Interesting, do you think it could be they are fresher? The ones I had at the Mills River Tour tasted like the ones you get in Chico. They did flavor matching between the breweries, where the beers were flown back to Chico, and out to Mills River.
Perhaps versions of west Coast IPAs we get here are a little older so diminished hop flavor/aroma= carmel/sweet flavor taking over?
EDIT: Of course this would be even more true in Britain
Mine is 92% 2 row, 4% munich, 4% c-40, it usually finishes 1.008 with a max of 1.010. I have noticed in my IIPA that it was very dry tasting before dry hopping and FG of 1.006 after dry hop it has a sweet taste which makes me believe that hops can add to perceived sweetness.
Speaking of IPA, I believe that NCYC 1108 is a true Burton strain even though the curator at the NCYC stated that the strain was originally obtained from a brewery on the South Coast of England (he also went on to acknowledge that breweries used to exchange yeast on a regular basis). NCYC 1108 has all of the hallmarks of a strain that was selected in a Burton Union. It is non-flocculent, highly attentuative (80% AA on average), and produces a dense foam head like one sees when one views pictures of a Burton Union in action. The resulting beer has an effervescent quality for lack of a better description, and it has that quality with minimal dissolved CO2. I still need to determine the strain’s alcohol tolerance level, but it took a 1.070 wort down to 1.014 at 59F internal temperature (my basement was sitting at 55F due to a severe cold snap). Many of the Yorkshire and skimable strains will stall or take forever to reach full attenuation at that temperature. I would like to see how the strain performs when my basement warms up a few degrees.
The newer fruity hops definitely can leave a sweet impression. You obviously attenuated very well, so no issues there. I use a fair amount of sulfate (225-300ppm) in APA and IPA to dry the finish aside from limiting crystal. But a dose of hops that smell/taste like berries, mango, pineapple or peach make beer seem sweeter to me. Personally, when I use the fruity hops, I have to balance with some Columbus, Simcoe, or Chinook to balance the ‘sweetness’.
I normally like 149-150F@75 minutes for IPA. Of course, yeast strain and % crystal make a difference - this is generally for 1056 and 5% crystal.
Thanks Jon, that’s where I have been for mine. Just the thoughts earlier in the thread made me question my process
Sweet isn’t the problem for me. Unbalanced with cloying malt flavors or perfumey hop flavors. Lots of em I have tasted. Or weird hop flavors that clash.
That’s a great point. I’ve had them and they definitely stick out differently then the higher gravity ones. Made one by accident and choked it down.
I’ve found myself becoming more and more sensitive to crystal malt to the point I’ve dropped it completely from my recipes. I keep it simple: mostly 2-row, 5-10% munich, a bit of dextrine, and maybe some oats just because.
Hey what’s with all the hating here!
With that said, I’m guilty. My latest IPA is 82% 2-row, 8% Munich, and 8% C40. Maybe it’s all the cold weather and snow out here; we need the extra calories to keep us warm. 
Hey, that’s the awesome thing about brewing your own - doesn’t matter a damn bit what somebody else likes ! Honestly, using enough gypsum to dry out the finish would make a lot of ‘sweeter’ IPAs a lot better IMO, aside from grist.
Just for the heck of it I’m going to make an IPA with probably 80% 2 Row and 20% munich and no crystal. I have no problem with crystal, just want to check it out for curiosity sake.
Done it, it’s good. 25% Munich is even better with no crystal IMO.
I think I’ll take your advice.
ive been making what i guess you’d call german PA and IPA. using either avangard pale ale malt or vienna at about 90-2%, 8-10%carared with mandarina hops. Pale ale is awesome, and just made an IPA today.
We have an APA on tap that is the Vinnie “Hop 2 it Recipe” and all Mandarina hops. It is a crowd pleaser.
Mrs R says we need to do an Oberon type of American Wheat Beer, but use Mandarina. I like her thinking.
Think she’s right ;D. A session wheat ale would be nice with mandarina.
Love the Hop2It recipe and Mandarina. Need to get the two together soon.
EDIT - An Oberon type beer would be great with Mandarina. A perfect match.
The Bell’s yeast has an orangey ester, so I would grab some from a bottle and culture up. Might make it less ABV than Oberon, I think it would be dangerously drinkable and I don’t want 5.9%.