It’s still pretty early in the Summer and I’ve already had a handful of excellent IPAs. In the running for most impressive this season so far is Meantime’s India Pale Ale. Brewed with two pounds of Fuggles and Goldings hops per barrel, this is your prototypical English IPA. It’s well balanced with plenty of biscuity malt and floral, citrus hops — making for a well rounded, tasty beer.

It’s a beer that’s not necessarily out to compete with the hoppier behemoths of the U.S. west coast, but what it does bring to the table is something more traditional, yet well crafted. My only disappointment with this one, is that I didn’t buy more of it.

Appearance

The bottle opened with a loud pop from the cork as the straw yellow liquid inside was poured into a Duvel chalice. The massive white head had great retention, fading ever so slowly.

Aroma

This IPA is light and fruity on the nose. There’s a good deal of lightly toasted malt to start things off with a slight sweetness. That is then followed up with floral, citrus hops with next to no bitterness on the nose. There is a light amount of hop spice in the mix. It’s definitely a more subdued aroma when compared to many of the IPAs in the U.S., but it’s fitting for the style.

Taste

Light biscuity malts come in up front as a late forming citrus hop character builds. The beer is light and refreshing with a great, balanced flavor. The malt is more pronounced than the nose alludes to, but not in a dominating fashion. Meantime know how to craft a refreshing, clean IPA, that’s for sure. There’s a nice bit of hop bitterness in the lingering finish.

Overall

It was nice for a change to get away from the hop punches I’m used to in American IPAs. This more traditional English IPA was light on the palate, crisp and clean — making for a drinkable and refreshing beer. I only wish I had bought more since I haven’t seen it in the stores since I originally purchased this bottle.

Rating: 4/5

Now that Total Wine is carrying Pike Brewing products, I’m able to get my hands on some more of their tasty brews. The latest bottle to appear in my fridge is the company’s India Pale Ale.

I cracked this one open while grilling the other day. Not only did it do a wonderful job refreshing me on a hot afternoon, but it’s probably one of the more well rounded American IPAs I’ve ever had. The hops are hoppy, the malts are malty, but they both come in at the appropriate levels at just the right point of each swallow. I only wish I had had more than the single bottle as it disappeared all too quickly.

Appearance

This IPA pours a golden amber with a fluffy, white head that left sticky lacing on the sides of the glass.

Aroma

Floral, citrus hops are the first thing to catch your attention along with resinous pine notes. There’s a slight bit of malt sweetness on the nose, as well.

Taste

The hops definitely dominate your palate with each swallow, but not in an overly aggressive manner. The pungent citrus and hope pine character is there, but there’s not much astringency until a moderate amount of bitterness late in the finish. Everything is kept on an even keel with a good malt presence that adds just the slightest amount of sweetness to temper the hop bite.

Overall

Note only is this beer damned tasty, it’s also super drinkable at 6.3% ABV. I had chilled it for about an hour in the fridge prior to stepping out into the 90 degree heat and I’m pretty sure it’s the only thing that kept me from spontaneously bursting into flames. I will most certainly be drinking more of this as the Summer progresses.

Rating: 4/5

I’ve only had one other brew from Boulder Beer company (their Hazed & Infused) which I found ok even though I never reviewed it for this site. I’m not entirely sure where I picked up this bottle of Mojo IPA, but I’m glad I did.

Brewed with Amarillo and Centennial hops, the beer is a great example of an IPA and at 7.2% ABV will treat you just right on a hot Summer afternoon.

Appearance

Mojo pours a golden yellow in color with a small amount of white head that dropped quickly.

Aroma

It’s definitely hoppy as a floral nose wafts from the top of the glass. There’s a good deal of resinous pine and a touch of grapefruit (and orange), but not much of a hint of the alcohol. There’s also a light, sweet malt presence that helps temper the hop dominance.

Taste

This thing is loaded with pine, resin, grapefruit and a decent bitterness, but the malt helps take the edge of the bite. The mouthfeel has a decent carbonation even though it goes down smoothly and lingers for a good while with a bitter yet fruity finish. The alcohol really didn’t have much of an impact on the beer and only showed hints of being there as the glass warmed.

