Dear Hop Head

Thanks for giving us the chance to talk to you today. There are so many things that we want to say to you and share with you but it basically comes down to this: We’re worried about your hop addiction, and it’s time to open your mind and palate again.

Before you began drinking India Pale Ales, we were so close. There was no beer style that you wouldn’t explore, and we always had a great time drinking together. You were our favorite beer geek, in so many ways, but after years of hop abuse, we rarely see that drinker anymore. You seem bored, you’re struggling with a market flooded with IPAs and their variants, and your palate is under great fatigue. We’re worried every single day that you’re going to end up burnt out on beer altogether. We want to do everything we can to help you get back to a place of balance and enjoyment.

We’ve talked about treatment a hundred times before, but today is different. Today, we are hoping you’ll accept the opportunity to open your mind and palate immediately and begin to once again explore other beer styles.

Your hop addiction is not your fault. You can’t help that brewers have taken advantage of this trend. Hop addiction is a wicked affliction. It changes everything about how you think and drink. But because it’s a beer style disorder, there’s treatment available to help you overcome it. You don’t have to keep thinking and drinking like this. You can get help.

If you choose not to open your mind and palate today, we want you to know that we will always accept you; however, we won’t be able to stand by and watch you limit your options anymore. We’ll be forced to move on to other beer drinkers who respect us for what we are. But if you do choose to open your mind and palate today, we promise you that you’ll fall in love with our many nuanced flavors again.

Sincerely,

Forgotten Beer Styles

Respect Beer. ■