The unfiltered craze.

I debated posting this for a moment, but here I go...

OP, your initial post started by asking for some objective debate about the merits of "unfiltered" IPA, by which we all assume you mean the turbid NEIPAs popular today. You asked for no replies mentioning how taste is subjective, but quickly turned your post subjective by comparing the appearance to puke. Every post since then seems mired in the subjective "I don't like it and anyone who disagrees with me is wrong" type posts.

I'm not a NEIPA fanboy. I've never even had one. I've been homebrewing so long that I still have a hangup about crystal clear beer.

The point I want to make is that you cannot turn this into an objective argument, much less hide behind a facade of objectivism when all of your arguments have really been subjective. You don't like turbid IPAs, we get it. But some people do. Unless you can point to an objective criticism about how these beers are inferior, and not just not to your liking or outside of traditional style expectations, you are really just spinning your wheels in subjective opinion.

 

What's the point of saying "look how great this beer looks!" if it doesn't actually look like that?

 

Best of luck with your conversation with Chip.

Cheers!

 

...I meant to say non-filtered IPAs I find better in those 3 attributes.

 

I mean... it seems you want to know why people like these beers but you're unwilling to accept that many people simply enjoy the smell and taste experience that they provide. Which basically only leaves answers that are insulting to the people who like these beers.

 

I found Focal Banger to be a lot like that

 

I'll admit to be that beer snob that likes to try the trendy things. I love variety and seek out the obscure.

 

What's the source of the chalkiness? As someone with minimal NE-style exp. (Modern Times, mostly), I'm not sure I follow.

 

NoDa Brewing has a hazy IPA that they brewed a couple of months ago. Not sure if it was a one off or if it will become a regular rotation beer.

 

They are popular because people enjoy them. They are acceptable because so many beer drinkers have far less stringent approach to judging beer. For the vast majority of beer drinkers, the sole criteria for good beer is "Do I enjoy drinking it?". The people who judge beer based on brewing guidelines is such an extremely small minority of consumers that it doesn't even register. For most, the idea of a beer that's "not acceptable" has no meaning.

 

I actually disagree to a certain extent; I think these are beers for people who don't like beer, but that isn't meant to imply that they're not also beers for craft beer fans. Since these beers tend to have a fruity taste and low bitterness, they're very approachable for people who haven't acquired the test for more standard (and sometimes bitter) beer. Now, I agree with you if people are trying to say that loving these beers makes you less of a "true" craft beer fan, but I definitely think this style appeals to non-beer fans more than your standard IPA would.

Yup, I've often said the Alchemist stuff is my ideal in terms of IPA balance. Not as fruity or as soft as the "standard" NE IPA (and thus doesn't get as cloying for me), but with a nice malt backbone that really gives you a full beer. Focal in particular is one of my all-time favorites, because the citra and mosaic really shine.

 

Wondering how popular these beers would be if people were blindfolded and told they were drinking a pale ale.

 

Problem is that simply saying "It's personal taste" doesn't explain any of the reasons why personal tastes exist and differ.

 

Weird how people never seem to feel the need to call hefeweizens "beer for people who don't like beer". They're fruity, hazy, and even less bitter than New England IPAs! Why do they get a pass from the Real Beer Police?

 

Because they're gross!

Bananas. Cloves. Ewww.

 

Hefes do seem to be the beer my non-beer-drinking family enjoys. I've fed my old man Tree House, Alchemist, Trillium, some Pliny, and his response is always that it "tastes like beer."

He will willingly drink a Hefe though.

Same with my wife. She thinks NEIPAs are bitter as all get-out, but she rather enjoys a Hefe and, weirdly, Sip of Sunshine.

 

There are plenty of beer styles that are not bitter. But, they don't claim to be American IPAs, either.

 

I haven't had many that I'd consider fruity in the same manner as these, though, and some of the non-craft beer people I've given hefeweizens to have been put-off by the spiciness that they can have. They're certainly not a bad choice, either, but I feel like these are still more approachable.

And here we have the exactly opposite of my anecdotal experiences!