How to classify India Pale Lagers?

Yes, they go in the American Lager Category.

e.g.,

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/26520/71820/

 

What you've been doing sounds fine, it's definitely an American Lager with the volume turned up in certain areas (hops, strength, etc.), yet I don't know if there's enough of them to warrant it's own category.

 

Should be filed under "gimmick".

 

Would you really classify some of the beers that Jack’s Abby makes as gimmicky?

 

The guy is from CT; if it's not a Fox Farm beer it's a gimmick.

 

I meant to say the idea of an IPL Is a gimmick. “We want An IPA but are going to hop the hell out of a lager”

While we are at it, can breweries please stop releasing pale ales and calling them “pilseners”?

 

I still don’t see how that’s a gimmick... To me, I think if I’m brewing a West Coast IPA, one of the factors that makes world class examples of the style is the dryness and a crisp mouthfeel. Both of those can be taken to the extreme with lager yeast which can ferment some sugars that ale yeast can’t and since lager yeast typically produces about half the amount of esters as ale yeast, it helps to take crispness and drinkability to the extreme. If I brew a beer that way, why would I call it anything other than an IPL? It’s the most accurate way of describing the goal of the beer.

My issue with the “pils” trend is that a lot of breweries are listing the style specifically as German Pils on their Untappd profiles which then gets listed on menus in bars that use Untappd for their menu screens. I think the style is actually pretty interesting and one of my favorites to drink, but I’d rather see them listed as American Lager or have an American Pils counterpart.

 

Maybe because the beer has virtually nothing to do with India?

 

Don't see it as being gimmicky, honestly love a good IPL. It has all the best pieces of an IPA and a pilsner. Nothing better than a hoppy beer with a crisp dry finish. I also find that when it is done with a single hop, it really showcases that hops potential. Local brewery was doing a series of single hop lagers and they were really special.

 

What makes it "India"? Does any given beer, regardless of style, given X amount of hops, become "India"?

India Quad Ale?

India Saison Ale?

India Stout Ale?

India Hopposhu Ale?

Help a brother out here, what are the parameters?

 

Jack's Abby's IPLs are hardly session strength.

Hoponius is 6.5%

Excess IPL is 7.2%

Mass Rising is 8.0%

Kiwi Rising is 8.5%

I think "gimmick" is a bit harsh here.

But I understand what @keithmurray is saying.

Let me start by saying I think Jack's Abby makes some great beers, and their IPLs are definitely good beers. I'm partial to their more "traditional" styles, but that's a separate story.

You're a brewer, so you might be able to pick out an IPL among a line-up of West Coast IPAs.

But do you think a regular beer consumer could pick out Hoponius Union in a blind tasting with West Coast IPAs? Do you think they'd even prefer it?

I also think the style never really took off, because a lager yeast (which has benefits as you've outlined) still isn't the best vehicle for showcasing hops.

Hoponius is the highest rated "American Lager" on this site at 4.24. This would be a fairly pedestrian rating for a New England IPA, or even the "American IPA" category on this web site.

Jack's Abby has stated before that they don't use their more expensive German malts on their IPLs because the malt profile would get lost among the hop profile of these beers.

For my palate, if I want a lot of hops, I'll grab an IPA. I like what the ale yeast brings to the table with a large amount of hops.

And if I want a crisp, hop forward beer, with a nice bready malt back bone, I'll grab a German Pils.

To me, an IPL takes away both of those aspects that I love in each style.

Personally the best piece of a Pilsner is nailing those bready Pils malt characteristics. The hops add a nice complementary piece to the style, but they're not the showcase.

My point being, IPLs bury most of that malt backbone for my palate.

 

I think the "style" never took off because you can get basically the same beer using neutral ale yeast. Just like JA doesn't bother with German malts, they wouldn't bother with lager yeast if it weren't part of their brand identity.

 

I've noticed this in many "pilsners" put out by breweries better known for their IPA's. They're usually described as "an American (or modern) take", list multiple American hops, and consider the malts as an afterthought. They make what they call pilsners for IPA drinkers. It could very well be time for German & Bohemian to be joined by American as separate pilsner styles

Have you noticed the difference between Post Shift and Sunny Ridge? They are both Jack's pilsners, but have noticeably different profiles with Post being a hoppier "American" style and Sunny being more what I think of as "European". I enjoy both, but prefer the taste of Sunny Ridge.

 

To be honest I haven't noticed Post Shift to be hoppier necessarily, but I do prefer Sunny Ridge, as I feel it's closer to what I come to expect from a German Pils.

Although Post Shift has grown on me over the years, but I still prefer Sunny Ridge. I should do a side by side though while I have the opportunity.