Tag: IPA

RUPEE – PREMIUM IPA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • TYPE: IPA
  • BREWERY: Dorchester Brewing Co.
  • LOCATION: Boston, MA
  • CONTAINER: 4-Pack 16 oz. Cans 
  • COST:11.99 – Total Wine, Hobe Sound, FL
  • ABV: 5.4% ABV
  • RATING: 4-Swigs
  • REVIEWED BY: Dave

I didn’t pick the Rupee IPA.  The four-pack nudged itself to the front of the shelf the way some stories sidle up—uninvited, persistent, already convinced it belongs in your hand.

I was just walking past, minding my list, when the cans shifted with the soft clatter of aluminum clearing its throat. A little shuffle forward. A subtle lean. The kind of movement you pretend you didn’t see because acknowledging it means you’re committed to whatever weirdness comes next.

The packaging glowed that burnished, river-bottom copper, and I swore I heard the sound of fingers moiling through a pile of gold coins. I reached for it, and the plastic handle warmed under my fingers, as if relieved I’d finally noticed.

Back home, after several hours being chilled in my garage beer fridge, first can opened with a sigh heavy as monsoon air.

First sip:
Smooth—almost suspiciously so. Not the hop-crunch of modern IPAs that brag their bitterness from across the room. More of a gentlemanly bow from an ale that had crossed oceans in wooden crates and come back with stories it didn’t tell all at once.

Second sip:
The room tipped a degree toward the past. I heard the creak of rigging, the far-off argument of gulls, and the steady, heartbeat thump of waves against the hull. Either the beer was whispering history or my imagination had slipped its leash again. Hard to tell. I’ve followed stranger trails sober.

Third sip:
The bitterness stayed tucked away, letting a quiet, polished finish glide in like a seasoned traveler stepping off a long voyage, dusting off salt and holding onto dignity. Somewhere, I pictured the world-renowned brewer—one hand in old Britain, one in old India—tuning hop notes the way a luthier coaxes harmony from stubborn wood.

By the fourth sip, the can felt heavier. Not in ounces, but in meaning—ballast from a century-old route, a faint ghost of a sailor who’d hitched a ride into a modern refrigerator.

I set the can down.
It exhaled.
I might have, too.

Rupee IPA didn’t just put the India back in India Pale Ale.
It put the voyage back—the patience, the quiet grit, the long horizon. A beer that walks softly but carries its past like a compass.

When I tossed the empty into recycling, I swear the remaining cans nudged closer together, as if plotting their next move.

THEIR STORY: 

The IPAs of today trace their origin to the 19th century British India.  Ales enjoyed then were less hoppy & bitter than today.  When shipping beer to India via ship, brewers in Britain realized adding in more hops naturally preserved the beer to help make the six month voyage.  As a result, the taste became more hoppy & bitter, like the popular IPAs of today.  Our world-renound master beer brewer has crafted a British-Indian style ale with a subtle hop character & smooth finish.  Rupee is putting the India back in India Pale Ale.

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Bombay By Boat IPA

  • TYPE: IPA
  • BREWERY: moonlight Brewing Company
  • LOCATION: Santa Rosa, CA
  • CONTAINER: 4-pack 16oz cans
  • COST: 12.99
  • ABV: 6.2%
  • RATING: 4 swigs
  • REVIEWED BY: Dave

I found the can washed up on the rocks in Shelter Cove—intact, icy cold, label sun-bleached but legible: Moonlight Brewing — Bombay by Boat IPA.

No one leaves a full IPA behind. I popped it open. That’s when I heard the truck. Old Taco, rust red, loaded with crab pots. A hand-painted sign flapped on the tailgate: “CRABS & CONSEQUENCES.”

The driver spotted me. Yellow slicker, beard full of kelp. He slammed the brakes, pointed a claw-handled knife, and screamed: “THAT’S NOT YOUR BEER!”

I ran. The crabs jumped first—dozens of them, skittering like sentient castanets. One launched onto my chest and hissed, “That beer was an offering!”

I chugged it anyway. The ocean held its breath. The truck sank into the mist. The crabs froze mid-scuttle. Somewhere, faintly, a foghorn wept.

When I came to, I was lying at the base of the lighthouse, the can was gone. My breath smelled like citrus hops and malts.

Scratched into the bench beside me: Next time… bring bait

THEIR STORY:

A classic IPA offering balance and drinkability by weaving a blend of American and European Hops with a reliable malty depth like all Moonlight beers. This IPA is unfiltered and aged cold longer for clarity and delight.

