Today is National IPA Day 2016 and a great day for celebrating hoppy craft beer. Before we get to beer, let’s be certain to pay homage to the wonderful, magical hop plant that is so critical to very existence of the IPA.
Happy IPA Day 2016 ! Without hops the world would be a much sadder place to live.
Here are four West Coast IPAs I’ve reviewed in the past to help you get your IPA day 2016 going. There are a lot more great IPAs from all across our nation so don’t let this very simple starter list limit your selection options. Do you have a favorite IPA?
1. Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA (7% ABV / 75+ IBUs): Racer 5 IPA is Bear Republic’s flagship beer and has won four Gold and Silver Medals at the GABF, a World Beer Cup Silver Medal, and two Gold Medals at the CA State Fair. Brewed with American pale and crystal malts, and heavily hopped with Chinook, Cascade, Columbus and Centennial hops, this beer pours a clear gold color with healthy white foam that leaves a lace web. Racer 5 has a citrus aroma from the hops with a light undertone of malty bread. The beer is full-bodied with moderate carbonation. Racer 5 has a sweet malt and biscuit flavor that is rapidly overtaken by delightfully strong hops bitterness. A little earthy hay/straw follows and then the beer finishes mildly dry with an impressive and lingering hops bitterness. This is a wonderful West Coast IPA that goes for the checkered flag.
Photograph courtesy of Bear Republic Brewing
2. Russian River Blind Pig American India Pale Ale (6.25% ABV): Russian River Brewery’s first beer pours a clear light copper color with white foam. Blind Pig IPA has a strong pine resin and grapefruit aroma. The beer is medium to full-bodied with moderate carbonation. Blind Pig IPA provides wonderfully strong grapefruit and pine resin flavors that overlay the very mild tasting malt base. The beer has a dry, bitter finish. Blind Pig IPA is delicious and tastes like a grapefruit is included in every glass.
Photograph courtesy of Russian River Brewing
3. Sierra Nevada Hoptimum Imperial IPA (10.4% ABV / 100 IBUs): Anytime you see the word “Imperial” coupled with a beer style, then you know the brewer’s intent is to “push the envelope” of that particular beer style. With Hoptimum, Sierra Nevada definitely succeeded. Hoptimum features resinous hop varieties Magnum, Chinook, and Simcoe, as well as, a new experimental hop variety exclusive to Sierra Nevada. This beer pours a clear amber-gold color with off-white foam. Hoptimum has an INTENSE pine resin aroma. The beer is full-bodied and clings to your tongue while exhibiting mild carbonation. Hoptimum delivers massively assertive pine resin and cedar flavors with hints of grapefruit pith and tropical fruit. The finish is dry with intense bitterness and some spicy pepper. Hoptimum is a delicious beer that delivers a field of hops in every glass.
Photograph courtesy of Sierra Nevada Brewing
4. Knee Deep Hoparillo Triple IPA (11.1% ABV / 100+ IBUs): Hoparillo is not one of Knee Deep’s year round beer products, but is a special release, single-hop, triple IPA that was brewed using Amarillo hops. Hoparillo pours a clear copper-gold color with off-white foam that leaves a nice lace. The beer has a strong pine resin bouquet that masked any other aromas for me. Hoparillo is full-bodied with mild carbonation. Hop oils coated my tongue. One swallow resulted in a tasty malt and biscuit flavor followed by strong pine resin, grapefruit, and grapefruit pith. Hoparillo finishes dry with a peppery spice and nice lingering bitterness. The alcohol is exceptionally well-integrated. I found Hoparillo to be a delicious hop treat.
