Hoppy Ales/Beers ?

ciaran76 · 27-09-2010 7:24pm #1

Lately I have found Sierra Nevada not hoppy at all. Maybe its the hoppier beers I've been drinking lately and finding what I thought was hoppy isnt anymore?

Anyone else find this or is it just me?

oblivious · 28-09-2010 7:56am

It would be more hop flavor/aroma that hop bitterness.

DBCyc · 28-09-2010 12:05pm

ciaran76 wrote: »

Lately I have found Sierra Nevada not hoppy at all. Maybe its the hoppier beers I've been drinking lately and finding what I thought was hoppy isnt anymore?

Anyone else find this or is it just me?

Which SN beer? Their Torpedo IPA most definitely has a strong hop flavour to it - you couldn't miss that?!

I do understand what you mean. As I am currently a big fan of Imperial IPA's, I find that a lot of other standard IPA's taste a bit bland since I got a taste for the stronger ones.

I'm still a fan of the standard American style IPA's like Goose Island etc, but not so much the English ones. I think that is more down to the types of hops they use and their flavour. Also, if I had a few I would start with the standard or lower alcohol content IPA's first before I had a stronger one.

ciaran76 · 28-09-2010 12:32pm

Just the standard Sierra Nevada.

I found Goose Island , Brew Dog and the Torpedo to be good enough to get my hit from but I do remember thinking Sierra Nevada was hoppy when I 1st start drinking it but not anymore.

oblivious · 28-09-2010 12:36pm

ciaran76 wrote: »

J drinking it but not anymore.

Your just becoming reseistant to hop bitterness

DBCyc · 28-09-2010 12:54pm

ciaran76 wrote: »

Just the standard Sierra Nevada.

I found Goose Island , Brew Dog and the Torpedo to be good enough to get my hit from but I do remember thinking Sierra Nevada was hoppy when I 1st start drinking it but not anymore.

It's a good thing - you must now go forth and seek only the finest hops!

Saruman · 28-09-2010 5:12pm

Go get a bottle of Big Daddy IPA (speakeasy)

Technocentral · 28-09-2010 5:16pm

ciaran76 wrote: »

Lately I have found Sierra Nevada not hoppy at all. Maybe its the hoppier beers I've been drinking lately and finding what I thought was hoppy isnt anymore?

Anyone else find this or is it just me?

Used to think it was nice and hoppy until I tried Torpedo and Punk etc, I guess its all relative, still standard Sierra Nevada is a fine beer, loved it on tap the short time it was in the Porterhouse Temple Bar.

ciaran76 · 28-09-2010 6:11pm

Technocentral wrote: »

Used to think it was nice and hoppy until I tried Torpedo and Punk etc, I guess its all relative, still standard Sierra Nevada is a fine beer, loved it on tap the short time it was in the Porterhouse Temple Bar.

It was on tap on Saturday when I was in there.

ciaran76 · 28-09-2010 6:11pm

Saruman wrote: »

Go get a bottle of Big Daddy IPA (speakeasy)

Yes I love this also. Guess my taste buds have just moved on ! :pac:

BeerNut · 28-09-2010 6:33pm

ciaran76 wrote: »

Yes I love this also. Guess my taste buds have just moved on ! :pac:

There's Speakeasy Double Daddy for people like you

. Dunno if it's still around though.

kenmc · 29-09-2010 9:23am

hops = good.
MMMMmmmm......

Saruman · 29-09-2010 1:15pm

Dogfish Head 60min and 90 min IPA are fantastic hoppy goodness.

And under no circumstances forget our very own O'Hara's IPA in the bottle.

ciaran76 · 29-09-2010 1:36pm

Saruman wrote: »

Dogfish Head 60min and 90 min IPA are fantastic hoppy goodness.

And under no circumstances forget our very own O'Hara's IPA in the bottle.

I have never tasted the O'Haras IPA and I have searched for it but seem to be always out of stock.

oblivious · 29-09-2010 1:55pm

ciaran76 wrote: »

I have never tasted the O'Haras IPA and I have searched for it but seem to be always out of stock.

Very ,very nice

donaghs · 29-09-2010 2:58pm

Carvill's in Camden St D2 just got some back in. Not the hoppiest of IPAs, but still a nice addition to the range.

schemingbohemia · 29-09-2010 4:34pm

ciaran76 wrote: »

I have never tasted the O'Haras IPA and I have searched for it but seem to be always out of stock.

i was delighted to find that the larder restaurant on parliament street (dublin 2) http://www.thelarderbistro.com/index.htm
had it on their rather small beer list. my mate was sickened as he ended up with a 33cl bottle of budvar while I savoured my 50cl bottle of o'hara's ipa - delish.

DBCyc · 29-09-2010 4:40pm

ciaran76 wrote: »

I have never tasted the O'Haras IPA and I have searched for it but seem to be always out of stock.

I found it in Fresh supermarket in Smithfield recently, also I have seen it in Superquinn in Ashtown.

You should also get it easily in the good off-licences in Dublin such as DrinkStore, Redmonds, Deveneys and Sweeneys.

Its quite nice, but it may not satisfy your intense craving for the hops

BeerNut · 29-09-2010 4:54pm

schemingbohemia wrote: »

I savoured my 50cl bottle of o'hara's ipa

Excellent: they only ever had the stout and red in 33cl bottles any time I was in.

Technocentral · 29-09-2010 6:47pm

ciaran76 wrote: »

It was on tap on Saturday when I was in there.

