Hops - the beginner's taste?

the syrup flavor of the DFH "IPAs", and in particular DFH 120, is not one of the four categories of hop flavors that you mentioned.


In response to OP, hoppy beers in my experience tend to be a favorite of craft neophytes. hardly scientific or informative but i think what OP is pointing out tends to be the case with american craft beer drinkers. its the only way i can explain why some breweries have multiple styles of IPA/IIPA/triple IPA/APA/Pale Ale/etc. and relatively few if any lagers, hefs, etc.

 

I'm shifting a bit too. I'm still a Hophead but only really love brews I consider diet breaking worthy IPA's and DPA's. I love BA brews, Stouts/Porters/Brown Ale's etc. Still not much for balance, I love crazy hops, and really Bourbon forward brews. Lacking any of the above and trying to lose a few lbs I actually drink Miller Lite which I prefer to drinking mediocre IPA's or Pale Ales.

 

Ive drank too much beer, and I dont want all those bittering hops crap. I want all dry hooped goodness. think Hopslam, the Orcale, Dreadnaught, Zombie Dust, Hop Notch, or Deviant Dale's.

Back to the days when I first got into the hoppy beer thing (a bit over a year ago), I thought SA Lattitude 48 was hoppy. Then I had Prima Pils and Columbus Brewing Co IPA. You just move more toward the hoppy end of the hops continuum as your craft beer nerdiness progresses. As do the acidic and lactic sours. I went straight to KBS, and dont regret it.

 

I HATE hoppy beer...

 

Hoptimum all day every day.

 

I hated IPAs when I first got into craft. I was deep into Belgian style for a long time; the first year I frequented Russian River I didn't even glance at the left side of the board. After while it was like a switch was flipped in me, and all I wanted was hops. Much like you, I'd go to the bottle shop and leave with a bunch of IPAs and DIPAs. I'm now coming into a more balanced phase, where I need more than just blistering hops, though I still love them.

 

Thats awesome. That rootbeer aisle in Bevmo must bring back some good memories huh?

Cheers!

 

I've been into craft beers for over 6 years now, imports before that and I still don't go for the hoppiness. I find every now and then a decently balanced IPA is tasty enough, but I can't get enough of the belgian styles.