IPA Obsessions

If we all liked the same thing it would make the craft and social aspect rather boring, I'd think. We wouldn't talk about why we love style x but dislike style y. We wouldn't be able to encourage others to try new styles, as we encourage non craft drinkers to move on from macros.

If we were all of the same ilk the world would be a rather boring place.

 

I'm not a rabid hop head like others may be, but I definitely enjoy a well crafted example regularly. I agree with the OP that a BA shouldn't limit themselves to only hop forward beers or they might miss out truly great styles that they love. But if someone has done that and simply enjoys IPAs more, it's simply their subjective taste. One of the great side effects to the IPA craze is how many really good ones are available and well priced. There are far too many other styles we just can't say that about.

 

Yeah, but sometimes it seems like to too many people IPA=Beer these days. That's their loss and all that, but I do wish things were more varied.

 

Your palate is different than mine. There are a lot things food, drinks or whatever people love that I don't. I just chalk it up as I am different from them and that's what makes the world go around.

 

Another old geezer here, though it was the mid 90's before I really got into craft beer, and it was a home brewed IPA that did it. That said I adore practically every beer style. For whatever reason however my most common go to beer is probably going to be an everyday IPA or Pale Ale of whatever variety (and I prefer regular IPAs over Double IPA's unless it's in the
in-between" Extra IPA category like SN Torpedo, which you'll find in my fridge most often, except during Oktoberfest season). My two favorite styles, Oktoberfest Marzen style beers and American IPAs, are polar opposites, now "that" makes no sense!

 

It makes perfect sense to me, but then again I'm a Gemini .

 

Maybe its that younger palates are more malleable and are still in the process of changing. In other words, someone who is 50+ has put thousands of foods and drinks across their tastebuds and are more set in there ways for palate preference. Whereas, more youthful individual's palate are still changing and finding their preference. So a younger person might not like IPAs at first but may grow to like them eventually, but someone older may never grow to like the bitterness of an IPA.

At the same time its pretty random too. My parents are 50+ and my mom likes IPAs and my dad doesn't like em in the slightest. So I don't know.

 

Good thing there's a lot of options out there...

 

Going on 55. I like both IPAs and double IPAs, especially on tap. But I admit, when I am at a beer bar, I would trade a couple IPA choices for something else. But just came from dinner and the establishment did NOT have an IPA on tap. A trend...?

 

Don't what to say if you think Smutty and HT are interchangeable. Nowhere to go with that.

 

I'd argue that for many younger people, it is easier to pick out variations in flavor and nuances in aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel for a relatively well-defined style which encompasses such a wide range of flavors and is unadorned with adjuncts. For example, I can easily detect major differences between Mosaic and Amarillo-hopped beers; between Citra and Centennial - the flavors are bolder and variations are greater, especially when such a wide range of beer falls under the style. It's easy to distinguish between grapefruit and peach and earth and herbal flavors, which are commonly found in American IPAs. That's my guess.

 

to the OP...

I agree for the most part. I lived in San Diego for over 4 years and really grew to appreciate a solid, hoppy west coast IPA. They're an acquired taste, they're delicious, but they're really not something you want to drink all night. The hops can also blow out your palate rather fast. I find I liked them more when I lived in SD. Maybe it was because the weather was so mild, or because they were so fresh. But after moving away, I find that I still enjoy a nice IPA or two, mostly with spicy food. However, it's not something I seek out actively anymore. I would also say that I prefer plain IPAs to DIPAs. Blasphemy, I'm sure... But... when it comes to spicy food, I would much rather have a single IPA than a double. Why? It's not as sweet, or as strong. And with the amount of spice I consume, I would much rather have 2 IPAs with a meal than 1 DIPA. I'm not drinking it to get drunk, but to contrast the spice and to have the hops balance things out. When I would order the fuego steak melt at a certain bar in SD, I would always pick the Sculpin draft over the Pliny draft.

I would also say that we're fortunate enough that a lot of breweries have gotten competent at brewing a solid IPA. This may make the best IPAs seem less glamorous. They're still great, but it does diminish their mystique. Other styles
are more obscure, expensive, difficult to brew, or not as profitable to brew like old ales, lambics, sours, or true abbey ales.
I'm a huge fan of all the categories listed, but if you asked me about any of those types 5 years ago, I wouldn't know any of them except abbey ales. I have a personal theory about craft beer tastes, and being a hophead is sort of in the middle of the journey Hopefully some of this ramblings gives someone .01% insight into something!

 

I'm a young guy, and I'll be honest, I like a nice IPA here and there. But I agree with a bunch of the above posters that there is so much out there and so many different flavors and experiences that are just as good, if not better than IPAs.

That being said, I also recognize that it is entirely subjective. What really rustles my jimmies is a beer with quality malt character, especially a nice pils, so I totally get why somebody might really get into the perfect hop flavor. There are so many aspects of beer and so much variety to them, I try to celebrate it all.

 

I didn't realize the appeal of IPAs until I tried a great one fresh. The bitterness played fantastically against the fruitiness. Few styles are as simultaneously refreshing and flavorful: Belgians and stouts are delicious but heavy, while lagers and German beers are light but lacking in intensity.

 

I just liken the fascination to an Amish kid on Rumspringa.

 

Was gently nodding till I reached this point...
While I do think HT is a bit hyped up in our community, can't say that these two are on the same level.

 

I have not been drink beer since the 80's but I agree to me, they are good beers and maybe are capable of 10's within their style but not in beer overall, they are just not complex enough as a style to warrant high marks, like the best hamburger in the world might get a 7 but a really good steak might still get an 8 to a 10, abbey ales as you said are a different story

 

For what it's worth, I don't get it either. American IPA/DIPA wouldn't make my top 10 favorite styles, maybe not my top 20 now that I'm getting more into sours/farmhouse ales. Pilseners, the English pale ale families, stouts of all kinds, the abbey ales, oud bruin, gose ... I enjoy those much more.

The IPA/DIPA craze stems at least partially from the fact that they are the easiest to find. American brewers are making IPA/DIPAs what? Maybe as much as 5 or 6 to 1 compared to any other style, not counting brewers like Prairie Artisan, The Bruery and Jester King.

And did I read somebody trying to tell us that DIPAs aren't bitter? I'll try to remember that tonight as I'm drinking a Hoptimum.

One thing I'll give the American IPA/DIPA: They are among the best closers. I keep them around mostly for that, for drinking at the end of sessions when a more subtle or malt-forward beer might not taste as good as it normally does.

 

Because IPAs are delicious.

I won't argue it's getting ridiculous, but its a damn good style even if it is over-hyped these days.

 

I'm 64 and love IPAs. My love doesn't stop there. I've been a good beer advocate for decades and still crave good German Lager...my Dad kept Lowenbrau in the fridge and never bitched that it was gone. Martha and I just spent a while in Asheville and we had plenty of good food and beer, and it is important to keep your mind open to styles and new beers. I love beer and will as long as I'm alive, and also will continue to try new and interesting choices. I'm a touch introspective just now, having reread a commendation to my Dad from George C. Marshall and The 34th Infantry's exploits at Leyte in 1944. I've had an easy life by comparison. Cheers friends!