Fiddlehead Brewing IPA

I picked up a growler of Fiddlehead Brewing IPA at the brewery to bring back to share with friends. The beer pours cloudy golden-amber color with a frothy white colored head that leaves specks of lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of grapefruit, tangerine, lemon, orange, passion fruit, and pepper. The taste is dry and bitter with tangerine, grapefruit, orange, lemon, and passion fruit. A peppery and spruce finish dries out the mouth a bit more and. Overall, it had a solid caramel and toffee base. The alcohol content is 6.2% ABV. I absolutely loved how bitter and hoppy this beer was despite its easy drinking profile. I will order this beer every time I return to Vermont, which I hope is soon!

Captain Lawrence IPA

In a beer trade with my friend Tim, I received a bottle of the new Captain Lawrence IPA. The beer pours a golden color with a lofty and frothy white colored head that leaves a few specks of lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of tangerine, pineapple, grapefruit, passion fruit, and plenty of orange. The taste is bitter and hop-forward with plenty of citrus flavors including passion fruit, pineapple, orange, tangerine, and grapefruit. A spicy pepper and pine flavor comes out and mixes with the carbonation, drying the finish. The alcohol content is not available online, but I would estimate it to be about 6.5% ABV. This was a really fresh and fruitful IPA that push home the citrus and not just the typical tangerine and grapefruit but rather pineapple and passion fruit. It was really delicious, and I recommend trying it.

French Broad IPA

While in Asheville, I picked up a bottle of French Broad IPA after sampling a friend’s glass of it. The beer pours a dark amber color with a lofty and frothy cream colored head that leaves a solid lacing the glass as it recedes. The aroma consists of tangerine, orange, grapefruit, lemon, caramel, and spruce. The taste is lightly bitter with a strong citrus punch. Tangerine, orange, grapefruit, passion fruit, and lemon all are present before a spruce and pine finish that leaves behind a peppery after taste. All of this is build upon a solid caramel base that balances really well. The alcohol content is 5.9% ABV. I thoroughly enjoyed the citrus punch packed into this beer with a solid base for balancing effect.

Lexington Avenue Brewery Out of Bounds IPA

I went to dinner at Lexington Avenue Brewery (The LAB) while in Asheville for my bachelor party and I ordered the Out of Bounds IPA. The beer pours an amber color with a frothy white colored head. The aroma consists of tangerine, orange, lemon, and grapefruit. The taste is dry and citrusy with some tangerine, orange, and lemon flavors. There is a caramel backbone and pepper and pine arrive on the finish with hint of passion fruit. The alcohol content is 5.75% ABV. I’d put this IPA in the “pedestrian” category as it wasn’t overly memorable. Not to say that it was bad, but it just wasn’t great either.

Asheville Brewing Shiva IPA

While in Asheville for my bachelor party, I stopped in to Asheville Brewing and tried the Shiva IPA. The beer pours a golden color with a frothy white colored head. The aroma consists of tangerine, lemon, grapefruit, pineapple, and passion fruit. The taste is passion fruit, pineapple, orange, tangerine that concluded with a pine finish that has pepper accents. The alcohol content is 5.3% ABV. While I wouldn’t say this was overly memorable or the best IPA I’ve had, I’d say it was a decent IPA. Furthermore, I love the name of it if for no other reason than I am a huge “The League” fan.

Wedge Brewing Company Iron Rail IPA

Another beer I tried at Wedge Brewing Company in Asheville during my bachelor party was the Iron Rail IPA. The beer pours an amber color with a thin filmy white colored head. The aroma consists of hop resin, apricot, and caramel. The taste is full of hop resin, dried apricot, orange, and lemon. Pine, spruce and drying oils come out on the finish. The alcohol content is 6.2% ABV. This beer was more bitter than their Imperial IPA 3rd Rail, but definitely not as citrusy. It still was a great IPA and I would visit this brewery again without hesitation.

