American Craft Beer Driving Me Back To Imports...

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by Nurb, Sep 13, 2013.

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  1. Nurb

    Nurb Initiate (0) Jul 22, 2004 California

    Let me start by saying I like all styles, I have a favorite beer in each one, but my love is wheats, stouts, porters and some German and Belgians... The darker stuff. Problem is that more and more of them are being hopped out of style.

    I got into craft beer well over 10 years ago when more and more microbrewers started popping up, and there was a wide variety available that was juuust starting to expand beyond local markets, and it was good stuff, I enjoyed trying everything out there and developed a taste for my favorite styles.

    As time went on, the hop trend really became the focus of American craft beer, and that's when they started dominating the shelf space at local sellers and things have only escalated in the last couple years to the point many treat hops like they're making/eating hot sauce and cramming in as much as possible. Most do it just to have an IPA or Double IPA just because they realize they "have" to and they taste bland or awful. Things have changed so much, a Double IPA from 5 years ago would be considered just an IPA today. Anyone bringing this up would be told "your taste just isn't refined", "amature beer drinker", or even "You just can't handle real beer" :rolling_eyes:

    "Imperial" is a label put on just about everything now... javas, wheats, Irish ales, oatmeals, Scotish ales, special bitters, barley wines, etc... or a brewer will over-hop a belgian and just call it a "quad", and when I try beer thinking I'm getting a stout, I'm getting an improperly hopped Imperial that the brewer didn't consider out of balance.

    I've learned in the years browsing BA that if a beer has a particularly high rating, it will be because hops is the dominate part of it. Just look at the top 250 list, only one oatmeal stout that isn't a russian imperial espresso smoked barrel whatever, and it's an import! No balance to the list at all. You'd think the only thing that matters is novelty, IBU and ABV.

    Now I'm drifting back to imports because the styles are more balanced and well, more 'true' to their style, and I'm a little disappointed at that because the market is so wonky right now with focus on hops and alcohol content.

    I'll also quote part of an article:
     
  2. Danny1217

    Danny1217 Initiate (0) Jul 15, 2011 Florida

    Plenty of American brewers make good interpretations of European styles. You're right in a lot of ways though.

    Try Sierra Nevada Kellerweiss for a good hefe, Founders Dirty Bastard for a good Scotch Ale, Anderson Valley Barney Flats' for a good oatmeal stout, and Ommegang Three Philosophers for a good quad.
     
  3. grilledsquid

    grilledsquid Initiate (0) Jul 10, 2009 California
    Trader

    I can appreciate your respect for tradition and balance, but I can't help but think that what's happening with you is your taste for beer isn't evolving at the same pace that craft beer in the US is, which is fine. As a consumer, only you can decide what products best fits your tastes.
     
  4. grilledsquid

    grilledsquid Initiate (0) Jul 10, 2009 California
    Trader


    Judging by the dude's join date, I suspect he doesn't need any recommendations and is aware of the options out there.
     
  5. FEUO

    FEUO Initiate (0) Jul 24, 2012 Canada (ON)

    More for me! Thanks!
     
    MichPaul, russpowell and WeymouthMike like this.
  6. Danny1217

    Danny1217 Initiate (0) Jul 15, 2011 Florida

    I didn't look at his join date, but I guess you're right. I just felt the need to point out that plenty of people are making good interpretations of European styles
     
  7. yemenmocha

    yemenmocha Grand Pooh-Bah (4,092) Jun 18, 2002 Arizona
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Agree with OP, however I never really left the imports camp. Still mostly enjoy the best German examples available and many have freshness dating too. Also love Belgians. And I don't think American craft brewers come close to the best German & Belgian examples, contrary to what some will say here.

    The extremism in American craft beer is a good analogy with the hot sauce, as you indicated. :sunglasses:
     
    Tut, mrk829, plbirder and 13 others like this.
  8. Murphey

    Murphey Initiate (0) May 9, 2008 Pennsylvania

    I think it is just a natural progression of tastes. Obviously, the people voting up the beers in the "top" lists like them. But, it stands to reason some people won't.

    Its funny. . .I used to love many styles, but I find myself drinking hoppy beers almost exclusively - I'm drinking a "Pliny the Elder" homebrew as I type this (talk about hop!).

    Anyway, I'm just saying, there is nothing wrong with you going the direction of imports. But, there isn't anything wrong with the people that embrace the hop-evolution, either.
     
