The unfiltered craze.

The principle use of style guidelines is for competitions.

The BJCP Style Guidelines are used for homebrew competitions.

The Brewers Association Style Guidelines are used for commercial competitions (e.g., GABF, World Cup,...)

The European Beer Star Awards (EBSA) Style Guidelines are used for the EBSA competition.

Cheers!

 

I've had plenty of bad hoppy beers with the new hops. I do feel like the change in formula for what an IPA can be has been innovative. I think some of the techniques as far as dry hopping under pressure, using certain yeasts and malt adjuncts has been innovative. I think you're oversimplifying because these brewers are doing something different. I mean, it's not like it's all these new fangled hops. They're using more established hops too. Furthermore, I do think getting different characteristics from changing techniques or whatever is what is going to bring about new things to the brewing world. This might not be mind-blowing though.

 

Because competitions are an ongoing thing (they occur every year). Brewers are free to brew whatever they want. If they want to enter competitions they need to provide product that is consistent with the style guidelines if they desire to win a medal.

I am getting the feeling that for some reason you and I unable to communicate properly.

 

Yeah, I am thoroughly convinced that there is a communication problem here.

From now on I will just post in this thread, with no replies to your posts. Please do not feel obligated to reply to my posts.

 

Smell better, taste better and have better mouthfeel than non-filtered IMO. Appearance is in the eye of the beholder. If they were clear in appearance and still had the smell/taste/feel I really wouldn't care.

 

My thoughts exactly. Trash the beer to the people who like it, but explicitly tell them not to post stuff like " With that said, please refrain from responding to this post with something along the lines of, "Lol. Haven't you heard of personal taste, bro? Try again. Cheers!"" is a little silly. Nobody's opinion is beyond reproach.

That being said, I think the entire opinion that it's beer for people who don't like beer, and masking real beer flavors is pretty foolish and entitled, given that the majority of these "IPA's" are Reinheitsgebot compliant and contain no "non-beer" ingredients... sorry ya'll aren't in on the cool kid trend for once, but the pendulum continues to swing, and trends will change

 

I think, as beer drinkers, we could all do with being a little more foolish anyway.

 

Beer existentialism. We have come full circle.

 

I disagree, the thread is not at all foolish. Simply saying "It's all personal taste" is a generic comment that doesn't explain anything all. Inidivdual and group tastes are shaped by a variety of factors, some of which we are often not even aware of having an effect. Trying to sort out what factors shape "personal tastes" is a challenge.

 

I guess my view on the matter is that if we choose not to look at it as an inferior product based on the constructs of what we would traditionally call, "artfully crafted beer" (eg because it's not crystal clear), then we can approach the realization that there is a lot of pressure in the market to stand out. As such, creativity is demanded to survive.


This brings us to today, where we see beers with tons of adjuncts, and the experimental type of behavior we currently see as the NEIPA craze. I personally, am a huge fan of these, primarily because they are different and fresh (as an idea, also... fresh beer). Brewers already know how to make a west coast style IPA. It has been done a million times. Certainly, as the craze continues, the financial implications of making a very popular beer style is realized for a brewing company, but also the artistry and ability of a brewer to make something new (even though it is a "fad") can be recognized. We as humans seem to thrive on new experiences and learned skills. The delicious beer is a bonus...

 

It's not that the haze directly leads to juicy flavors, but that breweries are intentionally making their beers cloudy to show the consumer that the beer is supposed to be "tropical" and "juicy."

Those beers can taste the same and be clear by hop choice, popular brewing techniques. You can also have bitter "dank" IPAs that are hazy.

The haze craze kills me.

 

The thing is, you really can't make one of those beers without it being cloudy. The comparatively early dryhopping (at high krausen) causes what's come to be known as "bioconversion" which causes suspension of delicate hop oils and particulate, enhancing the juiciness in flavor, as well as the full, soft mouthfeel, with an inevitably hazy look. Cue "The more you know" rainbow.

 

I think a common misconception is that hazy = juice bomb.


I have been an IPA fan for about 10 years. As recently as a year ago, my all-time favorite IPA was Stone Ruination – The Original - Not the cloyingly sweet “new and improved” recipe. I consider myself to be a person that likes “beer that tastes like beer.”


With that said, I had my first truly hazy beer a little more than a year ago. It was a Hill Farmstead Edward pale ale. I never realized the effect that mouthfeel can have on the experience. By no means is that a juice bomb, but it was hazy with a “pillowy” feel and a wonderful hop aroma, with a dry clean finish. I have continued to enjoy the classic interpretation of the style but I actively seek out hazy pale ales and IPAs that have a soft mouthfeel and a nose that vividly expresses the hops. My best chance to obtain this beer locally is from Tired Hands. I’ve had many many tired hands beers, and many of them that would probably be labelled as “juicy”. But my favorites are Alien Church and HopHands (probably 2 that do not draw the 3 hour lines on canning days). 2 beers that in no way resemble juice. Hazy – yes. Pungent – yes. Soft Feel – yes. But a cleaner finish that you don’t get in the juice bomb.


So to answer the OP’s question – for me – the haze craze is in the mouthfeel.

 

I'm just saying i have definitely had "juicy" "soft" IPAs that were crystal clear and hazy turpid ones that were bitter and abrasive. Can go two ways.

 

Photoshopping beer photos? Oh the horrors...