A lot of beers are changing recipes, what do you think about it? Locally, some brewers have changed recipes for some of their better known beers. For the most part I have not enjoyed the new recipe beers. Nationally, I have had quite a few beers that have changed recipes, some for the best and some not so much. Some of the beers that have changed recipes which I have enjoyed are Sierra Nevada Torpedo and Stone Ruination (albeit, from what I have researched I enjoyed Stone Ruination 2.0 better than the current version of Ruination 3.0). I am keeping track of which beers I enjoy, but I would like to hear from others, especially which beers they enjoy more after the beer recipe was changed.
If you haven’t already seen it, @JackHorzempa started a thread lately about Stone IPA then and now: https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/have-you-tasted-stone-ipa-lately.675805/ Personally I first had it back in my early advocate days maybe 2016 and revisited in 2022, definitely something else. YMMV.
Prima pils was changed too but that was a while back now. I still enjoy the new prima but I have found a better alternative in Cape May Longliner (for those local) that is like old school prima, crystal clear, punchy hops with a nice grassy bitter and dry finish. I think tweaking recipes, big or small changes, is more common than we think sometimes, I just don't think it is always advertised. I have several times, accidentally found this out, through conversations at breweries/with workers, or my own taste buds; or look; aka all the sudden semi clear flagship IPAs became murky as hell without explanation.
Change is good. Brewers change it up all the time, even when they are trying for a consistent flavor profile.
Recipes need to be tweaked because brewing involves natural products.And these are subject to the growing conditions , the weather in a particular season does affect the crop. Also , farmers keep introducing new varieties of barley and hops which need to be accounted for. Add to this changes in public taste and feedback from the customer.
König Pilsener turned into trash in the mid 2000's. I knew nothing about beers back then but everyone else was also fucked up by the new recipe. Today (and since ~2011) it's way better, probably as good as before the change.
The only beers that don’t have changes are one-offs. I’m kidding, but not totally. @VABA - Why single out Torpedo? I assume you drink a lot of it based on your posts here, but do you know of any changes regarding that beer?
Torpedo is one of the ones I enjoyed the changed recipe the most. No, I do not know of any specific changes, but based on my drinking the last few months it seems to be a little lighter and more agreeable than before. It could just be my palate or that I am finding Torpedo with a much fresher date than before.
