Same here. The limey taste of hops makes the beer for me, when I get a lighter beer I’m more often than not left disappointed, like I’m drinking bubbly water that’s been sitting in a pipe for 25 years. Craft IPAs on the other hand range from “meh it’s alright” to “this is amazing”.
Move to Sweden, here you can’t buy a beer above 3.5% abv in a store. Anything above that you have to buy at the state owned liqueur store systembolaget. The upside is that they have a pretty good assortment. The store in my small town carry about 300 different beers. About a third is IPA.
You guys have some confusing alcohol laws and customs that side of the pond. I was in Pennsylvania (amongst other places) a month ago and couldn’t find any alcohol in Walmart if my life depended on it. I knew from previous visits that Pennsylvania didn’t allow sale in grocery stores, but that has since changed hasn’t it?
Also sometimes beer was super expensive, and sometimes it was $1.25 for 25 fl oz for some brand I’d never heard of at a freaking gas station. They don’t alcohol in gas stations here in the Netherland, but even surrounding countries that do allow it usually have fairly high prices at gas stations.
Belgium is really the best place for beer in my opinion. There is a good variety of local/traditional styles but you can also get the more modern stuff
I feel like this has changed a lot, actually. 8-10 years ago it was all IPAs, but now I can find all kinds of craft beer. Maybe it’s more of a west coast thing. I currently enjoy grabbing new Pilseners when I see them.
Lucky you. In the south east is just the typical big name brands and an unrelenting wall of pale ale, unless you go out of your way to a store that specializes in boutique beers
This is true for the NE as well, but greatly depends on population size. Rural beer stores don’t tend to have as much demand for newer, different things.
I don’t think it’s just a west coast thing. I live in the Midwest, and my local Kroger has two beer aisles: one for typical macrobrew/domestic stuff, another entirely dedicated to craft beers. IPAs make up like 40% of the craft aisle, which is a lot, but it’s by no means the only option anymore.
Ugh same here, every selection is half IPAs. Not a fan myself but the history behind the style is my favorite beer “origin story”. It would help if more breweries listed the hops used. To me that’s the key to knowing if I’ll like it
Not just half... Some companies even make IPA Variety Packs! Where the hell is my Stout variety pack? Or my bourbon barrel aged ale variety pack!?
Also, yes, if they listed what hops were used I might actually try some IPAs instead of assuming all of them taste like a bitter flower that's trying to make me gag.
lemmy.ml
Hot