Hops in major beer-producing European countries like Germany, Czech Republic and Slovenia are ripening earlier and producing less since 1994, scientists found. And, perhaps most alarmingly for the IPA lovers of the world, they are starting to lose their critical bitter component.
I’m old enough to remember (just barely) drinking before the hop craze, and I when it first started and there were more beer choices I thought it was great, because sometimes I like some hop forwardness. But then everything became hops and way to much and microbrews started offering like 10ipas and nothing else and i just want a damn hefeweisen (or any wheat) and theres just one option among 50 ipas and extra triple ultra ipas or whatever…
I think the problem has grown bigger than just over hopped beers. Every beer fad just becomes an arms race to see who can get the most extreme and it takes over the smaller brewers. We used to love going to small breweries but they’re ridiculous now and have been for years with no end in sight. For a while, every beer was mouth blisteringly sour. We had disgustingly sweet dessert stouts for a while. And the juicy craze. The head brewer at my local brewery was bragging to me about having bought out his suppliers mango puree. Bro this is why I just go to the pub and drink Yuengling now.
Don’t forget your sense of taste changes as you age, there’s a reason old farts drink cheap rice/wheat lagers with subtle flavor profiles.
That said, the first IPA I had was from Summit Brewing in Minneapolis back in the middle 90’s and it was nothing like the pine-cone flavored versions which are everywhere today.
I’m old enough to remember (just barely) drinking before the hop craze, and I when it first started and there were more beer choices I thought it was great, because sometimes I like some hop forwardness. But then everything became hops and way to much and microbrews started offering like 10ipas and nothing else and i just want a damn hefeweisen (or any wheat) and theres just one option among 50 ipas and extra triple ultra ipas or whatever…
Heres hoping for a bigger variety of choices.
I think the problem has grown bigger than just over hopped beers. Every beer fad just becomes an arms race to see who can get the most extreme and it takes over the smaller brewers. We used to love going to small breweries but they’re ridiculous now and have been for years with no end in sight. For a while, every beer was mouth blisteringly sour. We had disgustingly sweet dessert stouts for a while. And the juicy craze. The head brewer at my local brewery was bragging to me about having bought out his suppliers mango puree. Bro this is why I just go to the pub and drink Yuengling now.
Yep, you’re absolutely correct. Honestly I wish I could get yeungling here, it’s probably my favorite for the price.
Don’t forget your sense of taste changes as you age, there’s a reason old farts drink cheap rice/wheat lagers with subtle flavor profiles.
That said, the first IPA I had was from Summit Brewing in Minneapolis back in the middle 90’s and it was nothing like the pine-cone flavored versions which are everywhere today.