My Hop Taste Has Changed

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I wouldn’t say changed so much as I’ve always appreciated a decent bitter/stout with the malt flavour coming through... but I do like a hoppy pale or ipa!
 
I just did the simple AG and used mandarina (5g at 60, 15 and 5 mins) and I think I might actually hate it. The initial smell is (genuinely) just like the giraffe house at Whipsnade.

I literally had no idea what to go for so got that and challenger. Wish I'd tried the challenger.
 
I just did the simple AG and used mandarina (5g at 60, 15 and 5 mins) and I think I might actually hate it. The initial smell is (genuinely) just like the giraffe house at Whipsnade.

I literally had no idea what to go for so got that and challenger. Wish I'd tried the challenger.
That's hilarious, what does a giraffe house even smell like!?
Challenger is a very underrated hop in my opinion though, I love it in a bitter or English pale ale.
Getting back to the OP, I do get a bit bored of highly (new world) hopped beers with limited yeast and malt character, although I'm certainly not averse to one. I think that it's the yeast driven flavours that really float my boat
 
I've always preferred more traditional UK and German Nobel hops (or variations thereof) but didn't mind the initial influx of golden ales and IPAs that used the CCC hop holy trinity, but never really liked beers that taste like a tropical fruit drink; I find them not very refreshing, which is counter-intuitive. I'm also not a fan of citra sometimes, which I know is almost heresy on here. Occasionally, I'll have a new world hop packed beer and really enjoy it, whereas I'm hardly ever not in the mood for something more traditional, if you see what I mean.
 
I just did the simple AG and used mandarina (5g at 60, 15 and 5 mins) and I think I might actually hate it. The initial smell is (genuinely) just like the giraffe house at Whipsnade.

I literally had no idea what to go for so got that and challenger. Wish I'd tried the challenger.
The only time I’ve ever used Mandarina Bavaria I was completely underwhelmed. It was just like a slightly orangey Cascade with a hint of noble hop. Nothing like it’s made out.

It might make a nice lager or put a bit of a twist on a Liberty clone, but I was trying to add some orangey notes to an American Wheat and it failed miserably.
 
The only time I’ve ever used Mandarina Bavaria I was completely underwhelmed. It was just like a slightly orangey Cascade with a hint of noble hop. Nothing like it’s made out.

It might make a nice lager or put a bit of a twist on a Liberty clone, but I was trying to add some orangey notes to an American Wheat and it failed miserably.
I'm with you on MB having tried it the once. I've come to the conclusion it stands for Mostly Boll*cks :oops:
 
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Nothing wrong with a beer with a hint of citrus, grapefruit, marmalade etc. But some of these `beers' produced by craft breweries seem to be specifically produced for people who don't like the taste of beer.

Can't beat good old Goldings. Lovely floral aromas and yes there is a hint of citrus there but it's only a hint.
 
I enjoy both flavours. What I'm not liking is the trend for stronger and stronger beers. If you travel to the US and visit a brewery, it's hard to find anything less than 6.0% these days. I much prefer to have a few beers in the 3.5-4.5% range, than one really strong beer. I certainly don't mind a strong beer (just made a West Coast IPA at 7.5% which is delicious), but I can only drink one or I go a bit loopy!!!
 
I enjoy both flavours. What I'm not liking is the trend for stronger and stronger beers. If you travel to the US and visit a brewery, it's hard to find anything less than 6.0% these days. I much prefer to have a few beers in the 3.5-4.5% range, than one really strong beer. I certainly don't mind a strong beer (just made a West Coast IPA at 7.5% which is delicious), but I can only drink one or I go a bit loopy!!!
This is the same for me. I brew and love to drink all sorts of styles (I currently have a witbier fermenting, and my next 3 brews are a bitter, a NEIPA and a Munich Helles), but I generally prefer to stay in the 4.5-5.5% range as I’m a session drinker not a sipper. I do make the odd exception for Belgian beers and Saisons.
 
Has anybody else gone off hops that taste like mango and back to hops that taste like hops?
I have.
Especially in real ale hand pumped beer.

I've definitely haven't gone off hops tropical flavours, but rapidly went off the way they are being used by most craft breweries, brewing hop custard, and much prefer beer with bitterness and malts that can be tasted under whatever hops are used.
 
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I enjoy both flavours. What I'm not liking is the trend for stronger and stronger beers. If you travel to the US and visit a brewery, it's hard to find anything less than 6.0% these days. I much prefer to have a few beers in the 3.5-4.5% range, than one really strong beer. I certainly don't mind a strong beer (just made a West Coast IPA at 7.5% which is delicious), but I can only drink one or I go a bit loopy!!!

Totally agree with this. Got a mixed case from Beer52 and 8 of the 10 are 6% or over, with 3 or 4 around 8%. Quite chuffed initially, until I tried to session a few.

Although Luton avoided relegation last night, so I didn't mind the high ABV so much! 😄
 

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