BeerBorg

I am in a weird situation. I don't mind hoppy beers, as long as there's some sense of balance, with the malt backbone strong enough to support a strongly hopped beer. I'm not a hophead, but I can appreciate a well-crafted hoppy beer.

But I also am kind of particular about the type of hops. I've always maintained that I don't care much for the hops that have citrus influences. I prefer pine or earthy hops. But then, I realized recently that my signature beer, FedoraDave's American Ale, uses Simcoe and Amarillo. Both of these have citrus aspects. And I just got finished brewing a batch of PacTiki Pale Ale, which is nearly a SMASH brew, and only uses Pacific Jade hops. Again, that's citrus and floral (although I tend to think of it as more melon and pineapple than citrus, like grapefruit).

I don't mind hoppy beers, as I've said. But I have a definite problem with Dogfish Head's 120 day IPA. It just tastes like pine cones that have been soaked in Robitussin. And when I went to the AHA convention in Philadelphia, the only beer I sampled (out of many, many beers) that I couldn't finish was so imbued with citrus hops, it smelled like cat piss. It was the only beer that whole weekend that I couldn't finish. I discretely dumped my sample in a garbage can.

So my takeaway is this: we can't really say we don't like hoppy beers. Or that we don't like citrusy hopped beers, or whatever. It's really a matter of personal taste (which, IMO, is always paramount) and the crafting of that beer. Regardless of the hops used, if the entirety of the beer is balanced (however that's defined according to style), it's likely to be pleasing.

Hey Dave, I'll respectfully disagree with part of what you said, specifically this:

So my takeaway is this: we can't really say we don't like hoppy beers.

Up until about 7 years ago I didn't like hoppy beers. I was drinking craft, but anything 'stronger' than an amber or a pale ale tasted like bitter socks to me. Over time my tastes changes and I love me some hops now, but at the time saying "I don't like hoppy beers" was an accurate statement.

I like a good IPA, but not what I drink everyday, I just brewed a imperial IPA with 4 malts and 4 types of hops 7 oz total in five gal and will dry hop with 2 more oz. And I do like C hops in a IPA, for everyday drinking I kinda like a mild APA SMaSH with just cascades.

Oh, you know Beer-lord had to add his 2 cents when hops are mentioned!
I'm finding that I'm not into the bitter as much as I used to be and now use hops much more for flavor and aroma than bittering. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy some very hoppy and bitter (to most) beers but I like how my palette has changed over the decades of my life.
I've learned so much more what hops to use and when to use them to my liking. Sometimes it doesn't work out and a rebrew is required but for me, the bottom line is, the less hops in the beer, the less I'm likely to drink of that beer.
Heck, I'm still learning!

Dave...since you mentioned Dogfish 120 specifically, I’ll comment on that beer. I’m not a huge fan either. It’s available in the stores near me and I won’t be getting it. But I don’t think that using that as a comparison for hoppy beers is a fair comparison. 120 is an over the top IPA. It’s extremely high in IBU’s and alcohol content, which is why I don’t like it either. It’s just too boozy. 120 is really in a league of its own, and not necessarily in a good way.

I think there are so many other finely brewed beers out there that are quite hoppy, yet totally balanced between hops, malt and alcohol. But even then, not everyone is going to like them.

I’ll also agree with Kealia in that I can say I don’t like a particular style. For me, it’s stouts and porters. I’ve tasted many, and will continue to taste them. But so far, I really don’t like them, even when they are brewed exactly to style. To me, they are not pleasing.


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I actually prefer Dogfish 60 over any of the others. It is just a better "beer" overall, not totally out of whack.

I don't have any hops I hate, but I tend to prefer something with some spicy/earthy/dank/tropical hops in it over straight up citrus.

Pacific Jade besides the citrus/floral also has some peppery notes in the background, which I like. It is actually a nice hop in Saisons when used in reasonable amounts.

I tend to not like any IPAs that are much > 7% ABV, as I find the alcohol wrecks it for me. I find Pliney to be the perfect "top end" of hop load and ABV when it comes to such things, more ABV and more hops then that to me is just pushing the extreme button to unnecessary territory.

Couldn’t agree with you more in your IPA analysis Mashani!!


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Tried DFH120 once, to me was too sweet and not an IPA it is more like a barley wine in my opinion.

I like the 60 and 90 myself and agree the 120 is almost a desert beer. Sharing one is fine but I don't really feel like drinking a whole one. I do enjoy big beers every now and then and sometimes have a craving for them but no way would I brew one. Steve is right, 120 is like a barley wine and that's not something I enjoy. I like more balance.

There is also supposedly a 75 released once in a while, but I've not seen it, and have no idea what it is like.

I've not had a Dogfish beer yet that I've liked. But I don't let that taint my love of hops.

I do find that I'm not wild about noble hops. I prefer the new age stuff we've seen over the past 8 years or so coming out, led by stuff like Mosaic.
Now, if I could only have a single hop for the rest of my life.......hhmmmmmm...Nelson? Simcoe? Citra?

I would say that my favorite varieties fall in the fruity, citrusy and piney zones. That's why I like pale ales and IPA's so much. My least favorite would be the ones in the herbal, earthy and spicy areas.

mashani wrote:There is also supposedly a 75 released once in a while, but I've not seen it, and have no idea what it is like.

I'm told at some place in Pensacola, Florida they sell, on draft, Dogfish Head 69 which is half 60 and half 90 and I'm told it's pretty good.

I happen to like some of their other beers and have some of their Indian Brown in the fridge. Nothing to brag about but it's very good to my taste buds.
The Flesh and Blood wasn't bad either.

I love hops.

John Sand wrote:I love hops.

I love you too John. Does that make me a hop lover lover? But I also love Paul so am I a two timing hop lover lover? I think I'll drink a New Realm beer and think it over. Heck I love all you guys!