Does anyone feel like stepping back from IPAs sometimes?

I cut back significantly on IPAs when I realized the freshness aspect was creating a pressure to always get to the IPA first. I'd be in the mood for a stout or a pils or what have you but when I'd open the fridge there would be an IPA sitting there pleading with me to not let it get a minute older. The result was if there was an IPA in the fridge I'd drink nothing else. I can step back an realize that's a little ****oo, but it is what it is.

 

I've been drinking almost entirely styles that aren't stouts sours and IPAs for the last month. I got in a rut and I need to expand the styles I'm drinking. The reason I got into craft beer was a diversity of flavor and I don't want to just replace cheap fizzy lager with IPAs.

 

True Brew Magazine from their March / April issue had an interesting article called "Death of A Seasonal."

In the article, I found the following quote to instill in me the necessity to seek other beer styles than just IPA's:

"The next time you're at the bar and say, 'any IPA will do', keep in mind that you're contributing to the death of other styles."

Though IPA's represent a huge portion of craft beer, it's still a skewed view to think they are the only style. Despite where I currently live, I try as much as I can to seek other styles and realize the importance of this.

 

I frequently step back from IPAs. I like to switch it up with several other styles. There are a few breweries nearby where I am not to fond of their IPAs. They do much better with darker beers and some German and Belgian styles. It is a nice break.

 

I do this "thing" - don't really have a name for it - but I find that when I don't feel like drinking an IPA (or, for that matter, any other particular style of beer),
I choose a beer of a different style.

 

I have never gotten hung up of IPAs or any one style for that matter. The best thing about craft beer is the variety of styles IMHO.

 

A few years ago I decided that I was not going to pay over $1 a beer(12oz equivalent)

Sounds nuts but I'm doing it.

Prior to this I was buying and drinking IPA by the case. So many of them were " world class" "amazing" beers that I thought were just ok. I was hop fatigued and did not know it. Spending $50 plus on beers I could not fully taste all the tastes going on.

When I started my $1 a beer at first I went back to AAL and enjoyed the easy drinking and no thought put into drinking a beer. I still enjoy Hamms and High life and this helps keep me in the $1 a beer.

I have since found a spot that does great $18-30 case specials and most are not IPA but well respected craft brewers as well as national Brewers. When I do buy IPA I can once again appreciate the taste and enjoy the hops again. I also got the love again for pale ales.

This venture has also had me trying beers I never would have 3 years ago.

Guess what? There are so many good beers that have no hype and are as good or better than hyped beers.

I now search out pils, brown ales, lagers, wheat, and other styles I never bought regularly.

A real nice hoppy piney IPA is still one of my favorite beers but it taste so much better when I have one here and there rather than 3-4 in a row every day.

Enjoy

 

Just the opposite for me. I usually drink stouts, porters, Scottish ales and brown ales. On a really hot day or when out to eat I'll enjoy an IPA.

 

On occasion. For the last couple of months I've been on a kick of drinking beers revolving around 5% ABV. Occasionally higher, but mostly around there. Been fun, lagers, pilsners, pale ales, amber ales, etc. Had a couple of IPAs during it and they've been more flavorful, so kind of enjoying just keeping them for occasions instead of regularly having them.

 

I find myself trying to take advantage of all 112 styles listed on this site. If an opportunity presents itself to try a new style, or revisit a style I've only had one of, I'll take it. Variety - that's the beauty of beer.

That said, I often find myself gravitating towards IPAs when visiting new places. On my last work trip, I'd say less than half the beers I drank where IPAs, although about half of the beers I hauled home were IPAs. That's a shift away from IPAs for me when considering my previous ordering history.

 

I’ve been into craft beer for over 9 years now and I’m just now getting into ipas. In fact I’ve stepped away from every other style I used to love.

 

I don't usually drink'm at home, but I usually get them at the local breweries cuz they're usually the best thing they brew.

 

No stepping back. I’ve been a malt forward guy. So I will step forward (?) occasionally and hit some IPAs.

 

Definitely! I love IPA but palate fatigue is a real thing. As it so happens, I stayed away from IPAs the whole workweek. Instead, among the styles I drank: Witbier, Czech Pilsner, Irish Red Ale, Flanders Oud Bruin.
It’s Saturday night and after a 5 day hiatus (no mean feat for me when it comes to IPA withdrawal) I’m cracking open a good ole Bell’s Two Hearted Ale. It never tasted better!!

 

I drink a lot of IPAs, and really a lot of NEIPas. When I feel like I need a break, I just pour a nice sour, gose or stout and it resets my palate. It's important to switch it up a little and enjoy all styles. Otherwise things start to taste the same to me.

There's a ton of good beer out there so it's easy to keep things fresh.

 

Let me check...um...no.

However I've noticed I prefer IPAs with a nice malt backbone over the now popular everywhere hazy NEIPA style.

When I joined BA back in the day I listed "strong ale" as my favorite style. I realized recently it's still my favorite. Something like Nosferatu, Nugget Nectar, Red Chair, etc But unfortunately, it's hard to find beers like that these days. Seems everyone is on the juicy-hazy-all-hops-no-malt bandwagon.

Why do I suffer so?

 

Definitely need a break from constant IPA consumption every day. For me, I really don't like to drink IPAs 2 days in a row even. Maybe 3-4 times a week max.

 

So has my brother in law. After a decade of craft beer drinking and hating most all hoppy ales he sampled, like a light switch in 2017/2018, he now likes IPAs and has abandoned all the malty beer styles he used to only tolerate. Very weird.

 

I like a lot of different beer. I can't wait to get my mouth awash in Gruit. If I can ever find any around here. Other than that, I do like Bells 2 Hearted quite a bit. But really don't care for any other IPA. Just Bells and many other styles including AAL.

 

I honestly need to in order to enjoy them more. Pretty sure my palate is shot to hell. Unfortunately, I’d probably replace them with American barley wines or Cascadians, so what’s the use really.