Commercial IPAs

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Of what hasn't been mentioned, I like Big Sky's IPA or Rogue's Brutal Bitter.
 
phenry said:
Rogue's Yellow Snow IPA is by far one of my favorites.

YES! Good call! My x bought me one as a surprise one time since she knew I had never tried it, and I had to congratulate her on finding one of the hoppiest commercial beers I had in a while!
 
man, all this talk about torpedo makes me want to go out and pick some up. Haven't had any in a while.

oh yeah, good ipas that have good distribution

deschutes inversion IPA
green flash WC ipa
boulder brewing mojo ipa
firestone union jack
 
man, all this talk about torpedo makes me want to go out and pick some up. Haven't had any in a while.

oh yeah, good ipas that have good distribution

deschutes inversion IPA
green flash WC ipa
boulder brewing mojo ipa
firestone union jack

Good call about distribution. When I was thinking about what commercial IPAs I like, I was trying to think about brands that might be big enough to be known outside of the West Coast region. Its tough, makes me want to travel more, and drink more beer!!!:mug:
 
I opened up a bottle of Red Hook IPA and it was dissapointing. It tasted like it may have once been a decent beer, but degraded in the bottle and lost all its nose and the only thing left was the bitterness.

Can anyone reccomend a good commercial IPA and tell me which ones not to waste my money on?

I'll reccomend one good one, Sweetwater IPA brewed in Atlanta, GA. Awesome!

I try and buy whatever IPA my local store sells the most of, because a fresh IPA is a good IPA. My favorites are Bells Two Hearted, Two Brothers' IPA's because they are local to me and Sierra Nevada Torpedo.
 
Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA
Dogfishhead 60 min IPA
Flying Dog Raging *****
 
Bell's two hearted ale
Inversion
Torpedo
and one that has not been mentioned
New Belgium Ranger (my personal favorite)

stay away from Sam adams 48 lat. (personally, not a good mouth feel)
and Big Sky IPA (just a poor example of an IPA)
 
This list is seriously lacking in Colorado suds!

Great Divide Titan IPA and Fresh Hop
Avery India Pale Ale and Maharaja (tho it's an imperial, of course)
Odell IPA
 
badmajon said:
I opened up a bottle of Red Hook IPA and it was dissapointing. It tasted like it may have once been a decent beer, but degraded in the bottle and lost all its nose and the only thing left was the bitterness.

Can anyone reccomend a good commercial IPA and tell me which ones not to waste my money on?

I'll reccomend one good one, Sweetwater IPA brewed in Atlanta, GA. Awesome!

I've been drinking the Real Ale Brewing Co. Lost Gold IPA. So damn good. Not too high alcohol, hop character lingers between English and American IPA. Body is full, but finishes dry. It embodies all that is good in an IPA.
 
This list is seriously lacking in Colorado suds!

Great Divide Titan IPA and Fresh Hop
Avery India Pale Ale and Maharaja (tho it's an imperial, of course)
Odell IPA

Dear god I LOVE Titan IPA, not sure how I failed to mention it. Easily in my top three favorite IPAs.
 
Two Hearted Ale

/thread. kidding.

To the OP, you goota check out Terrapin, I just moved from Ga, Terrapin makes some great hoppy beers.
 
Lagunita's is my favorite but Stone and Avery are close seconds. If you can find some Lagunitas Li'l Sumpin Sumpin try it. I'm not sure if it's really considered an IPA but it's one hell of a tasty hoppy beer. It has a very complicated hop bill that just comes out great.
 
Ravenshead said:
Lagunita's is my favorite but Stone and Avery are close seconds. If you can find some Lagunitas Li'l Sumpin Sumpin try it. I'm not sure if it's really considered an IPA but it's one hell of a tasty hoppy beer. It has a very complicated hop bill that just comes out great.

We are lucky enough to have Tim August the main sales rep for Lagunitas in our homebrew club in Willits Ca. He doesn't actually brew himself, but they definitely brew where he works and he brings crazy new brews and specialty runs to the meetings. Most everything we get to try before it hits shelves. My personal favorite was the Wilco Tango Foxtrot (WTF) it was a one timer im pretty sure but if you got any of it it was one of the best commercial beers ever to be had. Hop Stoopid is a regular in my refridgerator.
 
I am not a big fan of most of Sams' stuff, but this wasn't to bad. But, when Wachusetts' Green Monsta is on tap also, theres only time for one Latitude 48.

I had a Green Monsta for the first time last weekend. Damn fine!

One local brew that I really like that is starting to be found all around North America is Central City Red Racer. Best commercial IPA that can be found in a can. :ban:
 
We are lucky enough to have Tim August the main sales rep for Lagunitas in our home brew club in Willits Ca. He doesn't actually brew himself, but they definitely brew where he works and he brings crazy new brews and specialty runs to the meetings. Most everything we get to try before it hits shelves. My personal favorite was the Wilco Tango Foxtrot (WTF) it was a one timer im pretty sure but if you got any of it it was one of the best commercial beers ever to be had. Hop Stoopid is a regular in my refridgerator.

