Does anyone feel like stepping back from IPAs sometimes?

Took a 3 week break from beer (in general) with like... 2 exceptions over in France, and when I cracked the Odell Drumroll this morning, I could actually taste the hops again. Refreshing to take a break... plus the wine in France was much, much better than any beer I could find where we were so, no pain.

 

This guy felt we had hit IPA saturation back in 2012. I personally think it was earlier.

https://jaysbrewingblog.com/2012/10/25/so-many-ipas-too-many-ipas/

I started doing the preverbal “face palm” when I started hearing people going up to a bartender and asking “do you have any IPAs on tap” (never mind the beer list on the wall, etc) vs “what are some good beers you have on tap” or something like that.

With the former question one you usually detected in there voice that they were new to craft beer and unfortunately only knew of IPA. So sad.

For those of us old enough to drink in the 1990’s I think you will remember the diversity of the craft beer scene. We didn’t have as many craft beers but the ones that were around (and there were a lot) produced a beautiful and diverse variety.

For example Boston Beer company (one of the earliest) had their Lager, Boston Ale, Porter, Stout, Scottish Ale, Cherry Wheat, and probably a few more I’m forgetting. Now they have half a dozen IPAs. Brooklyn brewing was the first to release an authentic IPA based from old British recipes...at least that I can remember. I recall thinking that this was almost going to be a seasonal thing as we only made an IPA at John Harvard’s once a year.

 

I'm old enough to have been drinking beer back in the 1960s and I remember self styled connoisseurs who would only drink imports and rave about them even if the beer was old and skunky. I've long maintained IPAs wouldn't be so popular if the name wasn't easy to pronounce.

 

According to Oliver's The Brewmaster's Table, Brooklyn's East India Pale Ale was first released in 1995 as their summer seasonal. Quite a few "craft" IPA's were around by then (and Pabst/Falstaff's Ballantine India Pale Ale was still being brewed though the recipe was dumbed down and aging time had been reduced), including what is recognized as the first US-craft brewed beer labeled "India Pale Ale" from Bert Grant, circa 1983. Retrospectively, many now of course include Anchor Liberty Ale and SN Celebration Ale as early examples of US craft era IPAs.

As for the "authentic...based on old British recipes..." well, I let others argue that

 

I feel like I drink styles according to season - IPAs are usually a summer beer for me so 8-9 months of the year I step back to other styles like stouts, porters, etc.

 

Not sure who the quote is attributed to but "For Every Gorgeous Woman, There's A Man Tired Of Having Sex With Her" applies here too. Difference is - you're not married to a brewery or beer style.

 

I know that I drink styles according to mood.

 

That's always a good way to avoid beers/beer styles you're not feeling

 

After having and brewing AltBier I can’t really stand any IPA. I prefer any of the brown ales or some dark lagers but the aftertaste of most ipa is nasty to me

 

This is a great thread. I've been wanting to clear my palate from IPA's lately so that I can concentrate on new beer styles. I'm having a bit of trouble as I cannot find enjoyment from other beers. I have not give any opinions about new beers outside of IPA's because my taste buds have been comprised. This has become a problem for me. I was able to enjoy any beer style and I still get a flight to check out new brews but I have been noticing that only the IPA's are the only one I talk about. I feel I need to rediscover beer again. My option is to drink basic American lager until I adapt then go back on the hunt but avoid IPA'S .

 

They can (and will ) argue the 'authenticity', but word on the street was that Oliver did conduct a certain amount of research on historic English IPAs, and used it to develop the recipe. (I knew one of the Brooklyn reps at the time, and a few members of our homebrew club knew Oliver). It was pretty much all English pale malt and Kent Goldings all the way, 1.070 o.g., not too far off from the Durden Park Beer Circle recipe.

And there was also no dearth of other hoppy beers modeled on those two, that just didn't happen to market themselves as IPAs either.

 

Since last Oct of '17, I officially discovered hazy IPA. I know all about the fad, but damn it seems like that's all I crave! After trying Monkish, imo the best on west coast at least in LA, and several on the East, I'm ready for a break. Great thread and I feel like it applies to me also.

So Bottle Logic stouts it is for a while! (until I run out)

 

The only IPA’s I want to detox from is hazy’s. Spawn of the devil they is.

 

My co-worker Justin, the guy who introduced me to beer in general, has burned out on IPA's and switched to Pilsners as his current mainstay style. I now drink more IPA's than he does, which astounds both of us.

He met and married a woman and he is now moving to Germany, AKA beer central.

 

That was pretty much my reaction the first time I had one. Granted, my experience would probably be different if I weren't in California, surrounded by west coast styles, but even at their best, my reaction has been, "They're OKAY"... not a fan of grapefruit, pine flavors, and more the earth.

 

Yeah, but was it long aged in wood, picking up some Brettanomyces along the way? Highly attenuated? Dry-hopped (I imagine it is, but no mention of it) with whole hops rather than pellets?

I mean, "authenticity" * - especially since they were brewing it at F X Matt - typically can only go so far and, to my mind at least, implies something beyond just the ingredients. Currently, Brooklyn lists several "modern" hop varieties in the EIPA - "Summit...Centennial, Cascade, Amarillo" and even notes:

- but I'm not sure if that was the case in '95 - likely tweaked along the way to keep up with changing IPA trends.

(I vaguely recall a comment in the beer press at the time that the first "batch" was under-hopped, suggesting the recipe was adjusted almost immediately for later brews).

But, I guess, one would also have to know how the recipes of those other US craft IPAs were designed to be able to claim Brooklyn's was the "...first to release an authentic IPA based from old British recipes." BTW, Oliver claims he based it on Wm. Tizzard's The Theory and Practice of Brewing Illustrated (1842), several editions of which are available on Google Books.

* Not that I really expect much "authenticity" from any commercial brewer for a regular release "based" on a two century old recipe.

 

Not stepping away from IPAs, but stepping down in abv lately. I still have a nice dipa from time to time, but not as interested in the big hitters out there as I used to be.

 

Same here. Working on the last of a Vermont haul from a buddy. Mostly 8% / 9% stuff. First doubles I’ve had since Festivus. I swear VT does double IPAs better than anyone, and I really enjoy them because I only get a bunch 3-4 times per year. Most other DIPAs are too boozy for me. If I wanted straight alcohol I’d drink booze. For the most part I prefer 6.5-7% ABV IPAs.

 

I get tired of IPAs on occasion, but I always come back to them, sooner rather than later more often than not. Every time I think I'm burned out on IPAs, I find myself drinking one a few days later. It's good to break it up and drink other styles, but IPAs remain my favorite style.

 

Ye

Yes, 6.5-7% is the perfect range to me also. New hollands taz ipa got a few 6 pack purchases out of me. Ballast points mango even keel is pretty tasty too, though that's only 3.8%. Doesn't taste like it to me though, plenty of flavor.