DELICIOUS BY EVERY MEASURE– this ain’t a factory beer

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GIGGLE SHARK

  • TYPE: IPA
  • BREWERY: Brewed & Packaged by Big Storm Brewing Co. for 5 Branches Brewing
  • LOCATION: Tarpon Springs, FL
  • CONTAINER: 1 Pint, 16 oz. 4-pack cans
  • COST: $13.49 (Total Wine)
  • ABV: 7.2 ABV
  • RATING: 5 swigs
  • REVIEWED BY: Dave

I was flitting the isles of Total Wine, deep into the Florida Craft Beer section and reached up for a 4-pack of Giggle Shark when I was clipped by a shopping cart, spinning me around where I knocked my noggin on the post and slid down onto the floor in a semi-conscious state.  I knew other shoppers were around me, whispering to each other if I was okay.  It got interesting, so I played the unconscious part to hear the the rest of it.

They were talking about drinking a Giggle Shark, a refreshing awesome start leading into a citrus minded middle that carried you through to a craving finish.  “A keeper,” they said.

Then I came to, grabbed a couple of 4-packs and was on my way.  

THEIR STORY: 

Taken directly from their website – “5 Branches Brewing is a veteran owned and operated nanobrewery located in Tarpon Springs Florida. Approaching retirement after full-time careers in the Air Force and Army, fellow service members Ramey Simpson and Jerry Brown decided to pool their resources and launch a modest brewery they could operate after leaving the military.

In November 2019, they officially opened 5 Branches Brewing. The name pays homage to the five branches of the military – the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. The brewery proudly supports the veteran community. They give back to the community by donating to many veteran charities and projects and continue to give back whenever possible. The brewery slogan is “Every Beer Has a Story”. Our mission is to create unique, clean, crisp, craft beer using quality ingredients, innovation, fun and creativity, while supporting and honoring all service members.

Ramey is a 24 year Air Force Veteran that retired July 1st 2021. He is the owner/operator of 5 Branches Brewing. In 2019 he founded 5 Branches Brewing with Jerry.

Jerry is a 27 year Army Veteran still currently serving. He is the owner/Lead Brewer of 5 Branches Brewing. In 2019 he founded 5 Branches Brewing with Ramey.”

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Palm Bender

Palm Bender IPA.JPG
  • TYPE: Gulf Coast IPA
  • BREWERY: Big Storm Brewing Company
  • LOCATION: Florida: Clearwater, Odessa, Cape Coral, and Orlando
  • CONTAINER: 4-pack 16 oz cans
  • COST: $9.99 (Total Wine)
  • ABV: 7.0 % ABV
  • RATING: 4 swigs
  • REVIEWED BY: Dave

In the early morning when I look up at the Royal Palms, their cool ropes of scented fruit dropping down as the heat of the day begins to rise, I look forward to three o’clock, where I meet up with my buddies on the Thursday and we sample different beers.  Today, a smooth IPA with a great start, smooth middle, but an unexplained flat finish.  The color is beautiful and this brew holds true to what makes an IPA an IPA, but I wish there was just a little more to the finish.  However, the cost per fluid oz is well worth stocking this one in the fridge.

THEIR STORY: To create a uniquely fresh IPA, we took the firm bitterness you’d expect from a West Coast style and added a blend of hops to produce notes of citrus you associate with Florida.  The result is Palm Bender Gulf Coast IPA, a Hophead’s dream with a sunny twist.  The two-row barley and aromatic malts balance the initial bite with a slightly toasty finish.  Pairs well with: Jerk Wings, Pepper Jack and Carrot cake.

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TWO HEADED ALE

  • TYPE: American IPA
  • BREWERY: Bell’s Brewery, Inc.
  • LOCATION: Comstock, MI
  • CONTAINER: 12 oz Can
  • COST:  $8.49 six pack of cans, etc.
  • ABV: 7.0%
  • RATING: 3.5 Swigs
  • REVIEWED BY: Dave

Noticing the swirl on the water’s surface, I cast out a line beyond it, wondering what lurks below, using nothing but a hook, jigging it a meter below the surfing then slowing reeling it up through the swirls–BAM!  A strike and I jerked the rod making sure the hook was set, watching my line zig-zag through the water, the tip of my rod like a divining rod for a good IPA.  It put up a good fight, but I was a little disappointed in the carry of this taste– nothing off, just nothing quite memorable.  All in all a solid tasting IPA, but a little predictable.  Still, for the price I have stock in my fridge for the masses.  This is a solid standby.

