3 Floyd's Alpha King[1]... best IPA/Pale Ale ever. Let the flame war begin!!! [1] https://www.3floyds.com/beer/alpha-king/?age_verification=e7...
practically an entirely different style in craft beer terms
The story of Heady Topper, Americas most loved craft beer
21–30 of 65 posts
Re: The story of Heady Topper, Americas most loved craft beer
#22Sounds like the writer liked their beer a little too much to make a balanced piece. It is my understanding that from coast-to-coast, America's most beloved craft brewery is Dogfish Head, and that the most popular craft brewery (by sales volume) is Sam Adams. I have never heard of Heady Topper, and I used to drink like a fish.
Sam Adams is not a craft brewery. I understand that term is subjective, but really truly not in this case. I wouldn't say Dogfish Head is either anymore.
There is a formal definition of what is or isn't a craft brewery from the Brewers Association.
A craft brewery makes less than 6 million barrels per year, less than 25% is owned or controlled by a non craft brewery, and the majority of their alcoholic drinks are beer.
Sam Adams and DFH both satisfy those requirements.
Re: The story of Heady Topper, Americas most loved craft beer
#23I've tried a Heddy Topper (it was offered to me in a restaurant in Burlington), I live near Goose Island, and I've consumed New Glarus in Wisconsin. To me it's all about the scarcity. People waiting overnight for limited-edition brews, crossing state lines to buy exclusive brands...it adds this psychological value to the beer. When you strip that away you're left with another 100+ IBU beer that my palate eventually c…
Yeah, the obsession in America over IPAs really needs to end. I'm sure this is a good brew, but the vast majority of them seem to me to be an exercise in absurdity. Too high ABV and so bitter you can't taste the fact that most of these beers have nothing else to offer in terms of body or flavor. I liken it to Starbucks drip, you like it because in order to make it palatable you have to dump sugar and cream into it.
>Too high ABV and so bitter
You're describing "West Coast" style IPAs, "NE-style" (like Heady) are almost entirely different, and rarely bitter; Monkish famously had a "0 IBU" IPA
>you can't taste the fact that most of these beers have nothing else to offer in terms of body or flavor
What? IPA, especially DIPA is one of the most full-bodied styles available. Imperials can go into the ~10% category but a lot of IPAs are closer to ~5%.
>I liken it to Starbucks drip, you like it because in order to make it palatable you have to dump sugar and cream into it.
I guess the argument could apply to adjunct stouts, but the flavors and aromas hops add to a beer aren't valid anymore? We've used them since the 9th century (granted not to IPA levels).
Re: The story of Heady Topper, Americas most loved craft beer
#24Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sam Adams is not a craft brewery. I understand that term is subjective, but really truly not in this case. I wouldn't say Dogfish Head is either anymore.
There is a formal definition of what is or isn't a craft brewery from the Brewers Association. A craft brewery makes less than 6 million barrels per year, less than 25% is owned or controlled by a non craft brewery, and the majority of their alcoholic drinks are beer. Sam Adams and DFH both satisfy those requirements.
Okay, but no beer drinker would show up to a party saying they brought some craft brews and pull out some Boston Lager...
Re: The story of Heady Topper, Americas most loved craft beer
#25I've tried a Heddy Topper (it was offered to me in a restaurant in Burlington), I live near Goose Island, and I've consumed New Glarus in Wisconsin. To me it's all about the scarcity. People waiting overnight for limited-edition brews, crossing state lines to buy exclusive brands...it adds this psychological value to the beer. When you strip that away you're left with another 100+ IBU beer that my palate eventually c…
Yeah, the obsession in America over IPAs really needs to end. I'm sure this is a good brew, but the vast majority of them seem to me to be an exercise in absurdity. Too high ABV and so bitter you can't taste the fact that most of these beers have nothing else to offer in terms of body or flavor. I liken it to Starbucks drip, you like it because in order to make it palatable you have to dump sugar and cream into it.
most of these beers have nothing else to offer in terms of body or flavor
The hoppiness can also hide a lot of problems in the beer.
Having spent a lot of time in Germany I can appreciate the pilsners, where the mistakes have nowhere to hide.
