Who put milk in my IPA?

I've had milkshake IPAs from Omnipollo (Schploing) and a small pour from Tired Hands (no idea what it was, got poured at As Is NYC - they were pouring it for free from a can for people who just wanted to try). Neither impressed me that much, although neither was particularly bad. Just OK beers, and I was confused about the hype, especially the Tired Hands hype.

That said, I got some Keytar Bear from Trillium this afternoon. To one of your main points, it explicitly states on the label that it's made with lactose (and wildflower honey, and vanilla), so straightforward with that. And more importantly to me, it's absolutely delicious. I have no idea what lactose is really supposed to bring to a beer, but the mouthfeel is chewy beyond what normal NEDIPAs offer, although that may well be the wildflower honey, as it's very similar in mouthfeel to other Trillium wildflower honey-using beers (the Cutting Tiles series).

Frankly, this individual beer is a great beer that happens to have a small amount of lactose in it. What this tells me is that lactose is not a death knell for a good beer. Again, does it add anything? I can't say because I'd have to try something that is brewed the same minus the lactose. But does it take away from the beer? Not this one.

And additionally, I could give a crap how I'm viewed by others WRT my beer choices. I drink what I like, and I like this.

There are people who think drinking a hazy IPA is deserving of scorn. Those people are generally twats.

There are people who think that drinking macro lagers is deserving of scorn. Those people are generally twats.

Nothing we're buying from the hyped breweries, by and large, is a "traditional" beer that would make a strict Reinheitsgebot advocate not want to look down his nose at one of us for consuming it.

Lactose is no different. It's a different way of making beer, some people enjoy them, some don't. Either is fine. Being a dick towards people who do enjoy them is... well, it's what we in bird culture call "a dick move."

I will agree with you on regulatory commissions needing to crack down on making brewers more openly share the ingredients involved in what we're drinking.

 

I find it laughable that you choose to judge someone by the beer they drink. Is that because you don't like them and everyone should like everything you like?

Is it alright for me to continue drinking fruited sours and pastry stouts too or will I be looked down upon by elite drinkers like you?

 

hur dur so manly

 

Put whatever ingredient you want in a beer. If it tastes good I'll drink it - there really doesn't need to be more discussion than that...

 

I'm with you on transparency if a beer contains lactose. The rest is nonsense.

 

Please let this become the new Navy Seals copypasta

 

“No one should be judged for what they choose to drink, but just be aware that I am judging you for it.”

Relax man, it’s fine.

 

That mouthfeel is the lactose. Honey generally ferments out leaving just the aromatics, but the lactose sugar is unable to be broken down by the yeast so it stays and contributes body

 

By the way as long as we’re talking about how you’re perceived based on what you’re drinking, I hope no one is under the mistaken impression that they look like James Bond with a can of Julius is their hand. In that case, people look at you like a fuckin dork, holding a dorky-ass dork beer, just for the record.

 

Bro, I look like a dork regardless of what's being poured into my face at any given time, because I am a dork. I embrace that shit!

Dorks for Lyfe.

 

Jokes on you because I drink my Julius out of a martini glass. Shaken not stirred.

 

"you should drink what you want, but just so you know I have deemed that beer style, and anyone drinking it, to be inferior and i know most people agree with my viewpoint"

 

WTF? How do think posting nonsense like this is viewed if that is a concern of your?

 

Essays about lactose IPA's

good lord go outside

 

By principle, I'm all for breweries experimenting with new ingredients. I, however, have not liked the vast majority of lactose IPAs that I've had. When I have beers that I don't like, especially hoppy ones, I usually find myself thinking about the opportunity cost of brewing that beer versus, in my opinion, better beer within that brewery's portfolio.

Anyway, Smails is definitely right about any lactose beer needing a clear labeling.

I'm sitting outside btw.

 

Says the person who has 858 posts in 2 years. Which isn't really extreme, but good lord, this is exactly the place to have this discussion with interesting, well thought out comments. Do you feel cool telling someone to go outside? Sheesh.

 

I do not like lactose in my IPAs. Every damn one has tasted too sweet to me. Nuff said.