Soft?

A couple of weeks back, one my distributors dropped off a sample of the latest IPA (which will remain anonymous) for me to sample. I tried it at home later that night, and it was a truly horrible beer. Terribly unbalanced, the brew was so ridiculously over-hopped that I had the distinct flavor of bile (which I hadn't tasted since my college days, but that's another story) in my mouth for hours after I had taken my last sip.

India Pale Ales (aka IPA) have been one of the hottest craft beer styles on the market the past several years, and many self-described "hop-heads" can't get enough of 'em. There are some outstanding ones available (right here at Stimmel's Market), like Great Lakes Commodore Perry, Dogfish Head 60 Minute, Goose Island, Harpoon, Bell's Two Hearted and many more. The best India Pale Ales tend to balance the extreme hoppiness with a healthy dose of malted barley, resulting in fresh, spicy, citrusy beers that are framed by a slightly sweet breadiness.

Well, these days many brewers are trying to push the envelope on hoppiness, and in the process are kissing the malt good-bye. It's almost as if a bunch of guys are sitting around the brewhouse saying "Dude, let's put TWICE as much hops in the brew, that'll be COOL!". While creativity and experimentation are what make the American craft beer industry great, I believe the focus of bottling a new beer should be simple: Is it a well-made, quality product? Sadly, many are not.

And that brings me to my conversation with the distributor last week (after I had tried the IPA). When I told him that I thought the beer was out of balance, too hoppy, and just not very good, his reply was "Eh, you're just getting soft." Soft, no. Critical, yes.