Re: The story of Heady Topper, Americas most loved craft beer
#26I've tried a Heddy Topper (it was offered to me in a restaurant in Burlington), I live near Goose Island, and I've consumed New Glarus in Wisconsin. To me it's all about the scarcity. People waiting overnight for limited-edition brews, crossing state lines to buy exclusive brands...it adds this psychological value to the beer. When you strip that away you're left with another 100+ IBU beer that my palate eventually c…
Scarcity: persons at or approaching Social Security age can remember when Coors was a real big deal in the Eastern US. Those of us living in Colorado didn't really understand this, though some of us did get through a fair bit of Coors.
Re: The story of Heady Topper, Americas most loved craft beer
#27I've tried a Heddy Topper (it was offered to me in a restaurant in Burlington), I live near Goose Island, and I've consumed New Glarus in Wisconsin. To me it's all about the scarcity. People waiting overnight for limited-edition brews, crossing state lines to buy exclusive brands...it adds this psychological value to the beer. When you strip that away you're left with another 100+ IBU beer that my palate eventually c…
This dogmatic view has become so common it's a widely-mocked cliche:
https://www.reddit.com/r/beercirclejerk/comments/25tsuh/dae_...
Re: The story of Heady Topper, Americas most loved craft beer
#28I've tried a Heddy Topper (it was offered to me in a restaurant in Burlington), I live near Goose Island, and I've consumed New Glarus in Wisconsin. To me it's all about the scarcity. People waiting overnight for limited-edition brews, crossing state lines to buy exclusive brands...it adds this psychological value to the beer. When you strip that away you're left with another 100+ IBU beer that my palate eventually c…
Yeah, the obsession in America over IPAs really needs to end. I'm sure this is a good brew, but the vast majority of them seem to me to be an exercise in absurdity. Too high ABV and so bitter you can't taste the fact that most of these beers have nothing else to offer in terms of body or flavor. I liken it to Starbucks drip, you like it because in order to make it palatable you have to dump sugar and cream into it.
I think it is more like getting used to spice. In the 1980s it used to be often repeated in the US that Mexican, Thai, and Indian food was ridiculously spiced and that there was no flavor except peppers and that the only reason to eat these dishes was to prove that you could take it. But eventually a lot of even US people developed palettes used to spice and could appreciate that there is a reason these dishes have a lot of spice. It's the same with hops.
Re: The story of Heady Topper, Americas most loved craft beer
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yeah, the obsession in America over IPAs really needs to end. I'm sure this is a good brew, but the vast majority of them seem to me to be an exercise in absurdity. Too high ABV and so bitter you can't taste the fact that most of these beers have nothing else to offer in terms of body or flavor. I liken it to Starbucks drip, you like it because in order to make it palatable you have to dump sugar and cream into it.
most of these beers have nothing else to offer in terms of body or flavor The hoppiness can also hide a lot of problems in the beer. Having spent a lot of time in Germany I can appreciate the pilsners, where the mistakes have nowhere to hide.
>The hoppiness can also hide a lot of problems in the beer.
A common myth, the hardest part of a pils is maybe the decoction mash and having good water. IPAs and DIPAs are much more complex recipes requiring several steps post-fermentation, pils really just needs to be lagered.
Any commercial brewery will have solved sanitation and 90% of off-flavors, they don't brew IPA because they are easy, they do it because they sell.
https://www.reddit.com/r/beercirclejerk/comments/5dqvu0/doub...
Re: The story of Heady Topper, Americas most loved craft beer
#30I've tried a Heddy Topper (it was offered to me in a restaurant in Burlington), I live near Goose Island, and I've consumed New Glarus in Wisconsin. To me it's all about the scarcity. People waiting overnight for limited-edition brews, crossing state lines to buy exclusive brands...it adds this psychological value to the beer. When you strip that away you're left with another 100+ IBU beer that my palate eventually c…
Yeah, the obsession in America over IPAs really needs to end. I'm sure this is a good brew, but the vast majority of them seem to me to be an exercise in absurdity. Too high ABV and so bitter you can't taste the fact that most of these beers have nothing else to offer in terms of body or flavor. I liken it to Starbucks drip, you like it because in order to make it palatable you have to dump sugar and cream into it.
I had no idea of the hype around this particular beer.
My friend in MA had some in his fridge, I cracked one open and it wasn't particularly life-changing - another hoppy IPA.
If you're into lagers check out Jack's Abby