  9. the_trystero

    the_trystero Initiate (0) Mar 19, 2013 California

    At the same pace or in the same direction? IMHO, fuck the direction.
     
    Neary likes this.
  10. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    “Now I'm drifting back to imports because the styles are more balanced and well, more 'true' to their style, and I'm a little disappointed at that because the market is so wonky right now with focus on hops and alcohol content.”

    Yes, buying imported beer is a genuine option and one that I would recommend to you. We are very fortunate in America that we have lots of choices: US craft brewed beers, imported beers, and yes even American Macro beers.

    Every beer drinker needs to decide what beers they like and thank goodness we have the option to buy what we want!

    Now, there is no doubt that the BA community is ‘fond’ of beers that are BIG: BIG in hops, BIG in alcohol, BIG in Barrel Aging, BIG is lots of things. Having stated that, the vast majority of the beers that US craft breweries are making are not exactly of that ilk. Let’s consider Sierra Nevada Brewery: their flagship beer is Sierra Nevada Pale Ale which is a tasty beer but it is not extreme by contemporary standards. New Belgium’s flagship beer is Fat Tire which is a ‘nice’ amber ale; absolutely by no means an extreme beer. The flagship beer of Boston Brewery (Sam Adams) is Boston Lager which is a ‘nice’ Amber Lager. And on and on and on.

    So my suggestion to Nurb is that there is a tremendous selection of US craft brewed beers which are not “being hopped out of style”. Feel free to buy those US craft beers or by all means purchase import beers that you like.

    It is all good!

    Cheers!
     
    JimKal, ONovoMexicano, kwill and 3 others like this.
  11. grilledsquid

    grilledsquid Initiate (0) Jul 10, 2009 California
    Trader


    Maybe a little bit of both? Change is inevitable so once we accept that one simple fact, it's a lot easier to avoid frustration if things don't evolve the way we want them to. I'll tell you this, though. I'm glad I'm not drinking Folgers anymore! haha
     
  12. christracy76

    christracy76 Initiate (0) Feb 3, 2012 Ohio

    OP makes a great point about the hop additions lately. It seems like the more bitter, hoppier the better. I don't see the draw in Enjoy By... or Arrogant Bastard as they both taste like potpori. I am personally a much bigger fan of the malty beers but do enjoy a good IPA or Pale Ale as well. Dirty Bastard is one of my favorites...on the other hand, Devil Dancer is another of my favs...but I cant stand the hefeweisens...Drink what you like but don't be afraid to try something new (brewery wise)
     
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  13. grilledsquid

    grilledsquid Initiate (0) Jul 10, 2009 California
    Trader


    ^^This!

    We tend to take the options we have available to us for granted. One trip to a place that can be considered a craft beer wasteland is all it takes to appreciate even the pedestrian selection at the local grocery store.
     
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  14. christracy76

    christracy76 Initiate (0) Feb 3, 2012 Ohio

    Also, hoppy is a trend...give it a few years and im sure it will change to malty as hell...lol
     
  15. fritts211

    fritts211 Initiate (0) Feb 19, 2011 Tennessee

    I really like hot sauce.

    Make of that what you will.
     
  16. BoomKentucky

    BoomKentucky Zealot (675) Mar 22, 2013 Kentucky

    I am not being driving away. I just have to look harder, but I do agree people are making way too many hoppy beers.
     
    Hop_juice likes this.
  17. the_trystero

    the_trystero Initiate (0) Mar 19, 2013 California

    Bring it on!
     
    BedetheVenerable likes this.
  18. Mikecap

    Mikecap Pooh-Bah (2,062) May 18, 2012 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    This is a good topic and good thread. Hoppiness is for sure a trend, as much as I love hops, I've had some "imperial" IPAs that are just beyond balance and thought. Heady Topper is a great use of hops IMO, but I've had some bad "imperial" IPAs. I also agree with the OP on the use of the dreaded "imperial." Many of my non-BA friends ask me what "imperial" means, and my typical answer is that yes, it is more hops, more malt, more alcohol, but often times it is a marketing ploy to make you buy said beer.
     
  19. Hoppsbabo

    Hoppsbabo Pooh-Bah (2,029) Jan 29, 2012 England
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I like your hot sauce analogy. While I rate hoppy American beer it's usually a bit overkill for me. I find that things which are rich in flavour exhaust quickly.
     
  20. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    It's a big tent with a little something for everyone. That's a good thing, especially compared to where we were 20 or 30 years ago.
     
    stevegoz, frazbri and drtth like this.
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