Tag Archives: india pale ale

November 6, 2014 · 9:19 pm

Fireside Chat (beer)

Fireside Chat is a winter spiced ale from 21st Amendment Brewery. 21st Amendment Brewery (also called 21A) is one of San Francisco’s best microbreweries and Fireside Chat is one of my favorite seasonals. The beer is named after Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s famous radio addresses. They even put a cheerful cartoon image of FDR sitting in front of a comfy fire. It’s an English-style brown ale brewed with spices. The aroma is of spice, cinnamon, raisin, coffee, cloves, and maybe a little vanilla. It tastes of sweet malt with allspice, cloves, cinnamon, figs, nutmeg, cocoa, vanilla, and coffee. It’s categorized as a Winter Warmer and that’s a great way to describe it. It’s perfect for those long, dark, cold winter nights that are soon to be in abundance. It also has a 7.9% alcohol content so you can stretch out a six pack with a friend. Get it, sip it, enjoy it.

Critically Rated at 14/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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August 7, 2014 · 1:09 pm

National IPA Day

August 7, 2014 is National IPA Day, a day to celebrate any beer fortunate enough to be labeled an India Pale Ale. IPAs are known for their bitter and hoppy taste and date back to the early 1800s when the British had to send beer that wouldn’t spoil to India. IPAs have a lot more flavor than domestic lagers and have an acquired taste. Nobody truly enjoys their first IPA. You have to keep drinking them before you start appreciating them. I started drinking them a few years ago and now consider craft brewed IPAs to be my go-to beer. Bold taste, high alcohol percentage, filling… all hallmarks of a delicious beer to me. You don’t need a real reason to drink good beer, but National IPA Day is a good excuse to do so. I’m commemorating the holiday with a nice stout because I’m a rebel like that.

Critically Rated at 13/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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May 19, 2014 · 8:59 am

Hop Rod Rye (beer)

Hop Rod Rye is an American IPA from Bear Republic Brewing Co. Bear Republic is mostly known for Racer 5 and Red Rocket Ale, but Hop Rod Rye is gaining in popularity. It pours a dark copper color with a nice tan head. It smells of sweet malts and citrus hops with rye, grass, and floral notes. It tastes like it smells. I get lots of sweet malt, hops, orange peel, grapefruit, and maybe a little spice. It’s not that hoppy for an India Pale Ale and it makes my mouth happy. It has a decent 8.0% alcohol content, which is enough to make you sleepy before bedtime. This is a very enjoyable craft beer.

Critically Rated at 13/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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May 11, 2014 · 12:21 pm

Union Jack IPA

Union Jack IPA in an American India Pale Ale from California’s Firestone Walker Brewing Company. It’s a better than average IPA that pours a nice orange-amber color with a fluffy white head and nice lacing. The aroma is tropical hops, citrus, and bready malts, but it’s muted compared to other IPAs. It tastes great. Lots of citrus hops, tropical fruit, a hint of pine, and a malty undertone. It’s sweet, it’s bitter, it’s dry, and it’s delicious. It’s pretty malty for an IPA, which gives it a lot of balance. Factor in the 7.5% ABV and you have yourself quite a brew. I would get it again, I would drink it again, and I would suggest it to anybody looking for a nice India Pale Ale or craft beer.

Critically Rated at 13/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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April 9, 2014 · 1:41 pm

Hoppy Daze (beer)

Hoppy Daze is a Belgian Style India Pale Ale from California’s Coronado Brewing Company. It pours a golden amber color with a large white head. It has a predominantly hoppy scent with aromas of cloves, Belgian yeast, citrus, and light malt. I like how it tastes. I get a lot of herbal and citrus hops, honey, spice, coriander, bready malt, pine, and pepper. It’s a satisfying Belgian IPA and a good craft brew, but I wouldn’t call it a great beer. If I ever write a list of my top hundred beers, Hoppy Daze wouldn’t be on it. It would make the top two hundred though. I drink way too much beer.

