India, Imperial, Double...I love them all.

[TnutsShave]

As I've matured, my tastes have changed (there's a shocker) and I'm find myself drinking some variation of Pale Ales exclusively. Total Wine near my work is a real treat with the "build your own six pack". I spent about a half hour building a six pack yesterday of various IPA's. My experience is is fairly limited, relatively speaking, as there are just countless craft brews out there for a "hop-head".

Some favorites so far:

New Belgium Dig (seasonal)
New Belgium Ranger
Alaskan IPA
Dogfish Head 60 minute
Stone IPA
Stone Levitation
Red Hook Longhammer
Fishtail Organic IPA
Mission Brewery Shipwrecked Double IPA (from San Diego...my favorite so far)
Firestone IPA
Hopknot (Four Peaks Brewery - local, very cool place and great food if you're ever in Phoenix)
Myrcenary IPA

What do you guys like and what are your "MUST TRY" Pale Ales? It's funny, when I first tried beer, it was the bitterness that I ran away from. Now I'm running toward it with open arms!

 

[rwdflynavy]

Dogfish 90 is my sweet spot. The 120 was undrinkable for me. I have 2 IPA's on tap in my kegerator as we speak (brew my own).

 

[TnutsShave]

That's great! Honestly, the Dogfish 60 wasn't my favorite and I've never had the 90 or 120...it tastes "malty" to me. I love a nice bitterness offset by a good citrus note. The Shipwrecked delivers on both of those points.

Stone's standard IPA is a little much for me. I LOVE hops, but to throw them in in ridiculous amounts just to say you did, doesn't make much sense to me.

Soooooo...would a bottle survive the trip from VA to AZ?

A buddy of mine brews in Tucson, and he makes some really good stuff. The home brewing fascinates me, but I've never tried it.

 

[Techichi]

Just a few that I'm pretty sure you get in AZ.

Sierra Nevada - Pale Ale, Celebration (winter seasonal), Torpedo, and anything they list as a "Fresh Hop Ale"...buy it.
Ballast Point Sculpin and Big Eye
Victory Hop Wallop and Hop Devil
Alaskan IPA
Bear Republic Racer 5
Shmaltz He'brew Hop Manna
Lagunitas IPA and especially Little Sumpin Sumpin
Samuel Adams Latitude
Ska Modus Hoperandi

I'm also a big fan of the American Black Ales formerly known as Black IPAs. Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale being one of the best and most accessible. Lots of dark malt with the influence still being on the hops. Very nice.

 

[conroygc]

I love IPAs and bitter beers. You should try an ESB next time you see one. Same bitter hoppy flavor, but with a "darker beer" base, if that makes sense. They're my favorite kind!

 

[awsmith4]

I am a huge IPA fan

You are not far from CA so try and find yourself Russian River Pliny the Elder, RR Blind Pig, and Ballast Point Sculpin. Those will treat you well

A few that I have had this week in celebration of August 2nd, National IPA Day

Anderson Valley 20th Anniversary Imperial IPA
Napa Smith Hopageddon
Founders Double Trouble
Dogfish 90
Lagunitas IPA
Sweetwater IPA
Stone Runiation 10th
Green Flash IPA

Some Pale Ales I have enjoyed recently

Deschutes Mirror Pond
Sweetwater 420

Also be sure to search out American Black Ales or Black IPAs like 21st Amendment Back in Black (man me and Techichi are on the same wave length)

 

[TnutsShave]

I love IPAs and bitter beers. You should try an ESB next time you see one. Same bitter hoppy flavor, but with a "darker beer" base, if that makes sense. They're my favorite kind!

I've had the ESB and I wasn't a big fan.

I've tried a few of Black Ales, and they were just "ok" for me but I'm willing to experiment a bit more. I'm thinking colder weather might suit that kind of beer. That can be hard to come by out here! Excellent suggestions guys, looks like I've got some shopping to do!

 

[Techichi]

I've had the ESB and I wasn't a big fan.

