Evolution of Craft Beer

[Fijimn]

Interesting article of the shift from Hop bombs that started the craft beer trend to more floral/fruity hops. Still bold flavor but removing the bitterness.



http://www.bonappetit.com/drinks/beer/article/kill-your-darlings?mbid=social_facebook

 

[Bartdog]

I for one welcome our new less bitter craft beers.

 

[dmm5157]

While I love craft beer, I've tended to avoid IPAs as I don't like the bitterness.

 

[Lemon Thrower]

While I love craft beer, I've tended to avoid IPAs as I don't like the bitterness.

the craft beer trend has jumped the shark.

people are putting out beers with such intense and crazy flavors they are almost undrinkable.

 

[seminoledq]

I'm loving the citrus IPAs. Otherwise they are too hoppy for me without something to smooth it out.

 

[seminoledq]

Grapefruit Sculpin from Ballast Point is money.

 

[Rhino_nole]

Grapefruit Sculpin from Ballast Point is money.

Maybe my taste buds are damaged from too many IPAs and Porters but the Grapefruit taste in the Sculpin didn't last all the way through the beer to me (and I had 2). It is good though.

 

[Nolebra Kai]

Love traditional IPAs the most.

 

[kooterridesagain]

Been seeing this the last few years across the northeast as that crappy bitter ipa trend is moving out, minus a few places. So glad micros are embracing the seasonals and higher alcohol belgians now. Next few years will be much higher quality than what US has produced to date. Great time to love micros

 

[FSUTribe76]

I've been craft brewing on and off (currently off and on to other hobbies) for 20+ years and I've always hated super hoppy aka bitter brews. What drew me in were Sours, Belgian abbey styles, various fruit beers, farmhouses, porters, stouts, etc... There's only two General kinds of beers I do not like, those that are superhoppy like most of the craft competition IPAs and those that are super sweet and/or malty like barleywines. Other than that, I'm happy with any style as long as it's done well (even real pilsners and American corn, rice, and/or wheat adjunct lagers masquerading as pilsners).

 

[Fijimn]

There was another article in Food & Wine that referenced a scientific journal article about the genetic history of lager yeast. It appears that lager yeast was developed through hybridization and there were two significant leaps/mutations that created the modern lager yeast -- which uses cooler fermentation temps than ale yeast. The article suggested that--with lager yeast only being 500 years old--there still be a lot more evolution to it and the taste it imparts.

 

[Lemon Thrower]

 

[jet06d]

As a craft beer fan, home brewer and future commercial brewer, I'm glad there's more variety in the craft beer world.

IPAs are still king, commanding 25% of the market. They started as craft beer's way of rebelling against the fizzy pale lagers and swung far to the other side. Thankfully they're more balanced now with less bitter but still full flavor.

The new big thing in craft beer (other than limited release stouts) are sour beers. Think tart wines

 

[PoopandBoogers]

Yep, sours, ciders, goses, and barleywines seem to be the rage right now.

 

[FSUTribe76]

Yep, sours, ciders, goses, and barleywines seem to be the rage right now.

Ciders done right can have just as much variety as beers and wines and don't have to be alcoholic "Apple juice". One of the best was a rare bottled only for the local market Woodchuck (yes I know, big producer so Boo) where they left the granny smith and Braeburn juice on Pinot noir grape skins and it turned into something that tasted like fresh amazing strawberry juice even though there were no strawberries in it (and yeah, you can't get it here in the US but the pink pinots from Central Otago taste very similar...like perfect strawberry wine that is MUCH better than the "wine" made from real strawberries or strawberry infused White wines.)

 

[surfnole]

Any beer with a fruit flavor is not beer...It's Zima.

 

[NolaNole9]

Any beer with a fruit flavor is not beer...It's Zima.

This.