THEIR STORY:  They have no story on their can, unlike almost every beer I have reviewed– maybe a cost saving being passed onto their customers

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H.A.Z.Y. – I.P.A.

H.A.Z.Y. I.P.A

  • TYPE: Hazy IPA
  • BREWERY: Sweetwater Brewing Company
  • LOCATION: Atlanta, GA
  • CONTAINER: 12 oz Can
  • COST: BOGO – 2 Six packs for $12 @ Publix
  • ABV: 6.20%
  • RATING: 4+ Swigs
  • REVIEWED BY: Dave

During a draught–– my outside garage fridge empty of craft beers––  I hopped into my TACO and drove down to Publix and made a bee-line to craft beer section and saw this Sweetwater H.A.Z.Y.  I.P.A. on BOGO.  I recalled having a Sweetwater in the past but not this one.   At the register where and older cashier with a pleasant smile, attractive, asked if I ever had this one?  I answered no, but mentioned I loved IPA’s.  I then asked her if she ever had this and what she thought of it?  The answer I received took me out there and back: 

“Not someone’s name. Not an album cover nor game of the future involving four or more players dressed in combat complete uniforms carrying magnifying paper cups constructed of glass and more paper then was originally thought necessary. Not all the titles of the beers along the shelves,  aggregated into one big ball made from smaller balls held together by the pain taking care of a fast moving chicken that may have seen, but not contemplated, what the mass of balls was doing in its domain to begin with.  It then made a few chicken noises which culminated into one big gizzard wrenching scream then cautiously crossed its legs and fell over, puffing clouds of dirt through its nostrils and settling into a puddle, to die, in the rain, alone.”

“That works for me,” I said.  “And save the plastic, I can carry these.”

THEIR STORY:  We endowed this straight-up juice-bomb with a double dry hop of mosaic, citra el dorado and azacca fora blast of mango, stone fruit, lime and pine aromas.It’s not a mirage but a tasty refreshing oasis in your pursuit of haziness.

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Apalach IPA

  • TYPE: IPA
  • BREWERY: Oyster City Brewing Company
  • LOCATION: Lakeland, FL
  • CONTAINER: 12 oz Can
  • COST: Around $10/six of cans
  • ABV: 6.9%
  • RATING: 4+ Swigs
  • REVIEWED BY: Dave

So there I was, sitting on the other side of the bar for a change, drinking my Apalach IPA, a no nonsense IPA with mild undertones that don’t reach up and bite you, when in walks a Master Crafter from down the street.  I stop what I’m doing and ask if there is something I could help him with. He looks around the bar, but not at me, clears his throat and says, “What time do you have?”

“Four more swigs before this is a beached whale,” I say glancing at the back of my hand.  Not finding the humor in this he sits down at the corner of the bar like he’s got cenosillicaphobia.

Suddenly, I was being held from behind and my Apalach IPA was out of reach to do me any good. But not being a noob, I hopped my way out of that mash. So there we stood, about to get into it when a growler rolled off the shelf from above and struck him on the head.  That’s the way Ninkasi works–– just when you need her. 

THEIR STORY:  Made By The Water

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Goon Squad

 

  • TYPE: Juicy Hazy Double IPA
  • BREWERY: Brew Hub
  • LOCATION: Lakeland, FL
  • CONTAINER: 12 oz Can
  • COST: $10.48 – six pack of cans
  • ABV: 9.8 %
  • RATING: 5 Swigs
  • REVIEWED BY: Dave

One more terrific Florida beer with strong citrus flavors and a smooth taste–– start to finish.  I bought this on a hunch, but maybe it was planned that way, eye level on the shelf, bright orange can and a name on it I couldn’t resist.

After a can or two of this, I found myself walking through a door into the hazy air left behind by cigar smoke and sitting down across from a guy with worn shoes up on the desk and a straw porkpie hat dipped down to cover an equally hazy eye.

“How’d you get my name?” He asked.

“I didn’t.” I replied.

“Then what are you doing here?”

“I got into a fight with the Pillsbury Doughboy, isle seven, in the Winn-Dixie, Hobe Sound.  I read the label on the package he was pushing, about a recipe maybe you wrote up.”  I stopped there to let that bake for a second or two.

He tilted his chin up to get a better look at me, his one eye scanning, the other stationary as if watching the timer on the wall.  He nodded for me to continue.

“This beer I keep seeing on the shelf–– Goon Squad–– ever hear of it?” I asked

“Yeah.” His chin titling down again.