Critically Rated at 12/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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March 27, 2014 · 10:18 am

Stochasticity Project Grapefruit Slam IPA

Stone Brewing Co. is responsible for the Stochasticity Project, a new experiment in craft brewing. Grapefruit Slam IPA is the first beer, and considering I’ve bought three 22-ounce bottles in the past week, I would say the experiment was a rousing success. Grapefruit Slam IPA is an American Double/Imperial IPA with grapefruit peel added. The grapefruit peel is quite apparent, both in the aroma and in the flavor of the beer. The nose has citrus and pine hops, with a little caramel and toasted malt to balance it out. I can taste a lot of citrus hops with some pine and resin, and there’s also a malty backbone but it’s mostly hoppy. It has a satisfying 8.2% ABV. The label art will grab your attention. It has blue grid background that seems like something out of The Matrix with bold white lettering. It’s always exciting trying a new beer. And Grapefruit Slam IPA has only been around since mid-February of this year, so it really is a new beer. Buy it and try it.

Critically Rated at 14/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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March 26, 2014 · 11:50 am

Apex Special IPA

Apex Special IPA in an Imperial India Pale Ale from Bear Republic Brewing Co. It’s not available year round so you should snag a bottle or a 6-pack if you come across it. It has a nice orangey gold color with a thick whitish head. The aroma has a lot of hops, as you would expect from a good IPA. I get a lot of citrus like orange, grapefruit, maybe even tangerine, but there’s also a little pine and resin too. It’s balanced with toasted and sugary malts. The taste is more balanced than the aroma would have you believe. Yeah, you get a lot of citrus and pine hops, but the toasted malt has a bigger presence than I thought it would. I also taste orange, grapefruit, melon… it’s definitely fruity, but there’s also pine, resin, and spice. It’s delicious. I could drink it all day. But it’s 8.95% alcohol so I probably shouldn’t. This is a very good IPA. I’m happy it’s in my belly.

Critically Rated at 15/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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March 25, 2014 · 9:57 am

Racer 5 India Pale Ale

Racer 5 India Pale Ale is an IPA from Healdsburg, California’s Bear Republic Brewing Co. It’s one of their flagship brews along with Red Rocket Ale. It pours a golden orange color with a small white head. It has a nice hoppy aroma with traces of citrus, cedar, pine, and sweet malts. It tastes like you would expect. I get lots of citrus hops, grapefruit, orange, orange peel, some pine hops, and it’s balanced with toasty malt. It’s not as bitter as I thought it would be. The 7.5% alcohol content isn’t as high as I’d like it to be, but this is a solid IPA and worth trying. Me likey.

Critically Rated at 14/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Youngbear-republic-racer-5-ipa

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November 8, 2013 · 8:48 am

High Water Brewing Hop Riot IPA

Hop Riot IPA is an India Pale Ale from San Jose’s High Water Brewing. It has a floral hop with hints of citrus and spices and malt. It has a bitter taste thanks to the grapefruit and pine hops, and it’s mellowed out by a malty backbone. There is a subtle orange flavor that gets stronger as you keep drinking. I don’t know why they call it Hop Riot IPA. You can taste the hops, but they aren’t rioting. It’s just your standard IPA, there’s nothing that really stands out about this beer. Its Alcohol by Volume content is a 7.3%, which is not that strong for a microbrewed IPA. This is High Water Brewing’s flagship beer, and it doesn’t get me excited for their other offerings. It’s alright. It’s decent. But you have made some major mistakes in life if this is your favorite beer.