Overall

This is a tasty IPA with a nice injection of malt to balance out the bitterness with a little sweetness. I love the earthiness to the piny and citrus hop profile.

Rating: 3.5/5

CINCINNATI, OHIO – April 27, 2009 – Christian Moerlein Brewing Company announces the launch of the newest beer in the Moerlein Lagers & Ales line-up –Moerlein Northern Liberties India Pale Ale (IPA). Dedicated to the immigrants of the era located in the historic Northern Liberties section of Cincinnati, north of Liberty St., in what is now Over-the-Rhine, prior to 1849’s annexation. This hoppy ale celebrates the fortitude of the free-spirited people living the American dream with the influences of their many cultures.

Moerlein Northern Liberties IPA, the newest seasonal handcrafted beer in the Moerlein Lagers & Ales family, is a wonderful example of an India Pale Ale. Originally, a British-style of beer, India Pale Ales has become a distinct American-style of craft beer. Northern Liberties IPA celebrates the heavy-hop brewing traditions, giving Moerlein Northern Liberties IPA a distinct floral-like aroma and a copper appearance, enhanced with balanced malt undertones to create a smooth, drinkable ale. The beer has an ABV of 6.3%, OG of 15.5 and IBU’s of 55. Moerlein Northern Liberties IPA will be available in six packs and draft beginning May 7th.

Local Cincinnati artist Jim Effler, commissioned by Christian Moerlein Brewing Company to paint the label artwork, displays a Liberty Maiden of Cincinnati marching triumphantly down Liberty St. uniting the gathering crowd in the pursuit of a life, liberty and happiness.

I picked up this bottle of Ballast Point Brewing’s Big Eye IPA in a mixed pack a couple of weeks ago and now wish I had gotten more. It’s my first beer from a company I’m not too familiar with but starting off with an IPA this tasty certainly makes a good first impression.

Brewed with American Centennial hops for just about every aspect of the beer (bittering, flavoring, dry hopping, etc…), this brew packs in everything a fan of hops could want. It’s a tasty, aromatic brew that I will most definitely get again now that the weather is getting warmer.

Appearance

Big Eye pours a medium amber in color with a large off-white head that faded slowly to a sticky lacing.

Aroma

Lots of pine and resin greet you with the first sniff. Overall the hops in the nose have an earthy, natural tone with a wonderfully light citrus character. There’s a subtle malt presence in there as well backing up the hops nicely.

Taste

I love the earthy nature to the hops in this beer. There is a good deal of resinous pine and light citrus mixing in with the subtle caramel malt for a nicely balanced brew. Mouthfeel-wise, it’s got a slightly creamy nature as it slides over the tongue — not that crisp and biting, but quite smooth. The finish is dry and bitter, but not over the top.

Overall

I enjoyed the heck out of this beer. It’s got a good hop presence that packs a wallop without decimating your taste buds and is nicely balanced with a subtle malt backbone. Big Eye IPA will be making a repeat visit to my fridge this spring/summer.

Rating: 4/5

My local shop has been carrying this latest brew from Lagunitas for the past couple of months now and it seems as though I’ve had at least one in the fridge on a constant basis. The wife and I have been drinking the heck out of this beer.

A Little Sumpin’ Extra! Ale is essentially a beefed up version of the brewery’s A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale — more IBUs, more ABV, just more everything. I mean, how could you not like that?!

Appearance

Sumpin’ Extra pours a bright golden with a large fluffy head.

Aroma

Wow! This smells like my perfect IPA. It’s sweet, hoppy, piny, resiny and has plenty of citrus aromas. In short, amazing.

Taste

From the first sip to the last, this brew did not disappoint. It’s got a great hop bitterness mixed with a piny resin, but what I love about it the most is the tangerine notes I’m picking up. They’re a nice surprise among the other citrus hints in there. The beer starts off slightly sweet and ends surprisingly dry leaving you begging for another sip.

Overall

I’ve had a few IPAs (both big and small) in my time, but none have rocketed up my favorites list so quickly. I will most certainly be getting as much of this one as I possibly can.

