Beckenridge 471 IPA

Look: dark, light brown…. Wrap your head around that one.

 

Taste: Bitter, skunky initial taste that gives way to a semi-sweet barley flavor

 

Conclusion: I was expecting a sharp hoppy taste for an IPA from a micro brew, but this dint quite hit the mark. It has a slight skunky aroma when you bring the glass to your mouth, but the initial bitter helps get rid of that skunk. I wish the bitter hung around for a bit longer, but the barley sweetness sooths the taste buds, and sadly washes away the IPA flavor. Once the sweet washes away, you are left with the initial taste you started with… skunky! Oddly, the more I drank of this beer, the more I was able to tolerate it. That’s not to say it started to taste better, but I got a better idea of what the brewer was trying to accomplish.  I just wish that brewers were not afraid to make their IPAs sharp and hoppy, the way a good American IPA should be.

 

The sweetness and skunky flavor cost it big.

 

A 5 out of 10 

Stone, Cali - Belgie IPA

Look: Golden Brown with minimal white bubbly head

Taste: Sweet, warming fruit flavors followed by hops

Conclusion: My brew reviewing buddy and I both jumped on this special edition brew when we saw it. This beer is essentially a hybrid of a Belgian and an IPA.

I was both intrigued(IPA) and disgusted(Belgian) when I picked it up. The fact it was made by Stone, however, swayed my opinion. I have never liked Belgians so I crossed my fingers and drank.

To my delight....it was GREAT! The first half of the drink you get the IPA bite, but it gets it's throat stomped on by the sweet and lightly fruity traits from the Belgian side of things. The thing I loved about this drink was that the Belgian side never becomes overly sweet as most tend to. Instead it's tempered by the IPA and the hop flavors come in near the end of the taste to mellow things out and prevent the sugary sweet Belgian coup.

This beer surprised me and I'd actually try another. I've never said that about any Belgian beer, so this is progress. Give me that diploma, I'm on my way to Belgian grad school! Well, maybe I'll start by aiming for my GED for now. I am again floored by Stone's genius and cunning.

8 Brews!

Avery Brewing, India Pale Ale

Look: Amber with white clean head

Taste: Slight bitterness followed up with hop and citrus

Conclusion: Back to Avery Brewing. Last time I had their wonderful Hog Heaven Barley Wine. This time it is a bit more subtle offering with their version of the India Pale Ale.

Like a good IPA, it has that initial bitter bite but this edge is dulled by the soothing and delicious hops that follow it up. The finish doesn't linger but is still thick enough to taste like a silky smooth treat.

This is an IPA I'll set on the top of my "regulars" list. This is what an IPA should taste like. Kudos Avery. A supremely solid IPA that doesn't show off.

8 Brews!

Bear Republic, Hop Rod Rye

Look: Medium hue of brown with a dirty white foam head

Taste: First hops then plenty of rye

Conclusion: The first thing you get when you taste this 8% hoppy drink is, well, hops. But immediately after you get a tongue-numbing rye flavor that's bitter and dry. This dissipates at the end of the drink and your left with a mild hop and rye aftertaste.

This is the second time I've tried this amazing brew. The first was after a 12 mile cross country mountain bike race. It was hot, dusty and I was absolutely spent. I suppose it has a soft spot in my heart for coming through after a painful race. A very unique and strong brew but oh so satisfying in the heat or after strenuous activities. Today took me on a 38 mile bike ride in the San Bernardino Mountains and man did this thing hit the spot. Damn, this brew is good. Highly recommended!

