71. "I smell a hop backlash brewing" In response to In response to 66
if brewing were the record industry, incredibly hop-forward IPAs would be 'played out' by now.
As it is, I've seen a lot of breweries coming out with what would have been an IPA a decade ago but now classifies as a pale, and cranking up the alcohol content a bit so you still get a smaller piney hop shock, but you taste it instead of feeling it, and there's some extra sweetness there too to mellow it a bit.
but yeah, I think sweeter, smoother high-gravity but low-hop beers will be replacing the IPA as the craft ale darling, especially as enthusiasm for Belgian ales and styles continues to build and build. (with good reason, imho.)