Is IPA still king?

I've never thought of IPAs as being king. That title belongs to the Lights and Ultra lights out there...

 

I think they're still very much in. Just look at all the beer **** on this site

I know there are always the posts here trying to figure out what the next trend will be - but I don't think the IPA phase is quite over.
Others are definitely popular, but a lot of non-craft bars (it seems, to me) still tend to favor the IPA as their "non" macro offering

 

I don't think they're going out of fashion. I think they are and will continue to be immensely popular. But other styles are probably more en vogue right now amongst the uber beer geeks.

 

guess i'll put on my leisure suit and roller skates, cause I love me some hops.

once again proud to be 'stuck in the past'

 

In regards to crafts, IPA is most certainly still king around my parts. I have to machete my way through stacks of IPA's and DIPA's before I can find different styles at the bottle shop. Same goes for bars, typical tap lists around me have several IPA' and DIPA's.

 

When I go to the store I think "one IPA and one something esle." very popular and maybe even king. Although DIPA's are very close.

 

C'mon, everyone knows it's stout season.

 

Yes, signed San Diego. I do agree with MLaVioletteJr though, it is currently stout season!

 

Sierra Nevada certainly believes so.

 

IPA has been trendy long enough, it's become a standard. What your buddy said about certain areas being behind the times is pretty true though - I live in a market that's quite rural and at least 2 years behind what's going on in the country's hot spots. IPAs are the only craft beer a lot of people drink out here. Just today, I was talking to a total stranger and he found out I work for a wholesaler - 'what do you guys carry? A lot of IPAs? I love IPAs'.

Me too, man. Me too.

 

I think they are still very popular in fact the past few converts to craft beer that I know were because of IPAs and its the only thing they buy so far.

 

I enjoyed watching your avatar’s video about No Pliny the Elder!

Cheers!

 

Beauty is only in the eye of the beholder.

 

I think the IPA phase is currently in full swing but will be rather short lived in the near future, the fact being that almost every IPA (yes, I know this is a generalization) has the same characteristics; tropical fruit, pine, citrus, syrupy sweetness, sticky lacing, etc... I've had enough of them to be bored and want something different and I'm fairly certain other people will stumble to this conclusion as well. There's so much more versatility in classic ales and wheat beers that people have shoved off for a dry mouth and a sticky glass. It'll grow old soon enough.

 

You need to remember - IPAs are typically the first beer of the converts. A lot of people go their whole lives drinking bud light, and more and more people are switching to craft every year.

 

There is a reason why breweries continue to tag IPA onto the name of beers even when it doesn't fit. It makes the beer sell better. There is no other single style that can say that.

 

“ …the fact being that almost every IPA (yes, I know this is a generalization) has the same characteristics; tropical fruit, pine, citrus, syrupy sweetness, sticky lacing, etc..”

Brewers are using new hops all the time and while you may think they have “the same characteristics” (I recognize this was a generalization) many people (including me) will disagree with that generalized statement. For example, the newly released beer from Victory of Hop Ranch was brewed with the Azacca hop (which I personally have never heard of before). Victory Hop Ranch is a very, very different beer to my palate; I am still on the fence on what I think about this beer since the Azacca hops lend a “dank” flavor profile (but I enjoy the other aspects of this beer). I will drink some more Hop Ranch and render a ‘verdict’ in the future. While I may be ‘debating’ Hop Ranch at the moment there are lots of BAs who absolutely love this beer with chants to Victory to make Hop Ranch a year round beer.

There are a number of experimental hops which at present are only labeled with a number (e.g., HBC 462, HBC 344, HBC 366) which may the next ‘big thing’.

There are lots of possibilities for new IPAs (DIPAs, etc.) in the future.

Cheers!

 

In the craft world, yes they are still King.
In 2013 we were inundated with new beers in different styles using lots of hops and tacking on the IPA name to capitalize on the popularity.
Red IPA, White IPA, Black IPA, Brown IPA, Wheat IPA, IPL etc...

This isn't a complaint by the way, I am a hophead through and through.

 

All you have to do is look at what all these breweries are releasing lately. Seems to me 8 out of every 10 "new releases" is from the Pale ale/IPA/DIPA family.