In fact, the question of “What is India pale ale today?” has simply become too onerous and multifaceted to tackle adequately during the introduction of this piece. Even organizations that are resistant to change, such as the Brewers Association, have had to officially recognize some of these changes such as the normalization of hazy IPAs by stating that 2018’s GABF competition will for the first time divide the IPA field into “hazy” and “non-hazy” camps.
Since the last time we did this tasting, trends have come and gone, and the pace of adaptation in the market has seemingly only accelerated. As the beer geek market has matured, IPA has changed and matured along with it, branching off into numerous offshoots like capillaries splitting from an artery. The main reason why is the enduring, seemingly ever-strengthening popularity of India pale ale with American drinkers.
Every time we do this, it seems like the previous mark will be impossible to surpass. And it’s true once again here in 2018, with 324 of them-not far behind the 408 entries (also a record) at the Great American Beer Festival last year. It was equally true in 2016 when we blind-tasted IPAs again and received a whopping 247 entrants. The first time was in 2015, and the 116 beers we received then seemed like a staggering, unfathomable figure. We have blind-tasted IPAs (that’s “single IPA”) three times, at Paste. How do you introduce the largest blind tasting that Paste has ever conducted? I suppose the answer is “with a little context.” Go for what you might never be able to have but more importantly go for what you want – GABF is your own personal beer paradise.For our companion piece and final conclusions on the style after blind-tasting 324 of these beers, read today’s The State of IPA: Hazy, Juicy, Sludgy and Confused. For everyone else, start with this list and then build on it when the final list goes live. If you are super competitive and have liver of steel, that might the route for you. This could be one of the only chances (for now) you get to try this imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels for 17 months.Įach session at GABF lasts for just about four hours which means you could conceivably have 48 different beers if you drink one pour every five minutes. And then there is Medianoche from WeldWerks Brewing Company – the bottles for this beer are released this week and tickets for the opportunity to purchase them sold out in minutes. It’s not often you see green tea – much less barrel-aged green tea. It starts with the classic green tea milk chocolate stout and then it’s aged for 18 months in a bourbon barrel. The use of fresh hops takes an already award-winning IPA to another level.įiction Beer Company is taking one of its classic beers to the next level with Barrel-Aged Feely Effects. While it didn’t take Comrade Brewing Company two years to finish Fresh Hop Superpower IPA – it does only come once a year. It’s is an English strong ale that is bourbon barrel-aged for two years to get the perfect flavor profile. Beers From Around The CountryĮqually scarce and only being poured with limited bottles per session is Royal Oil from Bull & Bush. When the tap pulls forward the two beers will mix and land in your glass. Odell’s stout is a white coconut-aged in rye whiskey barrels with Avery bringing a vanilla and coffee stout aged in bourbon barrels. This year – they did it on purpose and have created a special beer that mixes as it pours from the tap. Last year, Odell Brewing Company and Avery Brewing Company both out of Colorado found themselves sharing festival space. Get your hop fix with Pliny the Elder – any beer drinker should have it from the tap at least once.Ĭollaborative beers also foster attention since often this is the only time they are available. While Black Project is new on the scene – there is on OG beer that is sure to have a line and never disappoints, and that is the original double IPA from Russian River Brewing Company out of California. You can’t go wrong with any of its beers but Covert – a spontaneous super braggot with cherries, raspberries and black currants coming in at an ABV of 18 percent is a nice way to get the party started. Black Project Spontaneous & Wild Ales can easily be the first booth out of beer so if they are on your list (and they should be), go there first.
Colorado is also well respected on the list of beers sure to be worth the wait.
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