46 replies to this topic

[BrewerGeorge]

I just finished a growler of "APA" from a very small, very local brewery in town. It had 52 fecking IBUs... in an APA. The stuff they actually label IPA is 90 and up.

I keep buying those make your own 6 pack things from breweries in the region, and I have been disappointed every time trying to buy APAs. Why the feck are people putting Biscuit in APAs? Why do they have residual sweetness or be as dark as Ambers? I'm talking about well-established breweries here. WTF, Folks?

There was a thread a few weeks ago about SNPA showing its age, but I'll tell you: The more beers I try after my hiatus, the more I appreciate the original, clean APA.

[Big Nake]

I notice that many "APAs" are not made well. I have also had some that were underattenuated and although I don't mind the Amarillo, Galaxy, Citra beers... does every APA have to be made that way? This is one reason why you're back brewing, George. I will make 35-40 IBU pale ales and use cleaner hops too so that the beer is less fruity. Hops like US Golding, EKG, Glacier, Liberty, Crystal, some Cascade, etc. Seems like many breweries tried to back off of the maltiness by doing a grist of 50% pale ale malt and then 50% wheat which is what I have been doing. I'll use a small amount of CaraVienne or CaraRuby to get just a slight amber color. You and I seem to see this the same way but there are still A LOT of people who love the fruity, hoppy APAs and IPAs.

EDIT: I have had some Boulevard and Shlafly pale ales recently that were quite well made. I don't know if Two Brothers still makes "Bitter End" but it was also a nice pale ale.

[BrewerGeorge]

Speaking of fruity, what's up with all the "tropical" IPAs and APAs? That same local place has a 95 IBU beer that's got pineapple juice added! I sampled it while waiting for my growler to fill... not great. I've seen mango and passion fruit in this role on labels, too.

I think it's kind of ironic that we all originally got into home brewing to make more interesting beers in a landscape of boring macro brew, and now with seemingly limitless (but weird) options we have to brew our own to get traditional styles absent the EXTREME factor.

[Big Nake]

Was it pineapple juice or was it a hop with a pineapple character? Amarillo is very citrusy... like grapefruit. Citra is passion fruit and Galaxy has a little bit of both. I am about to embark on a run of APAs with new hops: Loral, Apollo, Azacca, El Dorado, Ella and Lemon Drop. Some of those will be straightforward but there is lemon, tangerine and other citrusy hops in there too so it should be interesting. Personally I think this overly fruity APA/IPA thing will die down at some point. Luckily you can do it the way you want now that you're brewing again. Make a pale ale with Columbus or Centennial or Cascade and bring it back a couple of decades.

EDIT: What I have noticed too is that some beers like standard blonde ales also incorporate some of these fruity hops and maybe you actually like them but not in such a high dose. It may be an acquired taste or it may be something that you just don't care for but again... you can control that. Sometimes I buy a beer called a PALE ALE and I'm disappointed that it's really not what I wanted. Other times I'm pleasantly surprised.

[neddles]

Cascade, Centennial, and Columbus is one of my favorite combinations. Columbus adds fantastic depth to a whirlpool or dry hop blend.

[Big Nake]

Cascade, Centennial, and Columbus is one of my favorite combinations. Columbus adds fantastic depth to a whirlpool or dry hop blend.

A lot of people don't realize how nice the aroma of fresh Columbus hops can be.

[BrewerGeorge]

Actual pineapple juice.

[matt6150]

Actual pineapple juice.

I've noticed a passion fruit juice addition trend lately as well.

[MyaCullen]

I've always liked a little hoppier less dry pale than SNPA, I'm more a fan of Mirror Pond than SNPA, personal preference.

[Big Nake]

I'm all for variety and I'm all for trying different things and experimenting. I'll give just about anything a try. But as George said, once things get saturated and there are SO many examples of a similar type of beer, that's when I want to go in a different direction. I love making pale ales and experimenting with different hop combinations. The ones that end up coming out the best are where I have used the cleaner hops and maybe a smidge of Cascade which will bring some citrus to the beer but not as much as some of the newer hops. I grabbed two beers I have never drank before when I was up at my mom & dad's house last week... both APAs. One had a hint of Amarillo and maybe Citra but it was not overdone. It was good. The other was really, really fruity with something like Galaxy or Amarillo or Citra and it was too much. There was nothing on the labels/cans to suggest they would be this way. If someone were opposed to that character, they would have been disappointed with both of those beers.

[jayb151]

Actually, I do really like the modern APA's that I've been trying. One of my favs is Stone's Ripper. It's super fruity but I believe with no fruit additions. Another I love is Brickstone Brewing's APA.

