Well-known summer celebrations include Memorial Day in May, Independence Day in July, and Labor Day in September. That’s not to say August should be overlooked: there is National Mustard Day (Aug. 6), Left Handers Day (Aug. 13), and who can forget Vesuvius Day (Aug. 24)?
Those days aside, August 4 is IPA Day, a day to celebrate the beer style that has redefined craft beer over the past decade while creating amazing hybrid names that throw Britain, the US West Coast, and the Indian subcontinent into a blender. From British bittered beers to juicy West Coasters to the citrus infused craze happening now, IPA has conquered the beerscape to the point where most breweries don’t just feature an IPA flagship, they feature two or more on tap at any given time.
And everyone has their favorite IPA. We mean everyone. Even the people who make IPAs. So we asked brewers at some of the most high-profile breweries in the country to dish on their favorite IPAs, both in house and from other breweries.
Here’s what they have to say.
Garrett Oliver, Brewmaster/Owner at Brooklyn Brewery
Jaipur IPA
Thornbridge Brewery (Bakewell, England)
Jaipur really combines everything that first made me fall in love with British beer 30-plus years ago with what makes me love IPA today. The racy, dry malt palate is distinctly British, but the aromatics show the earthiness of classic British hops alongside the brightness of American hops. It’s great on cask as well.
Defender IPA
Brooklyn Brewery (New York, USA)
This beer grew directly out of our involvement with New York Comic Con, whose affiliated artists draw a different character for “The Defender” every year. I’m a geek, so I love that. The beer itself is super dry, cracklingly hoppy, bright in the nose, reddish in tone, and totally crushable. I’m not sure that this sounds like it feels, but it’s almost like hop mouthwash — the ultimate refreshment.
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