Let's talk about hops/American IPA

Idk if America will get bored of hops or not...but I sure as hell won't
Sometimes I think it's too delicious of a beverage not to grab the whole world...then again, I think the same about the NFL and Europeans love their soccer too much lol
It's tough to say really

 

Hop head here as well, and I will never get bored of it. Every brewer, every region is trying something new its exciting to try them all and see how different and delicious the American IPA is being made in different parts of the country.

 

Another Hop Head here, chasing the dragon never gets old, at least this one is legal

 

It was a couple of years ago, and a glass of an anniversary ReAle in Italy, that not only brought me back to Portland in the early 90s, but reminded me that these are classic flavors by now and should be regarded as such. Too many people seem to get lost in the latest trendy craze these days, but don't realize that it represents an expanding palate of flavors and possibilities to indulge in; not the next step on some mythical ladder to nowhere.

 

Always love a great IPA, but I'm getting far more selective. I would much rather drink a great lager over a middling IPA any day, actually I'd prefer a PBR over a middling IPA as well. The push to new hop varieties is IMO a logical course of experimentation. The more I love IPAs the less of them I drink, the thought of a mediocre brew kinda makes me queasy. But it's exciting to see where the hops might go, a steady trend up I'd think.

 

Total hop head here. I find that the hop heads of the world still seek hoppiness, but it seems the types of hops flavors seem to be changing. Pine/earthy is out, fruity/tropical is in.

I remember years ago when some of the top sought after beers was Hopsickle and Hop 15. Both super piney and dank. Now it's Heady and other fruity IPAs.

 

I'm new to being a hop head. When I first started craft I wasn't huge into IPAs. After having a few juicy awesome ones it's my 2nd favorite style if not first!
Love the variation all together. Reminds me of cannabis and the never ending variation in different strains. So many different flavors and smells, Couldn't see it getting old anytime soon.
Not to sidetrack or sound like a douche lol but I honestly prefer the hazy pulpy juicy versions. Tired of the mass produced looks of filtered beer in general. I prefer the true roots of what beer is not somthing that looks like it came from a lab.

 

I think they'll slowly but surely continue to gain footing around the world, but this is going to take time in countries that have centuries-old brewing traditions that don't include hop-bombs. From a flavor standpoint, that's easy to see but there's also an ABV consideration: most UK pubs aren't serving draught beers with ABVs even approaching most American IPAs because that's not part of the local drinking culture.

I believe that as brewers continue to move away from classic American IPA hopping regimens in favor of more emphasis on late-addition hop additions and dry-hopping, more people will come to appreciate the style because they'll enjoy the complexity of the different hop varieties the OP mentioned and won't be put off by the old-school piney bitterness.

 

F that noise! Piney bitterness is where it's at!

 

I'm OG son, I'm with you. But try telling that to Belgian or German beer drinking communities.

 

I'm hoping things swing back towards the variety that was available even just five years ago, where, in the larger stores, you could find at least half an aisle's worth of each of the major styles (IPA, pale ale, porter, stout) with a smattering of imperials/doubles and Belgians.

But I'm not optimistic, at least in the near term.

I think it'll come down to small locals preserving the actual culture - stuff you have to get at the brewery or at a few shops in town.

And I'm a hop lover too. That's a Troegs Perpetual in my profile pic. I've brewed more pale ales and IPAs than anything else. But I want the best of both worlds. Give me innovation and preserve the roots, please!

 

I think it is trending towards less bitter/in your face and more towards the flavorful, balanced and fruity variety. I welcome this trend and the bitter bombs just aren't my thing.

 

I think Greg Koch is in Germany right now doing exactly that .

 

Those last sentences are in agreement with your avatar, no.

 

This topic has never been discussed before. Nope, not once.

 

I just like rotary engines.

 

I like a lot of different IPA, but Lawson's Chinookered is a great beer and IMO right up this line.

 

Those are different, like turbid IPAs are different.

I like gas turbines.

 

Yes, the fact that most folks in Germany drink local lagers that are better than Bud Light does not mean none of
would like something different.