 

that said, I also was given some SNPA at a party and I had forgotten how freaking solid that beer is! 

 

Can we get back to brewing regular, good tasting beers!? Knock it off with the crazy additions!

[Big Nake]

Actually, I do really like the modern APA's that I've been trying. One of my favs is Stone's Ripper. It's super fruity but I believe with no fruit additions. Another I love is Brickstone Brewing's APA.
 
that said, I also was given some SNPA at a party and I had forgotten how freaking solid that beer is! 
 
Can we get back to brewing regular, good tasting beers!? Knock it off with the crazy additions!

Brickstone is one of the APAs I had last week and I thought it was very good. I would buy it again. The other one I had was Revolution Fist City. It's solid but it was really fruity and bitter and my tastebuds were not going to accept that for more than about 2 beers in a row.

[Poptop]

If seeking a basic unadulterated tasty recipe to work from for your own canvas, look at Jamil's basic APA. I've made it in my earlier brewing and it shined. It's simple as an APA should be.

[Big Nake]

One thing I noticed was how nice an APA can be with some Cascade mixed in together with some of the clean hops I always mention: Crystal, Glacier, Santiam, Liberty, US Golding, Mt. Hood, etc. It still has some nice citrus to it but it doesn't have the over-the-top fruitiness of Citra, Galaxy, Amarillo, etc. I will look at Jamil's recipe to see what it says.

[HVB]

I will look at Jamil's recipe to see what it says.

I stole this from another site, grain bill is fine and the hop selection is good but I would want to up it a bit and hit it with a dry hop.  I may give the grain bill a go and just sub out my own hops.  I am in the mood to brew something traditional.  I do like the "new" style beers but I have noticed I am getting a bit tired of them and looking for something a bit more dry and crisp.

 

OG: 1.056
FG: 1.013
IBU: 40
Color: 6
ABV: 5.7%
60 min boil
7 gal. Pre-boil volume.
70% Efficiency

Mash at 152

Grains:
82.2% American 2 row (11.3#)
5.1 % Munich Malt 
5.1% Wheat Malt 
7.6% Victory (28L) 

Hops:
60 min. Horizon 13% aa, 34.2 IBU (.66 oz.)
10 min. Cascade 6% aa, 2.4 IBU (.25 oz)
10 min. Centennial 9% 3.6 IBU (.25 oz)
0 min. Cascade 6% 0 IBU (.5 oz)
0 min. Centennial 9% 0 IBU (.5 oz)

Wyeast American Ale, 1056 (will pitch on existing cake in fermentor)

Ferment @ 67

[Big Nake]

I stole this from another site, grain bill is fine and the hop selection is good but I would want to up it a bit and hit it with a dry hop.  I may give the grain bill a go and just sub out my own hops.  I am in the mood to brew something traditional.  I do like the "new" style beers but I have noticed I am getting a bit tired of them and looking for something a bit more dry and crisp.
 
OG: 1.056[/size]
FG: 1.013[/size]
IBU: 40[/size]
Color: 6[/size]
ABV: 5.7%[/size]
60 min boil[/size]
7 gal. Pre-boil volume.[/size]
70% Efficiency[/size]

Mash at 152[/size]

Grains:[/size]
82.2% American 2 row (11.3#)[/size]
5.1 % Munich Malt [/size]
5.1% Wheat Malt [/size]
7.6% Victory (28L) [/size]

Hops:[/size]
60 min. Horizon 13% aa, 34.2 IBU (.66 oz.)[/size]
10 min. Cascade 6% aa, 2.4 IBU (.25 oz)[/size]
10 min. Centennial 9% 3.6 IBU (.25 oz)[/size]
0 min. Cascade 6% 0 IBU (.5 oz)[/size]
0 min. Centennial 9% 0 IBU (.5 oz)[/size]

Wyeast American Ale, 1056 (will pitch on existing cake in fermentor)[/size]

Ferment @ 67[/size]

That looks nice. I would totally brew that.
I agree with your bolded part above. Some styles just seem to saturate the landscape and you feel like something else.

[Poptop]

I agree with your bolded part above. Some styles just seem to saturate the landscape and you feel like something else.

I agree with Ken's agreement of the bolding of drezz's comment

[armagh]

I have had palate fatigue from APAs, IPAs, Imperial IPAs and anything else with those initials.  I was at a bar prior to a wedding reception last month and ordered one: it was like chewing pine bark.

[denny]

I am so over hop fruit bombs....AFAIAC, I wouldn't miss it if hops like Citra and Mosaic went away.

[HVB]

I am so over hop fruit bombs....AFAIAC, I wouldn't miss it if hops like Citra and Mosaic went away.

I find mosaic more dank than fruity.