re: Why is america in love with hops?

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However, it seems small crafts have focused on this genre as their main source of creativity.

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I would say most craft brewers focus on blondes, lagers and maybe a pale ale. But there are many that barely brew an ipa....some that come to mind (Texas/DFW heavy list) Jester King, Blue Owl, Collective Brewing, Prairie, Bruery, Amarillo Ale Works, Lakewood Brewing ((their main focus of creativity is the Temptress Milk stout which they riff on with a BA version, Coffee (French Quarter Temptress), Raspberry...etc.)). Peticolas,Franconia (german style beers). I will throw in Russian River too. Sure Pliny gets love but they really give equal focus to sours. But I understand your feelings towards IpAs. I don't care for Gose but most brewers are churning those out because a lot of people love them. The fact is, there is pretty much any style of beer you want in craft beer.

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I wish this were the case.

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You can throw a rock in Dallas and hit brewers like this. Its a rarity to find any that focus on IPAs......not sure I can name 1 that focuses on IPAs like Parish does....meaning multiple releases of different types of IPAs.

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Their quad sucks....their barleywine sucks, their stouts aren't even in the same stratosphere of stone.

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I'm not saying any of those are world class or on par with their IPAs, but they are all really good beers.

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The various sours are for hipsters.

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Okay, clearly this is going to go nowhere. You have your opinion and will not consider others.

Parish DOES brew a variety of good beers. Their specialty happens to be IPAs. But you make it sound like they are Bearded Iris and do IPAs, and only IPAs.

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their barleywine sucks,

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It just recently was rated as one of the best non-barley aged barley wines

LINK

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will become clear pretty quickly while going down this list that standard, non-barrel-aged barleywines didn’t have the easiest time standing up to the flavors of the barrel-aged examples, so in order to make the ranked portion, the classic barleywines had to be that much better. This is that kind of beer, an exemplary take on American-style barleywine from Parish that features some of the best balance we saw in this particular substyle throughout the tasting. Drier than many of the others, it features a toasted bread/biscuity malt backbone, supported by subtle (but notable) hopping, which contributes piney, floral and herbal notes. Clean, well-composed and well balanced, it’s an excellent example of what the “base style” of American barleywine is all about.

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Just line my shelves with a bunch of different Bavarian beers and I would be a happy man. Pretty much most of the stuff coming out of Southern Germany works for me. I am a simple man with simple tastes.

OK ... criticize and/or educate me.

I have been trying to discover beers and all I run into is bitterness...

I am a rum / wine drinker and with some whiskey thrown in occasionally.

My taste:
Modelo Especial,
Samuel Adams Light
at bars Bud/Budlight
In trying something new, I have and enjoy Fat Tire.
will not even tell you how many other I have thrown away.

Heineken and Corona are garbage to me... but they have done a great promotional job...gotta give them that.

Trying to find beers similar to Fat Tire, or non bitter

I have also enjoyed one of the Lakewood beers, although "slightly" bitter still I think it was temptress.

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I am a rum / wine drinker and with some whiskey thrown in occasionally

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have also enjoyed one of the Lakewood beers, although "slightly" bitter still I think it was temptress

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You should try to grab the bourbon barrel temptress when it comes back out in December. I doubt anyone still has the 2017 now.

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rbdallas

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Looking at your list, try the Sam Adams Seasonals. Most of them will fit your flavor profiles. Fresh as Helles, Cold Snap, Winter Lager, Octoberfest(my favorite of the bunch). These will help ease you into the door of "craft" beers.

If you like rum, you may like things with a slightly sweet flavor profile. Try some of the bocks. Maibocks and dopplebocks.(going with my southern German theme)
If you like Modelo Especial, try Negra Modelo.

The best thing to do is remember the flavors you like and try to find them in other beers.

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Their quad sucks....their barleywine sucks, their stouts aren't even in the same stratosphere of stone.

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Stone hasn't brewed a stout worth a damn since the Espresso IRS 5 years ago.

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Why is america in love with hops?

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I get your point. You take your first sip of an IPA and it's like putting the grass from your lawn in your mouth. It's absolutely disgusting and only worth a drain pour.

Then for some reason, that IPA calls on you again. You know it's horrible, and you really don't want to drink your lawn again. But for some reason, you do it anyway. But something is different this time. Sure you have that "grassy" taste, but all of the sudden it's not so bad. Then you start getting hints of other things such as lemon, other fruits, and a pine tree air freshener that used to be in your car. But for some strange reason, you start to dig it.

So now you start trying different IPA styles and find that you really dig some of them. You're actually going out of your way to try new and interesting styles. Of course there is still a grassy or piney undertone (or overtone), but damn they're refreshing. Then you cut your grass and get that fresh grass smell in your nose and instantly reach for an IPA in the refrigerator. Now you're hooked and are in love with hops.