What do they mean when they say "really hoppy beer"?

Question

Does this mean more grassy or grainy taste?

What does it mean when a beer is really malty?

I've tried Victory Prima Pils and Terrapin Big Hoppy Monster. Both are supposed to be hoppy, but taste completely different

Please use examples!

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Hoppy flavor can include grassy, citrusy, earthy, tea like, etc. Depending on the types of hops used, you'll get a different flavor and aroma. Hoppy can mean the beer is bitter from lots of bittering hops, or very aromatic and smooth from all the aroma hops. In general though, hops will add a bitter, grassy, plant-like flavor (plant-like including floral, citrusy, earthy, herby).

However, yeast can add earthy, herby, and banana aromas/flavors.

When a beer is malty, it has a sweet flavor to it. This is caused by residual/non-fermentable maltose/malto-dextrin sugar from the grain. A malty beer is usually very full bodied tasting, with a full mouth feel when you drink it. Where a drier beer will feel thinner/ lighter.

Any IPA would be hoppy, some British Pale Ales are hoppy, more so than most American Pale Ales. Malty examples would be a Marzen/Oktoberfest, Dopple Bock, British Milds, and a handful of others.

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Asker's Comment:

this one was a little bit better

Answer 2

A hoppy beer has a very hoppy taste. Hops is the ingredient used in beer to get its' flavor. Examples of Hoppy beers. Indian Pale Ale, ETC.

Answer 3

Hoppy means they use more Hops, like in Sam Adams beer

Answer 4

Hops are the bittering ingredient in beer. That nice bite that you get? That is hops. A "really hoppy beer" is much more bitter than some others. IPAs (India Pale Ales) are an example.... Originally brewed for shipping to English colonies in India the brewers added additional hops to help preserve the beer during the long shipping process.

Most macros (larger beer companies)... Sorry had to go take care of something. Anyway, most macros use only small amounts of hops and generally what little they do use is of poor quality. This is why most American macros are not bitter. Now, your micros (small craft brewers) tend to use more hops and better quality hops at that.

Now, to why they taste different. There are dozens and dozens of variations each with its own distinct characteristics. Some are bitter as I mentioned above... This is the most common. Others variations have completely different flavors... Grassy or earthy... Fruity...etc. On top of that the way that they are added to the wart (beer before yeast is added... pronounced "wort") also effects the flavor. Hoppin' Frog makes a Wheat beers that has nothing in it but wheat, hops and barley... well water too, but you can taste banana in it because of the distinctive hops.

I hope this helps you.... And good for you for drinking better beer.

Answer 5

it means they use more hops if you dont know what hops are the only way to describe them are grapes are to wine as hops are to beer (sam adams commercial) the use of more hops gives you a very aromatic beer usually a "hoppy" beer is an aquired taste unlike bud or miller light that anyone can pickup drink and like its more like your dryer wines that you aquire a taste for