Wedge Brewing Company 3rd Rail IPA

I went to Wedge Brewing Company during my bachelor party in Asheville and I ordered a glass of the 3rd Rail IPA. The beer pours was a vibrant amber color with a lofty foamy white colored head that lingered for a while. The aroma consists of piney hops that pack a citrus punch including grapefruit, tangerine, lemon, orange, and a hint of passion fruit. The taste is similar to the aroma with tangerine, grapefruit, orange, and lemon on the front end. A hop oil lingers on the tongue and the beer finish with pine and pepper. An alcohol bite arrives at the after taste and leaves the tongue almost paralyzed from the bitterness. The alcohol content is 8.8% ABV. If you are looking for a citrus bomb, this Imperial IPA is for you! It delivers plenty of fruity flavors, but also destroys the tongue with hop oils and alcohol, and was one of the better beers I had in Asheville.

Green Man IPA

While at the Green Man in Asheville for my bachelor party, I ordered a glass of their India Pale Ale. The beer pours an amber color with a frothy white colored head. The aroma consists of grapefruit, tangerine, orange, pepper, and lemon. The taste is bitter with citrus, tangerine, orange, and grapefruit. There is a passion fruit hint, and the finish is dry with spruce and pepper. The alcohol content is 5.5% ABV. This was a solid IPA with great citrus presence, plenty of bitterness, and lots of west-coast feel to it. I would absolutely order this beer again if I was in Asheville.

Catawba Valley Firewater IPA

On our first stop in Asheville for my bachelor party, I ordered a glass of Catawba Valley Firewater IPA at Barley Taproom and Pizzeria. The beer pours a golden color with a frothy off-white head. The aroma consists of lemon, tangerine, orange, and pine. The taste is bitter and biting with a healthy dose of of hops. The hops yield flavors of pine, lemon, and orange. There is a dry finish with grass and butterscotch that lingers behind. The alcohol content is 5.2% ABV. Overall, I thought this beer was a little unbalanced and mostly just bitter and dry without capitalizing on the full impact of the hops. It fell short of being great, but was decent enough of a beer to still enjoy.

Deschutes Inversion IPA

On my way out of Denver in the airport, I ordered a bottle of Deschutes Inversion IPA with my lunch. The beer pours a copper color with a frothy off-white colored head. The aroma consists of lemon, pine, spruce, and caramel. The taste is bitter with lemon, lots of pine, and spruce. Pepper arrives on the finish, and the beer has a solid caramel base that is overshadowed by hops. The alcohol content is 6.8% ABV. Overall, this is a wonderful beer, especially in the style. It had a great fresh flavor and a prominent bitterness with a backbone that stood up to the test.

Twisted Pine Hoppy Boy IPA

I picked up a four-pack of Twisted Pine Hoppy Boy IPA from the brewery and tried one at my friend's apartment in Denver. The beer pours an amber color with a frothy white colored head. The aroma consists of hop funk, tangerine, orange, lemon, and pine. The taste is dry, hoppy, and oily with plenty of citrus flavors including tangerine, orange, and grapefruit. On the finish, a hop funk, with fresh hop oils and lemon and spruce accents arrive. The alcohol content is 6.0% ABV. I enjoyed how fresh tasting this beer was and also enjoyed that it comes in tall-boy cans for easy transport. It was nice not to have to worry about these vessels breaking in my suitcase on the way home.

Denver Beer Company Project X 1635 IPA

The final beer I tried at Denver Beer Company was the Project X 1635 IPA. The beer pours an amber color with a thin bubbly white colored head. The aroma consists of caramel, tea, and lemon. The taste starts with lemon and tea with some caramel accents. Overall, it is not too hoppy and mostly had a German hop funk and grassy accents. The alcohol content is not available online but I would estimate it to be approximately 6.0% ABV. I'm not sure if it was the beers drank before this one or not, but I can't say that I was a fan of the Project X 1635 IPA. I was expecting something else and was disappointed in the delivery.

Avery Tangerine IPA

The final Avery beer I tried as part of the tap takeover at Alehouse at Amato's was the Tangerine IPA. The beer pours a golden color with a frothy white colored head that leaves a moderate lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of tangerine, orange, lemon, grapefruit, and caramel. The taste is bitter and dry with lots of citrus including tangerine, orange, lemon, and grapefruit. Pepper, pine, and spruce all combine to yield a hell of a bitter finish. The alcohol content is not available online but I would estimate it to be about 7.0% ABV. Tangerine was prevalent in this beer and I think it did the beer well, making for a refreshing and very citrusy beer.

Mountain Sun F.Y.I.P.A.

