Favorite IPA/Imperial IPA

[ColinCoby]

I've been obsessed with the Green Flash West Coast IPA of late. So delicious.

What's funny is you'd probably have to break this question down into sub categories. Favorite IPA for a hot day? Cold day? Which IPA you drinking if you're planning on have three or more? Just one?

Since I generally finish each day off with just one IPA, I usually crave a big boy to sip. I love the Eel River IPA…very smooth…but generally go far something with more flavor.

 

[wartyOne]

Lots of great suggestions fellas. I'll be sure to keep an eye out when I'm around better selection than my local area. So for now, I've been picking up SN Torpedo (can't wait for Celebration), FT Ranger and Rampant, Devils Backbone 8 point IPA, and a couple other VA breweries offerings.

Torpedo is decent, but a bit too big (I know, for the style that's a ridiculous statement). The red label of Celebration brings a tear to my eye. When I see it, I stop drinking most other styles and buy until it's gone.

Seems like a ton of east coast suggestions in here, with some bad west coast representation. If you can find either "Elevated" or "Project Dank" by La Cumbre, you'll do yourself a favor to buy them. La Cumbre is in a different league than breweries like Green Flash and Stone, almost home brewers by comparison.

 

[wartyOne]

Yes they did bottle 75 minute recently but it wasn't simply a blend of 60 and 90 minute. They aged it in maple syrup barrels if I remember right, which just goes against the spirit of an IPA, yet is just so DFH in nature. I didn't spend the $15 or so the bottles cost because I've learned from my mistakes.

IPA's that are "aged" are ruined. By nature of the beast, you lose the hop character in the aroma and flavor that hallmarks the style.

IPA's older than 6 weeks shouldn't be viewed as exemplary of the style.

 

[Podunkparte]

IPA's that are "aged" are ruined. By nature of the beast, you lose the hop character in the aroma and flavor that hallmarks the style.

IPA's older than 6 weeks shouldn't be viewed as exemplary of the style.

I know, I don't get the aging thing either. Founders recently did it with it with Doom, aging it in Bourbon Barrels.

I also get the idea of hops fading, and I agree that it happens, but I think the newer beer geeks are getting very carried away with the idea of freshness. I just picked up some Fremont Cowiche Canyon fresh hop pale that was canned 9/30. I also had my first Pliny the Elder in 2009 that was over 3 months old. It was incredible. Hops fade, but to think of a beer that is less than 2 months old as outside the realm of being exemplary is wrong in my opinion. It depends on what you like. Hops can balance out and compliment an IPA just as they can punch you in the face and dominate a beer.

 

[Sleepy T]

Haven't seen Stone Double Bastard (or Arrogant) anywhere here, although they may be classified as Strong Ale or Barleywine??

Had a few of those Doubles....pretty awesome stuff. Damn strong too.

 

[Sleepy T]

Lots of great suggestions fellas. I'll be sure to keep an eye out when I'm around better selection than my local area. So for now, I've been picking up SN Torpedo (can't wait for Celebration), FT Ranger and Rampant, Devils Backbone 8 point IPA, and a couple other VA breweries offerings.

I believe DB is going to be distributing the 12 point Imperial IPA soon Cobra. Keep an eye out for it..

 

[navamind]

Haven't seen Stone Double Bastard (or Arrogant) anywhere here, although they may be classified as Strong Ale or Barleywine??

Had a few of those Doubles....pretty awesome stuff. Damn strong too.

Doesn't Double Bastard come out in the winter?

 

[thecrow124]

Torpedo is decent, but a bit too big (I know, for the style that's a ridiculous statement). The red label of Celebration brings a tear to my eye. When I see it, I stop drinking most other styles and buy until it's gone.

Seems like a ton of east coast suggestions in here, with some bad west coast representation. If you can find either "Elevated" or "Project Dank" by La Cumbre, you'll do yourself a favor to buy them. La Cumbre is in a different league than breweries like Green Flash and Stone, almost home brewers by comparison.

