resolved: IPA is a waste of what could be good beer

Cafe Society
1

What is up with the IPA trend? I admit to being a Rip van Winkle having lived outside of the US for a couple of decades. But as a budding homebrewer in the 1980’s, India Pale Ales were something that used oak chips and a lot of hops in the brewing process to simulate being in an oak cask during long ocean voyages.

Except, nowadays, IMHO IPA’s are overhopped and the alcohol content upped far too high. I don’t think you can find a microbrew IPA with less than a 50 IBU and 6% alcohol. I’m sure I’ve seen 7 and 8% octane ratings out there. Even Costco brand Kirkland IPA is 6%. More like the Imperial Stouts than an IPA.

Don’t get me wrong. I like beer. No, I mean I love beer. But I also don’t want to get a Nam buzz going after just one or maybe two bottles. And maybe it’s just early stage alzheimers, but I remember IPA homebrew recipes as being on the hoppy and alcoholic side, but not at this extreme level. I can’t find my well used Papazian Joy the first to verify.

I just don’t find these enjoyable any more beyond once in a blue moon. When I get a sampler pack, I find the solution is to chill well, and then mix half IPA and half sparkling water to make something that’s at least drinkable.

Malt and hops - what a terrible thing to waste. What say you?

2

Moved MPSIMS --> Cafe Society.

3

I agree. I’m not even remotely a fan of IPAs - I don’t care for more than a hint of bitterness in my beer.

But I strongly suspect we’re in the minority at least amongst beer aficionados. Craft-brewed IPAs have been on a popularity upswing for awhile now that shows no sign of abating. Horses for courses and all that, but I do wish styles like Vienna lager would attract more attention from the boutique breweries than this endless procession of mouth-puckerers.

4

Trend? Maybe five, ten years ago. It’s my impression that craft/micro drinkers have been moving away from IPAs and ultra hoppy beers for a few years now. This is not to say they’re not popular, but I think their popularity peaked a few years ago.

Let me check out what a couple of local breweries have on offer.

Goose Island Brewing. A handful of IPAs and APAs, mostly other styles, including a black lager, an English mild, some porters, stouts, rye ales, brown ales, a bunch of Belgians, etc.

Revolution Brewing. I see two hoppy ales out of 14 beers.

Metropolitan. No IPAs at all. A kolsch, an alt, two lagers.

Half Acre. Of the three main beers, there’s one that’s an IPA/APA.

I’m not cherry picking–these are the big local breweries. Now, it is certainly dependent on your location. West Coast beers are going to be more hop-heavy, in general. But it seems to me that IPAs are not the big thing anymore, and haven’t been for awhile.

That said, I like IPAs. I love hops. What got me back to exploring and truly loving beer was my first taste of Three Floyds Dreadnaught, an Imperial IPA. I never knew beer could smell so good and taste so interesting. My tastes have tempered quite a bit since then, but I still love my hops, especially in the cool, but not cold, weather of spring and fall.

5

I also like IPA’s–not typically for a first beer but pretty much my go to for my second beer of the evening. I like hoppy but not overhopped. I know some guys go overboard on that aspect. But I also like a pretty wide range of beer, my current beer (hopefully ready by Christmas) is Smoked Scotch Ale. I also have an Amber on tap and a Winter Bock. I just finished my IPA from earlier this summer though and it was hoppy, but again not ‘too’ hoppy for what that is worth.

6

As to this, the style of an American IPA, according to the BJCP (beer judge certification program), is a beer between 5.5%-7.5% alcohol and 40-70 IBUs (among other things). Cite. 8% is into Imperial IPA territory, in my opinion.

As for under 6% IPAs, you got Mad Hatter @ 5.25%. Bridgeport IPA @ 5.5%. Sam Adams Whitewater @ 5.8% (which is surprisingly good, IMO, for a brewery not known for hoppy beers.) Founders All Day IPA @ 4.7%.

That said, you’re right–they typically average between 6-7%. But that’s what they are stylistically supposed to be. You want something in the same profile, but less alcoholly and hoppy, seek out an American Pale Ale. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale will get you 5.6% with 37 IBUs.