8 Brews!

Pig Skin IPA

Look: lighter than honey color, with nice white foamy head

Taste: your typical IPA, without the blitz

Conclusion: With a name like Pig Skin IPA, I was expecting my taste buds to be sacked, or something. They were not. This is a good IPA, full flavor, and a nice balance, but it was nothing spectacular. I guess its good to have a few if the boys are coming over to watch the game and you don’t want to torture them with Buttwiper and light garbage. I guess it’s an IPA a domestic beer drinker could get into, but Im no Buttwiper drinker, so I expected a bit more.
Its still and IPA, but not one of the best. I picked it up because it is football season, and I liked the art on the label. I guess it’s a good starter IPA, if you are not accustomed to the sharp, supper bitterness of most IPAs, as its not as sharp as most.

I give it a 6 out of 10

Hoptown, IPA

Look: Hazy golden brown with frothy sudsy head

Taste: Mild hops with dry subtle finish

Conclusion: This is another hop filled IPA but it comes across as an amiable friend instead bitch-slapping you with it's bitterness and power.

At around 6% it remains a secure enough with its muscles that it doesn't have to flex them the entire drink. This IPA certainly has the refreshing citrus hops included but the dry-hopping keeps the finish clean and crisp. There's no lingering sweetness. Like a welcome house guest this brew will keep a smile on your face, clean up its own mess, and leave you in a state of tranquility. What's more, you'll want to invite it over again!

This wasn't the flashiest IPA I've had but it was solid and non-offending. A fantastic selection on a hot or warm day. Hit's the spot and doesn't have the heavy sweetness like some of the more powerful IPAs out there.

7 Brews!

Rogue, Imperial IPA

Look: Cloudy Orange brown with silky cream head

Taste: Calmly bitter with thick hop notes and citrus edge

Conclusion: Okay, I was expecting the world from this bottle. Yes, it looks cool and has a resealable top but it was $15. That's an investment in brew, if you ask me!

Considering the price this was an above average IPA but certainly not worth $15. The hops are certainly there but they stay considerably mild in flavor and are complimented by spice and citrus flavors that are pretty tasty.

All things considered I would expect my socks to be blown off by a brew with this kind of price tag on it...and my socks stayed on my feet. Hey, at least I get a kickass souvenir. Cool bottle, but wish the IPA inside was as cool as the pricepoint.

7 Brews!

Port Brewing, Wipeout IPA

Look: Vibrant Orange with a small fruity head

Taste: Bitterly hoppy as an IPA should be

Conclusion: This is yet another above average, dare I say stellar IPA. My eyes are opening wider and wider to the delicious gems Port Brewing has to offer. I've had 4 or 5 of their beers so far and have thought each one was tasty as hell.

This is a little less bitter than most IPAs but still brings the expected onslaught of hops and citrus bite. For some reason the lasting taste/flavor of IPAs reminds me of grapefruit. Which is a good thing. I love grapefruit! Anyhow, I don't see how Wipeout is an apt name, other than the fact this brewery lies right on the coast. Maybe if a surfer drowned, you could grab his board, hock it for a couple bucks and buy some Wipeout IPA. Happy endings always bring tears to my eyes.

8 Brews!

West Coast IPA

Taste: hoppy aroma, but kind of skunky

Conclusion: This beer was not the smoothest beer I’ve had, and is bordering one of the harshest. It had a dry flavor that was hard to get over, but not as hard to get over as the skunkyness of it. It had a distinct Fat Tire flavor, but not as good, and more bitter. Now, I love IPAs, and I am not a Fat Tire fan at all, so this one was a hard review for me. Has the hop flavors of an IPA, but the skunky flavor of a cheap beer.

I give it a 6 out of 10

Deschutes, Inversion IPA

Look: Brown with hint of orange. Almost no head that is lacy and light

Taste: Hop-filled with a delicious aroma.

Conclusion: This drink has a bitter first which is dulled by the sweet bouquet of citrus flavored hops.

Its named after Oregon's high desert phenomenon called Inversion. This happens when there is a fog in the valleys but it gets sunnier the further you travel up the mountain. Similar to drinking this glorious IPA, you will ascend to the heavens and a white light will lead to the bountiful field of hops.

