Hype vs. hop

The sagacious Boak and Bailey have prompted a number of conversations of late concerning breweries which attract what may be considered an undue amount of attention compared to those stalwarts of British brewing who turn out well-made, palatable beers without having the plaudits of commentators bestowed upon them.

I was led to reflect on this discussion after having tasted three beers back-to-back recently, namely Buxton's Jacob's Ladder, Celt Experience's Silures, and Oakham's Citra

Whilst all three of these breweries arguably fall into the former category, Oakham also falls into the latter, which is... confusing.

Tasting the three beers reminded me of what's probably most important to me in a beer: balance.

That's not to say that 'extreme' beers can't be balanced; they most certainly can, as experiencing Knee Deep's Simtra, Bear Republic's Fastback Racer X3, and Russian River's Pliny the Younger earlier this year ably demonstrated.

Any beer, regardless of its style, can possess balance. The ceaseless quest for novelty in contemporary brewing can overlook this.

Oakham's Citra? That's a balanced beer.