The IPA

What is it that constitutes a great IPA?  In recent weeks and months I've had the opportunity to share a pint with friends and acquaintances and there has been one constent, a good 50% - 75% are in the dark about IPA's.  I'm not speaking of Black IPA's, I'm talking about a misconception of the India Pale Ale.

The most common thing I've heard is that IPA's are too hoppy.  Let's first understand that there are many different types of hops.  A hoppy beer can mean one of two things, first the hops used may be bittering hops, used specifically to give the beer a slightly bitter taste.  Second, hoppy can be defined as smooth and aromatic, giving a floral, grassy, citrusy or earthy flavor to a good beer.

If your making the jump from the macro breweries (Miller/Coors, etc.) to a micro-brewed craft beer the first thing you need to know is, unlike "the big boys", microbreweries tend to use high-quality hops and in much larger quantity as well.

Thoroughly confused and with no desire to try an IPA, I accidentally had a hoppy beer about three years ago.  I wandered into a tasting room in Denver, Colorado and tasted pure, smooth, aromatic, hoppy beer.  From that point on, I understood that quality makes all the difference in the world.  The IPA has become my achilles heal and so, I will share a list that I recommend for tasting.  Don't just poor a pint and try to power it down.  Sit down with a friend or colleague and "taste" the way a good hoppy beer should.

Great Divide, Hercules, Double IPA  (The Beer that introduced me to IPA's)
Odell Brewing, Myrcenary, Double IPA
GoodLife, Mountain Rescue Pale Ale
Ninkasi, Tricerahops
Boneyard, Hop Venom
Sockeye Brewery, Dagger Falls IPA
Bear Republic, Racer 5
Pyramid Breweries, Discord, Black IPA
Deschutes, Hop Henge IPA
Dogfish Head, 90 Minute IPA
Avery, India Pale Ale
Great Divide, Titan, IPA
Laurelwood, Workhorse IPA
Lagunitas, Hop Stoopid
AleSmith, IPA
Russian River, Pliney the Elder

Go enjoy Hoppy Hour!
Cheers