I work with a guy from Albuquerque, parents still live there. They came to visit a month ago, but I could not get him to ask them to bring me some La Cumbre.

 

[Cobrabit]

Picked up a 6 pack of Lagunitas IPA on the way home from the inlaws for the games today along with a Dead Guy Ale 6 pack and the 6 pack of Torpedoes I already had. Not bad at all.

And speaking of IPAs, has anyone picked up these glasses designed by DFH, SN and Spiegelau? If so, what do you think? We drew names for the "secret Santa" and was thinking about putting these on my suggestion list for whoever drew my name.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BTPUT3S/ref=gl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3KAVDU2RKJLJ5&coliid=I2IXFHC2T860GU&psc=1"]Amazon.com: Spiegelau 2-Pack Beer Classics IPA Glass, 19-Ounce: Kitchen & Dining[/ame]

 

[Labgrownmangoat]

Haven't seen Stone Double Bastard (or Arrogant) anywhere here, although they may be classified as Strong Ale or Barleywine??

Had a few of those Doubles....pretty awesome stuff. Damn strong too.

They're not IPAs, but darker, maltier strong ales. Nothing like a huge 3-liter Double Bastard to get the party started.

 

[Labgrownmangoat]

Picked up a 6 pack of Lagunitas IPA on the way home from the inlaws for the games today along with a Dead Guy Ale 6 pack and the 6 pack of Torpedoes I already had. Not bad at all.

And speaking of IPAs, has anyone picked up these glasses designed by DFH, SN and Spiegelau? If so, what do you think? We drew names for the "secret Santa" and was thinking about putting these on my suggestion list for whoever drew my name.

Amazon.com: Spiegelau 2-Pack Beer Classics IPA Glass, 19-Ounce: Kitchen & Dining

The link seems not to work, btw. Googling, those look awesome. The default "shaker" pint glass was never meant for serving beer. Those are.

 

[OregonRob]

I'm new here and this is my first post. I came to this Site for the 49er forum but can't seem to get beyond the Beer Forum. It's not the first time beer has side tracked me...

A couple years ago I could have named my favorite IPA and Double IPA, but that ship has sailed. I can name good beers and I can name bad ones, but after having drank about 500 IPA and DIPAs, placing one at the top isn't possible... at least for me.

Some excellent IPAs are:
Ballast Point's Sculpin
Portsmouth's Bottle Rocket
Ska's Modus Hoperandi
Hop Valley's Proxima Centauri
Boneyard's RPM

Double IPAs I like are:
Russian River's Pliny the Elder
Bell's Hop Slam
Three Floyd's Dreadnaught
Foley Brothers' Fair Maiden
Firestone Walker's Double Jack

...... and that's just the tip of the iceberg. There are a lot of very IPAs and DIPAs.

 

[HammerDown]

Welcome, Rob.

 

[DJ]

I'm new here and this is my first post. I came to this Site for the 49er forum but can't seem to get beyond the Beer Forum. It's not the first time beer has side tracked me...

A couple years ago I could have named my favorite IPA and Double IPA, but that ship has sailed. I can name good beers and I can name bad ones, but after having drank about 500 IPA and DIPAs, placing one at the top isn't possible... at least for me.

Some excellent IPAs are:
Ballast Point's Sculpin
Portsmouth's Bottle Rocket
Ska's Modus Hoperandi
Hop Valley's Proxima Centauri
Boneyard's RPM

Double IPAs I like are:
Russian River's Pliny the Elder
Bell's Hop Slam
Three Floyd's Dreadnaught
Foley Brothers' Fair Maiden
Firestone Walker's Double Jack

...... and that's just the tip of the iceberg. There are a lot of very IPAs and DIPAs.

Check out NSFW. Nothing like that on any other sports message board I've ever been on.

You'll thank me later.

 

[Adanac]

Alexander Keiths IPA......my fave.

 

[Podunkparte]

I'm new here and this is my first post. I came to this Site for the 49er forum but can't seem to get beyond the Beer Forum. It's not the first time beer has side tracked me...

