Does Anybody Like Brut IPA?

I have not tried a single Brut IPA. Honestly I think its the name that doesn't appeal to me. But eventually I will try one. My gut tells me I won't enjoy it.

 

I've only had a couple of them but I'm unable to discern the 'brut' characteristic to help me determine if I like this style. To me it will like still come down to whether I like the hop selection that is used in the beer regardless of how 'dry' I'll be able to detect the beer to be.

 

I do think this style has the potential to really highlight certain hops wonderfully

 

My feeling exactly. IPA is all over the map these days so altering a style that has become so variable leads to a little wild wild west.

Locally, the most frequent expression has been applied to beers I would classify as NEIPAs--I have preferred the dryness/bitterness with what I perceive as "toned down" sweetness.

 

The better ones are refreshing and very drinkable. The brewer has choices of when to add the enzymes and the hops to use. Other choices are the composition of the grains, water, and yeast selection.

A local brewery had an excellent one, clear, bone dry, clean crisp hop flavor. Had a nice Homebrewed example. A couple have missed the mark. On the average I like this better than NEIPA.

 

I've only had one from Twin Elephant Brewing and enjoyed it a lot.

 

I've had a few so far and find them all just ok but haven't had any that super. Like anything new, it may take a little while for the group of beer drinkers tastes to adjust. It's kinda weird how quickly this style has exploded though. I see nearly every nano, medium, large brewery putting out one of these now, and even many small breweries that have stayed resilient against making NEIPAS the last few years are jumping in to do Brut IPAs. Any ideas why this is?

 

Sales.
Learning from their mistakes with being too slow to react to NEIPAs. The novelty power is real but the window of opportunity is questionable, so better to react quickly. They are also in many cases just taking their existing IPA approach and modifying it a bit. Certainly we aren't seeing brewers wrestle with packaging issues like the sea change that was NEIPA.

 

Because they are in search of the next new shiny thing?

Cheers!

P.S. Has anyone coined the term of Brut Bros yet?

 

Have sales taken off enough to already start stereotyping the people who enjoy Brut IPAs? Local tap lists around here could go a week or more without a single brut IPA on tap.

 

Had New Belgium's Brut IPA last night and it wasn't something I particularly enjoyed. I def. got the wine/champagne aspect of it, but it didn't appeal to me.

 

You got me. That is why I asked a question vs. making a statement.

Cheers!

 

I had a small sample of New Belgium's and it wasn't too bad, will have to drink a whole one sometime to see what I think. I will try more as I come across them.

 

That's been pretty much my experience up here as well: NEIPAs that are kinda sorta a bit drier than average. It wouldn't occur to me to think of them as their own specific style/spin if the name wasn't there.

I'd love to get a hold of a 'real' one since it sounds like something I'd really like.

 

How will you know when it is a 'real' one vs. a 'fake' one?

Cheers!

 

Ive had a handful. This one crushed them all.

 

Good question! Though what I had in mind when I wrote that was something along the lines of the clear, super crisp and dry ones from out west that I recall being the first examples mentioned here on BA.

 

Considering the ratings for many, many top NEIPAs since Heady and HF came on the scene with trending BA ratings well above 4.5 across the country from all the top makers portfolios, I'm not seeing anything near this love for Brut IPAs just glancing at the ratings and tier groups. So many only have 1-2 ratings/ticks each but that is just sign of the times with Untappd stealing most of the ticking traffic.

 

I suspect that in another year or so the Brewers Association will add Brut IPA to their Beer Style Guidelines document. When that happens I would suggest we collectively will have an improved idea what a 'real' Brut IPA is?

Cheers!

 

Sounds very reasonble @zid. Combine that with brewers stubborn ego/pride (i.e. not wanting to be a follower after others have had success, but its ok to jump in early and feel like a trend setter).