The Bar Towel

So I tried Founders Centennial IPA last night and really enjoyed it. It really showcases centennial hops like crazy... and it got me thinking about single hop beers. I have a few questions:

1. What's your favorite single hop beer? I've had La Vache Folle (Simcoe and Columbus) as well as just one of the Bellwoods Monogomy series (Bravo I think). I've never had GL Karma Citra... is it all Citra? I've had Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA as well... which I think is my favorite.

2. I often find IPAs that are rated around 3.75 or 4 (out of 5) on RB or BA, and I wonder... what's required of an IPA to have it make the jump from a great IPA to a fucking amazing IPA?

1) Zombie Dust - so so good.

2) Make it rare in someway...

Bell's Two Hearted - another great all Centennial beer

#2 is an interesting question.

Most beer lovers like IPA's. But some like more bitterness, while others like more flavour... and the flavours can be intense.

Taste is subjective, and with such intense flavours, I think people are more likely to love it or hate it... and the "hate it" scores are probably what brings them down.

Some of the top IPA's have %dev up around 10%:
http://beeradvocate.com/lists/style/116

That said, the DIPA's are bit higher:
http://beeradvocate.com/lists/style/140

Perhaps people just expect a DIPA to be big and bold, where as some people prefer a more sessionable IPA (it's a broader style)?

The key word is intense.

In the last week, I drank a Big Sky IPA and Maui Big Swell IPA. Both are fresh and tasty as can be, but they don't clobber you over the head with intense flavours and aromas. So they hover in that 3.75-4.0 range on beeradvocate.

markaberrant wrote:The key word is intense.

In the last week, I drank a Big Sky IPA and Maui Big Swell IPA. Both are fresh and tasty as can be, but they don't clobber you over the head with intense flavours and aromas. So they hover in that 3.75-4.0 range on beeradvocate.

What are a few that are as close to perfect as can be, in your opinion?

A 1) Don't have one.

A 2) Layered dimensionality. 3-D taste and aroma; peachy-piney-lemony-pithy, full-yet-subtle with a satisfying seam of bitterness that is not grating. Not too light body, not sticky or heavy. Powerful balance, it doesn't run away too much in any direction, or rely on brute force.

^ An extremely subjective question since some people enjoy things I don't.

I think single-hop IPAs are often a separate consideration. Some hop types cover more bases than others do.

icemachine wrote:Bell's Two Hearted - another great all Centennial beer

Ahh yes I forgot about this one. Really awesome beer.

Not sure if this fits perfectly in this thread but I just read this on the flying dog blog and thought it interesting as it sounds like Doggie Style was originally an all Cascade ale.

http://flyingdogales.com/doggie-style-s ... -position/

key points: "
Dialed back the caramel malt by 40%
Increased the whirlpool addition of Cascade hops from 8.5 to 20 pounds
Added Simcoe and Citra dry hop additions to the existing Cascade dry hop, while increasing the total dry hop by 14 pounds"

Although I think technically Doggie Style is an APA these recipe tweaks mirror what I read in Mitch Steele's IPA book - in which he demonstrates the general shift/trend away from Crystal/Caramel malt in recent successful IPA's.

1. Was never that into single hops until I tried Bellwoods Nelson Sauvin. If Karma Citra is single hop, that would be at the top of my list too, but it strikes me as more complex.

2. I'd echo Belgian's note about complexity. This centennial is very complex and I'd say the malt backbone helps too. Maybe that's why I love rye IPAs (and ESBs, and pale ales) so much - it's a malt that can really add to the juiciness of hops.

Belgian wrote:Layered dimensionality. 3-D taste and aroma; peachy-piney-lemony-pithy, full-yet-subtle with a satisfying seam of bitterness that is not grating. Not too light body, not sticky or heavy. Powerful balance, it doesn't run away too much in any direction, or rely on brute force.

Pretty much this. I really like the 3-D description.

I have always referred to the best beers as being a "roller coaster of flavour," yet still being in balance. I want multi-faceted flavours, where I can pick them out individually, yet they still work together in harmony.

I don't have one specific preference for IPA. I want fresh, bright flavours.

JeffPorter wrote:2. I'd echo Belgian's note about complexity. This centennial is very complex and I'd say the malt backbone helps too. Maybe that's why I love rye IPAs (and ESBs, and pale ales) so much - it's a malt that can really add to the juiciness of hops.

Malt complexity can be nice. Had a SN Ruthless Rye IPA this week, and could immediately taste a hint of chocolate in the finish (sure enough, their website confirms chocolate malt as an ingredient). However, I often find darker/red/amber/malt heavy IPAs to be distracting and not overly drinkable. But when executed properly, it is quite enjoyable.

I just brewed an agressive DIPA with nothing but 2-row and sugar, and 260 calculated IBU. ZERO specialty malts. But I'll be doing a Rye IPA in a month or so, with only 100 calculated IBU.

markaberrant wrote:

JeffPorter wrote:2. I'd echo Belgian's note about complexity. This centennial is very complex and I'd say the malt backbone helps too. Maybe that's why I love rye IPAs (and ESBs, and pale ales) so much - it's a malt that can really add to the juiciness of hops.

Malt complexity can be nice. Had a SN Ruthless Rye IPA this week, and could immediately taste a hint of chocolate in the finish (sure enough, their website confirms chocolate malt as an ingredient). However, I often find darker/red/amber/malt heavy IPAs to be distracting and not overly drinkable. But when executed properly, it is quite enjoyable.

I just brewed an agressive DIPA with nothing but 2-row and sugar, and 260 calculated IBU. ZERO specialty malts. But I'll be doing a Rye IPA in a month or so, with only 100 calculated IBU.

I love SN Ruthless Rye. There's a clone recipe in BYO that I'm going to take a crack at in a month or so. I love RyePAs. Hop Rod Rye is great too.

JesseMcG wrote:I love SN Ruthless Rye. There's a clone recipe in BYO that I'm going to take a crack at in a month or so. I love RyePAs. Hop Rod Rye is great too.

Hop Rod Rye is indeed tasty. Founders Red Rye PA is all kinds of awesome too. Ditto on Lenny's RIPA.

markaberrant wrote:I have always referred to the best beers as being a "roller coaster of flavour," yet still being in balance.

Exactly - a good beer should be engaging and ever-changing as you drink the pint. It should continue to cleverly entertain the senses. It should not be a one-notish barrage of one aspect like dryness, bitterness or treacly pale malt. Any time you've ever experienced palate fatigue or just felt annoyingly bored 1/3 way into a beer like an IPA, that's not good!