Bitter Beer

The IPA Hop Head Beer of The Month Club

IPA. There is no middle ground. If you love them you want to drink as many as possible. This selection of 12 different India Pale Ales will take you on an incredible journey around the world. East coast, west coast, British isles, Asia and Belgium, nowhere is safe from the attack of the hop.

This is a measure of the actual bitterness of a beer as contributed by the alpha acid from hops. Because the apparent bitterness of a beer is subjective to the taste of the drinker and the balancing malt sweetness of the beer this is not always an accurate measure of the "hoppiness" of a beer. But, generally speaking, beers with IBUs of less than 20 have little to no apparent hops presence. Beers with IBUs from 20 to 45 are the most common and have mild to pronounced hops presence. Beers with IBUs greater than 45 are heavily hopped and can be quite bitter.

[via About.com:Beer]


[via Beer Styles - IBU Chart Graph (Bitterness Range) | Brewer's Friend]

The first 5 of these breweries are places I visit when I'm in their respective towns. Most are within an hour from each other and my home. Dogfish is in the town where I summer vacation every year. I would definitely recommend a visit to any of them.




Elm City Brewing Co. - Keene, NH

No Name - India Pale Ale. Copper in color, medium body with intense hop aroma and bitterness.
A- | No Name IPA - Elm City Brewing Co - BeerAdvocate



Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Inc. - Rehoboth Beach, DE

60 Minute IPA - Our 60 Minute IPA is continuously hopped - more than 60 hop additions over a 60 minute boil (getting a vibe yet of where the name came from?). 60 Minute is a session India Pale Ale brewed with a slew of great NorthWest hops. A powerful, but balanced East Coast I.P.A. with a lot of citrusy hop character. The session beer for hardcore beer enthusiasts!
A- | 60 Minute IPA - Dogfish Head Craft Brewery - BeerAdvocate



Peoples Pint - Greenfield, MA

Pied pIPA - One sip and it's music to your ears - you'll follow this India Pale Ale anywhere. For hop lovers out there, this is your beer. We brew it with a wall of fresh Cascade (abv: 5.7% | original gravity: 1061)
B- | Pied PIPA - The People's Pint - BeerAdvocate

Hope Street Bitter (ESB) - A classic example of an ESB, where the sweetness of the barley malt balances the slight bitterness provided by Target and Golding hops. We add East Kent Goldings during secondary fermentation; this process of "dry-hopping" provides a distinct, flowery aroma to the beer. (abv: 5.1 % | original gravity: 1057)
B- | Hope Street Bitter - The People's Pint - BeerAdvocate

Imperial Stout - Big, bold, & strong, this stout is our interpretation of a British style intended for export to the Russian Empire. A heavy bodied stout with strong flavors of roasted malt and alcohol balanced with a blend of European and American hops (100 IBU). Truly a brew fit for a Czar. (abv: 9.2% | original gravity: 1110)
B+ | The People's Pint Imperial Stout - The People's Pint - BeerAdvocate



McNeills Brewery - Brattleboro, VT

ESB - McNeill's ESB is a fully hopped version of the style. Dry, with a deep nose of grapefruit and quite bitter. It's red, from the blend of American and British malts, and the FIVE TIME National Champion ESB at the USBTC. 5.5% abv
B+ | McNeill's Extra Special Bitter - McNeill's Brewery - BeerAdvocate

Dead Horse India Pale Ale - Dead Horse IPA gives a deep bow to British IPA's. Made entirely from British Maris Otter barley malt, it has strong notes of butter and a deeper red color than most IPA's. 5.7% abv
B | McNeill's Dead Horse IPA - McNeill's Brewery - BeerAdvocate

Pullmans Porter - Pullmans Porter is a jet black porter with a nose of raisins and citrus. It has strong notes of baker's chocolate and espresso coffee. Award winner at the '95 Great American Beer Festival. 5.7% abv
B+ | McNeill's Pullman's Porter - McNeill's Brewery - BeerAdvocate



Northampton Brewery - Northampton, MA

(Snow)(Sand)(No) Shovel ESB - This extra special bitter is a well balanced representation of the English style. This beer has a malty presence with a lingering hop finish.
A- | Sandshovel ESB - Northampton Brewery - BeerAdvocate

Mean Green IPA - This double India Pale Ale is a hop hammer. Loads of hops and a solid malt backbone, this balanced ale is the dry-hopped until delicious.
B+ | Mean Green - Northampton Brewery - BeerAdvocate

Daniel Shays Best Bitter - This English style best bitter starts off malty on the palate and finishes hoppy; named for our area's historic "bitter" rebel.
B | Daniel Shay's Best Bitter - Northampton Brewery - BeerAdvocate



Peak Organic Brewing Co. - Portland, ME

IPA - This unique India Pale Ale features our favorite hops-Simcoe®, Amarillo® and Nugget. A generous Amarillo and Simcoe dry hop provide for an assertive, hop-forward nose and front palate. We don't use traditional bittering hops in our IPA, providing nothing but stimulating citrus and floral characteristics. ABV: 7.2% IBUs: 76
B | Peak Organic IPA - Peak Organic Brewing Company, LLC - BeerAdvocate



Green Flash Brewing Co. - Vista, CA

West Coast I.P.A. - This West Coast-Style India Pale Ale is extravagantly hopped, full flavored, medium bodied and copper colored. A menagerie of hops is combined throughout the brewing process to impart specific characteristics. Hops used include Simcoe for a unique fruitiness and grapefruit zest, Columbus for strong hop pungency, Centennial for pine and citrus notes, and Cascade for floral aroma.
A- | Green Flash West Coast I.P.A. - Green Flash Brewing Co. - BeerAdvocate

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