Hello! Beer novice here looking for some recommendations

Discussion in 'Pacific' started by gspec, May 28, 2014.

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  1. gspec

    gspec Initiate (0) Mar 8, 2010 California

    A little background about me:
    Not really a serious drinker, only about 6-8 12oz/week
    I like IPAs hoppy flavor, but not their bitter taste (it turns out many people feel the same). I like Hefeweizen taste and feel. A little search on the Internet and found there is such a thing Ipaweizen..., not sure how good that is and how easy to get...
    I'm in the Bay Area, Northern California. I usually shop at Trador Joe's, Costco, Target, WalMart, and sometimes Whole Foods. So I mostly drink macro breweries stuffs. Have access to BevMo and World's Market too if necessary.
    So any recommendations guys? Thanks in advance!
     
    seakayak likes this.
  2. drtth

    drtth Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2007 Pennsylvania
    In Memoriam

    Hoppy but not bitter?

    There's a link in this thread

    http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/a-beer-beginners-guide-to-hops-of-the-world.182376/

    To an article you might want to read.
     
  3. infuturity83

    infuturity83 Initiate (0) Sep 22, 2009 Massachusetts

    I understand what you're looking for; IPA's that have the floral/fruity/piney hop flavor without the face scrunchingly bitter blast.

    Unfortunately, creating such a thing is perhaps the purest form of beer art there is.
    Fortunately, there a number of breweries doing amazing things in this realm.

    Seems to me like the newest wave of Session IPA's might be right for you.
    Suggestions:

    1) Founders All Day IPA
    2) Boulevard Pop-Up IPA
    3) Sierra Nevada Nooner

    If you're looking for a little more intense hop flavor without the crazy bitterness...that's tougher, but still doable

    1) Lagunitas Sucks!
    2) Anything with Nelson Sauvin hops
     
  4. TongoRad

    TongoRad Grand Pooh-Bah (3,884) Jun 3, 2004 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I never heard the term IPAWeizen, but maybe they meant hoppy American Wheat Ales? If that's the case, see if there is some Lagunitas Little Sumpin Sumpin still around- it would probbaly be right up your alley.

    There are also hoppy German-style hefeweizens, like Schneider Hopfen-Weizen which have that spicy banana-ish yeast signature as well as some additional hop aroma, but I wouldn't call them IPA's.

    (Maybe this term is an example of using IPA in front of every style, in order to sell it, gone too far.)
     
  5. HighWine

    HighWine Initiate (0) Dec 11, 2010 Illinois

    Bevmo or Whole Foods will have a better selection for you to try. Definitely agree with Lagunitas Lil Sumpin Sumpin. That's a great hoppy wheated beer! Also look at the reviews jerk for beers you like. You'll see examples of other, similar beers listed.
     
  6. TheEpeeist

    TheEpeeist Maven (1,434) Nov 5, 2008 Virginia
    Trader

    Boulevard 80-Acre and Half Acre Akari Shogun are just what you're looking for. If you can find in CA.
     
    neckwrestler likes this.
  7. AlpacaAlpaca

    AlpacaAlpaca Maven (1,384) Apr 2, 2014 New York
    Trader

    If you can get your hands on a sixer of Jai Alai, that's hoppy but not too bitter. Cheers!
     
    PsilohsaiBiN and kwakwhore like this.
  8. Flashy

    Flashy Pooh-Bah (1,767) Oct 22, 2003 Vermont
    Pooh-Bah

    member since 2010 and first post?
     
    EricTKole and charlzm like this.
  9. aleigator

    aleigator Pooh-Bah (2,684) May 10, 2014 Germany
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Maybe you find "Flying Dog Raging Bitch" and "La Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel" enjoyable, as both contain hop aromas, without an aggressive bitterness, due to Belgian yeast (which may lead to the Weizen impression you mentioned).
     
    beerhan likes this.
  10. j47paco

    j47paco Zealot (740) Dec 19, 2010 California
    Trader

    Not sure if Modern Times gets distributed to your area, but it sounds like Fortunate Islands might be right up your alley.
     
  11. PuckIt

    PuckIt Initiate (0) Feb 6, 2014 Pennsylvania

    You would have loved great lakes chillwave
     
  12. butters_mcgee

    butters_mcgee Pooh-Bah (1,857) Feb 26, 2014 New York
    Pooh-Bah

  13. tectactoe

    tectactoe Pooh-Bah (2,386) Mar 20, 2012 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Modern Times Fortunate Islands should be available to you. Awesome stuff. Hopped up wheat ale.
     
    ModernTimesJacob likes this.
  14. Davepoolesque

    Davepoolesque Pooh-Bah (2,686) Aug 25, 2012 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Don't know how far away you are from Alpine or if you have access to them, but Nelson is awesome and sounds like something you'd be into.
     
  15. RichardMNixon

    RichardMNixon Maven (1,431) Jun 24, 2012 Pennsylvania

    This was my first thought also, an IPA with a very wheaty grain bill. You should be neck deep in it over in CA.
     
  16. PuckIt

    PuckIt Initiate (0) Feb 6, 2014 Pennsylvania

    Don't start him off with Alpine, he'll be disappointed with everything else afterwards :slight_frown:
     
    JonathanC and bozodogbreath like this.
  17. Oakhtar

    Oakhtar Initiate (0) Jul 6, 2013 California

    I have always been turned off by the bitter after tastes of IPAs, but have really come to appreciate certain ones over the last year. Pliny the Elder is a must try if you have not had it. Also, look out for Stone's Enjoy By and Dogfish 75 minute. I also live in the Bay Area and get each of these at Whole Foods. Not always easy to get, but I never pass them up when I see them. Alpine's Nelson is occasionally available on tap at bars around SF and is worth a try as well.
     
  18. WesMantooth

    WesMantooth Grand Pooh-Bah (4,844) Jan 8, 2014 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Already mentioned, definitely Sumpin' Sumpin'. Cant speak to your distribution, but also Bell's Oberon, 3 Floyds Gumballhead, Breckenridge Ophelia, Soutnhern Tier Hop Sun, Deschutes Red Chair, and (not hoppy, but great Hefe for $7/6) Yuengling Summer Wheat
     
  19. Gruber221

    Gruber221 Initiate (0) Jul 8, 2013 Pennsylvania

    You live in Cali you should Try Humulus Lager from the Bruery. Fantastic beer
     
    Shroud0fdoom likes this.
  20. Jmitchell3

    Jmitchell3 Initiate (0) Apr 2, 2013 Arizona

    Don't know of hop flavored wheat beers....however, good west coast pale ales are hoppy in aroma and flavor without huge bitterness (i.e. 20-35 IBUs rather than IPAesque 60+). Examples include Lagunitas New Dogtown Pale and Firestone Pale 31. If you like wheat type beers, I'd recommend going full-german hefeweizen with Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen. Maybe even venture into the Belgian style hefes and pale ales like Alaskan White or St. Bernardus Witbier.
     
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