Though Summer 19 is officially over, we’re just not ready to give up on it. For the most part, the weather still feels summery enough — so don’t mind us if we pretend for another week or two. Our denial makes the transition between the laying-on-the-beach-all-afternoon days and the drizzly, leaf raking ones a little easier. That’s why we decided to hold off on stories about stouts, porters, and various darker beers in favor of the king (or queen) of summer (and every season for that matter): the IPA.
Sure, the IPA hype often goes overboard. And we’ve just about had it with over-hopping everything. But there’s still no wrong season to enjoy an IPA. Whether you enjoy the bitter, hop-fueled West Coast IPA or a juicy, hazy New England-style IPA, an effervescent, crisp Brut IPA or even a trendy Rosé IPA, you can agree that the style has staying power.
Check out our favorite IPAs for fall drinking below.
CIGAR CITY JAI ALAI
STORY:
Jai Alai is an extremely intense sport, common to Spain. At different times, it’s also been really popular in Florida and was once wildly popular in Tampa where Cigar City brewery is located. The game is mostly forgotten, these days, but the folks at the brewery decided to make this 7.5 percent ABV IPA to pay homage to its special brand of intensity.
TASTING NOTES:
If you like IPAs with serious citrus backbone then Jai Alai is for you. This beer has a great, unexpected malt flavor that works perfectly with the subtle hop bitterness (from six different hops) as well as the symphony of grapefruit, orange, and tangerine notes.
SLOOP JUICE BOMB
STORY:
Founded in 2011, Sloop Brewing began when its founders Adam Watson and Justin Taylor began selling their beers at farmer’s markets in the Hudson Valley region of New York State. One of their most exciting beers is Juice Bomb, a 6.5 percent ABV hazy IPA.
TASTING NOTES:
It might be called Juice Bomb, but it could easily be called Haze Bomb. When poured into a glass, this super juicy New England-style IPA looks more like orange juice than beer. The appearance is definitely not deceiving as Juice Bomb is unfiltered and full of tropical fruit flavors, subtle citrus, and very little hop bitterness.
BELL’S OFFICIAL HAZY IPA
STORY:
Michigan has become a haven for IPA fans over the past few years and Bell’s is at the forefront — with brews like Two Hearted Ale and Hopsolution Ale. Recently, the brewery decided to get in on the hazy IPA bandwagon and they weren’t subtle about it as they named their beer Bell’s Official Hazy IPA.
TASTING NOTES:
This 6.5 percent ABV Hazy IPA is everything juicy IPA fans want in a beer. It gets its unique flavor and appearance from the combination of American hops and wheat malt. It’s double dry-hopped, creating a beer chocked full of tropical fruit flavors as well as tart, crisp hops. The result is a well-rounded beer that’s equal parts juicy and hoppy.
STONE IPA
STORY:
Stone IPA is like the OG West Coast IPA. If you’re new to the West Coast game and you want to start somewhere, make it Stone. This 6.9 percent ABV, hop-filled beer is the standard other bitter-based brewers have to rise their game to.
TASTING NOTES:
This classic IPA pours a pleasing light, golden color and has all the traits West Coast IPA fans crave. It’s crisp, refreshing and well-balanced with Christmas-like pine flavors, juicy peach, tangerine, and a rich malt backbone.
FOUNDERS ALL DAY IPA
STORY:
Even though Michigan’s Founders Brewing is more known for its barrel-aged beers, one of its best year-round offerings is All Day IPA. There’s a reason this beer is called “All Day.” It’s a sessionable 4.7 percent ABV, perfect for warm fall afternoons spent outside on a back deck.
TASTING NOTES:
There might not be a better tailgate beer than All Day IPA. It’s crisp, refreshing, light in alcohol and highly crushable. It’s semi-dry and begins with a wallop of hop bitterness as well as hints of grapefruit and tangerine. The finish is full of bready malts and subtle caramel.
ALESMITH LUPED IN IPA
STORY:
San Diego is crazy about beer and IPAs in particular. It’s hard to find a way to get ahead in such a saturated market, but Alesmith has done just that with creative, hop-centric beers like Luped In IPA.
This 6.5 percent ABV brew is referred to as a “San Diego Style IPA” and it definitely fits the mold.
TASTING NOTES:
This is a hop-lovers beer as the name is even a reference to the scientific name for hops (Humulus Lupulus). If you’re not a fan of hop-heavy, big bold West Coast-style IPAs, this is not the beer for you. It’s full of subtly bitter pine tree hop flavor as well as mango, tangerine, and grapefruit essences.
DESCHUTES FRESH HAZE
STORY:
Oregon’s Deschutes is an employee-owned brewery that makes creative, innovative beers like Black Butte Porter and Obsidian Stout. One of its newest brews is Fresh Haze, a hazy, juicy 6.5 percent ABV IPA.
TASTING NOTES:
This isn’t the first foray into the IPA world for Deschutes, but it is the brewery’s first New England-style IPA. The perfect beer for fans of hazy IPAs, Fresh Haze might as well be fizzy, alcohol-filled orange juice (we mean that in the best way possible). It’s bursting with orange, tangerine, and grapefruit flavors.
SIXPOINT ANTI-RESIN
STORY:
Sixpoint was founded back in 2004 in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. The brewery is famous for crafting raw and unfiltered beers that are best if enjoyed as soon as possible. One their best new beers is Anti-Resin, a 9.1 percent ABV New England Style Double IPA.
TASTING NOTES:
There’s a reason this beer carries the “anti-resin” moniker. That’s because unlike many IPAs, this hazy brew doesn’t have the usual dank, weed-resin-like flavor you often get from hops. Instead, it’s overflowing with orange zest, juicy peach, and pineapple notes.
TOPPLING GOLIATH KING SUE
STORY:
When thinking of craft beer centers, Iowa is definitely not a place that comes to mind. But, husband and wife Clark and Barbra Lewey founded Toppling Goliath in Decorah, Iowa back in 2009. In the years since, the brewery has gained a massive following. Its most popular beer is King Sue, a 7.8 percent ABV Double IPA.
TASTING NOTES:
This can for this beer features a tyrannosaurus rex that we’re assuming is named King Sue for whatever reason. Like the T-Rex, it’s ferociously hazy with mouth-watering mango, orange, tangerine flavors and subtle piney hops at the back end.
GREEN BENCH SUNSHINE CITY
STORY:
Florida is no longer an empty abyss of beer. This is obvious with the success of Cigar City in Tampa and Sunshine City in historic St. Petersburg. If you’ve never heard of this brewery, it should definitely be on your radar. One of its best, and easiest to find, beers is Green Bench, a 6.8 percent ABV IPA.
TASTING NOTES:
This is an intensely hop-centric beer, getting much of its flavor from Mosaic, Citra, and Azacca hops. But even with all of those hops, it’s surprisingly well-balanced with strong tropical fruit flavors like mango, papaya, and pineapple.
