What if New England IPAs were seasonal?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by AlcahueteJ, Sep 7, 2018.

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  1. AlcahueteJ

    AlcahueteJ Grand Pooh-Bah (3,088) Dec 4, 2004 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Obviously, it's Oktoberfest season. My favorite beer season of them all. And I got to thinking, as much as I love this season, and this style, I'm very glad it's only seasonal.

    It gives me something to look forward to, and by the time August hits (it can be later for some of you), I am more than ready to spend the next couple months pounding as many beers of this style as I can.

    That being said, if it was available year round (if all of them were, I realize there's a couple imports that are), I don't think I'd drink them too often. And I LOVE this style of beer.

    And then the wheels in my head started turning (this can be a dangerous thing), and I thought, "What if New England IPAs were seasonal, just like Oktoberfests?"

    I like both styles, although I like Oktoberfests much more. But I would love it if New England IPAs were only available for a few months. They'd be fresher, and they wouldn't clog the shelves all year round. I'd get to drink my fill of them for a couple of months, and then get to take a break and move on. I know many breweries release certain IPAs on a rotation already, but to see ALL New England IPAs be a seasonal release would be something entirely different.

    Thoughts?
     
  2. nc41

    nc41 Initiate (0) Sep 25, 2008 North Carolina
    Trader

    I'd agree with that. To be honest they wear on me, even the best ones are a chore after two. The soft sweet low bitter has a limit. I'm at that point with Fest beers right now, I just need something different. And a hoppy Pils is my cure.
     
  3. Tilley4

    Tilley4 Pooh-Bah (2,667) Nov 13, 2007 Tennessee
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I'm with you... Oktoberfests ring my bell when they show up on shelves... As much as I love them, I know me and I know I would burn myself out on them...which is sort of what ive done with fruit sours and hazy NE ipas...I find myself gravitating back to the basics more and more... Well made pilsners, helles, etc... I find myself passing over fresh hazy stuff just because with the vast amount available, they all run together... If they were more spread out as a seasonal is, I would definitely enjoy them more
     
  4. Lahey

    Lahey Initiate (0) Nov 12, 2016 Michigan

    Great idea. I think year round sales are too huge for it to happen. Though if it were seasonal, breweries would see crazy sales in that style for that season.
     
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  5. FatBoyGotSwagger

    FatBoyGotSwagger Grand Pooh-Bah (3,728) Apr 4, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    How would small local breweries stay in business? :wink: Oktoberfest is the best time of year to be a beer drinker.
     
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  6. ecpho

    ecpho Savant (1,159) Mar 28, 2011 New York

    So a lot of breweries that seem to only make NEIPAs would have to shut down for most of the year. Or learn how to actually make another style of beer.
     
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  7. Saudade

    Saudade Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2014 Pennsylvania

    I agree......while i do love a good NEIPA, making them a seasonal beer would bring back some of the "yay" feeling, and honestly i tend to find myself here recently straying away from them. They are everywhere, im trying to see more breweries perfect the pilsner, or hefe, or belgian variety. Being that fall is quickly approaching i tend to want a more robust beer and whille great pilsners and hefes arent robust, they serve as a great session beer year round, at least for me personally
     
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  8. Jacobier10

    Jacobier10 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,090) Feb 23, 2004 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Simply put, the demand is just way too high for NEIPA to be seasonal. Maybe over time the demand will go down but for the past couple of years they have been the rare case that the supply is high AND people are buying the hell out of them.

    I think almost any beer would be more enjoyable if it we're available less. There are some Oktoberfests that are brewed year-round (e.g., Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr) and I'm willing to bet they don't sell as well the rest of the year as they do Aug-Oct. The truth is a Vienna lager isn't that far off from an Oktoberfest Märzen and a Helles isn't that different from a Festbier, but if Vienna and Helles were made seasonal I still can't imagine people clamoring for them. The demand just isn't there year-round.
     
