IPA question

Here. But you might want to post the ones that give you the headache and the ones that don’t in order to get the fastest results.

 

This site is a great resource but you're going to provide some more info for anyone to be able to help you.

In the broadest sense there are two approaches to IPA, clear and hazy. The clear IPAs are often all malt (although there's definitely a willingness to use rice as an adjunct) and tend to emphasize hop bitterness as well as other hop flavors, they are mostly filtered.

Hazy IPAs are much more likely to use adjuncts like wheat and oats, are not filtered (meaning there's more yeast in the beer), and emphasize hop aromatics over bitterness. You might also find lactose in some of these and flavorings like fruit.

If hazies are the ones causing you issues then it's possible it's the yeast or an issue with the adjuncts. If it's clear IPAs it's maybe possible that some that use rice are causing you issues. But otherwise it'll take more details to ID the commonalities of the ones that cause you problems

 

Here's a link to the IPA style definitions on this site. Imperial (Double) IPAs are included. Click on each to read a definition of the style, and see a list of the most-rated IPAs in each style. You can click on the column header to re-sort the list by highest rated if you prefer to look at that.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/styles/

I agree with the posts above that it it likely an adjunct grain that you likely have some sensitivity to and experience a reaction in the form of your headaches. Try to find out the ingredients in the ones that bother you so that you can begin to identify the reason, and then avoid it in future beers.

 

Do the IPAs that give you headaches tend to have a "hot" or "burning" character? I have for the most part stopped drinking any IPA over 8% (what we call a double or imperial IPA) due to this.

 

Just spitballing here:
I've picked up definite umami notes in several hazy IPAs, which I attribute to the yeasts used in their production. I'd guess a sensitivity to glutamates might possibly be a factor.

Note: I am a trained professional in a totally unrelated field.

 

If you also get headaches from red wine or bourbon, it could be that your allergic to tannins in the oak that both red wine and usually have.
Maybe hop tannins cause similar issues?

The other thing that I can think of is that IPAs do a pretty good job of covering up alcohol, maybe you are consuming more alcohol than you realize and getting a normal hangover?

 

There is a higher amount of malt used when brewing a double IPA but it's not necessarily double that used in a standard IPA. The level of alcohol vs. the amount of malt is essentially proportional but the average IPA is around 6-7 percent, and the typical double IPA is around 8-10 percent, but you can find occasional triple IPAs around 15%.

 

This will have to be a very brand specific question, because there may be an answer to what you are getting at.
A guess is that would probably be in the malt billing.
What beers do this to you?

 

Hello Elysha.,. looking at beers you’ve rated, I deduce you dig smaller ABV Pacific North West brews. There are some great breweries up there. Try a taste from many of them.
And.,. stay away from the sweet high ABV IPAs. I suspect the sugar content is contributing to your headaches.,.

 

A speculative guess would be the beer has dextrose added to cut the body.

 

Drink Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout instead.


Some IPAs have also given me headaches and 95% of them aren't worth drinking.
I've found that it doesn't matter which IPaA it is that causes it. Swamis,PtE, Heady, Other Half, TH..i think it depends on how hydrated I am, how early in the day i drink it or someshit of the sort

 

What is this style of beer called IPA? I'd like to avoid it if it gives headaches. Is it a new beer style? Has there been numerous offshoots of the style and has it gone a full life cycle where people are longing for IPAs of the past yet?

 

It’s a sub-style called Headache IPA, they’re usually only sold in 19.2 oz cans.