I ordered a glass of F.Y.I.P.A. while at Mountain Sun Brewery in Boulder. The beer pours a brilliant amber color with a frothy white colored head. The aroma consists of tangerine, pine, orange, and lemon. The taste is bitter with tangerine, orange, pepper, and grapefruit. The finish has some caramel and plenty of hop oils that linger on the tongue after the beer is finished. The alcohol content is 7.5% ABV. I was looking for a fresh tasting IPA with lots of citrus flavors and an oily goodness, and I absolutely found the beer I was looking for in the F.Y.I.P.A.

Odell Peach IPA cask

When my fiancee and I stopped in to the Odell Brewery, I saw that they had their Peach IPA on cask, so I decided to order a glass. The beer pours a golden color with a frothy white colored head. The aroma consists of peach, fresh juices, lemon, and pine. The taste is smooth and lightly dry with a huge peach flavor that can be likened to biting into the fruit. Hints of lemon, pine, and pepper come out on the finish that is dry. The alcohol content is 7.0% ABV. I would give this beer a big “Wow!” because of its likeness to an actual peach, but also due to the sweet and bitter flavors that encompassed the experience.

Fat Head's Hop Stalker Wet Hop IPA

While in Pittsburgh for business, I went to Fat Head's for dinner and ordered a glass of Hop Stalker Wet Hop IPA. The pours an amber color a frothy white colored head. The aroma consists of lemon, tangerine, orange, hop oil, and caramel. The taste is fresh and dry with lots of hop oils, tangerine, orange, lemon, and grapefruit. Pine and spruce come out on the finish with lots of pepper bite. The alcohol content is 7.1% ABV. I loved the hop content of this beer and freshness of it. If I had one complaint, it would be that the body may have been a little light and didn't help balance the hops.

Elk Creek Double Rainbow IPA

While on a work trip, I went to Denny's Beer Barrel Pub in Clearfield, PA. The first beer that I ordered was Elk Creek Double Rainbow IPA. The beer pours a golden color with a frothy white colored head. The aroma consists of lemon, tangerine, and pine. The taste is light bodied with a bitter citrus flavor comprised of grapefruit, orange, and tangerine. Lemon is also prevalent, but mostly on the finish. The alcohol content is 7.5% ABV. Overall, this was a decent IPA with lots of bitter citrus flavors and a great spicy finish. I would absolutely come back to this beer if I saw it on tap again.

New Belgium-Alpine Brewing Lips of Faith Super IPA

I picked up a bottle of New Belgium-Alpine Beer Company collaboration Lips of Faith Super IPA from Honeygo Wines & Liquors.  The beer pours a golden color with a frothy white colored head that leaves specks of lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of marijuana, orange, tangerine, hop oil, pine, and spruce. The taste is funky and hoppy with tangerine, orange, lemon, and a marijuana finish. Hints of pepper and spice linger with some leather after taste. The alcohol content is 9.0% ABV. This was such a funky and amazing IPA that I would love to get more bottles. It had a great marijuana flavor with loads of citrus backing it up.

Horseheads India Pale Ale

While on my way to the Finger Lakes, I picked up a bottle of Horseheads India Pale Ale at the brewery. The beer pours an amber color with a frothy cream colored head that leaves a light lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of tangerine, orange, grapefruit, lemon, pine, spruce, and passion fruit. The taste is bitter at first with plenty of tangerine, orange, grapefruit, and lemon citrus flavors on the front end. A light caramel base provides enough of a backing for the bitterness, and plenty of spruce and pine come out on the finish with pepper hints. The alcohol content is 8.1% ABV. I was absolutely impressed with this IPA, as its citrus flavors were extremely prominent and fresh with a solid backing. If you see this beer, do not pass up the chance to try it.

Foothills Seeing Double IPA

My buddy Adam and I stopped in to the Foothills Brewery in Winston-Salem, NC and I started with the Seeing Double IPA. The beer pours an amber color with a frothy white colored head. The aroma consists of caramel, toffee, orange candy, tangerine, pine, and pepper. The taste is lightly bitter with a caramel and toffee base. Tangerine, orange, and sugar arrive as part of a citrus punch before a dry finish with a pepper and spruce bite that lingers. The alcohol content is 9.5% ABV. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all of the beers I have had from Foothills, and this Double IPA is no different. It was fresh tasting and full of citrus flavors that made me want to keep drinking it.