Whether it's for personal consumption or a fridge of another, a solid six-pack of tasty-but-not-too-fancy-or-expensive hoppy beer is clutch. Key. Sick. Whatever the kids are calling it these days.
Some people
(shudder) think all hoppy beers are the same. That they're just all bitter hopbombs without diversity or complexity. That they can only be enjoyed during certain seasons - that, alas, a hoppy beer is just too heavy for the summer months. That only scary lumberjack men with small woodland animals hibernating in their beards and large axes slung over their shoulders could ever truly love a gnarly IPA...
...except they don't, they aren't, and they're not. One of the best ways to garner respect in this town (and others, so I hear) is to bring a decently thought-out, great-yet-relatively-inexpensive sixer along to social gatherings. Well, at least the people I socialize with - they seem to like that. Maybe it's because I'm closer to 30 now than 20. Perhaps it's because my 10 year college reunion is closer than the time I graduated. It definitely took me a little bit to figure out that hey-o, pseudo-adults like myself enjoy things that taste more like beer than water seasoned with beer.
Well, anyway, my people - and especially myself - like to have a solidly good IPA at a social gathering (or, let's be honest here, just hanging solo at my cozy apartment). And because of that, here's a non-exhaustive list of my top six* of six-pack beers:
(1) Inversion IPA, Deschutes Brewery
(6.8% ABV, 80 IBUs,
more stats here)
For some reason, there's something deliciously homey about the Inversion - even though I've never lived in Oregon, I've only visited Portland three times, and I only had my inaugural visit to Deschutes Brewery this past summer. Maybe its the beer's nice blend of bitter and something chocolate-y/coffee-y mixed with some kind of subtle citrus wonderment. Maybe it's the great memories enjoyed with people over a good Inversion or three (summers in Seattle, KL's bachelorette in Leavenworth, an elk burger (!) in Portland). Whatever it is, it's my current #1 go-to sixer - and I'm happy (or hoppy? HA) to say that I'm presently enjoying a bottle right now.
(2) Interurban IPA, Fremont Brewing
(6.2% ABV, 80 IBUs,
more stats here)
Yes, I'm slightly biased by the fact that the Fremont Brewery is basically a 5 minute walk away. And that I love the brewery's set-up, especially for a nice post-work beer out in its "urban beer garden" during Seattle's nicer months. And did I mention that I own a growler? The Interurban is decidedly tasty, with enough hops to moderately appease a hop-monster like myself but balanced enough to make the beer widely accessible to more hop-hesitant masses. The biggest bonus: they come in cans! Which is
crazy clutch for bringing along on kayak trips and the other water-based sports that Seattle supports so well. Because who
doesn't like enjoying a cold one after paddling to a pristine
Cascadia Marine Trail campsite?
(3) Lagunitas IPA, Lagunitas Brewing Co.
(6.2% ABV, 46 IBUs,
more stats here)
Because if you don't have an Oregon, Washington, and California IPA in your top six (or three) go-to hoppy sixers, your street cred might be on the decline. But seriously, this coast knows how to make a solid, agreeable IPA for all the peeps - and the Lagunitas IPA fills that ballot oh so well. At one of my favorite old work places/watering holes in San Francisco,
the Bean Bag Cafe, you could get this drink on tap for $3. For real. Also, I remember buying multiple sixers for our 2012 election watching party - what a thrilling night. In sum, it's a super solid sixer choice, especially if you're looking to subtly impress with your Cali beer know-how in the PNW.
(4) Ranger IPA, New Belgium Brewing
(6.5% ABV, 70 IBUs,
more stats here)
Ranger Ranger Ranger...if there's ever been a beer that makes me think of Seattle, oddly enough, it's an IPA from Colorado. The Ranger IPA has been a mainstay for me ever since I moved out west in 2008, whether it was my work's uncanny ability to always stock it for happy hours or my ex-boyfriend's penchant for always keeping it in the fridge. It's a bit lighter than my other six-pack go-tos, which makes for a delightfully refreshing beverage during Seattle's splendid summers. And maybe the rest of the world thinks of it as more of a summer IPA too, because it was definitely on sale at QFC this evening (which was definitely cold enough to make my circulation-challenged toes numb).
(5) Evolutionary IPA, Two Beers Brewing Co.
(6.2% ABV, 48 IBUs,
more stats here)
So I have a confession: I didn't know about Two Beers - or at least linking the brewery to its stellar brews - until quite recently. For instance, I couldn't remember it was Two Beers that
made the most phenomenal triple IPA at the 2012 Seattle International Beer festival, well, until this evening. But then an old roommate's dad brought a Two Beers six-pack over for a patio hang when he was in town - and oh my, that was good. It was light and refreshing without sacrificing a nice melody of hops - mmm, mmm good. Again, it's one of those spectacular Seattle things wherein you can get the sixer in bottles or cans, allowing you to be the easy champion of the house party or a camping trip.
(6) Torpedo Extra IPA, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
(7.2% ABV, 70 IBUs,
more stats here)
Disclaimer: the only reason why the Torpedo ranks as #6 (and not higher) is because it's not as easily a "go-to" six-pack -
not because it's not worthy of a higher taste ranking. Like most (all?) beers, it tastes better on tap, but like some beers, I think it tastes astronomically better on tap. I was introduced to the wonderment of Torpedo when I lived in San Francisco, specifically at the oh so spectacular
Green Chile Kitchen in my old hood. After intense yoga sessions at night, I would frequent Green Chile for nachos and a freshly poured Torpedo - clearly, the recovery meal of champions. The Torpedo is intense and is only fully enjoyed, in my opinion, when you're really yearning for a wham-bam kind of hoppy beer. However, you're almost guaranteed to gain some props points if you bring this sixer to a gathering of hop fanatics.
* If, and most likely when, these rankings change, I'll try to remember to update. But it's really for my benefit as this blog is basically a virtual reminder system, blinking "heyyyyy, remember that awesome beer? You should totally bring that to M's gathering." If it helps you too - well, bully.
Cheers,
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