India Pale Lager (IPL). Thoughts?

Ballast Point: Fathom IPL

So bomb!

 

Fair, but by that logic anything called "Hefe Something" would indicate at least one important thing about that beer, and the same can be said about anything called "India Something"

 

India Pale Porter awesome

 

The Bruery Humulus Lager is amazing!

 

Damn. That's close enough. Belgian Black IPL - that one been done yet?

 

Despite its lack of anything that can be perceived as lager-esque, Ballast Point Fathom IPL is a great beer !

 

Yes and no. "Hefe" anything should indicate a cloudy, yeasty beer. However, "Keller," "Zwickel," and/or "Zoigl," are often used to indicate the same cloudy/yeastiness. The latter terms are less well-known than the former. So using the most popular/well-known descriptor is clearly just a marketing tactic aimed at a target demographic -- i.e. the U.S. "craft" beer drinker -- with the primary purpose of selling more beer rather than creating a new style.

 

Actually, I don't know what it means. Does it mean a pale Lager hopped like crazy with Saaz or Hallertau, or does it mean a pale Lager hopped like crazy withAmerican hops, or does it mean a really pale top-fermented beer pretending to be a Lager with either of those hop characteristics.

 

Why not just reach for an IPA?

 

having escaped St Louis as a child i usually run from the word lager! (to anyone reading from stl i actually love the city, the people, the toasted ravioli, imos, and have wonderful memories-- just a busch joke...)

the first one i had was Humulus on tap. a GREAT beer.

then Fathom (bottle and tape) another great beer.

 

Agreed. But I think in the case of using "India," it's pretty much only used to indicate a hoppier beer, in one way or another, which can be used to associate the beer with certain style characteristics and attract targeted buyers at the same time.

 

There was an incident with their first batch. I believe there an aqccident which caused the brewery to lose power..and the whole batch...but yesterday, they posted on their FB page that it be available Thursday Oct. 31 for growler fills and bottles. Also will be opening up at noon, rather than 3pm. They are not sure when it will hit the packies and bars.

 

Victory pils seems to be a IPA lager to me. Not a big fan....

 

Exactly. It's a gimmick pure and simple. I imagine the majority of those drinking and enjoying IPLs would not be able to tell the difference between an IPA and an IPL in a blind taste test.

IPL's are like Nugget Nectar or Little Sumpin' Sumpin'. They're all using different "styles" to push hops and sell their product. Instead of making another IPA that gets lost in the shuffle, you'll sell more if you label it a different style because it will be rated at the top of the list in that particular category.

I guarantee you if Nugget Nectar wasn't labeled an Amber Ale and Little Sumpin' Sumpin' wasn't labeled an American Pale Wheat Ale each of them would sell far less. For example, if I want something hoppy from Lagunitas, I'll just grab Sucks. It's a better IPA than Little Sumpin' Sumpin' is pretending to be. If I want a wheat beer, I'll grab an actual Hefeweizen. At least in Troegs case Dreamweaver doesn't taste like Nugget Nectar.

 

Had both SA Double Agent and GL Silver & Gold. Loved them both. Very tasty beers, not hop bombs, but nice and crisp.

 

Agree to disagree. If we might set standards for a different style that goes by "IPL," I think Jack's Abby sets the bar. Their hoppy, pale lagers are in fact hoppy as all shit-out and hit some distinct lager characteristics (which do make them distinct from your typical IPA, especially in terms of flavor and mouthfeel, I think) at the same time.

 

I have only had a handful of beers labeled as India Pale Lager (IPL) but every one of those beers was consistent with the description of: “…a pale Lager hopped like crazy with American hops”.

The IPLs are different from IPAs to my palate via the ‘quality’ of crispness. The utilization of lager yeast (fermented cool) and the cold conditioning process (i.e., lagering) creates a noticeably different beer style to my palate. It may be true that to many (most?) beer drinkers an IPL will taste just like an IPA but it doesn’t to me.

I have enjoyed drinking every one of the IPLs that I have had an opportunity to drink and I hope to someday enjoy Jack’s Abby lagers like Hoponius Union, R.I.P.L. Effect (Rye India Pale Lager), Jabby Brau, … All of those beers sound like they would be extremely tasty beers!

Cheers!

 

So are you implying that a German lager brewer can't make an authentic IPL using noble hops?

 

What's with the hop head hate???

 

F**k you Germany, f**k you Limeys - yet another example of a brand spanking new 'murican style. You can almost taste the first amendment.

Though to be fair, I have had Humulus and Hoponius Union, and naming etc aside, they do taste good.