I the only one reading the "Breweries should be making beers marketed towards mega-beer drinkers" comments? All I'm saying is, if a mega-beer drinker doesn't like an IPA, it's not as though they're going to abandon the entire craft beer world forever.

**** you lot are sensitive this week.

 

[Nick JD]

... if a VB drinker doesn't like an IPA, it's not as though they're going to abandon the entire craft beer world forever.

FIFY.

 

[manticle]

I was obviously exaggerating, but am I the only one reading the "Breweries should be making beers marketed towards mega-beer drinkers" comments? All I'm saying is, if a mega-beer drinker doesn't like an IPA, it's not as though they're going to abandon the entire craft beer world forever.

**** you lot are sensitive this week.

Of course I'm sensitive.

I sniff my beer before drinking it for ****'s sake.

 

[Byran]

Im interested that so many people would actually care what some chick wrote about craft beer trends.............
I thought girls only like fashion.

 

[bum]

To be fair, she is talking about fashionable beers...

 

[anthonyUK]

Perhaps craft brewers make hoppy beers because there is a gap in the commercial market and if loads of hops mean an overly bitter beer then someone is doing something wrong.
I do see a lot of American recipes though with half a dozen malts and a hop bill that would be suitable for a number of batches not just one.

 

[bum]

It isn't for everyone but a complex grist can balance a complex hopping schedule - really hard to get right though. Never been able to nail it completely myself but I have had many US examples that have done.

 

[slash22000]

People (article in question included) say that adding shitloads of hops is some kind of attempt to hide a bad beer, but I think it's pretty obvious when you're drinking a bad IPA (for example) compared to a truly good IPA.

 

[dago001]

Im interested that so many people would actually care what some chick wrote about craft beer trends.............
I thought girls only like fashion.

In a family of 5 beer drinkers, I am the only male. I wont buy into this way of thinking at all. My biggest beer critics are of the female variety, and to try to say that women are not beer drinkers is wrong. While beer has been predominantly a male drink, many more females are enjoying a beer these days. In saying this, they generally dont like overly bitter beers, but are quite receptive to hop aroma.
My opinion is very similar to bribieG. I enjoy a malt driven style much more than an IPA. In fact, after 3 years of AG brewing, I have brewed only 1 IPA. And cant see myself changing that in the near future. I enjoy a pale ale but any more than 30ish IBU will pull me up.
I do kind of feel that it is easier to hide flaws by adding hops. IMHO - learn how to brew, refine you system and techniques. Add hoppy beers later.
No offense intended to the IPA lovers, it's just for not me or my family.
Cheers
LagerBomb

 

[bum]

My biggest beer critics are of the female variety

My SWMBO (most SWMBOs, genetically) has a much more...detailed?...palate than mine (dudes, generally). She often helps me put into words what it is that I like about a beer (while she complains about it).

I enjoy a pale ale but any more than 30ish IBU will pull me up.

I do kind of feel that it is easier to hide flaws by adding hops.

Yeah, at 30 IBU this is totally true. But it is really not true at +60 IBU. It is much harder to nail that balance than people here usually wish to suggest (not at all directly aimed at your post alone, LagerBomb).