Rating: 4/5

For Immediate Release

San Diego, CA – October 27, 2009 Karl Strauss Brewing Company is introducing Big Barrel Double IPA—their first-ever 22 ounce bomber. While this is the company’s first foray into 22s, Karl Strauss is no stranger to brewing innovative beers. Big Barrel Double IPA is the initial beer in a new Coastal Reserve series scheduled to hit shelves across Southern California in early November.

“Unlike most double IPA’s which use the traditional Pacific Northwest hops, we wanted to feature a more exotic hop profile,” says Brewmaster Paul Segura. The company chose Nelson Sauvin hops from New Zealand for their intense tropical fruit and white wine-like flavor and aroma. The bold flavors of this recipe make Big Barrel Double IPA the perfect beer to kick off the Coastal Reserve series, showcasing the company’s more esoteric offerings.

“When you dive into this beer, the first thing that hits you is the aroma—it’s so different from what you expect to find in a Double IPA. The Nelson hops add a different dimension to the beer. I love the mango, tangerine, and passion fruit I pick up on,” says Paul.

Big Barrel Double IPA has a golden-amber color from the Marris Otter and Caramel malts used. Fermented with Chico yeast, this beer finishes smooth and dry with a pleasant, fruity bitterness. Coming in at 9.0% ABV, Big Barrel is best enjoyed with friends and food.

“Big Barrel Double IPA is a bold beer that pairs well with spicy foods and heartier seafood dishes,” says Paul. “The bitterness of the beer tempers the heat in spicy foods, while the carbonation lifts the heaviness of fried foods and cream sauces.”

A limited run of 600 cases of Big Barrel Double IPA will be for sale at retail locations throughout Southern California in early November. With demand for 22 ounce bottles on the rise, Karl Strauss plans to put more of their big beers in bombers. Look for the company’s holiday offering, To the 9’s Imperial IPA, next month and a unique aged anniversary ale in February. For more information and a video of the Big Barrel Double IPA bottling run, visit www.karlstrauss.com.

At any rate… Founders Centennial IPA is a beer that the wife and I have been drinking fairly regularly since spying it on the shelves a couple of months ago. To say it’s tasty would be an understatement. The fact that it’s been in regular rotation is a testament to it’s well rounded flavor.

Appearance

The Centennial pours a light copper in color with a beefy, off-white head that left decent lacing.

Aroma

This one is quite floral with a wonderful citrus presence. A subtle pininess is also in there along with a mouth watering sweetness.

Taste

A great mixture of hope characteristics is the first thing you get from each swallow (piny, citrus, slight bitterness). The brew is well balanced with decent malt notes that wrap up the finish with a not too bitter, lingering flavor. The IPA has the perfect carbonation and body to make this one an easy drinker.

Overall

Reviewing my notes on this one, all I wrote was, “Must get more.” I think I’ll leave it at that.

Rating: 4/5

As this is the first product from Sierra Nevada to be produced year-round in over 28 years, you can imagine that there’s plenty of hype surrounding it. Billed as a “…big American IPA; bold, assertive and full of flavor…” Torpedo certainly lived up to my expectations.

On any given day during the summer you are sure to find a bottle or two of Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale in the fridge. A favorite of my wife, it usually fits the bill for what she needs after a hot day chasing around after the kid. With the introduction of Torpedo, I believe her go-to-beer’s position is at risk.

Appearance

Torpedo pours a bright gold topped by a massive, fluffy head that faded slowly.

Aroma

The brewery isn’t messing around when they describe the beer as assertive. The nose is dominated with handfuls of hop and piny notes. There’s also a healthy dose of citrus in there, as well as a subtle herbal spiciness.

Taste

Yup, it’s hoppy, but without creating the hop bomb pucker. Sierra Nevada have done well avoiding too much of an intense hop presence, balancing it with a subtle malty presence. Torpedo is a hoppy, yet smooth beer that offers just the right about of bite and bitterness without going overboard.

Overall

The first six pack of what is sure to be many, many more disappeared quickly over this past weekend. Torpedo is an excellent addition to the Sierra Nevada line of year round beers. It’s flavorful, refreshing and well balanced.

Rating: 3.75/5