Tag Archives: hops

What’s Your Favorite India Pale Ale?

Posted on December 14, 2011 | 4 Comments

According to many sources, America’s top selling style of Craft Beer is India Pale Ale, followed by Pale Ale. This does not surprise me as my favorite style is definitely Inda Pale Ale (and Imperial IPAs). I love the hops! I thought it would be time to go through my bottle collection and pull out my top ten IPAs and top ten Imperial IPAs. Here they are:

Suds Magazine's favorite IPAs

My Top Ten IPAs in my Bottle Collection

These are not in any order. From Left to Right:

Racer 5 IPA from Bear Republic Brewing (CA)

IPA (Inside Passage Ale) from Boundary Bay Brewing (WA)

Organic IPA by Hopworks Urban Brewery (OR)

Sculpin IPA by Ballast Point Brewing (CA)

Hop Diggity IPA by Port Townsend Brewing (WA)

Inversion IPA by Deschutes Brewery (OR)

India Pelican Ale by Pelican Pub and Brewery (OR)

West Coast IPA by Green Flash Brewing (CA)

Apocalypse IPA by 10 Barrel Brewing (OR)

Ruud Awakening IPA by Old Schoolhouse Brewery (WA)

And for the Imperial IPAs

My favorite Imperial IPAs

My Favorite Imperial (Double) IPAs

Again, not in any particular order, from Left to Right:

Double Jack by Firestone Walker Brewing (CA)

Ruination IPA by Stone Brewing (CA)

Imperial IPA by Green Flash Brewing (CA)

Tricerahops by Ninkasi Brewing (OR)

Yellow Wolf Imperial IPA by Alameda Brewing (OR)

Mongo IPA by Port Brewing (CA)

Pliny the Elder by Russian River Brewing (CA)

Workhorse IPA by Laurelwood Brewhouse (OR)

Hopsickle Imperial Ale by Moylan’s Brewing (CA)

The Maharaja India Pale Ale by Avery Brewing (CO)

I estimate that I’ve tried close to 300 IPAs in the last decade so it’s very hard to pick my favorite. I’d have to say it is very situational, meaning that my mood, the weather, the smells in the kitchen etc. play a big role on what would be my favorite IPA on any given night. I can conclude, however, that nine times out of ten, I’ll choose an IPA or Imperial IPA over any other style.

There are some close runner-ups… Diamond Knot Industrial IPA, Amnesia Copacetic IPA, American Brewing Breakaway IPA, Third Street Aleworks IPA and many more, but I can’t get carried away here.

The obvious question next is what are my least favorite IPAs. Well, I’d have to say any poser beer trying to pass as an IPA. A perfect example is Alexander Kieths IPA from Canada. This beer is lucky to be a lager, but since it’s marketed heavily by one of the big breweries, it completely destroys the style in the Canadian market and is responsible for the mass quantities of lacklustre craft beers on the market in Canada. Don’t get me wrong, there are some good ones, but in general, there are far too many mediocre and sub-par craft beers that are way to trendy. I call it the Tim Horton’s Effect. But that’s another article altogether.

Cheers to great American Style India Pale Ales and their big Imperial Brothers!

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Yakima’s Fresh Hop Ale Festival 2011

Posted on October 3, 2011 | 1 Comment

Wow, not much else to say about this past weekend’s Fresh Hop Ale Festival in Yakima, WA. For the third year in a row I attended this one-evening event on the first Saturday of October. As always, the people were friendly, the weather was great and the beer was hoppy! I think the following pictures will show you how much fun this event really is…

Fresh Hop Alefest 2011

The Ninkasi Girls

Mmmm… and the food was excellent too! I went for the Thai food this year!

Thai Food

Authentic Thai food served up at the Fresh Hop Ale Festival

The festival takes place outdoors in downtown Yakima from 5PM until 10PM. It’s a great atmosphere and plenty of space to stroll or just kick back and relax and enjoy the ambiance.