7

I agree–China Guy should try Manny’s Pale Ale from Georgetown Brewery since he is here in Seattle if I recall correctly. It is a nice Pale Ale that isn’t too hoppy. 5.4% but not sure of the IBU’s.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/4378/12645

8

I can only tell you what it says in the 3rd edition (2003):

Part of the lore of India Pale Ales is that they were supposed to be extra-hopped and extra alcoholic to survive the long trips on sea. I haven’t verified whether this is true, but Papazian does say in the “Beer, History, America, and Homebrew” chapter: “It was and still is a beer that is high in alcohol and hop content, both contributing preservative qualities to beer. Consequently, human activity warranted the brewing of stronger beers, in order to help preserve it during long transports.”

9

I love IPA’s the more hops and higher % alcohol the better but you must balance these to actually create a worthwhile flavour, if not then its just a drunk bitter mess.

10

Try and get a hold of Stone Brewing’s Black IPA. Rare to find but amazing.

11

IPA, especially the extra-strong “Imperial IPA” versions, is my personal favorite style of beer, being the closest thing to whiskey one can buy without being taxed out the ass in this state.

12

According to CAMRA

The trend towards ever stronger and ever hoppier versions is an American thing. Partly because of a “bigger = better” mentality, but largely due to American hops being very good for the extreme style. Some British brewers are importing American hops to make their own extreme IPAs.

I really don’t like seeing the term “Imperial IPA”. The word “Imperial” should only be attached to “Stout” to describe the dark beers brewed in London for export to the court of Catherine II of Russia. wikipedia reference

13

Wrong, Mr. Wrongy-Wrongerson from Wrongville of an OP. IPAs are proof of a benevolent diety, and his center of worship is here.

Sweet beers are for chicks and Scotsmen.

14

Exactly, and the OP is wrong too.

I’ve been drinking beer for a long time and I pretty much only drink IPAs these days. The variety is wonderful and, best of all, I don’t have to worry about moochers. A few Heinekens and/or Coronas in the fridge distract moochers from my treasures.

15

Well, that’s the origin of the term, but it’s clearly expanded beyond that. I personally llke it better than something like “double.” Imperial stout. Imperial pilsener. Imperial IPA. All sound good to my ears and convey what you can expect.

16

Love me some IPAs. And Flemish Sours. And, and, and.

17

Yeah, it’s all about variety. I get burned out on IPAs from time to time, but my drinking tends to be seasonal. This time of year through the winter I go for the malty beers and spicy beers. Mostly porters, stouts, and Belgian abbey ales. Once spring hits, I start moving to the IPAs. By summer, it’s a mix of IPAs, American & German wheats (which I used to dislike), lagers, and sours. Once the fall weather kicks in, it’s bocks, maerzens, maybe the dark wheats, ambers, Scotch ale, and the occasional IIPA.

Of course, I’ll mix it up, but that’s my general cycle of tastes. It’s not a conscious decision: it’s just what I seem to crave at that time of year, and it helps from getting burned out on any one particular style.

18

Isn’t this the way it works with any artisanal or niche trend? I love, love, love hot peppers - not to be macho; I just happen to love them in most foods. But this move past flavorful habaneros and other hot peppers to simply maxing-out the Scoville ratings seems like misplaced machismo more than anything.

Same thing with beers - a great IPA is a thing to be loved and enjoyed. Some brewery trying to out-macho other folks by coming up with new ways to over-hop puts me off.

Probably worthy of another thread: For a given food category you love, what’s just right vs. over-the-top artisanal machismo?

19

I live in the land of Surly - they like a little beer with their hops. Admittedly, I’m not much of a beer drinker, but I’m with China Guy. Less with the hops, please.

20

I didn’t think I liked beer that much until I started getting into IPAs. The degree to which I love them inspired me to keep trying other kinds of beer, as well. As far as IPAs go, the upper range of the “American IPA” classification is about perfect for me: something in the 7.5% ABV and 60-70 IBU area. So, yeah, I’m pretty happy that I actually like something trendy for once, and that because of that trendiness it’s really easy to find a decent IPA on tap at most bars.