Which Session IPA do you like better?

[DragonHead Brewery]

I've had them both. All Day is my daily drinker. Even Keel is good and so is Mango Even Keel (for a change). I love Ballast Point. I've had habanero Sculpin in the tasting room last time I was in San Diego. Awesome beer! I've tried to develop a session IPA for a house beer. Brewed 3.2% several times but I lost body. Tried to get it back by using English malts and/or German. I keep trying to duplicate the grassy from Founder's. Not enough luck yet. Gonna keep working on it but I may have use more malt and raise abv. Any ideas about the DH on Founder's?

 

[DragonHead Brewery]

Go To is a really good beer.

 

[jcrowther]

I find All Day to be insipid, I'll not bother getting that again. Even Keel has far more flavour. 21st Amendment's Down to Earth is another favourite, but not quite up to Even Keel in flavour. I'm glad that at last the brewers are producing sub-4% beers with some flavour and good 'mouth'.

 

[Zoebendad]

I agree - 21st Amendment's Down to Earth is my favorite session ale out of them all. However, I do also enjoy Pinner, All Day and Terrapin's Recreation. Here in New Jersey, Carton Brewing has a good session ale - Boat Beer - 4.20%, but billed as more of an American Pale ale, not IPA.

 

[mls1970]

Even Keel is good, only had it once though. I have had alot more founders so between the two I would say founders. I must say though my favorite session IPA right now is Stone Go To. Cheers!

 

[clevernonsense]

I like both a lot. all day probably my favorite for being lighter and cheaper around here

singlecut 18-watt is my favorite right now, tho I think it's 5%

 

[madscientist451]

FW Easy Jack

 

[hotstack]

Pizza Port Ponto was my first, but don't see it often here in Japan. Easy Jack and All Day are around a bit though and I love them as well.

 

[timobkg]

I think it very much depends on what you're looking for flavor and aroma wise, since everyone's tastes and expectations are different.

My personal favorite is Ipswitch SIPA. Would never have tried it on my own, but I got some as a gift and was surprised by how good it was. I liked it better than either All Day IPA or Even Keel. Of course it's not available in my area...

 

[HappyPappy2x]

Fort George Big Guns, hands down, is my favorite "session IPA" right now. I love the hops profile - Dry tropical fruit, piney, dank. Someone from Beer Connoisseur suggested Nugget, Meridian, and Mosaic. It's very similar to the 21st Amendment pales in hops and flavor. It's is 4.2% ABV, super dry, and slightly bitter. I'd say more bitter than most pale ales I've had, so qualifying it as a Session IPA works, IMHO. I've been critical of the "pseudo-category" for sometime, but somehow, this beer holds the hops flavor UP like very few ipas can. I live in Portland, OR, so freshness is not hard to come by with Astoria's Fort George beers. I should try aging a few...

The one I'm drinking right now was canned on 11/10/16, which makes it only about a month old. Still huge hops flavor and aroma. I still pucker after minutes of sipping.

Would love to hear from others who love/tried to emulate Big Guns as a homebrew. Oh, I've read Fort George's house yeast is Wyeast's NW Ale, so that may help....

 

[freshouj]

Agree on Big Guns...delicious

 

[SHAIV]

Sweetwater hash session IPA

 

[6midgets]

Terrapin brewing in Athens GA has a 'Recreation Ale' at 4.7 that I like - and it's local. I tend to only see that and Founders in stores. Both are good in my book.

Yeah I'm with you. Recreation Ale is some count.