7 replies to this topic

[Big Nake]

Nettles' "CROWD-PLEASER" thread inspired this. I was at my inlaws house over the weekend for their annual Christmas party which consists of people in their 60s and 70s. At some point I was talking with my FIL and a woman (that I know well) said to my FIL, "I would like a beer" and he pointed to me and said, "Ask the expert over here". She said, "I would like something light and refreshing". I went out to the garage fridge where I saw Corona and Miller Light in amongst A LOT of much better beer. I came back and said "Corona?" and my FIL said, "I don't think I have any Corona out there" and I assured him that he did. I asked the lady, "What beer would you normally drink?" and she said, "I buy Stella Artois". Okay. So I came back with a Corona and a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. She pointed to the SN and said, "Ooh, what's that?" and my FIL said, "Yeah, give her that one". I said, "It's hoppy" and she said, "Okay, I want to know what hoppy is like". I pour it into a glass and she takes it, sniffs it and drinks half the beer on one slug. LOL. She looks at me and my FIL and says "WOW! DELICIOUS!" and everyone is laughing now. Point: You never know what's going to please the crowd.

[positiveContact]

true enough.  a lot of people have done little adventuring outside of the fizzy yellow water that they don't even know what they like or don't like.

[neddles]

When you drink half the beer in one slug I think that the taste of it is likely a secondary tertiary concern.

[SchwanzBrewer]

I find that happens a lot with my beer. People are scared to try new things. When they do and have that epiphany though...

[BlKtRe]

It's cool sharing a different type of beer with someone that has not experienced anything other than a light Lager and they like it. But when I think of hoppy SNPA does not come to mind. It's been so long I can't even remember what my first impression of that beer was other than maybe a little bitter and malty. But, I'm glad she liked it.

[positiveContact]

It's cool sharing a different type of beer with someone that has not experienced anything other than a light Lager and they like it. But when I think of hoppy SNPA does not come to mind. It's been so long I can't even remember what my first impression of that beer was other than maybe a little bitter and malty. But, I'm glad she liked it.

 

I think everything has shifted to so hoppy things that used to seem hoppy just don't anymore.  I know my taste buds have changed.

[Big Nake]

I think everything has shifted to so hoppy things that used to seem hoppy just don't anymore.  I know my taste buds have changed.

Right. "regular beer drinker" hoppy is not the same as "beer enthusiast" or "homebrewer" hoppy. Compared to the beer this woman would normally drink, SNPA would have a hoppier character. Remember too that this was a woman who may be close to 70 years old so that part of it makes it funny too. I have a BIL who drinks Coors Light out of 16oz cans when he's at home. When he comes here, I might point him towards a kolsch, pils or helles. But he ends up trying a lot of different things (red lager, amber ale, pale ale with late Citra and Amarillo) and he says he likes them all. Last time he was here he drank some West Coast Lager/Steam/Common that had a lot of Northern Brewer and 2112... he said something like, This might be the best beer I've ever had!... but of course he then goes home and drinks Coors Light again.

[neddles]

I think everything has shifted to so hoppy things that used to seem hoppy just don't anymore.  I know my taste buds have changed.

Same here. Seems to me hoppy used to mean bitter with some hop flavor/aroma. Now flavor/aroma is the main attraction bitterness is such to balance the beer.