Lucky bastage :tank:.
Hop Stoopid was the beer that turned me on to the company. I liked WTF fairly well but it's not really my style. They make it seasonally in March so you'll want to stock up next year..
 
The IPA was my first love but it seems everyone and their mother brews them now and not many out there are worth mentioning. Sadly, the Fridays around here stopped carrying HopDevil and replaced it with Harpoon:( So I guess in my travels, here are some IPAs I am rather fond of:

Stone IPA (both IPA and Ruination)
Dogfish Heads both 60 and 90 minute IPAs
Sierra Nevada make an alright IPA
Victory HopDevil
EDIT: I knew there was one I was forgetting, thanks to brewhaha for reminding me about the Wilco Tango Foxtrot by Lagunitas. It's pretty tasty. (Although this is an Imperial Brown Ale, it is still worth mentioning.)

I know its a pretty generic list but I guess that says something. I've had a few others as well that just are not worth mentioning. At my local BuyRite, one brewery (maybe flying dog) had a description about their IPA along the lines of "Does the world need another IPA? Well no but this one is DIFFERENT!" I rolled my eyes and moved on. I also had my growler filled with Firestone Walkers Double Jack which I believe was an IIPA. However it was fantastic and if they do make an IPA I'm sure it would be equally as amazing. As for Redhook themselves, my brother had a case of their winter ale. He hated it and I drank the few that he left in the fridge and did not mind them. They were sorta bitter and lacking any other flavor profile however in time it grew on me and I preferred them at room temp. It seemed to cut the bitterness a bit.
 
Firestone Walker does make a regular ipa-Union Jack. It's better than the double Jack in my opinion and, as I stated earlier in this thread, is what I consider the second best standard ipa available commercially, behind Cigar City Jai-alai.
 
My favorite commercial IPA's in order below:

Bell's Two Hearted
Founders Centennial IPA
Sierra Nevada Torpedo
 
I know its a pretty generic list but I guess that says something. I've had a few others as well that just are not worth mentioning. At my local BuyRite, one brewery (maybe flying dog) had a description about their IPA along the lines of "Does the world need another IPA? Well no but this one is DIFFERENT!" I rolled my eyes and moved on. I also had my growler filled with Firestone Walkers Double Jack which I believe was an IIPA. However it was fantastic and if they do make an IPA I'm sure it would be equally as amazing. As for Redhook themselves, my brother had a case of their winter ale. He hated it and I drank the few that he left in the fridge and did not mind them. They were sorta bitter and lacking any other flavor profile however in time it grew on me and I preferred them at room temp. It seemed to cut the bitterness a bit.

Flying Dog's Snake Dog is actually pretty good. Belhaven's Twisted Thistle ain't bad either. They ain't great but they'll do when you just gotta have some hops and that's all there is.
 
This list is seriously lacking in Colorado suds!

Great Divide Titan IPA and Fresh Hop
Avery India Pale Ale and Maharaja (tho it's an imperial, of course)
Odell IPA

Avery IPA and Great Divide Titan IPA are both great.

I'll add my favorite Colorado IPA: Upslope's IPA, which is probably only buyable in the Denver/Boulder area. (Warning: I oddly find it way, way better in a can than at the brewery itself. Maybe it's the difference in how they carbonate?)

And for the record, I've never been impressed with Sierra Nevada Torpedo, and I actually dislike Stone Ruination. //shrug//
 
I think Torpedo is awesome. Just went through a six pack. Founders Centennial grew on me, I was really digging it by the time I finished the 6, figures. I had a Hop Devil and it wasn't as great as I remembered it but I am hoping that the bottles where old or something. The hops where pretty lifeless. Been getting back into IPAs since the weather broke. Trying to have as many brands as I can. Finally found a place that has Russian River. Digging the locals. I really like Imperial IPAs and Black IPAs too. Like I said normally a stout and wheat type of dood but I am in the mood. They all taste unique to me. So much you can do with the hop schedules. First wort, hopback, continuous, dry hop, wet hop whatever.
 
Southern Tier - Unearthly IIPA is one of the best beers i've had and i don't even particularly favor IPAs
 
Agree, one of the best beers in america, any style. Very balanced.
I'll second that about Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. I've only tried it from a bottle but I heard its amazing on tap...

I also think North Coast Acme IPA is worthy of a mention. All North Coast beers are good.

Anybody in Central CA should try "Hops of Wrath" by Dust Bowl Brewing also really good.
 
I think Torpedo is awesome. Just went through a six pack. Founders Centennial grew on me, I was really digging it by the time I finished the 6, figures. I had a Hop Devil and it wasn't as great as I remembered it but I am hoping that the bottles where old or something. The hops where pretty lifeless. B

To me, Hopdevil is a completely unique IPA. With the dry piney/resin taste and smell, it tastes unlike any other. People either love it or hate it. I personally have to be in the mood for it, but when that happens it is some of the best beer for the price you can find.
 
Bells Two Hearted Ale
Founders Centennial IPA
Dog Fish Head 60

I was really disappointed with the Harpoons IPA when I tried it in Boston last week.
 
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