What is good beer? – Revisited. IPA, “go-to” beers, an extra 25 cents and labels.

3 comments

July 17, 8:37 AM

by Charlie Papazian, Beer Examiner

 

 

A well balanced, floral IPA

This is part 7 revisiting comments regarding my June 26 post, What is Good Beer?

                Kyle C. says: I've tried a lot of different beers and styles, but keep coming back to ipa's. I go local most of the time… But, for hops, you can't beat the West Coast- Green Flash is something I enjoy regardless of the 12.99 a six pack. If it's between an [$]8.00 6 pack of something decent and a [$]12.99 six pack of something great, I'm going with the latter. That's only a quarter or two difference per drinking experience, as I usually consume two at a clip. That's worth it to me. Labels?  They matter a bit. There's something too cool about Sierra Nevada Celebration that makes me want to buy it whenever I see it. In the end, it's all about taste and the hops.

            I too have had the pleasure of at least visiting the San Diego area and experiencing the wonderful hop balanced ales from Green Flash. This year they brewed the Commemorative Ale for the National Craft Brewers Conference and I must say it was terrific both in the bottle and from a firkin keg. IPA’s are among my “go to” beers when I’m not in the mood to think about what I’m in the mood for.   Sound redundant?   Well then, you might say that IPA’s are my go to beers when I’m in a redundant mood. 

            There are some IPA’s I avoid completely and are some of my least favorite beers, while others are wonderfully balanced between hop aroma, flavor and bitterness – then matched with an appropriate drinkable refreshing medium body and just the perfect suggestion of malt sweetness.   For me, hop bitterness in IPA for the sake of pure bitterness is an assault on my palate I don’t enjoy.   Of all the beer types out there, IPA may have some of the most variation.   The bottom line is that IPA is NOT just all about hops.

            A remarkable example of the art of IPA is two time winner Odell IPA. Brewed at a Odell Brewery in Fort Collins, Colorado it has limited distribution.   Similar to Green Flash, Odell IPA is worth getting your hands on and paying good money for. American IPA was the most heavily entered category in the 2007 Great American Beer Festival. It won the gold award.   American IPA was one of the most heavily entered categories in the 2008 World Beer Cup.   It won the gold award.   This is a remarkable achievement.   Winning gold in the most competitive category and having been judged by two entirely different sets of judges. That is a statement.

            Paying extra for something great is something I’ve often preached, especially to homebrewers.   What I’ve given as an example is to encourage homebrewers to spend the extra $10 for trusted and quality ingredients when you buy your supplies for making your next 5 gallon batch of beer.  Don’t be a miser when it comes to quality ingredients. Ten dollars may seem like a lot, but it’s actually the equivalent to paying 20 cents more for each 12 ounce bottle of beer.   Now if you had the choice of paying 20 cents more for that special bottle of beer at the bar or restaurant, I’m certain no one who calls themselves a beer drinker would hesitate.  

            There is something cool about labels. They do add value to beer whether we want to believe it or not. See Drink with your mouth not your eyes. But I don’t think the art or the design speaks for itself. I think it is the experience we’ve had with that beer, the brewery and that bottle sometime in our life. It’s about recalling great times and memories. That is what the value which labels bring to the table – associated experiences.

            For me it is taste, hops, malt and memories.                                       

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