  9. cavedave

    cavedave Grand Pooh-Bah (4,145) Mar 12, 2009 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    While we're at it let's make AAL seasonal too. I mean, who wants to drink AAL in the winter, anyway? Let's only sell AAL in the summer.
     
  10. cavedave

    cavedave Grand Pooh-Bah (4,145) Mar 12, 2009 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Surely you aren't suggesting that profit and popular demand should be considerations of brewers in what styles they brew, are you?
     
  11. LADEDA

    LADEDA Initiate (0) Jul 29, 2014 Florida

    I'm all for seasonal beer. Oktoberfest is one of my favorites. Next up, Celebration and winter warmers. I look for the seasonal brews all year because of the freshness issues. There is just way too much old beer for sale, and I loathe carrying a flashlight and mag glass when I go beer shopping. If it says Oktoberfest, and has 2018 on the label, (SN), I'm in, and it's outstanding brew, as well. A better word for my habits would be "annual" beers, fresh hop, etc. Cheers.
     
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  12. AlcahueteJ

    AlcahueteJ Grand Pooh-Bah (3,088) Dec 4, 2004 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I almost added, "I'm not realistically suggesting this, as sales are way too high for New England IPAs"...or something along those lines.

    This is a personal preference, because it would be suicide for many many breweries to make New England IPAs seasonal only.

    That being said, many pastry stouts are in fact seasonal. KBS in March, Bourbon County in November...etc.
     
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  13. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam


    KBS and BC are pastry stouts????
     
  14. EvenMoreJesus

    EvenMoreJesus Initiate (0) Jun 8, 2017 Pennsylvania

    There's no reason for any beer to be a seasonal, save ones, like fresh hop beers, whose recipes revolve around very perishable ingredients.

    I understand the traditional aspects of beers like Marzen, Festbier, and Maibock, but I kinda hate the idea of seasonal beers, in general. Maybe it's because of how much I despise spiced beers and pumpkin and Christmas beers seem to be the hallmark of seasonal beers? I guess you can throw shandies and radlers on that woodpile, too.
     
  15. matthewp

    matthewp Pundit (856) Feb 27, 2015 Massachusetts
    Trader

    Amen!
     
  16. Jacobier10

    Jacobier10 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,090) Feb 23, 2004 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Of course, but fads come and go. So, if your brewery is not doing something innovative or unique, and you are brewing popular styles for the sole purpose of turning a quick profit, you better have the skills to adjust quickly enough to adapt to the latest trend.
     
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  17. cavedave

    cavedave Grand Pooh-Bah (4,145) Mar 12, 2009 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Hard to think of a business for which that isn't true.
     
  18. azorie

    azorie Pooh-Bah (2,409) Mar 18, 2006 Florida
    Pooh-Bah

    last time I went to store in may they still had Oktoberfest beer..so not sure how "seasonal' it is???

    never understand seasonal beer myself, even holiday beer is just a way to rip us off IMHO.

    So who cares about IPA, I just do not, if you want to drink something that hop bombs you go for it. to each his own. I getting a kick how the "style" has evolved,,,,
     
  19. Ahonky

    Ahonky Initiate (0) Feb 13, 2018 New York

    I don't understand why this requires a discussion. A hypothetical what if bears no fruit if the scenario runs counter to an obvious and collective boner this nation has for NEIPA.
     
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  20. AlcahueteJ

    AlcahueteJ Grand Pooh-Bah (3,088) Dec 4, 2004 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    You've never discussed hypothetical situations?

    For example, when people ask, "What's your dessert island beer?" I imagine most of will never end up stranded on a dessert island. And if we were, I highly doubt there would be beer available.

    The question is also one of opinion, not projection. Not, "Do you think New England IPAs will become seasonal?", but "Would you prefer it if they were?"

    You're right, they're not (well maybe the variants of Bourbon County). But I lump them all into the "barrel-aged" category in my head, even though I know they're not. My point was, there's highly rated beers that are seasonal.
     
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