Are New England IPAs overrated?

I've had many very highly regarded ones on draught in NYC, and quite fresh (Grimm, Hill Farmstead, Tired Hands, many NYC brewers, etc.) but haven't come across those two brewers. I did also get the Lagunitas beer that everyone was touting as being representative (Born Yesterday) and had the same reaction I always have.

As to the new hyped beer style, your guess is as good as mine. Probably better . The answer may lie in the trading forums, though.

ETA: I don't get that same reaction from Heady Topper, Sip of Sunshine or Maine Lunch, nor do I consider them of this substyle. They aren't constructed the same way wrt proteins and finish.

 

Fair point. I routinely drink Pineal and Alien Church at 2 months and they are still stellar. Just as good as they are at 2 weeks though? I would argue no, but close. Whereas with the milkshakes, you'd be hard pressed to realize you're drinking the same beer if presented with a 2-week and 2-month old pour side by side.

 

I 100% agree with you here - at 2 months (of refrigerated storage) these beers are close.

Cheers!

 

I'd be interested to hear @TheIPAHunter 's take on this question as well.

 

I agree 100% with you here. I would personally also add Hill Farmstead to this list based upon my consumption of Hill Farmstead beers on tap in the Philly area over the past 6-7years. It has recently been intimated to me that drinking Hill Farmstead in Greensboro may be differing experience than my local (Philly area) experiences?

Cheers!

 

Would you personally classify the Hill Farmstead hoppy beers as being of the so called 'NE' style IPA category?

Cheers!

 

What your describing back in the day was great beers sold and distributed locally or regionally at best. So it was...... Fresh. The key to any great IPA is fresh, as they expand distro problems pop up. Ive had crappy fresh IPAs as well, so fresh doesn't trump the base beer but it does work in conjunction when the beer is stellar.

 

The rich mouthfeel is definitely a big part of it for my tastes. I have had a couple 'juicy' western IPAs and with a dry crisp mouthfeel they have all come across as a little too sweet. The 'NE' ones are all really sweet as well, I think but the juice-feel of them maybe makes them drink a little better IMO.

 

I think it ultimately comes down to what you enjoy.

Lets get one thing out in the open, hype sells better than just about anything.

That being said, you can still enjoy a delicious beer and give it a high rating, without the rest of the beer world agreeing with you. Just go ahead and look at the ISO:FT anywhere, everyone is looking for the same beers, and breweries are seeing this demand and capitalizing on it. 30 years ago, there was a grand total of maybe 150 breweries in the US, now there are over 3,500 (and its probably closer to 4k). With places coming out with new beers every week, there isnt a chance that one person can enjoy every beer like he/she used to be able to.

NE IPAs are delicious. I prefer the ones without tons of fruit added, but thats just my preference. Enjoy what you want, dont worry about what others are saying.

 

Treehouse is SOOO HOT right now. Tree House....

 

Heck no! It comes down to personal choice. I much prefer the sweetness of the New England IPAs when compared to the bitterness of the western versions. Not to say that one is better than the other. It is just how I feel about it.

 

I didnt really find Lagunitas Born Yesterday to be anything like most of the NEIPAs ive had. Also wasnt there a thread out there showing that most of these NEIPAs had very little yeast in suspension? No more than your typical IPA, at least, with a few exceptions, such as those from Hoof Heartedly, which are basically yeast slurry.

Correction: the yeast in suspension discussion I referenced was from an interview with the brewer from Fieldwork on the Brewing Network. Though i swear it was discussed here as well.

 

I agree mostly with what you say -although I don't ever think I've seen a DIPA with that low an IBU. My point was this has been discussed numerous times on threads here. Should there be another category for the NEIPAs? Personally I think not. Almost every category has been pushed beyond its true Characteristics it seems. Personally I don't mind. It's all about personal taste. I love the traditional style as I said above and will drink just about anything within each category at least oncell to see if it's my bag.

 

I'm no brewing expert by any stretch, but I don't think it's possible to make a NE-Style IPA with centennial as the main hop. Centennial is much too piney and it will almost assuredly overpower the bursting tropical fruit flavors from the Galaxy and Citra that NE IPAs are known for. I'm sure it will still turn out good, but it will probably taste somewhere in between west coast and NE in flavor, possibly more towards west coast.

EDIT: To answer the OP, I do not think NE style ipas are overrated at all. The ones that are good are fantastic, some of the best beers I've ever had. I do think that certain breweries or even certain beers are overhyped a bit, but I wouldn't call them overrated.

 

This style of IPA has been like a gateway drug for me... I used to dislike West Coast style IPAs, but the NEIPAs have helped transform my palate to appreciate more traditional IPA styles.

I'm regularly underwhelmed by beers with lots of hype, but nearly every beer I've had from Tree House has impressed me.

 

I have always said that beer by in large is a personal preferance. If you think it's over rated thats fine but the next guy may think that style is the best. I personaly love the east coat style but also wouldn't want to live without my west coast stuff either. Thank goodness for trading! My favorite brewery right now is Treehouse and look forward to receiving my currant trades from Trillium and Tired hands as I haven't had either yet. Bottom line is that a good balance in beer as in life is always best.
BTW, all that cloudy citrisy goodness you are tired of........ ship it my way and I'll send some Pliny your way. lol
Cheers!

 

Syrupy and thin, huh?

 

I love the style done well, so I guess I will continue to get them and enjoy them. I understand that there are folks who don't like them. I recommend doing the opposite of what I do to these folks