Are IPAs becoming less popular?

Indeed, as far as beer is concerned, I feel like a displaced Bavarian expat. I blame my 90%+ German genetic stock.

At least there's a Hofbrauhaus within 15 minutes of me, and a couple local breweries who (seemingly miraculously) aren't hanging their hats on the IPA hook. Of course, the one that just announced an $18 million expansion taproom is a brewery that makes nothing but IPAs (with a handful of their beers just being different colors and having different styles printed on the labels) - so IPAs still command the landscape, unfortunately for me.

 

Working in the industry, and for some brewers who have a great deal of appreciation for the maltier side of beer, I can state emphatically that there is no significant evidence that the IPA craze is diminishing here in the USA. However, there is definite interest in the maltier styles, and many of our craft beer enthusiasts are turning friends and family onto the varieties possible with beer, and many of these newbies are not necessarily hopheads. We certainly hope that the future will hold more room on the shelf for the deliciousness that is possible with less hop character. It hasn't seemed to be headed that way yet though.

 

They certainly don't seem to be any less popular, but inasmuch as it was my favorite style 45 years ago, I find most modern IPAs to be one-note, unbalanced, and for the most part remarkably unremarkable. Most new small brewers focus on them not only because of demand, but also (fortunately for them) because they can hide a lack of experience, skill, and professional training behind a boatload of hop bitterness, too often resulting in products that taste like rookie homebrew.

 

I hear you. I was at the Sly Fox brewpub this past weekend and I drank a pint of Sly Fox Dunkel and that beer was sublime.

In the past Sly Fox used to can this beer but a year or so ago they stopped. I asked the Sly Fox brewpub bartender why they stopped canning the Dunkel and the response was it wasn't selling well.

Just not enough folks willing to purchase a lager like a Dunkel to make it economically viable to package.

Cheers!

 

Didn't read any other responses but I'll definitely agree it's seasonal. I drink much less IPAs in winter and much less Stouts in summer. Regardless of season, don't think Hoppy ales are trending down. I think we do get somewhat bored of the usuals and are always looking for the new "flavor of the week" and something to go crazy and hype over.

 

I've had a pet hypothesis for a bit that the dramatic growth in IPA demand is related to perception of what "craft beer" means to people outside the whole craft beer deal. Someone else mentioned earlier in the thread that "IPA" and "craft beer" are becoming close to synonyms for folks who aren't already into craft - I'd contend that actually happened a while ago, at least around my locality. If that's the case, where "craft" and "hoppy" are seen as one and the same, it may be possible that most of the growth in craft market share over the past few years has been composed of those who are predisposed to enjoying hops and/or becoming full-fledged hopheads, and that a good portion of the market segment sticking with BMC (or not drinking beer at all) are more like I am. I know if I had run into Sierra Nevada and Stone before I ran across Samuel Smith's and GLBC (before their seasonal lineup switched from a plethora of styles into a string of various types of IPA), I wouldn't be into craft beer at all.*

If that hypothesis is true, in whole or in part, then any craft brewer who can figure out how to market their stuff as malty but flavorful to people who aren't already craft beerians might find a market segment that doesn't offer much competition.

* - That's right, I didn't even know about German beer or just how freaking spectacular it is when I began my journey into craft beer. The day I figured that out was a fantastic day.

 

I think you are completely on the right track here. Much of the public seems to be equating craft beer with high hop character. However, it is also true that MANY craft beer enthusiasts in the USA might be better described as IPA enthusiasts.

The craft brewer that cracks the code on making numerous customers happy with the maltier styles will be potentially inundated with new craft beer enthusiasts.

 

No, there's a reason it's the most popular style in the country right now. I think more innovation has been done with the IPA/DIPA than any other style.

 

There was that interesting and controversial thread alittle whiles back - something like "if you only like IPAs do you really like beer?"
I remember alot of people got upset.

 

No. Don't be silly.

 

IPAs will continue to get more popular but we're going to see more single hop and well balances DIPAs as opposed to 100+ IBU beers. The session IPAs have their place because it's a great way to get hop flavors without getting drunk too fast.

 

I do find it funny when serious beer people refuse to drink "dark" or "sour" beers.

 

Two counteracting trends in 2016:

- I live in Boston and can get all the world-class fresh hoppiness I want, whether in 10 minutes (Trillium), 1 hr (Tree House), 2 hrs (Portland) and 3 hrs (Hill Farmstead, Alchemist, Lawson's, Idletime, Fiddlehead, plus an ever increasing number of draft selections from new and outside region brands, including All-Day, Easy Jack and Citra Sunshine Slacker cans for summer day drinking
- As I tend to look for the new selections, with having just entered beer trading armed with the above access, the newness factor may finally wear off after 5 years and countless white whale captures

Who am I kidding? Unless my palate changes, the hop industry collapses, too many mediocre IPAs hit the market creating confusion and distribution backlash and/or developing beer sharing relationships falter, 2016 is looking awesome! May those brewers who make delicious ones prosper so they may make and enjoy whatever style they choose; may the smaller brewers of promise procure the hops they require in both quantity and quality...but please study market trends and scale your businesses for a sustainable future (says a former global demand forecast manager)

 

This is how I see IPAs with brewers:

"Everyone's trying to be the king but the ace is back"

Yup

 

I can't see it...Maybe just a bit so because of the time of year. But, hell, I even find myself craving some hoppy nectar - no matter the time of year (i.e. temp outside)

 

I have my own short theory about why IPA are so popular. They taste fucking great.

 

Words of wisdom Dave, words of wisdom.

Cheers to you sir!!

 

No. Though I would be supportive of a reduction in black/white IPAs.

 

Not if you're drinking any in New England.. I have no doubt people are sick of the over malted monstrosities the West Coast calls IPA.

 

More so black than white, at least a bland sweet wheat beer can be kicked up with some hops but even the best black IPAs do nothing for me. Either I'm in the mood for a stout/porter or a hoppy beer but not together.