Hunting for Hops: Looking for the old-school craft beer styles

Where are all the hoppy beers? I am finding a lot of the delicious hazies I have enjoyed are changing. Have you noticed this as well? WTF happened? It’s like having sex without climaxing — it’s good, just not great. I have heard from some local brewers that the trend toward sweeter beers is a request from the newly legal drinker to the seasoned. John Otero, head brewer of Vigilant Brewing told me, “People are asking for beers that are approachable.” Another local brewer agreed, telling me that the market is changing. I was recently at a local beer bar and heard someone ask for a beer that didn’t taste like beer. WHAT? I am all for trying new things but can we just brew beer that is somewhat traditional, with respect for the OG flavor of the style?

The styles most altered, in my opinion, are West Coast-style IPAs, New England IPAs and Double IPAs, American Pale Ales, and sours. With all the adjuncts added to some styles I often wonder if I am really drinking beer. Feeling defeated at times, I will learn to accept a beer to drink if there’s a lack of options. It’s like being infatuated in a relationship and then sobering up — you don’t know what you found attractive in the first place.

Fruit was added to beers thousands of years ago. Over time, what was previously added as fresh fruit turned into syrups and other added sweeteners in some beers to keep up with consumers’ taste for sugar. It’s completely understandable to have a variety of craft beer styles to accommodate preferences. Do we absolutely need three sours that really are fruit smoothies, along with IPAs that are also sweet, and seltzers on the brewery draft list? I would be happy with at least two true style options. I have come across several beers locally that are crafted to my desire. Here are just a few that I have discovered recently.

Six Pack Brewing has a West Coast IPA called Duality. This 7.6% ABV westie has tangerine, tangerine peel, and pine on the nose. It is full of citrus flavor, piney with bitterness, and it’s dry. It is an exceptional example. It is a tropical fruit-forward in flavor with hints of black pepper. The back-end sip gives you some dank bitter hops leaving me pleasantly pleased.

Vigilant Brewing has a new favorite of mine. It is a New England IPA called Cadence. This 6.5% pint is hopped with Riwaka and Azacca hops. Riwaka hops have been described as breathtaking. Do I need to elaborate anymore? These two hops marry each other with sensuous notes of citrus, tangerine, and spice. The flavor starts off with tangerine, grapefruit peel, pine, spice, and a slight hint of mango. These flavors are evenly balanced with citrus dominating to the back-end sip and a lingering touch of bitterness.

Gone Coastal is a new release from Vigilant. “Everything you love in a hazy, juicy New England IPA but it is backed with that hoppy West Coast finish.” Everyone on the Vigilant brewing team agrees on this description. Honey melon and tangerine rind on the nose with tangerine following thru to the front-end palate along with bitterness of citrus rind make this 8.4% ABV craft beer one of my favorite East meets West crossovers.

Apparently the head brewer from Moniker Brewing, Ben Estes agrees with me. How do I know this? Because it is clearly defined on the can of their West Coast IPA, Blinded By Nostalgia.

“Sometimes you’ve got to bring it back to the old ways,” Estes says. This 6.6% ABV westie is brewed with two “classic hops” and two “new rock stars.” It is floral on the nose along with citrus and pine. Citrus and pine follow through to the front-end palate. It has slight notes of berries and is dry on the back-end. Moniker further describes, “This beer will bring you back to the good ol’ days when you first fell in love with craft beer.”

Thank you Moniker for understanding this, I was beginning to feel like a cranky beer snob.

I was completely in awe when I finally visited Origin Beer Project. I met Cheyne Tessier and his wife Erika about two years ago at a brewfest. They are a couple that you will see locally supporting other breweries and craft beer bars. You have to visit their new location. All the beers I had at Origin were true to the craft style, but I am going to talk about one in particular, because although I have some beer opinions, Tessier definitely changed mine when it comes to lower ABV beers. If you were thinking, like I was, that they don’t have flavor, do yourself a favor and let the flavor of Professional Vandal change your mind. This Pale Ale is hopped with Citra and HBC 586. It has citrus and malt on the nose and front palate. There’s a touch of hops with a hint of bitterness. It finishes with malt on the end sip. This is exactly what you want from an APA. If you want a crushable spring beer that you will drink through the summer, this 4.2% ABV is the beer for you!

There’s something special about an original, hoppy beer. Much like the first time you fell in love, they are unforgettable. If you agree with me, there is power in suggestion. Surely, I am not alone in my crusade.