The Beer Babe, aka Carla Jean Lauter, has penned an article for The Bollard that asks “Are we reaching peak IPA?”
For those new to craft beer, IPAs can be hard to swallow. It takes awhile to warm your taste buds to their bitterness, and I often run into folks who need help finding beers on a tap list that “aren’t really hoppy.” As the IPA revolution rages, that’s becoming harder to do. Giving consumers a variety of entry points, whether that be through fruit beers, lighter beers, or other styles, is the smart way to convert and retain new craft-beer patrons.
I like a nice IPA better than a fruity beer on a hot summer day, but there’s got to be balance. Lately I’ve been feeling like collateral damage in an arms race for bitterness. And no, I don’t want an IPA in the dead of winter, thanks.