IPAs - Past, Present, and Future

1. The 1st IPA I liked is Two Hearted, and I didn't like it the first time I had it. SN Celebration is another long time favorite.
2. While IBU's have been pushed higher, the biggest new change is newer hops varieties.
3. New hops will be added, and more misnamed beers will cloud the IPA landscape.
4. IPAs have a well established place, but that doesn't mean another style won't overtake it.

 

Nope. Thing is craft beer is only going to get more popular, which will create even more hop heads. Hop breeders will keep breeding more interesting hops. Brewers will have access to said hops and will have an even broader range of mixing and matching. Trends could come circle and people will want extra bitter pine hop bombs.

It's the face of the craft beer movement. I doubt it will ever hang out its crown, if it does it won't be for a long long time.

 

1. My favorite (I)IPAs of the past were Bells Two-Hearted, FFF Zombie Dust, FFF Alpha King (I don't care that FFF calls both pale ales), DFH 60 Minute, SN Celebration, SN Estate, Surly Wet, Surly Furious, Surly Abrasive, Lagunitas Sucks, Founders Double Trouble, FFF BrooDoo, FFF Apocalypse Cow, FFF Dreadnaught, FFF Arctic Panzer Wolf, Bells Hopslam, DFH 90 Minute, and New Glarus IIPA. Since then, most have actually stayed in my rotation and good graces, with only Furious, Double Trouble, and Hopslam falling off (and I wholeheartedly believe that Hopslam has somehow gotten worse since that beautiful 2011 batch). I've just added to the list with offerings from Toppling Goliath, Russian River, La Cumbre, Cigar City, Stone, The Alchemist, Hill Farmstead, NEBCO, DC Brau, Victory, Noble Alewerks, Karben4, Alpine, Lone Pint, Lawson's, Ballast Point, and some others I'm probably forgetting.

2. Hop varieties have really upped the game as well as more focus on a wider variety of flavors rather than mostly pine. I also have learned to appreciate balance more and the niceties that water and yeast add to this style (and other styles), particularly in Toppling Goliath and Vermont, so palate refinement and evolution is also to blame.

3. New hops will continue to be bred. Recipes will become more refined. Both balance and extremity will be pursued. IPAs will become less of a requirement and less the "it" thing as wilds and saisons come even further into public favor (the barrel craze will continue, for better or worse).

4. I sort of explained this above, but the bubble will (or is) burst(ing). IPAs will remain important and popular but not necessary. They will likely always be looked at as emblematic of the American craft scene, however, much like milds and bitters in England, quads and lambics in Belgium, and pilsners and hefes in Germany.

 

IPA trends are similar to the States in Scotland and England but I've seen a growing number of Orange IPAs her and they are really pretty good.

 

What are your favorite IPAs of the past/present?
In 1995? Goose Island IPA.
Now? All Day is always in the fridge.

How do your former favorite IPAs compare to your current favorites, and what's changed about you or about the IPA scene itself?
IBU-gorillas are done; aroma-forward is in.

What are your thoughts about the future of IPAs?
Hoppy pale ales will replace macro lager for the masses; bit by bit.

Is there an IPA bubble (and when's it going to burst )?
It already has among hardcore geeks; the ones I know all chase sours now.

 

What are your favorite IPAs of the past/present?
Two-hearted, Celebration, Hop Devil (all of which I still really enjoy).

How do your former favorite IPAs compare to your current favorites, and what's changed about you or about the IPA scene itself?
Some of my current favorites are Jai-Alai, Headhunter, & Lunch. What's changed? I can actually get these!

What are your thoughts about the future of IPAs?
Citrus flavor so bright, I gotta wear shades.

Is there an IPA bubble (and when's it going to burst )?
If you mean when will IPAs stop being trendy or start becoming uncool, well, that may have already happened. But for people who really love hops and bitter flavor profiles, there will never be a bubble.

 

For the short term, I think the fad has run its course for the breed of IPAs that I'm wanting to drink - those that derive their flavors and aromas from choice of hops & malts, brewing method, etc. There are fewer and fewer NEW stand out ones now.

The new trend is making white IPA, black IPA, grapefruit IPA, chili pepper IPA, oak aged IPA, etc. I don't like.

