From Rogue Farms of Newport Oregon, 6 Hop IPA is a citrus forward west coast style IPA all the way. The nose is citrus and floral. Orange, lemon and grapefruit are in the middle. The finish has pine and lemon. Really lovely beer.
I give it 4.5 out of 5.
Extrovert is an American IPA from the Left Hand Brewing Company. It pours with a voluminous head that disappears quickly. The nose is grassy, with a lot of lemon. The middle is pleasantly tropical with lemon, some mango and a hint of peach. The finish is dry and slightly buttery. The body is medium and the alcohol is 7.1% ABV. A really nice middle of the road American IPA.
I give it a 4.2 out of 5.
A tropical IPA from Founders, Azacca has notes of lemon and mango and a buttery finish.
I give it a 3.8 out of 5.
Kirkland Signature is the name of Costco’s store brand, and this American IPA is brewed for them by the Bricks and Barley Brewing Company in Wisconsin. The nose has lemon and some sweet malt notes. The middle is bitter with some pine, a bit more lemon and breadiness. The lemon and sweet bread continue into the finish but the pine fades away. It’s a simple IPA, not complex, light to medium body and 6.9% ABV. It’s not bad, but also unremarkable.
I give it a 3.6 out of 5.
Stone brews a special IPA for their anniversary each year, and this year, their 20th, it’s Citracado IPA, an Imperial IPA brewed with citra hops and avocado flower honey. Like all Stone beers, the hops are important. This one is one of the hop bombs, so if you like Ruination, this might be for you. The nose is floral and citrusy, with orange and grapefruit notes. The middle has a ton of lemon and grapefruit, and sweetness from the honey over a big malty backbone that give it weight. It fades to grapefruit rind and pine bitterness in the finish, and is never subtle. The body is heavy and the alcohol is 9.0% ABV. This is a special beer, brewed for a special occasion, and it more than does it justice. This is an outstanding beer.
I give it a 4.9 out of 5.
A double IPA from Triple C Brewing in Charlotte, Baby Maker is an American Imperial IPA. The head is light and fluffy and voluminous. The nose is lemon and pine. The middle is sublimely hoppy with orange, lemon, and grassy notes. The malt comes through in the finish as sweet, sticky bread dough, but still balanced by pine and citrus. The body is medium, and the alcohol is 8.5% ABV. A really nice Imperial IPA, and one I’ll definitely be drinking again.
I give it a 4.6 out of 5.
A good vigorous head. A lot of orange and some floral notes in the nose. Well balanced middle with some pine, orange and grapefruit. Pepper and lemon in the finish. Medium body and very precise 6.43% ABV. A really delicious IPA.
I give it a 4.7 out of 5.
Grapefruit Sculpin is a variation on Ballast Point’s sublime Sculpin IPA, with the grapefruit turned up a notch or ten. The grapefruit is definitely the signature note here, and while not overpowering, is in evidence throughout. The nose has the essence of grapefruit oils, along with some lemon and floral notes. The middle has tart and sweet grapefruit, fading to bitter rind and a hint of pine in the finish. Every bit as good as the original Sculpin, and because I personally love grapefruit, I might even like this one better. The body is medium and the alcohol is a nice 7.0% ABV.
I give it a 4.9 out of 5.
From The Unknown Brewing Company in Charlotte, Over The Edge is an American IPA. The nose is slightly floral and fruity. The middle has orange and caramel. The finish is pretty much the same, with a bit of lemon coming out as well. The body is medium and the alcohol is 6.9% ABV. It’s a fine American IPA, but pretty standard.
I give it a 3.5 out of 5.
For their 20th anniversary, Stone has produced a special beer, and packaged it with encores of their 5th, 10th, and 15th Anniversary IPAs. Today I’m reviewing the encore series version of the 5th Anniversary brew. In Stone Tradition, this is a hop-bomb of a west coast style IPA. Orange, mango and apricot on the nose, massive amounts of lemon and grapefruit in the middle and tons of raw pine in the finish. The body is medium to heavy, and the alcohol is not unreasonably stiff at 8.5% ABV. I’m sad I didn’t get a chance to try the original, but the encore is still an amazingly well executed, wild example of a big west coast IPA.
I give it a 4.8 out of 5.
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