IPA Confessional

I have a confession to make: I don’t like IPAs!

So, how can I have a blog about craft beers and not like the most popular style of craft beer style in America? Well …

I should start with a little background. When I first started drinking craft beers – about 10 years ago in Texas – I was all about IPAs. I drank them at brew pubs, I bought them at the store, I enjoyed them at festivals and concerts.

Then gradually, I began to get burnt out on just too much hops! They all started tasting the same to me. When my wife and I moved to North Carolina back in 2018 and began to explore the more than 430 craft breweries around our new state, I developed a wider appreciation the full range of craft beers – porters, ambers, wheat beers, pilsners, lagers – I even started liking some sours!

But I still find myself avoiding IPAs even now.

IPAs inspire more debate than any other beer style. If you look at online forums, you’ll see that there are many lovers and haters, and each side is equally passionate. So, I guess I will need to find out how to reconcile with IPAs. Maybe I can learn how to discern between a West Coast and a New England IPA and between Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe Hops.

It’s fair to say that IPAs are an acquired taste, if you have never had much hoppy beer. One post I saw in an online forum suggested that, if your new to this style of beer, maybe start with Pale Ales or IPL (India Pale Lagers). Both are lighter and less hoppy, but you can explore hoppy flavor without going off the deep end.

Having shared all this, I pledge to open my mind – and my taste buds – to giving IPAs another chance. I’ll try out the full spectrum of IPA styles and see if I develop a renewed appreciation. Stay tuned for those posts!

What about you? How do you feel about IPAs? Or North Carolina craft beer in general? Share your thoughts in the comments.