I’m no beer expert. I would classify myself as a beer enthusiast. Like many of my friends, the pure enjoyment of trying microbrews is a reason to get together frequently and drive around our area looking for the next great beer.

 

I’m particularly a fan of the India Pale Ales (IPA). An IPA is a style of beer that falls under pale ales, in part, to their light color. The IPA goes back to the British Empire and was created to travel to the farthest reaches of the Empire (India), thus its name.  The pale color is in reference to the pale malt used to brew it. It was also less smoky than other beers, giving both the malts and barleys a paler color. Hops are the flowering seed cones of a viney plant that almost look like an undeveloped pinecone. There is a refreshing complexity about them that I find most enjoyable. It’s all about the hops for these beers and as I’ve tried  many, those hops are the characters that make or break an IPA for me. There are many out there; every brewery does one (or two), and each one has characteristics that, even from taster to taster, offer flavor, aroma and texture to each sip.

 

At first glance of a poured IPA, the colors range from a light golden amber to a darker amber or nearly caramel color but most of the time are very clear and lightly carbonated. To fully enjoy any craft or microbrewed beer, it’s important to pour it into a glass. IPA’s are best enjoyed served around 45-50 degrees. This allows the aroma and flavor to come out. Stick your nose into the glass and breathe in the aroma, and you will smell the pine scent. As the first taste enters your mouth, find the flavors of the malts. But the best part of experiencing an IPA for me comes with the flavors from the hops. At times, those flavors run from a hint of fruit or citrus to pine. It’s not overly fruity, but it’s always a surprise for me to get that unexpected flavor from out of nowhere after I taste an IPA.

 

Some of my absolute favorite IPAs are as follows:

Hop Devil (Victory Brewing): I ALWAYS have Hop Devil on hand.

Wild Devil (Victory Brewing): A seasonal beer that is like having dessert!

Loose Cannon (Heavy Seas Brewing)

Hoptimum (Sierra Nevada Brewing): Brand new and REALLY delightful.

Nugget Nectar (Troegs Brewing): It’s a seasonal Imperial Ale, but oh sOOOO good.

 

Get out, go find a brewery, have a beer that was created and not mass produced. You’ll never order a Budwiser again!

 

CHEERS!

 

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