I've tried a few of Black Ales, and they were just "ok" for me but I'm willing to experiment a bit more. I'm thinking colder weather might suit that kind of beer. That can be hard to come by out here! Excellent suggestions guys, looks like I've got some shopping to do!

Yeah, I prefer DIPAs and Black IPAs in the fall and winter. But the good black IPAs really aren't thick and too high in ABV% like stouts or some porters (unless it's listed as a double black like the Stone 15th Ann Escodian Ale or Clown Shoes Hoppy Feet 1.5 was....OH! those were good). It's really just enough chocolate malt to darken the beer and provide a nice compliment to the hops. Hopefully the hops are of the pungent and fruity kind. Kind of like the Stone beer I mentioned before. Just realized I left off DIPAs.

DIPAs:

Avery Maharaja
Deschutes Hop Henge
Great Divide Hercules
He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A
Lagunitas Hop Stoopid, Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale (winter seasonal)
Sierra Nevada Hoptimum
Squatters Hop Rising

Other Honorable Black IPA mentions:

Deschutes Hop in the Dark
Victory Yakima Glory
Widmer Brothers W"10 Pitch Black IPA

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

SN Hoptimum has been mentioned and it is my favorite IPA this year. I saw HopHenge mentioned... Hop is in the Dark is good too if you like Cascadian Dark Ales and I imagine you will. I like Grand Teton's ***** Creek which is an ESB kind of. Grand tetons Pursuit of HOppiness is great too. It is an imperial red.

Odell realeased Pond Hopper- a limited edition brew they collobarated with a brewery in ENgland with so it is an English style Double ESB. It is different than how we Americans are using hops but I thought it was still really good.

I've been enjoying a lot of Rye IPAs. SN Ruthless Rye was what I drank a lot of over the winter and a lot of other breweries have been doing small batches of specialties with it. Brau Brothers has a RyeWyne Ale, Boulevard Rye on Rye... All amazing.

 

[Techichi]

SN Hoptimum has been mentioned and it is my favorite IPA this year. I saw HopHenge mentioned... Hop is in the Dark is good too if you like Cascadian Dark Ales and I imagine you will. I like Grand Teton's ***** Creek which is an ESB kind of. Grand tetons Pursuit of HOppiness is great too. It is an imperial red.

Odell realeased Pond Hopper- a limited edition brew they collobarated with a brewery in ENgland with so it is an English style Double ESB. It is different than how we Americans are using hops but I thought it was still really good.

I've been enjoying a lot of Rye IPAs. SN Ruthless Rye was what I drank a lot of over the winter and a lot of other breweries have been doing small batches of specialties with it. Brau Brothers has a RyeWyne Ale, Boulevard Rye on Rye... All amazing.

You have good taste. A small brewery here in TX, Real Ale, has a double ESB that is fantastic. It's called Phoenixx. It's one of my staple go to beers right now when I'm taking a break from IPAs.

And +1 on the RyePAs. I really enjoyed the ruthless rye. Bear Republic has the Hop Rod Rye as well. The He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A I mentioned before is actually a DIPA with rye...very good. Although it's really close to a barley wine. Lots of malt. Rye is a really tasty grain for IPAs IMO.

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

Davenport, Iowa has micro called Great River Brewery. They have a RyePA called Hopopotamus. It was decent. I've had one of the He'Brew beers but I don't remember which. South Dakota is getting a better beer selection but it is still lacking.

I'll be brewing a RyePA next weekend speaking of Ryes.

Bell's Two Hearted Ale is great. Surly Furious is another good one but they only distribute in MN.

I'm spoiled by working at a restaurant with Odell's Myrcenary and St Lupalin, Grand Teton's ***** Creek and Pursuit of Hoppiness, SN Hoptimum, Tallgrass Oasis and North Coast Acme IPA all on tap... Bottle selection isn't bad either.

