Have IPAs Become Commoditized?

Obviously you're right, but I'd assume he meant he enjoys the bigger (%) ones with relatively low IBUs I'd take a guess that he enjoys beers like Lagunitas Sucks at "only" 65(?) IBU but still has a huge dry-hop. Cheers

 

Ah yes, IPA, the style with shelf space twice, or even thrice that of other styles. What the abundance of IPAs has done for me personally is significantly lower the effort I will put into obtaining them. I have no desire to trade for Heady Topper, Double Sunshine, Pliny, Fuzzy Ducks, or whatever other super duper best IPA in the world is out there. A fresh Jai Alai, or especially white oak jai alai is enough for me. Not to mention Due South Cat 5, Maharaja, Enjoy By, Dirtwolf, Two Hearted, Ruinten, hell even Avery IPA is solid as fuck. I'm going to be hard pressed to spend 20 bucks on a six pack of Hopslam when it comes around.

If you get these IPAs fresh they hold up against the ones people are trading for.

 

Really? I'd be pretty upset.

 

Many people only drink IPAs and get burned out on them so they all taste the same. If you mix it up a bit, much easier to differentiate.

 

I feel the exact same way. And I still get excited and look forward every year to picking up a case of Palate Wrecker, Hopslam (only about $60/case here), Hoptimum, Double Trouble, and Green Bullet among others. And when I run out, I'm not sour at all about drinking Union/Double Jack, Two Hearted, Centennial, and any fresh Stone, Green Flash, or Ballast Point IPA.

 

You are correct in your assessment of my IPA preferences.

 

There was a point that had been made earlier, but I believe many of those answering "yes" are failing to address.

Do you buy just any IPA on the shelf regardless of specific beer and brewer? Do you purchase IPAs based on price and not preference?

Most people are going to answer these questions with a resounding no. No one can argue that the market may be flooded, but IPAs, and craft beer in general, is not purchased in the same manner that people buy milk at the grocery store. There is very little loyalty, or reason for it, when it comes to common commodities. I do not think you can say the same thing about beer. There are about three IPAs that I will buy on any regular basis. I will buy these beers even if there are cheaper or more convenient alternatives. I am not alone in this purchasing practice either and I believe this is reason enough to say that IPAs are not commoditized in the way the Hop_Dude wants to argue that they are.

 

Then neither of you understands what is meant by the terms commodity and the commoditization you think is happening.

The very fact that he mentions brand names and purchase preferences shows that.

 

Well, I guess what I was saying is that I prefer IPAs with more distinct flavor profiles, such as Schlafly's Tasmanian IPA. I do like most of the beers talked about in the post above mine. Haven't had Heady, not huge on 90 Minute, Enjoy By ranges from incredible to decent depending on the batch...point is, I've gotten to the point that I've had a lot of IPAs (that I haven't rated), so I've become picky about what I'm going to throw down money for.

 

What?!$ How dare you sire!!@%
I didn't mention a commodity at all! In fact, I purposely avoided using the term. Show me! Show me in my post where I don't understand what commodity or commoditization means.

 

"A fresh Jai Alai, or especially white oak jai alai is enough for me. Not to mention Due South Cat 5, Maharaja, Enjoy By, Dirtwolf, Two Hearted, Ruinten, hell even Avery IPA is solid as fuck."

Commoditization as used by many, including the OP, is that the products are indistinguisable from each other at the consumer level. e.g., Copper from Utah and copper from Peru are both the same when used by the US mint in pennies, and you neither know nor care when using the penny. Neither the car you drive nor you either know or care whether the gasoline you pump into the car is from Texas or Saudi Arabia. Clearly you care which IPAs you buy and there are some you pass over and others you buy based on brand name and brewery.

If IPAs had been commoditized for you the brand would not matter and any old thing off the shelf would satisfy your needs and you'd nither know nor care which.

 

I definitely see where you're coming from, money (and quality IPA's) sure don't grow on trees.

 

Couldn't agree more, getting into craft beer about 7 years ago it was all IPA's. Now it's rare for me to actively seek them out. I want something sour, black, or wild fermented (or all 3 sometimes) these days.

 

I never said they were commodities.

 

I'm glad I ran into this post; otherwise, I would have chimed in. Of course, beer is a commodity, but "commoditization" as a concept is something completely different.

As for the question at hand, the IPA market is saturated. The choices are, at times, overwhelming. From my perspective, there are a ton of good IPAs, but there are only a few great ones.

 

ipas are changing too. I've had some that are very wheaty and almost red. the hop variety also affects the ipas. and then things like sugar, honey, etc.
what bothers me are those Belgians or pilsners that are just another non aromatic ipa.

 

True. And you while you appeared in an early post to disagree with the OP who does say that in his post and title, you don't disagree with the OP, who in a later post, goes on to say you made his point (about commodities and commoditization) for him. Now, rather than clarifying what you meant with him you are disagreeing with me when I say that if he thinks you made his point for him both of you don't understand commoditization. I personally would say from your earlier post that you do understand IPAs are not commoditized, so it seems sort of like you might want to be clarifying or disagreeing with the OP rather than simply telling me "I didn't use those words."

 

I think it's a case of the OP not looking deep into the meaning of commodity, and then upon reading my post felt it expresses his point better than his original post. I never agreed or disagreed with the OP at all, he just happened to agree with my post. I was just posting how I feel about the abundance of IPAs.

 

Many IPAs are close, I agree, but there are some amazing standouts. This spring we have seen an explosion of session IPAs. I have been on a quest to find the best and many are real close. I have been semi-blind tasting a pair every week end for about a month now. Although I know what two I have bought, I have a friend or family member pour for me in identical glassware.
After a month of this Stone Go To is in the lead. I am shaken by some that have fallen in this competition.