Quote:
Originally Posted by Saccopoo
Oh, I realize that there are intricacies of the hops, however, there are more brewers than not that simply "over hop" their IPA's in an effort for the effect versus an intrinsically better beer of that style. And yes, I'm generalizing, but it's typical of the style to simply let the hops overwhelm the ale to the point where it's very hard to discern anything other than the hops. A good IPA reflects a real dedication by the brewmaster and a real knowledge of the craft. Most tend to end up in an amalgamated pile.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Saccopoo
And I do have to state that my preferences have always leaned to the European India Pales versus the American versions. My analogy to the California Chardonnays of the mid to late 90's in particular is a valid comparison of the styles. A Pouilly Fuisse versus a Napa is two different worlds.
I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of detail in Anderson's Hop Ottin' and it's incorporation of the hops into the ale. It was more prominant than the standard bearer of Euro IPA's - Sam Smiths, but still allowed me to enjoy the nuances of the ale without the overpowering hop of typical American IPA's.
It's been that over hopping that has kept me from really exploring the style, and I think I'll try to get a hold of some that you've mentioned here to compare.
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I want to agree with you and disagree with you at the same time. I think that there are a lot of average to below average IPAs brewed in America because some brewers think that they can just throw hops into the kettle without knowing what they're doing and market that beer to hopheads. But there's something about your post that reminds me of friends who knock great IPAs for being "overhopped."
English and American IPAs (and regular Pale Ales too) are very different animals. A good English IPA is a wonderful thing. Check out Left Hand
400-Pound Monkey if you haven't already.