IPA and Barrel-Aged Stout Bias

about as rational as fashion trends

 

I wouldn't call it bias, those are just the popular styles among BAs. You can't change the opinions of the masses, but the website does allow you to view ratings rankings for individual styles, including the less popular ones.

 

1. Is that busby??

2. recent trend

 

Those are the styles with big flavors that easily capture people's attention. Also, lambics and american wild ales are up there because they have some big and distinct flavors.

 

American phenomena: bigger must me better.

OR--hard to get must be better.

B.S. That is the one list I ignore above all others.

 

A common reappearing question. Highly flavorful beers always get all the high reviews because partially because of hype and also because of overall complexity of the styles. I still think half the problem is the "had" ticks being regarded as relevant opinions in the overall score. Big hype beers ----> 5 ticks x100. Then on the other side of the spectrum you have people ticking off 2's and 3's on my favorite kolsch's and helles style beers because they are just writing them off as some bland uninteresting beer, even if they are pinpoint examples of said styles.

I wouldn't get all worked up in the ratings personally, I've purchased countless lower rated beers that have been great. And on the other side of the coin, I've had numerous 4.5+ hype beers that don't meet those expectations. Just enjoy everything you like, who cares what everyone else thinks

 

...and why does Justin beiber sell more albums than slipknot??...I just don't get it

 

For the same reason a hot fudge sundae with whip cream, sprinkles and a cherry outsells a bowl of plain vanilla ice cream.

 

I'd still take a bowl of both those Ice Creams instead of a can of Heady Topper...

 

I love a great Pils as much as anyone, but even the best examples of style wouldn't drive me to start a thread on it. I'm one of those wowed by great dipas and BA Stouts, maybe because there is so much that's mediocre that when you find a great one it's noteworthy. Big flavor profiles aren't going away any time soon I believe.

 

I love a good Heffe and a Kölsch too but the flavors of Stouts and IPAs are just more out there..... That being said, the best beer I have had this year was neither, it was Hill Farmstead Art.... Now that is a wow beer

 

IIPA's and Imp Stouts are the easiest styles to understand. Probably put fruited sours in that category, too.

 

While I don't agree with it, I think it has to do with the wow factor. A well made IPA or stout has bigger and bolder flavors and it makes more of an impression on the drinker. There have been countless times I've read a review of a great pilsner or hefeweizen that had nothing but positive things to say about the beer, but for some reason the overall rating for the beer ends up around 3.5. Is a 4 the ceiling for these styles?

 

I spy with my little eyes.......quite a few Belgians in the top 250.

 

Bigger flavours are more exciting.

Don't confuse hype with quality.

 

Perceived complexity.

 

I think scarcity drives the Top 250 as much as quality.

 

Could also be a regional issue... I think the majority of BAs on here are from the USA. The styles mentioned above are very popular in the US or at least seem to be based on what I read here on the site.

Hence if most BAs are from the US and those styles are popular there than it stand to reason that those styles will dominate the reviews.
Now this is just a theory based on my humble observations... but I do know that a lot of the UK BAs tend to think this as well so like @surfcaster I and others tend to by pass that list.

Final though on the matter from me... It would be interesting to put this theory to the test and have regional top whatever lists so we could compare European leanings to American, Asian etc etc...