To brew a consistently good beer, like Great Lakes Brewery Canuck Pale Ale or Collective Arts Ransack the Universe IPA is a truly brilliant thing. Maintaining the flavour profile batch to batch so that it never wavers from the original intent is the mark of pure and level headed brewing. Recipe locked and loaded, the steps known to everyone involved in the process and the final product something that is always the same, time after time. There is a subtle art to keeping this standard of excellence and it should be applauded, it is what the macro producers learned a long time ago and some craft brewers must either get on board with or perish as consumers start to expect that level of quality every damn time. But the unique experience of creating something new is not to be dismissed amidst the regular options we see available year round, for they are where art meets beer and we are most grateful for that.
Waxing poetic? Perhaps, but the transformation in just a few short years of a dead palate and sombre consumption to a vivid and colourful exploration of a world of flavours is something to be damn excited about in my humble opinion. Taking a page from the artists of long ago, many brewers today seek to push the absolute boundaries of what we consider beer and with that embolden us to seek a new understanding of who and what we are as drinkers and consumers. When we see something new and shiny, we are drawn to it, craft beer has always been about that for so many of us. We want the next thing, the better and bolder expression, and with that comes a certain trepidation as others settle into a style lock and paying the bills means having an offering like everyone else and the public at large feels they need to seek at each successive stop. Hazy IPAs, lagered ales or even low level kettle sours become the pedestrian choice for so many to keep the lights on and without a doubt, there is a segment of beer drinker who will turn up their nose at anything but said IPA or sour if a brewery heads in another direction. I feel for the brewer that feels they must make these bill payers but understand completely the business of staying afloat.
But let's now turn our practiced palates and perhaps slightly cynical heads a little at the beer list and begin to explore the world of one offs and creativity that really shines when given the chance. An old style revived with care and passion, brought to life in an injection of inspiration, lager made well, saison shown respect and given a spin never seen before or even the IPA hit with something from far out of what your mind had ever considered before. I will assure you that not every idea will see fruition as a beer you love, no doubt some will fall short for your particular palate, but it is in trying and experimenting that so many of the things we love as our regular beers came to be real. It is the willingness of a brewer to step back, look around and say "I can do this differently.." that brings us to a next level in our pursuits.
Bold changes in direction or style in any art is often met with resistance at first, we crave the comfort and familiarity of the known, even in the chase for the new, We circle back to the same breweries because we know them, we trust them and at the end of the day, the more choice we have, the more likely we are to default to that very setting. Breaking the chain means pushing yourself, much like some of our favourite places do, and being willing to admit that you can still learn more.
Life is about balance, choices and challenges. Balance your expectations, choose to seek out the new and bold and challenge your palate...always.
Cheers!
Polk
