Favorite IPA??

[KPP]

Wow, tough question right here... I'd have to go with: Lagunitas IPA

Three Floyd's Alpha Kind is also really hoppy for the abv, especially.

Three Floyd's Alpha King looks/sounds good....I'll have to keep an eye out for that one.

Since you're a Lagunitas lover, keep an eye out for their Hop Stoopid, and Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale (Nice Hops, but w/ a little sweetness)........both very good, and I enjoy more than their regular IPA.

 

[MP.]

Bell's Hopslam is easily my favorite. Unfortunately, it only gets released in January and it never lasts long.

My second favorite, Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree, is also a limited release. They take their regular V
Crooked Tree IPA recipe and double everything except for the water. It is much maltier than most IIPA's but it really works.

My favorite year-rounders are Bell's Two Hearted, Short's Huma-Lupa-Licious and Dogfish Head 90 minute.

 

[BagfullofPings]

As stated above, Moylan's Hopsickle also try:

Ballast Point - Sculpin
Alpine Brewing - Duet
Caldera Brewing - Caldera IPA

Alpine :glassesgr

 

[sean]

BP:
Sculpin
Dorado

Alpine:
Pure Hoppiness
Exponential Hoppiness
Duet
Nelson

Alesmith:
Alemsith IPA

Deschutes:
Hop in the Dark (Black IPA)

Port:
Black Lie (the first Black IPA)
Wipe Out

Russian River:
Pliny the Elder (the Best Double IPA on the planet)

the list goes on...

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY:
In response to your question about never going back after your switch to the hop-side, you will eventually burn your palate out. I've been drinking over-hopped beers since around 99 or 2000 (thank you, Stone) and recently (in the last two years) found that I stay further from the hop-monsters in favor of Imperial Stouts, Baltic Porters, or just about anything with big flavor that isn't loaded with stupid amounts of hops. I'll have a IPA or two now and then, but they don't have the same WOW factor as they used to. Remember:
1) Variety is the spice of life.
2) Too much of a good thing is bad for you.

 

[KPP]

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY:
In response to your question about never going back after your switch to the hop-side, you will eventually burn your palate out.

Thanks for the long list......i'm gonna have quite the "grocery list" just from this thread, so that's certainly appreciated.

I've had the Cascade Hop in the Dark by Deschutes, and that's an AMAZING beer...just didn't include it, since it's a "hybrid" of sorts...half stout, half IPA. But it is great nonetheless...

As is Old Viscosity by Port Brewing. I guess I'm appreciating beers that have "hops" in them...of all kinds. Regular browns/ambers seem lifeless and muddled flavor-wise without.The Hop in the Dark and Old Viscosity have great Coffee/Chocolate flavors, yet have a good amount of hops to kick-em up a notch...

Also, I've been noticing, after a night of drinking 4-5 "hop-monsters", in the morning, my palate feels like I'd smoked 3-4 cigars the night before, when I might not of had even one. I found that rather interesting and was wondering if it was all the hops...which was the only thing that seemed to make sense....

 

[torin]

Dog Fish Head 120 min IPA!!!

 

[iCraig]

Don't really have one. I've tried a lot of the beers in this thread and generally have enjoyed them all.

 

[unfairtoast]

I like simple Bridgeport IPA

 

[sean]

Thanks for the long list......i'm gonna have quite the "grocery list" just from this thread, so that's certainly appreciated.

I've had the Cascade Hop in the Dark by Deschutes, and that's an AMAZING beer...just didn't include it, since it's a "hybrid" of sorts...half stout, half IPA. But it is great nonetheless...

As is Old Viscosity by Port Brewing. I guess I'm appreciating beers that have "hops" in them...of all kinds. Regular browns/ambers seem lifeless and muddled flavor-wise without.The Hop in the Dark and Old Viscosity have great Coffee/Chocolate flavors, yet have a good amount of hops to kick-em up a notch...

Also, I've been noticing, after a night of drinking 4-5 "hop-monsters", in the morning, my palate feels like I'd smoked 3-4 cigars the night before, when I might not of had even one. I found that rather interesting and was wondering if it was all the hops...which was the only thing that seemed to make sense....

A black IPA is essentially an IPA first, with the modification of the roasted barley. All beer is essentially a hybrid of either an Ale, or Lager... IPA is a mutation from a Pale Ale, overly hopped (for the hops antibacterial qualities) to ensure that every barrel made it to India... the brewers can tell you more about it.

As for Old Viz, that is a Russian Imperial Stout. I am not sure just how much hops is in that one, in particular, but it does have BIG flavor (as do most RIS's). It's been about 5 months since we had it on at the beer bar I work at (and I've been tasting everything that's come through since then), so the flavor has been out of my memory for a while... but what I can tell you is that it is a very good example of a Russian Imperial Stout, along with Old Rasputin, and... well, who cares? I'm just geeking-out here... and when I do that, I ramble. Sorry.

That morning-after flavor is the hops and the malty-alcoholic-goodness maybe mixed with a good open-mouthed snore? I get it from drinking many high-abv beers (and my wife hates it).

What sorta beers were you drinking before hand? Just curious. My beer-nerd buddies and I have this casual study going about just how it is that people begin to care about craft brew, and how people move through the styles. Believe it or not, there are loose patterns amongst craft drinkers..

 

[smokinghole]

I never noticed a morning after feel except a headache from drinking too many IPAs. Then again I don't get a morning after feel from smoking cigars anymore either soooo who cares what I'm saying.

