Extreme Beers

[eje]

Interesting article in Today's NY Times:

A Taste for Brews That Go to Extremes*, Eric Asimov

Such is the ethos of extreme beers, an all-American genre in which brewers are engaged in a constant game of “Can you top this?” Whether using an inordinate amount of traditional ingredients like malt or hops, or adding flavorings undreamed of by Old World brewers, American brewers have created a signature style that beer enthusiasts seem both to love and hate.

Tasted beers include Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, Weyerbacher Double Simcoe I.P.A., Lagunitas I.P.A. Maximus, Oskar Blues Gordon, Victory Hop Wallop, Mad River Brewing Steelhead, Double Dog Double Pale Ale, Moylan’s Moylander Double I.P.A., Southern Tier Unearthly Imperial IPA, and Great Divide Hercules Double IPA.

Oddly, about half of the beers are rated 2 1/2 stars and the other half 2 stars. Not much variety in evaluation of taste.

*Link may require registration and/or payment.

[Dave Parrott]

The Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA tops my list of what I saw there. But I AM a low taster. I go for heavy rich flavors or I hardly notice it. I had one just 2 days ago at the Flying Saucer as a matter of fact.

I do think American brewers have come a long way in the last 15 years or so. It used to be you had to buy an import to get anything better than pale yellow water.

[JimH]

The September 2006 issue of BYO (Brew Your Own) had an article on extreme brewing by Sam Calagione, Owner of Dogfish Head Brewery and author of Extreme Brewing. http://store.dogfish.com/item/Extreme_Brew...re/40/index.htm

I would say that the 120 Minute IPA, Midas Touch & the Raison D'Etre are more extreme than the 90 Minute IPA

[Batard]

I would say that the 120 Minute IPA, Midas Touch & the Raison D'Etre are more extreme than the 90 Minute IPA

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I've tried the others, but I cannot bring myself to spend $7.99 for one 12 ounce bottle of Dogfish Head 120 IPA. I know what hops costs and grains cost, and I cannot imagine how any beer could cost that much to produce.

I wouldn't really call any of those beers the article talks about "extreme" either. Out of all of them the Dogfish 90 minutes is probably the most enjoyable, but I don't think that could hold a candle to Sierra Nevada Celebration or Bigfoot Ales, or Anchor's Brewery's Old Foghorn. I would call something like Steinbier -- a lager with hot rocks tossed into the boiling wort to impart a caramelized flavor -- an extreme style, though not American.

Edited January 9, 2008 by Batard (log)

[eje]

Well, they do mention Moylan's Hopsickle in the article. It is easily the most absurdly over-the-top-edly hopped beer I have ever had (yes, I've had the Dogfish Head 90 and 120).

Can't say I particularly cared for Hopsickle as anything other than a curiosity.

Recently had the Victory Hop Wallop and thought it tasty. Unfortunately, it was near the end of a rather long beer drinking session, so that's about all I can remember.

Russian River's Pliny the Elder would be one I would like to see on the list. Very hoppy and very delicious.

[theisenm85]

It might please you to know that Sam Adams is basically going to be making Pliny.

One of the Sam Adams longshot winners this year did a double ipa, which was specifically a pliny clone. He went a bit higher gravity, and I think changed 1 hop addition, but it's pretty much the same thing.

Look for it next year though... the hop shortage is delaying the production.

Pliny itself might even be in bottles by then.

Edited January 11, 2008 by theisenm85 (log)

[TBoner]

The hop shortage will likely be delaying or altering production of many extreme beers, at least those that are extremely hoppy. C-hops are going to be in short supply for the next couple of years.

However, extreme brewing in the U.S. has moved in new directions recently anyway, with sour beers (Russian River and Pizza Port are at the leading edge here), wood-aged beers, and historical "recreations" such as Midas Touch at the forefront. I love lupulin, and have never tasted anything too hoppy for my taste buds, but I think things like stein beer, gose, Scottish ale made with heather, etc. will become more common as brewers realize that just out-hopping each other cannot sustain the craft or the industry, especially with hop prices going out of control and availability slipping.

[eje]

It might please you to know that Sam Adams is basically going to be making Pliny.

One of the Sam Adams longshot winners this year did a double ipa, which was specifically a pliny clone.  He went a bit higher gravity, and I think changed 1 hop addition, but it's pretty much the same thing.

Look for it next year though... the hop shortage is delaying the production.

Pliny itself might even be in bottles by then.

←

Not sure why it would please me that Sam Adams is making a Pliny clone.

However, it appears you are correct about Pliny the Elder being bottled in the near future:

New Web Site, Production Brewery Under Construction, & Pliny the Younger

We hope to start brewing at our new facility in early March.  Aside from making more draft Pliny the Elder and Blind Pig available, we plan to start bottling both of these beers.  Additionally, we will keg and bottle more Damnation and plan to make Salvation a year round beer.  What about the barrel beers you ask, well, our barrel room will house more than 400 wine barrels.  But, keep in mind, it takes over a year to make one of our barrel beers, so, it won’t be until late 2009 that you’ll see the first release from the new barrels.

[rooftop1000]

Someone recently left most of a 6pack of Heavy Seas Loose Cannon HOP3 Ale at our house. It is put out by Clipper City Brewing..

Now I am not a beer drinker but what I do like is hoppier stuff, this was just a wee bit overboard but after a taste I felt the lemony scent was something to play off, so I told my husband to squeeze some lime in it...nearly negated the bitterness completely

very interesting

tracey

[haresfur]

The hoppiest beer?” Garrett asked. “It’s a fairly idiotic pursuit, like a chef saying, ‘This is the saltiest dish.’ Anyone can toss hops in a pot, but can you make it beautiful?

This pretty much sums up my attitude.

Maybe ultra hoppy beer is new to the rest of the country but in the Pacific Northwest there are decades of experience with mouth-puckering beer. Gotta use up those Chinook hops.

It seemed odd that the article talks mainly about heavily hopped beer but then doesn't provide any measure of the bitterness - just a reference to the alcohol content. I suppose there is some sense in that because, as they say, I would want a pretty strong and malty beer to balance the hops. Could they at least give a hint of which hops were used? Or does beer tasting have to sound like wine tasting for people to think it credible? Somehow knowing a beer is "robust with chocolate, caramel and balsam flavors" doesn't help me guess if I'm going to like it. I like chocolate but am not big on caramel...