 

[NoleNewsIsGoodNews]

My favorite style inThe Summer are Berliner Weisses which are a Florida Brewers Invention...they are low alcohol and very refreshing...had one last week at 7th Sun that had Quince and Passion Fruit....the guy at Cycle Brewing in St Pete does some amazing ones as well...never seen a Berliner Weiss canned or bottled yet so you have to be at a Brewery to get one.....another low alcohol style that good brewers are starting to brew is a salty/tart German Beer called a Gose....Westbrook and Rapp have the best "Base" ones and now some are starting to add Fruit to them as well...Anderson Valley did an excellent one with Blood Orange and the guys at Proof just recently did outstanding Raspberry One and an even better Blackberry One

 

[RunRonnieRun]

My favorite style inThe Summer are Berliner Weisses which are a Florida Brewers Invention...they are low alcohol and very refreshing...had one last week at 7th Sun that had Quince and Passion Fruit....the guy at Cycle Brewing in St Pete does some amazing ones as well...never seen a Berliner Weiss canned or bottled yet so you have to be at a Brewery to get one.....another low alcohol style that good brewers are starting to brew is a salty/tart German Beer called a Gose....Westbrook and Rapp have the best "Base" ones and now some are starting to add Fruit to them as well...Anderson Valley did an excellent one with Blood Orange and the guys at Proof just recently did outstanding Raspberry One and an even better Blackberry One

There are lots and lots of canned or bottled Berliner Weiss offerings. The best I've come across is Athena from Creature Comforts.

 

[NoleNewsIsGoodNews]

There are lots and lots of canned or bottled Berliner Weiss offerings. The best I've come across is Athena from Creature Comforts.

Have heard great things about The Brewery but unfortunately they don't distribute in Florida yet...I keep hearing everyone raving about one of their IPA'S whose name currently escapes me...planning on going to The Brewery The Thursday before we play GT to try a bunch of their beer

 

[HulaNole]

Grapefruit Sculpin from Ballast Point is money.

Ballast Point makes some great beers. Indra Kunindra is my favorite by Ballast Point followed closely by Habanero Sculpin.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

I like wheat beers the best. German, Belgian, American...all of them taste great to me.

Never cared much for IPAs.

 

[F4Gary]

IPA's are the best.

Having said that, Shiner makes a great Ruby Red Grapefruit beer. It's not that fruity. They also make a Prickly Pear which is another refreshing summer beer.

But the ales are the best.

 

[FreeFlyNole]

I love the variety of beer and flavor that is coming out of all the choices that are coming to market. A great day is tasting a bunch of beers I don't like.

 

[TexSkills]

Have heard great things about The Brewery but unfortunately they don't distribute in Florida yet...I keep hearing everyone raving about one of their IPA'S whose name currently escapes me...planning on going to The Brewery The Thursday before we play GT to try a bunch of their beer

It's called Tropicalia and it's a pretty good beer.

 

[SeaPA]

Any beer with a fruit flavor is not beer...It's Zima.

For the most part, I'm not a fan of the fruity beers either. However, a couple of months ago I had Dunedin Brewery's Apricot Peach Ale, and thought it was absolutely fantastic. It's not easy to find (their distribution is very limited, despite being one of Florida's oldest microbrewers).

 

[fsUTampa]

For the most part, I'm not a fan of the fruity beers either. However, a couple of months ago I had Dunedin Brewery's Apricot Peach Ale, and thought it was absolutely fantastic. It's not easy to find (their distribution is very limited, despite being one of Florida's oldest microbrewers).

My favorite beer ever was the Apricot Ale by Melbourne Bros. They sold their rights to Sam Smith, and their version is pretty good, but not on the same scale as the original, IMHO. Plus the Apricot version apparently is hard to find in Florida now (they have cherry and raspberry, too).

 

[NoleNewsIsGoodNews]

It's called Tropicalia and it's a pretty good beer.

That's it..thanks Tex

 

[NoleNewsIsGoodNews]

It's called Tropicalia and it's a pretty good beer.

That's it..thanks Tex

 

[fsusurfer]

My buddy just picked me up 9 (some of it's going to friends) four packs of white oak jai alai. Bring it up from Tampa in the next couple weeks... can't wait.