A couple years ago I could have named my favorite IPA and Double IPA, but that ship has sailed. I can name good beers and I can name bad ones, but after having drank about 500 IPA and DIPAs, placing one at the top isn't possible... at least for me.

Some excellent IPAs are:
Ballast Point's Sculpin
Portsmouth's Bottle Rocket
Ska's Modus Hoperandi
Hop Valley's Proxima Centauri
Boneyard's RPM

Double IPAs I like are:
Russian River's Pliny the Elder
Bell's Hop Slam
Three Floyd's Dreadnaught
Foley Brothers' Fair Maiden
Firestone Walker's Double Jack

...... and that's just the tip of the iceberg. There are a lot of very IPAs and DIPAs.

Shit! A 9ers/A's fan I actually respect. What the hell?!

Seriously though, you have good taste in IPAs, though you mentioned RPM for IPA but no mention of Hop Venom for DIPA? Boneyard is a fantastic brewery. If you can, keep a lookout for Notorious, their Triple IPA. It's outstanding. If you've tried Pliny the Younger, Notorious is PtY if it were actually drinkable for more than about 8oz

If you ever venture up north for a 9ers/Hawks game let me know and I'll buy you a beer. Lots of great places in Seattle

 

[OregonRob]

Thanks for the warm welcome.


Adanac,
My buddy in Regina Saskatchewan loves Alexander Keith's IPA. It's his "house" beer. It was perfect for watching a televised Roughrider's football game this past summer. At 5%, it doesn't put you to sleep by the 3rd quarter. Good session beer.


Podunkparte,
Hop Venom is a great ale and had I listed ten DIPAs, it would have definitely made my list. Their Notorious triple IPA is on my future to-drink list. So many beers, so little time. I've been to their brewery a number of times. For such a relatively new brewery, they have really taken off... and that's not easy to do in Bend Oregon, where a new brewery pops up every week or so. We even looked at a house to buy directly across the street from their brewery. Decided that would not be a good idea.


Thanks for the invite. I'm still licking my wounds from our recent trip to Levi Stadium for the Rams game. I haven't cried that much since my daughter's birth... 28 years ago.

 

[HammerDown]

All three of your teams will be happy to see another fan on SportsHoopla.

 

[thecrow124]

I'm new here and this is my first post. I came to this Site for the 49er forum but can't seem to get beyond the Beer Forum. It's not the first time beer has side tracked me...

A couple years ago I could have named my favorite IPA and Double IPA, but that ship has sailed. I can name good beers and I can name bad ones, but after having drank about 500 IPA and DIPAs, placing one at the top isn't possible... at least for me.

Some excellent IPAs are:
Ballast Point's Sculpin
Portsmouth's Bottle Rocket
Ska's Modus Hoperandi
Hop Valley's Proxima Centauri
Boneyard's RPM

Double IPAs I like are:
Russian River's Pliny the Elder
Bell's Hop Slam
Three Floyd's Dreadnaught
Foley Brothers' Fair Maiden
Firestone Walker's Double Jack

...... and that's just the tip of the iceberg. There are a lot of very IPAs and DIPAs.

Out of that list I have had Hop Slam and that is it. The only other one I have seen is Dreadnaught.

 

[OregonRob]

Out of that list I have had Hop Slam and that is it. The only other one I have seen is Dreadnaught.

IPAs and DIPA are just about all I've been drinking the past 10-11 years. Many a good beer has come and gone in that time... never to be seen again. I have in the past and will continue to occasionally drink other types of beer, just so long as I'm not the one buying. I'm recently retired and we do a lot of traveling, both here and abroad. I prefer the beer here. On our trip to see friends in Canada this summer, we charted out course through about a dozen or so breweries. We spent a night in Jackson Wyoming just so we could visit the Snake River Brewing Company and drink a couple Pako's Eye-P-As. They were good but their Rob-Still-Sucks DIPA was outstanding. I couldn't resist a beer with my name on it. Finding and drinking IPAs is kind of a hobby.