Though I've never had Old Viscosity many RISs are highly hopped typically only bittering hops because they tend to end up with more residual sweetness than most beers. For example a six gallon batch for me of a beer to emulate Bells 2hearted gets 6-8 ounces of centennial hops (6-9%aa) depending on the alpha acid content. That's only for 60 min boil time and the quantity is split into four additions at 60, 15, 5, and 1/0 minutes. The RIS I just brewed up on saturday had 6oz of the highest alpha acid hop I had in the fridge which was warrior (15%aa). The whole 6oz went into the boil kettle at 90 min. The theoretical bitterness RIS is 140+ but the two hearted is at 70ish. It's said you can't taste more than 100. There's nothing saying that there isn't aroma or flavor hops in a RIS. Hell Troegs did a cask of Javahead Stout and they dryhopped it with cascade and let it sit on vanilla. It was quite good.

 

[KPP]

As for Old Viz, that is a Russian Imperial Stout. I am not sure just how much hops is in that one, in particular, but it does have BIG flavor (as do most RIS's). It's been about 5 months since we had it on at the beer bar I work at (and I've been tasting everything that's come through since then), so the flavor has been out of my memory for a while... but what I can tell you is that it is a very good example of a Russian Imperial Stout, along with Old Rasputin, and... well, who cares? I'm just geeking-out here... and when I do that, I ramble. Sorry.

No need for apologies....I love talkin' about beer!...LOL. It's been quite a while since I've had the Old Ras...but I don't recall getting the hoppiness that I get out of the Old V. So given the choice, the Old V. wins that battle hands down, although the Old Ras was certainly good....just a little tooo smooth for my liking.

What sorta beers were you drinking before hand? Just curious. My beer-nerd buddies and I have this casual study going about just how it is that people begin to care about craft brew, and how people move through the styles. Believe it or not, there are loose patterns amongst craft drinkers...

I'll sum it up as succinct as I can:

College - Busch Light/Coors Light
25-30 - Ambers/Browns (NB Fat Tire, Mac N' Jacks African Amber, Newcastle etc.)
31-33 - Wheats (Pranqster, Hogaarden etc.)
current - IPA (...and starting threads @ BOTL...LOL) Truly, Pliny the Elder flipped the switch for me, as I drank IPA's before, but never really cared for em' all that much. Like growing an appreciation for wine, or sushi for example....I believe Hops are certainly an acquired taste.

 

[KPP]

I never noticed a morning after feel except a headache from drinking too many IPAs. Then again I don't get a morning after feel from smoking cigars anymore either soooo who cares what I'm saying.

Though I've never had Old Viscosity many RISs are highly hopped typically only bittering hops because they tend to end up with more residual sweetness than most beers. For example a six gallon batch for me of a beer to emulate Bells 2hearted gets 6-8 ounces of centennial hops (6-9%aa) depending on the alpha acid content. That's only for 60 min boil time and the quantity is split into four additions at 60, 15, 5, and 1/0 minutes. The RIS I just brewed up on saturday had 6oz of the highest alpha acid hop I had in the fridge which was warrior (15%aa). The whole 6oz went into the boil kettle at 90 min. The theoretical bitterness RIS is 140+ but the two hearted is at 70ish. It's said you can't taste more than 100. There's nothing saying that there isn't aroma or flavor hops in a RIS. Hell Troegs did a cask of Javahead Stout and they dryhopped it with cascade and let it sit on vanilla. It was quite good.

I need to seriously consider home-brewing, b/c you sir.....have taken this to a whole'nuther level....and that I am envious of. :glassesgr

I'm fairly certain my wife would want to kill me though.....she's just recently grown to accept that I have a Vino in my office filled with boxes of cigars...not sure how she'd handle our garage being converted into an at-home brewery..LOL.

 

[SkinsFanLarry]

:applause: Track 1 by Roanoke Railhouse Brewery! :applause:

 

[Bass man]

Not a big IPA fan but do like Hebrew Lenny Bruce RIPA.

 

[sean]

I need to seriously consider home-brewing, b/c you sir.....have taken this to a whole'nuther level....and that I am envious of. :glassesgr

I'm fairly certain my wife would want to kill me though.....she's just recently grown to accept that I have a Vino in my office filled with boxes of cigars...not sure how she'd handle our garage being converted into an at-home brewery..LOL.

Here's an idea: The cicerone certification/! This way you have an excuse to drink beer, and obtain a certificate WITHOUT having to piss-off the wife with more big-ticket-item-purchases...

 

[smokinghole]

I need to seriously consider home-brewing, b/c you sir.....have taken this to a whole'nuther level....and that I am envious of. :glassesgr

I'm fairly certain my wife would want to kill me though.....she's just recently grown to accept that I have a Vino in my office filled with boxes of cigars...not sure how she'd handle our garage being converted into an at-home brewery..LOL.

Mine isn't real understanding but she deals.

 

[CraigD]

My favorite standard American IPAs have been Bells Two-hearted, Cigar City Jai alai, and A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' from Lagunitas. For an IIPA I like Dogfish 90 minute (on draft is much better than bottle IMO.) Arrogant Bastard is one of my favorite all time beers which doesn't exactly fit the IIPA category but it doesn't really fit anywhere else either so I put it there.

I tend to go back and forth between malty and hoppy beers depending on mood.

 

[Eddy]

Forgive my n00biness but what is an IPA?

 

[CraigD]

India Pale Ale. Also referred to as "OMFG THIS RULZ!" if you are from the texting generation. :thumbsup:

 

[Fourtotheflush]

College - Busch Light/Coors Light

So you had cash! If I was up to Busch light then I was on a spending spree!