Changing Palates - or ‘LCPA isn’t what it used to be’

I bought a couple of "fresh as can be" pints the other day,
and could not believe it ,
thought it was so mediocre, remnded me of a 150 lashes or something

 

Hence your quest for information on Oskar Blues.

As for the OP, I guess it depends. A particular beer not doing it for you happens. Not liking a particular beer as much as you used to happens too. But maybe this is a symptom of being on a treadmill where you want more and more of one thing -- and that ends of up meaning that you don't actually _like_ any beer, just tolerate it until something hoppier comes along.

Is that OK? Up to you I guess. And I suppose it depends on whether you think most really good beers of 20 years ago have been superseded rather than remain good but are less fashionable and have been joined by many other good beers. I still really like LCPA and drink it often - say a slab a year. It's not a weak beer and the Extra Pale is pretty strong and certainly (unlike the normal version) expressively dry-hopped.

For what it's worth my palate has broadened but I still like almost all beers I liked even as far back as the 80s. Whereas once SN Torpedo was amazingly hoppy and I liked it, Br Heller Märzen overwhelmingly smoky but good and Cuvee Rene interesting but confrontingly acidic, now none of them seem pretty easygoing -- but I still like them. They don't have to be "the most X" to be good - indeed it's not really a factor.

I think the following have contributed to this:
1. Drinking a wide variety of beers and trying to find the charm in all of them;
2. Mostly avoiding drinking/ tasting lots of similar beers one after the other. I think this encourages you to fall into the error of supposing that the crudest is the best. One or two beers or a few samples of different styles or long (20 min) pauses between similar beers - these would all help.
3. Rerating whilst looking at your own notes - can you still sense what you did before? Try.
4. Liking and knowing about different sorts of good beer before American craft hoppy beers became ubiquitous - rather than only having had VB and then having my eyes opened by them and just wanting to go further in that direction, those beers just became another (large) part of the map.

So if you wish to repent, spend a month drinking the low boost and malty. The try an Urquell Pils or two and notice how fat and floral and bitter it is.

 

I've never understood the hype for LCPA - maybe I'm just ahead of my time

 

I agree with a lot of what hawthorne00 is saying but I personally find LCPA is not enjoyable to drink these days. Hop profile seems muddled and a generic sugary sweetness adds to the lack luster experience. I used to love it and swear the recipe has changed substantially but I have no idea.

 

I wasn't even aware this was released but glad I missed out on it now!

I remember their IPA from back in the day about seven years ago now was pretty nice, that was the first and best of their single batches imo.

And I agree, the quality of LCPA has definitely gone down to the extent I wouldn't both buying it now.

Just need to drink more Akasha Mosaic.

I wish there were more good local pilseners available, I actually don't mind that style.

 

Well I must be in the minority. I really like the beer. Was a lot punchier then the regular and really well balanced.