Festival Crowd

A pleasant evening in Yakima, WA

If you are planning to attend a few new events in 2012, I strongly recommend checking out the Fresh Hop Ale Festival in Yakima, WA. I’ll be back next year!

Smiles at the Festival

Suds Magazine was welcomed by the locals in Yakima.

Fresh Hop Ale Festival is full of smiles!

Some more Suds Magazine Fans in Yakima

And even more Suds fans!

Big Smiles for Suds Magazine!

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Yakima’s Fresh Hop Ale Festival Weekend

Posted on October 5, 2010 | 3 Comments

In 2009 I attended the Fresh Hop Ale Festival in Yakima, WA with fellow beer traveler, Dave. The 2009 outdoor festival on the streets of Yakima welcomed not only us, but the rains and wind to normally dry Yakima. Needless to say, we still had a fantastic time, and this year returned for the 2010 event with the most perfect weather conditions possible!

Our trip south from Kelowna, BC took us to Winthrop (Old Schoolhouse Brewery) and Twisp (Methow Valley Brewing) on Friday night before spending the evening in Wenatchee, WA at our favorite little beer friendly restaurant known as McGlinn’s Public House. The Oktoberfest Ale at Methow Valley was fantastic as was the riverside patio and IPA at Old Schoolhouse. McGlinn’s offers up a solid tap lineup and superior service every time I visit!

 

Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop WA

 

Saturday’s schedule included a quick round of disc golf at Cle Elum, WA and a sample of the beer brewed at Roslyn Brewing in quaint little Roslyn, WA (aka Roslyn, Alaska in Northern Exposure). The excitement was already building as the weather was somewhat stellar for early October. We were talking sunshine and mid-80′s!!

After a teaser at Roslyn we headed straight to one of Central Washington’s top breweries in Ellensburg, Iron Horse Brewery. With some GPS guidance, we made it here with no time lost (unlike last year). The small tasting room was packed with over 20 people enjoying the half dozen or so ales being served up on tap. The self serve popcorn smothered in Tobasco’s Chipotle sauce paired nicely with my Hi-Five Hefeweizen!

I wanted to stay for more in this friendly little spot, but a festival was calling! Off to Yakima we went. After a quick check-in at the hotel we made our way to the downtown festival site and got a place near the front of the line. At 5:01PM we were sampling our first Fresh Hop Ales!

 

Night time crowd at the Fresh Hop Ale Festival

 

I must add that this is the best festival for “value per pour”! Full 16oz glasses are used for sampler glasses with a 4oz line that is mostly overlooked. Instead of tokens, Scrips are used and typically $2 worth gets you a 4oz sample (although the pours usually ended up at 6-7 oz).

The crowd was large, the band was fantastic and the food was incredible. I managed to eat most of my pulled pork taco but it took several fresh hop ales to wash it down. I met a few awesome new friends that hopefully will cross paths with me in the future again. This region of the world surely has some of the friendliest people around.  |  Visit Yakima Website |

By the end of the night I had picked my favorite. This was very difficult. Many thanks to the folks at Snipes Mountain Brewery from Sunnyside, WA, who in the spirit of the festival offered up three different Fresh Hop Ales! All of them fantastic. Saying this, I tried most of the offerings at the festival and can honestly say that I did not have a beer I didn’t enjoy.

On the way home on Sunday we made a detour to Sunnyside, WA to enjoy nachos and some beers at Snipes Mountain Brewery. This stop is highly recommended. Great service and delicious beers! The Pumpkin Stout was a kick ass drink to start off my Sunday!

 

The Snipes Mountain Brewery Crew

 

In contrast to certain similar sized few (drunk-fest style) beer festivals that I attend in Canada, this festival had truly fantastic people. People both knowledgable in craft beer and/or wanting to learn more about it. Yakima should be proud of it’s hops and the organizers (Allied Arts of Yakima Valley) of this event as well as its classy festival attendees.

 

Cheers from Yakima!!

 

I will return again next year, rain or shine! Cheers!!

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