This 6.8% IPA packs a ton of sticky bountiful hops in an adequately powerful package that is a delight to consume. Deschutes strikes again. I love their Porter too.

8 Brews!

Dogfish Head, 90 Minute IPA

Look: Deep oak color with fine white head

Taste: Strong hop and barley with chewy mouthfeel and floral/Carmel flavoring

Conclusion: I'd heard of this IPA's fame from another beer review site. I hadn't been able to find it anywhere and had given up hope until I hit up a new liquor store last week. The adventurous are rewarded!

Basically this beer is brewed with a single, constant 90 minute hop addition, lots of barley is added and then it's dry-hopped.

I'm happy to say their efforts paid off, big time. The brew is 9% alcohol and the initial taste is powerful bitter. The mouthfeel is pretty dang thick. The flavor is floral and Carmel. I'm sure there's more, but it was such a delight to try figuring out what they were. This has taken it's rightful place as one of my favorite IPAs.

It also has a slight carbonation throughout the drink that lightens the feel of the thick body. However, at the finish the carbonation dissipates and your left with Carmel and sweet flavors that stay to dance the night away on your tongue.

Man, I had a really lucky run with a new liquor store I found. This was, by far, my favorite out of a stellar bunch of brews. One of the BEST IPAs out there! Superb!

9 Brews!

Oxidizer Double IPA – Rock Bottom, LBC

Look: Looks like royalty in that goblet… but it was Golden yellow

Taste: Very sharp and hoppy that takes over the senses

Conclusion: This was a solid offering by Haley. You can smell the hops in this baby as you lift the goblet to your mouth. I was sold after that. It has a great crisp flavor, but alas, it washed away all too quickly. Its beers like these that I wish the flavor lingered on the tongue a while longer. That hoppy aroma was music to my… um, nose.
Any way, at 9%, you really don’t feel it right away, which was surprising. It kind of sneaks up on you as you get up to use the potty. I had some finger food with it, and it paired up great with my sampler plate. The only major draw back was it cost double the normal price to fill up my growler with some Oxidizer… blasted hops shortage!!

I give Oxidizer a solid 7 out of 10. It was not the best IPA, but an above average, solid IPA never the less.

Port Brewing, Hop-15

Look: Vibrant orange/brown with a lacy cream head

Taste: Sharp, bitter, hoppy with citrus

Conclusion: This comes straight from Pizza Port Brewing in California. This was their way of celebrating one of the location's 15 year anniversary. And what a way to celebrate. It's brewed with 15 different types of hops. Hops are apparently put, every 15 minutes, into the brew. Damn does the overload of hops come through.

This 9.7% Double IPA brings a sharp and bitter rolled-up-newspaper-smack-on-the-nose. But don't worry, you haven't been a bad dog. You're then rewarded with the second waive from tsunami of hops. A citrus tastes highlights the hops and your left with a resiny coat of mouth watering hops to savor. Over the past year I've noticed my compass pointing more and more at overhopped Double IPAs and this brew is reason why. If you're in California and can get your hands on it, you'll be in for one helluva treat. The label shows a beer being carpet bombed with hops. Rightly so. It'll do the same to your tongue. This beer made my day.

9 Brews!

Rubicon Brewing Co. IPA

Look: Golden color, no head

Taste: Sharp, bitter initial hit that lingers for a while before finishing of with a nice mild after taste.

Conclusion: The great bitter sweet aroma of hops takes over your senses when you pour this beer into a glass. This aroma sets the stage for a refreshing beer that is tough up front, but has a softer side once you get to know it. It is not so bitter that it destroys your taste buds, but it does give them a shock with each drink. The shock dissipates with the sweet sent that you pick up in your mouth as you swallow the beer. It caught me off guard at first, but it’s a great balancing act done by the brewer to give you a fresh start after each drink.

I enjoyed this IPA, I give it a 7 out of 10.