What I do like is increased distribution of the better brewers. People in more markets need more exposure to the top tier of IPAs out there so they can get a comparison with some of the mediocre ones they're buying, often locally, which may be nowhere near as good. There needs to be some thinning out of the options available. Too much mediocrity. I think we need better beer on shelves, in people's hands, etc. Not just more beer. Not just local beer. Better beer.

 

Exactly what I was thinking. While there are still many popular IPAs/DIPAs, over the last year I've seen mostly sours and ba stouts become the new "thing".

You know what people want when there is literally a dark sour barrel aged pumpkin ale available.

 

I always loved 60 minute and hop devil. Now I am into the Vermont IPA's. I love anything from the Alchemist and Lawson's. The big difference in my tastes is they have moved up the price scale. This site has helped that a lot. I will buy an expensive (say 10 to 15 dollar) six pack if I have it on good authority that it is considerably better than the two mentioned above.

I think the future is pretty bright for IPA's. BA and sours are very expensive and in the case of sours a little tough to drink a lot. The growth in craft beer has been in lock step with the rise in IPA's. I believe the new thing at the time will grow tremendously but always leave with a loyal following. The good part is that craft is growing so fast I do not believe the next thing takes away from the last new thing. The volumes of these new things gets lost in the noise of the rapid growth.

 

I am also from NJ and find my preference moving very much in line with yours. Where I used to depend on my friends coming home from ski trips with Heady to have a great IPA now I just grab an 077XX from the fridge.
What started me thinking you're on to something is Head High is my other favorite these days, and this video.
If you look at your thoughts, and mine, the beers move closer to home as you get more exclusive. First Torpedo, then Heady, now 077XX. Closer and closer.
I definitely think Head High and 077XX are world class in most opinions what I think makes them so much better to me is local-ness. Local meaning fresh plus things like water.
Augie says in that video that every home has a great IPA within 75 miles. If that's true, as there are more breweries there are bound to be more exceptional IPAs. Should we all just be tightening the scope of available greatness as that growth happens?

 

1. Past - SN pale ale, first I ever enjoyed. New - Scream IIPA/ Zombie dust. They are the best options in the midwest
2. Stronger, gotta keep that abv hovering around 10% on all the new stuff
3. Continuation of development of new strains of hops specifically for IPA's (see Citra), more imitation of the Vermont style of IPA's
4. Hopefully not, people will always want hoppy beers, but the sour craze will certainly pull some volume away.

 

Past Favorite: Hop Stoopid, Pliny, Long Hammer, Rogue Brutal Bitter
Current Favorites: Mercenary, Nelson, Fremont, Rueben's Brews, RPM,

How do your former favorite IPAs compare to your current favorites, and what's changed about you or about the IPA scene itself? New hop varietals have completely changed the way IPA's taste to me. Less up front bitterness and more late hop additions, creating more aroma and sweetness.

What are your thoughts about the future of IPAs? I recently went to a hop school and tasted many varieties that are not yet out. They had flavors of cherry, lime, and blueberry. I think we will move away from tropical fruit and on to other flavors.

Is there an IPA bubble (and when's it going to burst )? I don't see that happening. I drink less IPA's than I used to, but I still drink a ton of them. As long as the style evolves, it will always be a mainstay.

 

What are your favorite IPAs of the past/present?
Past: DFH 60, Indica, Hop Wallop, Celebration
Present: Dirt Wolf, Flower Power, Sculpin, Furious, Head Hunter, Fresh Squeezed, High Res, Celebration

How do your former favorite IPAs compare to your current favorites, and what's changed about you or about the IPA scene itself?
My former IPAs focused more on malt balance because I was newer to hops. Now I love hoppy IPAs that are still balanced. I just love the aroma of some of the newer ones (Fresh Squeezed and Dirt Wolf, I'm staring directly at you).

What are your thoughts about the future of IPAs?
I think the future is bright. I think the tried and true IPAs will continue on and sell very well, while I expect to find brewers experimenting with new recipes and new hops to create some special one-off IPAs.

Is there an IPA bubble (and when's it going to burst)?
No, I think the IPA will continue to remain the mainstay of craft beer and will continue to be as popular as it has been. Dare I say it may become even more popular as some of the BMC crowd migrates?

 

Your #3 above has happened to me - I'm getting so SPOILED by top tier IPA's that the "normal" or "readily available" ones often sit in my fridge a little longer than planned.....It's very very sad