As a very long time home-brewer (sadly, recently lapsed), I can't go without challenging this. I grew up thinking that I hated beer. It wasn't until I drank my first English ale (I think I was 20 in a place in the world where the drinking age is 18) that I discovered that I really liked beer.
Back in the 70's an early 80's there was only one style of beer in NA. That style was defined by marketing people and if you didn't like it then there was something wrong with you. It wasn't so much that the large brewers ignored burgeoning niches, they assumed that they could strong arm everyone into accepting the same product that they had been selling for generations.
To imply that micro brewers are unable to brew consistent beer is completely untrue. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was a revelation mainly because it has only one flavour - hops. The yeast they use is ridiculously neutral. Any flaw in production would stand out a mile. In fact, one of the reasons it was originally bottle conditioned (is it still??? I haven't had it for a very long time) was so that they yeast could slurp up all the residual oxygen in the bottle. This lets nothing stand in the way of the fruity/floral aroma.
If anything, the American micro beer revolution has neglected other styles of beer because that idea is so iconic. It's not without precedent, however. If you look at good Bohemian pilsners, you get the same idea -- a very neutral palate with just enough sweetness to provide a platform for the hops. The main difference is that American pale ales go full on fruit. (Well, being a Morovian malt lover, I have to say that I really enjoy the grassiness of a fresh Bohemian pilsner if I can get it fresh -- very difficult from here, unfortunately).
US micros make hop forward beers because they sell. Not only that, but with recent advances in hop growing (lots of genetically modified varieties -- complete with patents :-P), modern hops are incredibly exciting. However, there are still lots great examples of other kinds of beer available that are not hop forward. If you wander up into French speaking areas of Canada you will find that they are even preferred!
What you won't find very often are good light lagers. This is not because the good breweries can't make them, it's because they can't sell them. You want to go up against the big boys in marketing a light lager? Good luck!
I like a good IPA now and again, but my bread an butter is an ordinary bitter with less than 30 IBUs. It's one of the reasons I brew my own -- I can't buy it outside of the UK. However, if you are just looking for variety, it's worth going a little bit out of your way to try to find it. There are lot's of amazing hefe weizens, wits, fruit beers, bocks, porters/stouts, spice beers, etc, etc, etc brewed in the US. Even in the area of pale ales, there are gobs of ESBs and nice balanced bottle conditioned pale ales. You just have to look for them.
Back in the 70's an early 80's there was only one style of beer in NA. That style was defined by marketing people and if you didn't like it then there was something wrong with you. It wasn't so much that the large brewers ignored burgeoning niches, they assumed that they could strong arm everyone into accepting the same product that they had been selling for generations.
To imply that micro brewers are unable to brew consistent beer is completely untrue. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was a revelation mainly because it has only one flavour - hops. The yeast they use is ridiculously neutral. Any flaw in production would stand out a mile. In fact, one of the reasons it was originally bottle conditioned (is it still??? I haven't had it for a very long time) was so that they yeast could slurp up all the residual oxygen in the bottle. This lets nothing stand in the way of the fruity/floral aroma.
If anything, the American micro beer revolution has neglected other styles of beer because that idea is so iconic. It's not without precedent, however. If you look at good Bohemian pilsners, you get the same idea -- a very neutral palate with just enough sweetness to provide a platform for the hops. The main difference is that American pale ales go full on fruit. (Well, being a Morovian malt lover, I have to say that I really enjoy the grassiness of a fresh Bohemian pilsner if I can get it fresh -- very difficult from here, unfortunately).
US micros make hop forward beers because they sell. Not only that, but with recent advances in hop growing (lots of genetically modified varieties -- complete with patents :-P), modern hops are incredibly exciting. However, there are still lots great examples of other kinds of beer available that are not hop forward. If you wander up into French speaking areas of Canada you will find that they are even preferred!
What you won't find very often are good light lagers. This is not because the good breweries can't make them, it's because they can't sell them. You want to go up against the big boys in marketing a light lager? Good luck!
I like a good IPA now and again, but my bread an butter is an ordinary bitter with less than 30 IBUs. It's one of the reasons I brew my own -- I can't buy it outside of the UK. However, if you are just looking for variety, it's worth going a little bit out of your way to try to find it. There are lot's of amazing hefe weizens, wits, fruit beers, bocks, porters/stouts, spice beers, etc, etc, etc brewed in the US. Even in the area of pale ales, there are gobs of ESBs and nice balanced bottle conditioned pale ales. You just have to look for them.