Are IPAs becoming less popular?

IPAs are more ubiquitous and somewhat less trendy because they're no longer the hot craft beer style (I see you, barrel-aged everything & sours) but they are in no way less popular overall. When a brewery's sales go down, the first thing they all seem to do is introduce a new IPA.

 

Its sure doesn't seem that way.

 

I sure to hell hope so. I thought malted barley was supposed to be the backbone of beer not hops. If i want something fruity or piney, I pick up a bottle of wine. Not to say IPAs can't be refreshing but American pale ales can too with a touch more balance.

 

I don't think IPAs are becoming less popular. I get a sense from watching how people behave in bars that they are the generic craft beer go-to choice. I fear the conflation of "craft beer" and "IPA" as a generic term representing the alternative to macro lager. When people walk up to the bartender and say "give me an IPA" the slippery slope has begun. If people don't care about what they're drinking, craft beer as a spectrum of styles turns into IPA as the only style they consider. Stay in school kids, and learn about beer. It's the only way forward.

 

Ummmmmmmm No No and No...any help?

 

Like you said, Session beers are getting more popular - and they include Session IPA's, but even then, Session IPA's are leaning towards how much hop flavor can be stuffed into a can or bottle. I don't think they (IPA's) will ever become less popular, even if they do, I'll keep buying them and drinking them.

 

Please don't even joke about the decline of IPAs. I would have to give up beer and than life would have no meaning.

 

Right, and a few years ago the totals were less -- I'd call it an upward trend.

 

I was too lazy to look that up, hence my response.

 

I'm a BA who is drinking fewer IPAs/DIPAs then I was a few years ago but no one else I know is doing this.

 

Less "cool" but not less popular by any means. I'll put it in TV terms. IPAs used to be The Wire in the craft beer kingdom and now they're more like NCIS.

 

I have it written down somewhere because it was part of a (long) past discussion. I'll do some digging...

 

Not for me I hope, I believe you.

 

It might just be that you're seeing people store more stouts. I've certainly never looked through someone's cellar at the long list of 3 year aged IPAs...

 

IPA's are a very large percentage of the beer available for sale at even our largest stores, or at least some kind of hopped up mess, or pale ale, whatever. Everything else that isn't a stout/sour/porter/pilsner is very limited in the brands I can choose from.

If you have a beer store that sells lots of different cali common or english bitters, then I envy you.

 

No, but it's my undying hope that if all the breweries weren't working on their 18th different hoppy ale, they might actually branch out and try to brew something else. It just gets old that's all.

 

Ask anyone on the trade boards looking for Tree House, VT hops, NE Hops...the answer would be Hell No!

 

wtf?! no.