Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: American Fascination with HOPS  (Read 3197 times)

Offline pete b

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4134
  • Barre, Ma
Re: American Fascination with HOPS
« Reply #15 on: October 21, 2014, 09:52:12 am »
I think we are starting to see a revival of smaller beers and I would say among homebrewers the trend towards smaller beers and more balanced beers is even further along. I suspect you will start seeing some of those basic craft styles that were more popular in the 90s come back around. For craft breweries it's a no brainer. If you can sell a 4% beer with moderate hopping at the same price as the IPA that is more expensive to brew then there's a lot of profit to obtain on the smaller beer.
I agree with this^^^^
I think that the pendulum is starting to swing towards well balanced beers. I'm brewing and drinking English styles now. I also think American craft beer drinkers are starting to not associate lagers with bud etc. and are trying some good continental style lagers & pilsners. I think the wave of over the top in hops and gravity was a natural reaction to all the lousy beer we drank before the nineties and I think the reaction to that is maltier, smaller and more balanced but I don't think the reaction will be as strong because at least for the most part those bigger and hoppier beers were not bad.
Don't let the bastards cheer you up.

Offline garc_mall

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 858
  • [1892.9, 294.9deg] AR Lynnwood, WA
Re: American Fascination with HOPS
« Reply #16 on: October 21, 2014, 09:58:48 am »
In my opinion, its part of the craft "backlash" against macro beer. The basic 3 ways you can go away from BMC is to be hoppier (IPA) Darker (Stout) and more ABV (Imperial). When a large part of the market is younger people who want to differentiate themselves from "the pack" or be rebels, they want to drink something that is as far away from "normal beer" as possible. This sets up the push for big IIPAs and RISs. I think as craft beer is getting more steam, and filling up more taps in more restaurants, there is more of a push for balance and drinkability. I have noticed that when I go out to a restaurant with a good taplist, there is always 3-4 IPAs, but there are a lot of browns, saisons, and other lighter, more food friendly beers available.

Secondly, when you look at RateBeer or BeerAdvocate, you see rarer beers get better ratings. Worthy Brewing makes a great Koelsch that is 4%, and if I am not careful, I can drink a sixer of it in one day. It will never rate highly, because I can pick it up at the local grocery store. The "top beers in america" are always the ones where the hype outpaces the flavor.

Offline HoosierBrew

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 13031
  • Indianapolis,IN
Re: American Fascination with HOPS
« Reply #17 on: October 21, 2014, 10:05:57 am »
In my opinion, its part of the craft "backlash" against macro beer. The basic 3 ways you can go away from BMC is to be hoppier (IPA) Darker (Stout) and more ABV (Imperial). When a large part of the market is younger people who want to differentiate themselves from "the pack" or be rebels, they want to drink something that is as far away from "normal beer" as possible. This sets up the push for big IIPAs and RISs. I think as craft beer is getting more steam, and filling up more taps in more restaurants, there is more of a push for balance and drinkability. I have noticed that when I go out to a restaurant with a good taplist, there is always 3-4 IPAs, but there are a lot of browns, saisons, and other lighter, more food friendly beers available.

Secondly, when you look at RateBeer or BeerAdvocate, you see rarer beers get better ratings. Worthy Brewing makes a great Koelsch that is 4%, and if I am not careful, I can drink a sixer of it in one day. It will never rate highly, because I can pick it up at the local grocery store. The "top beers in america" are always the ones where the hype outpaces the flavor.

^^^^^^^  That's the best explanation so far.
Jon H.

Offline udubdawg

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1081
Re: American Fascination with HOPS
« Reply #18 on: October 21, 2014, 10:20:21 am »
In my opinion, its part of the craft "backlash" against macro beer. The basic 3 ways you can go away from BMC is to be hoppier (IPA) Darker (Stout) and more ABV (Imperial). When a large part of the market is younger people who want to differentiate themselves from "the pack" or be rebels, they want to drink something that is as far away from "normal beer" as possible. This sets up the push for big IIPAs and RISs. I think as craft beer is getting more steam, and filling up more taps in more restaurants, there is more of a push for balance and drinkability. I have noticed that when I go out to a restaurant with a good taplist, there is always 3-4 IPAs, but there are a lot of browns, saisons, and other lighter, more food friendly beers available.

Secondly, when you look at RateBeer or BeerAdvocate, you see rarer beers get better ratings. Worthy Brewing makes a great Koelsch that is 4%, and if I am not careful, I can drink a sixer of it in one day. It will never rate highly, because I can pick it up at the local grocery store. The "top beers in america" are always the ones where the hype outpaces the flavor.

agreed.
so many bourbon-dominated "beers" and so many hop bombs and so many sours.  Mmm, can you taste the rare? 
I used to need bigger and bigger flavors to get excited too.  Just like I needed hotter and hotter peppers/food to call it "spicy."  But eventually I started to see nuance, balance, delicate characters.  Instead of writing "tastes watery"  ::) for everything that isn't extreme I started seeing the skill in some hand-crafted creations that were anything but blunt instruments for one ingredient or process.

I take the ratings with a grain of salt (and a little coriander and lacto and pilsner and wheat).  A combination of the "per style" rating from RB along with the thoughts of some BA revewiers I've come to trust is going to get much more attention from me than the total score from either site.

Offline garc_mall

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 858
  • [1892.9, 294.9deg] AR Lynnwood, WA
Re: American Fascination with HOPS
« Reply #19 on: October 21, 2014, 10:23:34 am »
I take the ratings with a grain of salt (and a little coriander and lacto and pilsner and wheat). 

So you take your beer ratings with a side of Gose?

Offline udubdawg

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1081
Re: American Fascination with HOPS
« Reply #20 on: October 21, 2014, 10:28:52 am »
I take the ratings with a grain of salt (and a little coriander and lacto and pilsner and wheat). 

So you take your beer ratings with a side of Gose?

of course.  Gose, goes, uh, with everything.

Offline bengelbrau

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 146
Re: American Fascination with HOPS
« Reply #21 on: October 21, 2014, 11:57:15 am »
"for everything that isn't extreme I started seeing the skill in some hand-crafted creations that were anything but blunt instruments for one ingredient or process."

Great use of language. I am going to borrow it for reuse.

Offline jmsetzler

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 37
    • Beer Before Noon
Re: American Fascination with HOPS
« Reply #22 on: October 21, 2014, 01:45:01 pm »
For craft breweries it's a no brainer. If you can sell a 4% beer with moderate hopping at the same price as the IPA that is more expensive to brew then there's a lot of profit to obtain on the smaller beer.

My local brewery sells the high gravity stuff (IIPA / RIS / etc) in 10oz glasses instead of pint glasses at the same price as a pint of the other beers. 

Offline jmsetzler

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 37
    • Beer Before Noon
Re: American Fascination with HOPS
« Reply #23 on: October 21, 2014, 01:47:52 pm »
The "top beers in america" are always the ones where the hype outpaces the flavor.

Thanks for this idea :)  I agree 100%.  The "Pliny the Elder" phenomenon has to be a result of this for the most part.  I have had the opportunity to taste this beer ONE TIME.  I live in North Carolina and this beer is non-existent here.  If I understand correctly, it's not a widely distributed beer yet it tops the charts regularly.