Critically Rated at 10/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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September 21, 2013 · 9:48 am

Rogue Brutal IPA

Rogue Brutal IPA is a microbrewed India Pale Ale from Oregon. It’s hoppy, but more malty, and it only has 5.8% alcohol. And that’s not enough. Rogue is an overhyped brewery. They have a few good beers, but most of them are disappointing. Their Brutal IPA is pretty weak for an IPA. I suppose that it’s a good IPA for beginners, but I have a seasoned palate and each sip I take kills my buzz a little bit. I’ve had worse beers. But I’ve also had a lot of better ones. Like a lot of better ones. A whole lot of better ones, in fact. The only reason to try this beer is to say that you tried this beer. You might like it. I don’t really care for it. It’s too bland for my taste buds and the alcohol content is too low to make me forget about the blandness. It’s pretty meh for a microbrew with a decent reputation.

Critically Rated at 8/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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March 4, 2013 · 10:44 am

Rampage Imperial IPA

Rampage Imperial IPA is an India Pale Ale brewed by Black Diamond Brewing Co. from Concorde, California. This is a full flavored beer, hoppy, malty, and bitter with citrus undertones. It also has a 9% alcohol content. If that’s not enough of a selling point for you, maybe the label art will persuade you. It has a rampaging elephant with demon eyes bursting out from a bunch of hops. It stares you right in the face, daring you to try this beer. And you don’t turn down an angry elephant. You will try this beer. The demon elephant demands it.

Critically Rated at 14/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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February 16, 2013 · 9:36 am

Talon Extra Select Double IPA

I like beer and I like strong beer. I want to be able to taste it. I like IPAs because it’s a strong beer. I like double IPAs because they are even stronger than regular IPAs. And so I had to try Talon Extra Select Double IPA from Mendocino Brewing Company. It is really hoppy and has a 10% alcohol content. That’s enough to make you grow some chest hair. One bottle is like three new chest hairs. Drink a case of this and you’ll be looking like Robin Williams in no time. Proceed with caution, ladies. I’ve had better craft beers, but I would still get this one again.

Critically Rated at 12/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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August 26, 2012 · 9:18 am

Raging Bitch Belgian-Style India Pale Ale

Maryland’s Flying Dog Brewery makes some amazing craft beers and this is one of them. Raging Bitch Belgian-Style India Pale Ale is a very distinctive beer, from its taste to its awesome artwork. It’s also fun to go to a bartender and say, “Raging Bitch, please.” It has a nice alcohol percentage of 8.3%. It tastes good, looks cool, and it will get you drunk. What more do you want from booze?

Critically Rated at 15/17

Written, Rated, and Reviewed by Brendan H. Young

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May 14, 2012 · 9:17 am

Lagunitas Maximus

The Lagunitas Brewing Company is known for their IPA. Their Maximus India Pale Ale has more alcohol and is hoppier. Wikipedia says it has a spicy finish with a lot of rose petal. Maybe my palate isn’t sophisticated because I don’t taste the rose petal. I think Wikipedia is lying. Anyway, 8.2% alcohol is pretty decent; it can definitely make you sleepy. Lagunitas is a great microbrewery. If you ever see it at the liquor store you should grab it. And read the label; they usually have a funny and random rant printed on it.

Critically Rated at 14/17

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May 4, 2012 · 9:47 am

White Hawk Select IPA

The fine folks at Mendocino Brewing Company of Ukiah, CA have crafted another delicious microbrew. White Hawk Select IPA in an India Pale Ale that has a decent amount of flavor and a decent 7.0% alcohol content. This isn’t the best IPA, but it’s one of the better cheaper microbrewed IPAs. Mendocino Brewing Co. has some pretty decent brews. If you see it, you should get it, you won’t regret it. And even if you do regret it, I don’t care. Never trust the internet. This is just a filler article anyway.

Critically Rated at 10/17

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April 23, 2012 · 9:51 am

Bear Republic Racer X Double IPA

Bear Republic is a microbrewer from Healdsburg, CA. Racer X Double IPA is a strong India Pale Ale. It’s malty and hoppy, and that makes me happy. The 8.3% alcohol content makes me even happier. If you like IPAs, Double IPAs are even better. And this is a good one to try. So try it if you can. I did, and I was glad that I got it. I’ll get it again too.

Critically Rated at 12/17

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