Beer Blog 6: IPA

Cragus

Canada144 Posts

June 07 2012 02:45 GMT

IPA - when people are new to beer, this is the style that is absolutely last on my list to suggest. Universally hoppy and bitter, these beers bring the heat and don’t let up. Ranging from the bitter and hoppy IPA to the very bitter and hoppy Double IPA/Imperial IPA, these are not beers for the faint of heart. Legend has it the name comes from the high hop content being used as a preservative to make the trip from England to India (reality is slightly different and less awesome).

This is Stone Ruination IPA, an Imperial IPA. Stone is really known for their IPAs with Arrogant Bastard being particularly popular; however, I like Ruination a bit better than the other Stone offerings. This is sharp and citrusy with a loooooooooooot of hops. Surprisingly, this is probably one of the easiest drinking IIPA/DIPAs you’ll ever encounter and would thus be my recommendation for those wanting to get into double IPAs.

This guy is Lagunitas Hop Stoopid Ale, another DIPA (yep, no light beers here folks, go large or go home!). This is some delicious stuff and one of my favourite IPAs (luckily its only 4$ a bomber), but I chose it for the blog because of the label. At the top the beer lists its International Bitterness Unit scale (IBU) rating. Theoretically, the IBU rating of a beer tells you how bitter a given beer is. In reality, this doesn’t really help you that much. IBU ratings are very inconsistent and, in my experience, don’t have much bearing on actual bitterness you taste. All I find IBU is useful for is a basic divider – if a beer is near 100IBU it’s quite bitter, if it’s near 0, it’s the opposite.
+ Show Spoiler [What I’m drinking while writing] +

Aventinus Eisbock… this stuff is dangerous. Dark fruits and caramel notes blend well with the 12.0% alcohol to the point that the ABV is only noticeable as a slight spice. Delicious, but dangerous. Very dangerous. I got this out of idle curiosity not really expecting much, but it’s pretty damn good (reminds me of a good quad actually, with a little bit of a wheat character).

PS: Those in Canada have probably seen Alexander Keiths IPA – this doesn’t taste anything like an IPA and is really more of a session ale.

PPS: This was going to be my glassware post, but I'm having trouble coming up with a way to show the effects of different glasses that doesn't require me to polish off a very large quantity of mediocre beer.

Vindicare605

United States16118 Posts

June 07 2012 03:42 GMT

I am quite fond of the Sam Adams Latitude 48 IPA. Although a good IPA in general is rather easy to find down here in SoCal.

Sam Adams, Lagunitas, Hermitage, as well as a few others are all solid.

sluggaslamoo

Australia4494 Posts

June 07 2012 06:11 GMT

Loves me some India Pale Ale

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ParkwayDrive

United States328 Posts

June 07 2012 06:14 GMT

founders centennial is probably my favorite ipa. its perfectly balanced with enough hop kick.

great lakes commodore perry is probably a close second.

ive had 2 or 3 lagunitas ipas of which i enjoyed.
bear republic also makes some good ones but i cant remember the names.

sierra nevada ipa not so good imo.

brian

United States9636 Posts

June 07 2012 12:31 GMT

I frequently have to postpone things I want necause of the whole high quantities of beer thing too. Wait..

Elect

Australia17 Posts

June 08 2012 05:38 GMT

That Bock DOES look dangerous. I want one!

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