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Ok kids, I like Jameson's and Tullamore Dew, and do enjoy beer. Cheap American beer in a can, lots of it, BUT I really like IPA's. Given that tuba players have been known to imbibe in malt based adult beverages on occassion, I would like your recommendations for a great IPA. The hoppier and more bitter the better. Gentlemen, you have your challenge. Thanks in advance, and don't forget to wash your hands.

Chuck

Stone IPA

While I am no gentleman (or a lady for that matter) I do enjoy both Jameson's and Tullamore Dew and do love my microbrews. Alas, the words "good" and "IPA" do not belong in the same sentence as far as my palate is concerned. However, I do live in the land of the IPA in the Pacific Northwet, and do have some rumor mill suggestions:

McKenzie Brewing Twisted Meniscus
Ninkasi Total Domination
Oakshire Watershed IPA
Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA

Dogfish Head 90 minute. All your IPA dreams will come true.

For me, a great IPA isn't so much about "more hops", certainly not "more bitter", it's about those things in balance with everything else to create a deeply satisfying brew. There are a lot of them around here, most of them just local. My favorite local IPA lately is "Lucille" from Georgetown Brewing, though there are maybe a couple from even smaller breweries that would take first place if anyone carried them.

Fremont, walking distance from my house, does a pretty fair IPA and there's a minuscule chance you might be able to get it in cans, or Elysian Immortal might make onto shelves elsewhere in a few places. For something you can more likely get wherever, Lagunitas is worth a try.

I always seem to like the locally brewed stuff better, though - maybe shelf life is an issue here? How is Banger Brewing, 450 Fremont St? Or Tenaya Creek, 3101 N Tenaya Way?

Haven't had Dogfish, as I tend to steer a sort of middle path on beer price. I have had Ninkasi Total Domination; good beer, not really my idea of a classic IPA.

Summit IPA is a standard around here. Sierra is very highly rated. Also, Bells has won many awards and has Capitol from Wisconsin.

Donn wrote:I always seem to like the locally brewed stuff better, though - maybe shelf life is an issue here? How is Banger Brewing, 450 Fremont St? Or Tenaya Creek, 3101 N Tenaya Way?

Holy Crap Donn, do I look like a neophyte?, wait, you've never seen me (be glad, VERY GLAD, I'm 6'2" of birth control). The local stuff rates as follows:


Banger- Piss Water

Tenaya Way- Good, but with a decidedly fruity overtone that cuts down on the BITTER and HOPPY taste I love. Had a bottle tonight. Satisfying in its own way.

Gordon Birsch- AGHHHHHHHH I would rather drink Utica Club.

Big Dogs- Their IPA is amazing.

777 Brewing Company- Not bad, but MORE HOPS PLEASE!!!!(insert an image of Christopher Walken HERE)

I have had Dogfish, HopHead, Hop Juice, and a myriad of others, just wanted some input on some odd, but tasty brews. Sierra Nevada is tasty. I'm skeptical about the new Sam Adams IPA>

Sorry Bear, I should have put a shout out to the ladies.

Chuck"keep em coming"Jackson

Ballast Point Brewing Company - Sculpin IPA is a well balanced, yet hop forward IPA.
Firestone Walker Brewing Company - Union Jack IPA and Double Jack Double-IPA are two excellent examples of their styles.

Sam Adams - Double Agent IPL - If you like IPAs, I recommend giving IPLs a chance, too. This brew should be widely available and a good IPL to sample.
Jack's Abby - Hoponious Union IPL - Everything I have had from Jack's Abby has been phenomenal. Hoponious Union is one of their flagship brews.

Happy drinking.

TMB

Honestly, my best suggestion would be to go to a good beer store that sells singles, and just pick out a bunch of stuff you've never had before. I rarely buy 6-packs, even for beers I like. There is just too much good stuff out there now, it's impossible to stay on top of it.

I know, this is a non-answer.

Papa likes some strange! Hops fades pretty quick so local is a good bet.

bort wrote:Dogfish Head 90 minute. All your IPA dreams will come true.

+1

60 minute in a pinch.
120 if you're sitting down.
All on tap.

Chuck Jackson wrote:I have had Dogfish, HopHead, Hop Juice, and a myriad of others, just wanted some input on some odd, but tasty brews.

Can you get Green Flash "West Coast"? sounds like it could suit your needs. I haven't actually had it, but had a sort of red IPA of theirs that was well hopped. Also heard good things about Great Divide "Titan", and Bear Republic "Racer 5".

windshieldbug wrote:

bort wrote:Dogfish Head 90 minute. All your IPA dreams will come true.

+1

60 minute in a pinch.
120 if you're sitting down.
All on tap.

I forgot about the 120 minute -- great stuff, just clear your schedule. A few years ago I had a 75 minute at a beer tasting event, I liked that a lot too. Better than the 60 minute, but not as much burn as the 120 minute. It's all great.

From this side of the pond, but available over there and well worth getting.....

Brewdog Punk IPA or Hardcore IPA
Thornbridge Halcyon, Chiron, or even better, Jaipur.

Also

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Torpedo are easily come by in the US.

Thank you for the replies so far. I do, indeed, enjoy all the Dogfish products having had one too many recently which produced a very funny story about me having and arguement with a salt shaker, but I digress. I have exhausted the supply of my local liquor store. Here is my favorites to date:

Hop Juice- 10.7% alcohol, very hoppy. A great bite and aroma off the head with none of the fruity overtones that ruin it for me. Try it at your risk, it makes Dogfish 120 seem like Miller Lite.

Andy Cat- We have a wonderful British Food and Drink Store in town (alot of Brit Ex-Pats live here). I need to be in that area today, so I will see if they have your suggestions in stock.

On a hoppy note,my sister and her family lives between Geneva and Canandaigua. At one time, the hills around the Finger Lakes produced some of the finest hops in the country. Our family LLC is investigating the possibility of starting up a small hops (small means 100 acres, I guess hops need room to grow) field to see if growing a crop is economically feasible. Already own the land, so the hard financial part is done. With the proliferation of breweries in that area of the state, it seems like a feasible idea. Still lots to discuss, but worth the effort to keep it all "home grown".

Keep the brands coming!!! Thanks.

Chuck

You like IPAs? Here's my list:

Stone IPA
Stone Ruination IPA
Pliny the Elder (maybe you're in Cali or have a buddy in Cali)
Hop Juju
Firestone Double Jack
Ska Modus Hoperandi

This is my favorite type of beer and these are the ones I could think of at the moment. I'll think of more I'm sure.

This does not contribute at all to the OP's question, but his post did get me thinking about other brews that live in my memory. One in particular is the infamous "Green Death" Rainer Ale produced in Seattle.
http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?di ... le_id=9130" target="_blank
It was a favorite of the two bands (21st Army and Fourth Infantry Division) at Fort Lewis WA in the late 50's and early 60's. Drain one bottle of this product and you'll never be quite the same.

Ace

Ah, I remembered a VERY tasty one!

Tröegs Nugget Nectar

Complete and total Hop-head here...
Stone: Ruination
Fat Head: Head Hunter
Brew Kettle: White Rajah
Avery: Maharaja
Sixpoint: Bengali Tiger, Resin.
Great Lakes: Rye of the Tiger
Green Flash: West Coast IPA, Palate Wrecker
Just a few that I nearly always have in the fridge.

Speeches if you can find it. http://Www.sprecherbrewery.com" target="_blank