IPA craze: When will it be over?!

Tomorrow, it will end tomorrow.

 

You said you like a few, but a lot of them are too bitter or medicinal. This, to me, implies that you don't like them in general.

Come to St. Louis. Check out the beer list at Perennial? They are serving Homefront IPA in their tap room, but how many IPA's do you see here in their beer list?

http://www.perennialbeer.com/beer-lister/all_categories/

 

Craze: A short-lived popular fashion; a fad.

There have been IPAs in the top 10 here at BA since I joined over 10 years ago. I personally believe the term craze does not apply. It's valid and well loved style. And has been for quite a while now.

 

Bitterness has become a big part of the identity of American craft brewers, so the popularity of IPAs is probably going to last a while. Though eventually, IPAs will become just another popular style and some other beer craze will take over.

 

I totally understand your post; there is obviously a ton of focus on IPAs, which is great because it is giving brewers a chance to master the style. However, I would be excited if the focus switched around a bit. It would give brewers the chance to really experiement with other styles. I know they already do this, but you've got to say that different styles were given the type of time and energy (and money) that brewers currently give to IPAs, those styles would see a ton of positive change.

I love IPAs but I would love to see the same intensity put toward other styles at some point in the future.

 

I love IPAs, but I also wish that other styles were given more attention. And this affects me in several ways.

For one, there are some breweries that make mostly IPAs, so if you go to their tasting rooms there are not many non-IPA options. The area I life in is rife with breweries, but on my last count only a handful regularly brew a pilsener (my favorite go-to style when there are good ones handy) whereas all but one that I am aware of brews multiple IPAs. This means I am buying more German beers than local ones lately. I love the German stuff, but I would like to have more local options.


For two, there are multiple pubs that I frequent that have a large set of drafts, but the drafts are excessively dominated by IPAs. One of them has about 30 taps, and it is normal for 25 of those to be IPAs, with 2 porters or stouts, and 3 lagers or Belgians.

 

And to you Dave, I ask this, "When will the breakfast-themed beer craze be over? For the love of God, When?"

 

Seems to me it's an everything craze, weissebiers, browns, red ales, chili beers, & IPAs....I hope it lasts at least till my funeral.

 

I think people are reading exactly what you wrote. You said a like a few IPA's but a lot of them are too bitter or medicinal. This implies that you don't like them in general, with a few exceptions.

I don't think you've offended anyone. They are simply responding to your question. I don't really see any butt-hurt responses here. I like IPA's a lot, as well as many other styles. I'm not offended.

 

I plan on buying six cases after work today. Maybe eight if I have time.

 

Your post is a bit of a trap.

In your original post, it seems you are implying that the IPA craze is in some way inhibiting brewers from doing more with other styles.

"When do we see a surge in weissbeirs? How about brown ales? Red/Irish ales? I know these brewers can do more with the other ingredients, as they all have some sort of amber/red/brown ale and other lighter pilsners, kolsch beers, lagers, and such... it just seems most places have twice as many IPAs as they do all other kinds of beers combined."

So you are linking the abundance of IPAs to the scarcity of other styles you prefer.

Then you say, "I am sorry if I have offended anyone who loves IPAs, and once again, I have never said they should go away"

No, you just think there's too many IPAs.

 

Demand drives it. I'm one of those who demands it.

 

March 3rd, 2016

 

I like IPAs as well I do not buy them very often but it would be good to see brewers break away from them and stop brewing new ones. It's quite a way over saturated beer market with IPAs they are becoming less exciting. There are also a lot more other styles to be brewed and explored.

 

well clearly I'm not the only one who took what you said apparently the wrong way. In any event, I don't know your area but I have to believe there are places somewhere that aren't serving 80% IPA's. We don't have anything near this level of IPA madness around here. Like I said earlier, most breweries around here serve 1 or 2 tops. Beer bars with 30+ taps might have 4 or 5 IPA/IIPA's on tap at any given time.

 

2017's May 25th was better.