 

[TnutsShave]

Ok, last night was Deschutes Inversion. Pretty good, although I had it with a bacon cheeseburger, so it probably could have been dishwater and I would have enjoyed it. The RyePA's sound interesting. I picked up another build-your-own sixer yesterday using suggestions you kind gentlemen have given me. It's time to put on my big boy pants and get to work. It's a dirty job, but someone has got to do it.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. Oh, and ChefJohnBoy-ardee, your restaurant has Odell's Myrcenary on tap?! You lucky SOB! There is a cigar lounge not far from my house that has that one on tap as well. Very tasty! It will be a go-to for me, no question.

 

[imarcus]

Founders makes some excellent IPAs. Try their Centennial IPA, All Day IPA and Red's Rye PA.

 

[trick420]

OH WOW. Love IPAs of all kinds... Here's my list of IPA love:

Ballast Point Sculpin IPA
Russian River Pliny the Elder (If you can find it - they don't distribute outside of N. CA)
Ninkasi Tricerahops DIPA
Green Flash West Coast IPA
Green Flash LeFreak Belgian IPA (One of my favorites)
Port Brewing Shark Attack, Mongo DIPA (Awesome)
Lagunitas Hop Stoopid, Hairy Eyeball, and Little Sumpin' Sumpin'
Anderson Valley DIPA
Firestone Walker Double Jack
Avery Maharaja
Retribution Imperial IPA
Dogfishhead 90 minute IPA
Deschutes Hop in the Dark
Boulevard Double Wide IPA (DIPA)
Bear Republic Racer X DIPA (another awesome DIPA), and Racer 5
Yazoo Hop Project
Terrapin Rye Pale Ale
Stone Ruination, Vertical Epic
Sierra Nevada Torpedo, Southern Hemisphere, Northern Hemisphere
Sweetwater IPA
My current favorite DIPA is Three Floyds Dreadnaught, and I just last night tried their Cowpocalypse. Three Floyds, like Russian River, is very limited distribution.

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

Ok, last night was Deschutes Inversion. Pretty good, although I had it with a bacon cheeseburger, so it probably could have been dishwater and I would have enjoyed it. The RyePA's sound interesting. I picked up another build-your-own sixer yesterday using suggestions you kind gentlemen have given me. It's time to put on my big boy pants and get to work. It's a dirty job, but someone has got to do it.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. Oh, and ChefJohnBoy-ardee, your restaurant has Odell's Myrcenary on tap?! You lucky SOB! There is a cigar lounge not far from my house that has that one on tap as well. Very tasty! It will be a go-to for me, no question.

I forget about beers that I can't get like Founders... So much hops!!!!
Mikkeller has some amazingly hoppy brews. Brew dog does aswell

My restaurant has 35 taps and we have another 70ish bottles. We like beer. Its wierd. Most taps are are IPAs or Stouts/Porters...

 

[TnutsShave]

Ok, last night was Stone Ruination.

Wow...that was fantastic. I believe I'll be picking up more of that.

I was undecided on my way home as to what I wanted to drink and then I arrived to find out one of my oldest friends was posting pictures on the old FB from Stone Brewery and Bistro in California (and rubbing it in my face just a bit, I have to say). It was fate.

 

[Techichi]

I'm still looking for a fresh batch of Ruination. I remember trying it and thinking it was too bitter when I first started with craft beer. I'm a completely different beer drinker these days though.

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

I wish I could get Stone beers in SD. So much hops!

 

[trick420]

Ruination is a great litmus-test beer. It's no Pliny the Elder or Hopslam, but it's great, and is usually pretty consistent. It's easy to get here in TN, so I drink it often.

Now, if I could just get ahold of another batch of Three Floyds...

 

[awsmith4]

Ruination is a great litmus-test beer. It's no Pliny the Elder or Hopslam, but it's great, and is usually pretty consistent. It's easy to get here in TN, so I drink it often.

Now, if I could just get ahold of another batch of Three Floyds...

I wish we could get 3Fs down here too! I have a buddy up in Chicago that sent me some Arctic Panzer Wolf, along with several other of their beers, and that was one outstanding DIPA.

Do you guys get Ballast Point or Bear Republic up in TN? I grab their brews every time I am in SC or NC but TN is a short ride especially if it nets great beer.