Magnolia – Promised Land IPA (seasonal)

Look: Almost purple when held to the light

Taste: Sharp as a tack and strong

Conclusion: This is one of my favorites of the Strong Beer Month offerings from Magnolia. Promised Land comes right at you with sharp claws and bitter words. After the initial sharpness, you get a nice hoppy aroma to keep you company until your next drink. This beer is quite the versatile beverage too. Its refreshing enough to quench your thirst on a warm day, but strong enough to keep you warm on colder days, such as those February days in San Francisco…

An above average IPA in the flavor department; way above in the strength department.
An 8 out of 10

Moylan's, Moylander Double IPA

Look: Amber with paper thin, white foam head

Taste: Powerful hop dose with a bitter and slight fruit finish

Conclusion: This California brewery keeps turning my head with each additional brew I taste. This take on the double IPA is nothing short of amazing.

The mouthfeel is thick like tree sap and the ferocious hop flavor coats your tongue like a soothing liquid blanket. They mix in some slight citrus/fruit aromas which are apparent when you take a deep whiff of the brew. Found myself licking the inside of the glass when I was done with this one. Moylander will chop of your head and shove a golden liquid of the gods down your neck. I enjoyed the experience thoroughly.

9 Brews!

Alesmith, IPA

Look: Amber with a small tan foam head

Taste: Hop and fruits with a bitter kick

Conclusion: Here's Alesmith's version of the IPA and they pulled it off nicely. This drink is bitter for sure but balanced nicely with the strong hop and fruity flavors.

Nothing earth shattering as far as ingenuity goes but this IPA is a strong take of the IPA. I'm a regular hop head so I'm always looking for an IPA. This one just took the #1 spot in the IPA rotation. IPA at it's best.

8 Brews!

The Big DIPA

Look: Honey color with a thin foam head

Taste: Sharp hoppy flavor, nice citrus underlining flavor with a nice malty finish

Conclusion: This is a good IPA, but was a bit too sweet for my liking. When I think IPA, I think sharp hoppy flavor that stays on your tongue like tree sap - no matter what you do, you just can’t get rid of it. This one had a good initial sharp bite, but the flavor kind of washed off. It was like a chick slapped you in the face, then just walked away. You’re left not knowing what just happened.
This is the third beer of theirs I have tried, and it was good. Slightly under par for an IPA, yet better than many I have tried. The 83 IBUs is a bit misleading as the sweet caramel and English toffee flavors kind of ruin the sharp, bitter experience.

I give it a 7 out of 10

Lagunitas, Maximus IPA

Look: Orange-yellow and translucent with minimal white foam head

Taste: Dull, bitter bite with hop, malt and citrus flavor

Conclusion: This a hopped filled IPA that boasts 7.5% alcohol. Initially it is very bitter but the edge is taken off by the strong hops and malts. I also tasted some citrus/fruit in there. This would perfect on a hot summers day after some good old hard labor in the yard.

Lagunitas cautions us that this brew "may remove enamel from teeth". Yow! This brewery makes my favorite IPA and the Maximus version of it is definitely worth picking up. With a mace of hops and a sword of malts this brew did smite my tongue. It also may be a good idea to buy this one for a friend just so you can yell..."Are you not entertained!?!?" I'm sure they'll answer yes. A bold, high quality IPA.

7 Brews!

Michelob Pale Ale

Look: Hazy golden color

Taste: Mild sharpness with a nice hops and barley aroma

Conclusion: This was a pretty good Pale Ale. To be honest, it was the best beer In the Michelob holiday pack we bought. It had a very crisp taste and was quite refreshing. I’d kick back a few on a nice warm summer day, which makes me ask why they would include these in their winter holiday pack.
You can taste the dry hop flavor, but it has a very smooth finish. The delicious hop flavor dances on your tongue much like a ballroom dancer would. It covers every square inch of that puppy to make sure every taste bud has had a try. This was a welcome addition a box of otherwise sub par brews.

I give it a 7 out of 10