Last time I was in (17th) I went up to where the tap had been and it was portherhouse red, I didnt ask for it so, maybe they'd just moved the tap, cheers.

Saruman · 01-10-2010 4:23pm

ciaran76 wrote: »

I have never tasted the O'Haras IPA and I have searched for it but seem to be always out of stock.

Very good reason for that

It's not a hop bomb but it is very hoppy and so drinkable.

Gandhi · 08-10-2010 5:03pm

I am also a hop addict. If the roof of my mouth is not bleeding by the end of the second pint, I consider it a failure.

Don't know how many of these are available in Ireland, but here are my favourite hop-monsters:

Victory Hop Devil - My personal all-time favourite beer. They recently started selling it in the UK, so Ireland can't be far behind if it is not there already.
Victory Hop Wallop - Seasonal extra-hoppy version of Hop Devil. My tongue screams for mercy after this one. Hoppiest beer I have had.
Terrapin Hopsecutioner IPA - Not quite as strong as the first two but not for the faint-taste-budded
Stone Ruination IPA - Ruination indeed. In a good way.
Woodstock Inn Brewery Pemi Pale Ale - Very strong with excellent taste
Iron Hill Brewery "The Hammer" IPA - Falls a bit into the trap of being so hoppy it gets sweet (or they added sweetness to take the edge off the hoppiness) but pretty good.
Sand Creek "Lilja's Pulling Boat" Pale Ale - Not quite a monster but very hoppy

the beer revolu · 08-10-2010 5:30pm

I too, love a hoppy beer.
Some of my favourites would be: Dogfish Head 90', Torpedo Ale, Hommelbier, Punk and Hardcore IPA, Big Daddy etc. etc.

I do, however, have some reservations about this taste trend that I am very much part of. I fear that we might start suffering from 'hop flavour inflation' - that we beer drinkers will need bigger and bigger hop hits to get a buzz - a bit like when as a fledgling nation of wine drinkers in the 80's our favoured wines just kept getting bigger and oakier and redder!!

Will we loose the ability to appreciate the gentler, more subtle styles of beer?
Will we end up drinking beer that is thick with hops?

The reason I ask is that as recently as 4 years ago I generally found USA beers rather one dimensional and unintegrated in their hoppiness.
Now, I cant get enough of them and like, it seems, most other beer fiends in Ireland and elsewhere, the beers I keep returning to are modern hoppy IPAs.

Where will it all end?

BeerNut · 08-10-2010 5:37pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

Where will it all end?

With a reaction against highly hopped beers and a trend for milder ones.

Swings and roundabouts.

boardsy · 08-10-2010 5:49pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

I too, love a hoppy beer.
Some of my favourites would be: Dogfish Head 90', Torpedo Ale, Hommelbier, Punk and Hardcore IPA, Big Daddy etc. etc.

Mmmm... fantastic beers - I think the Dogfish Head 90' might be the best I've ever tasted! Adnam's Innovation and Young's Special London Ale are two other fine additions to that list.

the beer revolu wrote: »

I do, however, have some reservations about this taste trend that I am very much part of. I fear that we might start suffering from 'hop flavour inflation' - that we beer drinkers will need bigger and bigger hop hits to get a buzz - a bit like when as a fledgling nation of wine drinkers in the 80's our favoured wines just kept getting bigger and oakier and redder!!

Will we loose the ability to appreciate the gentler, more subtle styles of beer?
Will we end up drinking beer that is thick with hops?

The reason I ask is that as recently as 4 years ago I generally found USA beers rather one dimensional and unintegrated in their hoppiness.
Now, I cant get enough of them and like, it seems, most other beer fiends in Ireland and elsewhere, the beers I keep returning to are modern hoppy IPAs.

Where will it all end?

Was just about to say this - it's a bit like the "super-skunk" trend in that other fragrant bitter intoxicating flowering plant (a cousin of the hop?) - stronger and stronger... But you probably wouldn't consider the stronger ones session beers, and would likely return to something a little gentler to drink in larger quantities.

the beer revolu · 08-10-2010 6:01pm

boardsy wrote: »

Mmmm... fantastic beers - I think the Dogfish Head 90' might be the best I've ever tasted! Adnam's Innovation and Young's Special London Ale are two other fine additions to that list.

Yes, both those beers lurk under my stairs as we speak!:D

boardsy wrote: »

Was just about to say this - it's a bit like the "super-skunk" trend in that other fragrant bitter intoxicating flowering plant (a cousin of the hop?) - stronger and stronger... But you probably wouldn't consider the stronger ones session beers, and would likely return to something a little gentler to drink in larger quantities.

A good analogy, there!;)

IrishWhiskeyCha · 08-10-2010 10:33pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

Will we loose the ability to appreciate the gentler, more subtle styles of beer?
Will we end up drinking beer that is thick with hops?

Possibly but I have a feeling not ...

As a whisk(e)y nut this has happened in the peated whisky's. There still seems to be a competition on to create the most peaty and smokey whisky. However, I became a major fan of peated and for a good length of time I wanted nothing but a big peat reak in my whiskey but if you keep pouring majors amounts of big flavours down your gullet you may find that your own palate revoluts and you need to go back to more subtle flavours. Well that is what happened to me. SO now I have a great appreciation for more subtle whiskeys but I still like my peat also. So dont panic

Hoppy Ales/Beers ?

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