Fruited IPA situation...

Some of my favorite beers have a melon flavor contributed by the hops (and probably a touch of honey malt) such as Haze, Julius, and some recent tired hands offerings. Cant stand when a beer is actually melon flavored though

 

"Man Laws" states "Dont fruit the beer"

Unless it's a sour/lambic/wild that is OK. There is usually one exception for most rules.

 

Any beer that's made well and tastes outstanding I'm for.

 

Rivertown Brewing Nice Melons

Market corrects these things, when people stop buying them, they will stop making them. I love coffee in a beer and thing a cream ale/brown ale are good vehicles for them. These make for good summer heavy beers down here in the south

 

Many craft brewers have discovered what BMC have known for decades, that sickly sweet fruit flavored alcoholic beverages sell well. What we see now is an epidemic of weak brewers turning their portfolio into the new lime-a-rita family instead of focusing on making quality new, innovative, or particularly creative products. Here's the problem though, the market is rewarding these breweries who are doing it and will continue to do so. (Remember folks, Lime-a-rita's sell more than most craft breweries every year)

Am I aware it's possible to be innovative and make exceptional beer that includes fruit? Absolutely, New Glarus does it often and makes world class product, but they are the exception that proves the rule.

In my opinion, it would be lovely if craft customers would fight back against this and inundate breweries with hate who sell out their stated ideal of quality product by dumping syrup into their "craft beer"...but I live in the real world and know it's not going to happen because selling fruited versions of beers sells well and will reach a different customer (usually stereotyped as "the girlfriend who won't drink beer but will drink fruit IPA")

 

I think it's a trend that will pass. Some (fruited ipas) are good, others not so much. Fassinating how the bigger craft brewers feel the need to chase the trend. Talking with people that work for some of them, it seems as if they're playing catch up. Not only in this style but in the market in general. I believe that some of them might feel like the consumers tastes are changing to quickly. They are starting to realise that you can't just pump out your flagship brews and continue to print money like you could a few short years ago.

 

Catchy title.

 

Some I like, (Mango Even Keel), and some I don't, (Tangerine Hop Nosh). But please, brewers, keep on experimenting. Without trial and error, we might not have cheeseburgers or meat loaf.

 

Oh sure, that's the nature of trends I suppose. I'm in favor of making what people want so the brewery can afford to make what I want.

 

So it's sort of like a means to an ends style? I agree with part of that statement. I certainly hope they continue to produce beer that I love. However some (MOST) of them are straight awful and these brewers are in a tailspin trying to keep up with the next "it" beer from the near countless local small breweries that seem to open daily. Furthermore, are breweries really profiting off these experimental brews or are they simply regaining some of the lost revenue? I kind of liken this whole style to the way that Sam Adams missed the boat on the NE IPA and released the whole Rebel series (now fruited as well). No question SA were early pioneers in the craft industry, but in the past few years we have witnessed them play from behind. Many (here and other sites) have stated SA rested on its reputation and its laurels for far too long. Were they really the only ones who suffered from the "new frontier" of the industry rapid changes?
Thoughts?

Thanks to the op and Squire for getting me thinking on a much larger scale!

 

I'm a fan of well balanced ones that compliment the hops and don't have a chemical fruit flavoring taste to them, but I think that's an obvious answer. However, I think they are a great way to introduce different demographics and females to craft beer, which I'm all for.

 

I'm not sure that fruit in IPAs is a "controversial" topic, even though I know it's not for everyone. That's the beauty of living in an era with 4000+ breweries. The chance that you'll be able to find something satisfying even if you aren't into the newest trend. Speaking of which, as noted, beer has been brewed with fruit for a long time, but it does seem like there is an elevated interest in making IPAs and hoppy beers with fruit over the last year or so. Of this list (and this is just off the top of my head--I'm sure there are more I'm forgetting), I only see few that have been around a few years or more.

BP Grapefruit Sculpin
BP Watermelon Dorado
BP Pineapple Sculpin
BP Mango Even Keel
Boulevard Tropical Pale Ale
Stone Tangerine Enjoy By
Uinta Tangerine Hop Nosh
Short's Hopstache
Flying Dog Bloodline
Dogfish Head Aprihop
Dogfish Head Romantic Chemistry IPA
Hop Valley Citrus Mistress
New Belgium Citradelic
Green Flash Tangerine Soul Style
Green Flash Treasure Chest
Sam Adams Grapefruit Rebel IPA
SweetWater Goin' Coastal IPA
Odd Side Pineapple IPA

At any rate, I see nothing wrong with them on principle. As with any style, some will be bad, some will be average and some will be great. I disagree that it's a shortcut, because I think beers brewed with actual fruit taste different than beers that utilize fruit-evoking hop combinations. And even though I don't personally brew beer, I imagine brewing with fruit isn't as simple as hitting the "add fruit" button. It undoubtedly comes with it's own pitfalls and requisite skills to do it well.

 

So far, I've enjoyed most of the tangerine, grapefruit and blood orange pale ales/IPAs that I've tried. Not so much for the pineapple and mango

 

My big pet peeve is people who refuse to drink a beer with fruit or adjuncts in it because they "like their beer to taste like a beer." What does that even mean? I think my favorite thing about beer is that it's so diverse. There are so many styles of beer and approaches to brewing. Beer can taste like whatever you want it to taste like. When someone says they want their beer to taste like "a beer," it just tells me that they either have a limited perspective or limited experiences when it comes to beer.

Fruited IPAs aren't usually my thing, but I've had a few that I really enjoyed. Hell...the Other Half/Arizona Wilderness collab with lemon zest and prickly pear was one of my favorite beers so far this year. It's all in how it's executed.

 

Have you tried Briny Melon Gose by Anderson Valley? Delish!

 

'Fraid not, that one's a bit out of my driving range. Maybe next Summer if I make it out West.

 

Time to face the facts beer nerds:
- most women (not all) like fruity/sweet alcoholic beverages
- women make up 50+% of the population
- only a small subset of people prefer the more old-school/original IPA's that provided more of a bitter hop profile, and a larger majority of IPA beer drinkers are preferring the citrus/fruity forward IPAs with less bitterness in the finish (thus why IPAs have exploded in breweries sales over last 5+ years compared to last 15 years prior)

So whether its artificially infused or the hops natural fruit flavors, I think its here to stay for a while.

IMO: I've only really liked passion fruit infused IPAs but in others I prefer the hops to provide natural flavors for the other fruit characteristics (grapefruit, orange etc)

 

My firm position is if the woman likes it I'll buy it.

 

Nay.