“How do you think that would pair with your recipe for Apple Fruity Pull-Apart Bread.”

He pulled his feet off the desk and leaned into me.  “Where did you hear that?” I could tell from his question, he wanted an answer.

“Doughboy… after I had him stretched out on the floor.”

“Yeah… okay,” he said leaning back, beads of sweat appearing just above the lip.  “Yeah.  It will pair just fine.”

Nothing more needed to be said, I got up and started to leave.

“Tell Doughboy I’ll be looking for him,” he added.

I nodded and left.

 

THEIR STORY:  There was no story associated with this one on their can, but maybe the only one needed is mine.

 

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Tocobaga – Red India Pales Ale

  • TYPE: Tocobaga Red India Pale Ale
  • BREWERY: Cigar City Brewing Company
  • LOCATION: Tampa, FL
  • CONTAINER: 12 oz Can
  • COST: Total Wine – $9.99 six pack of cans
  • ABV: 7.2%
  • RATING: 5Swigs
  • REVIEWED BY: Dave

Couldn’t it be that something happen something be that it couldn’t . I seem to remember having this beer but it’s that feeling of isomerism… then I realized it was from one of my favorite Florida brewing companies, Cigar City.  Gee wiz they make a good brew.  Just as I was about to place my can of Tocobaga down by the edge of the pool,  two copper lizards and a cicada flew down next to it, recognizing this is indeed is a great brew.    From the first pull, its smooth yet rich flavor grabs you, bypassing the bitterness you would expect from an IPA…. you want more and before you know it it’s gone and all you can remember is—wow.. this could be my everyday brew.

THEIR STORY:  Brimming with Citrus hops, our Red IPA tempers it’s bitterness with rich malt flavors reminiscent with carmel and bread crust.  Notes of blueberry and pine round out this assertive yet balanced ale.

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BIMINI TWIST IPA

  • TYPE:  IPA
  • BREWERY: 3 Daughters Brewing
  • LOCATION: St. Petersburg, FL
  • CONTAINER: 12 oz Can
  • COST: UKNOWN – had it at a friend’s house.
  • ABV: 7.0%
  • RATING: 4 Swigs
  • REVIEWED BY: Dave

     “Bombora, starboard bow! Come about, Lad! 

     “The agreement we made, of this venue, was that I would be paid the balance in total of …. 32 DASH, minus the dancing….” said the Lad

The captain, spun around as if to bore through the deck with his Boring Company promotional Not-A-Flame-Thrower. 

   “Say again, Lad?”

    This is where the captain’s parrot, Judy,  barreled through the hatch doors with the top board almost cleaving it in half.  Judy looked back at the near miss and fluffed up a bit… annoyed… that she did not see that coming.

    “I am most dissatisfied with the standing water situation below,” Judy interrupted.  “What progress have you made? Show me your top five bids.”

     Both the captain and the Lad looked disinterested.

     Judy, irritated by their dismissal, flew above the Captain and Lad trying to land deposits onto them.  The captain saw a splat land by his prized penny loafers, looked up, and could make out the silhouette of Judy against the sun.  He pulled out his caterpillar minnow net gun, pointed it toward the sky and fired as he shielded his eyes. He heard a squawk followed by a thud on the deck.  Fortunately for Judy, she landed on a pile of coiled ropes breaking her fall and also fortunately, before joining the crew of the Bombora, she was a training instructor at, HowToGetOutOfNetsOnRopes dot com.  

      The Lad, not known for much of anything, had gone below during this ruckus and removed three cans of Bimini Twist from the galley fridge and by the time he got back up on deck, the Captain and Judy were about to go at it–Judy swinging a spiked mace while the Captain took more modern methods and was slapping in a duct taped pair of magazines into his AR-15. 

 

     “Hold on there you two!” the Lad shouted.  “Try one of these, first.”  

     Judy, skeptical and squinting into the sun, dropped the mace to the deck and reached for the Bimini, the Captain doing the same.

   “Very smooth start with hops coming in strong,” the Captain stated.

   “Dry tart finish.  Although I could not sense the citrus, I could feel the 7.0% ABV creeping up on me… “ Judy added.  “Nice IBU rating– Everything I like in an IPA.”

    “There, now isn’t that better than fighting to the death?” said the Lad.

    “Well…. For now,” remarked Judy.

    “And you, Captain?” the Lad encouraged.”

    The Captain took another swig from the Bimini, as the condensation from the hot humid tropical heat beaded up on his forehead. “Not bad my Lad.  I hope you stocked up on these? I’d hate to see parts of Judy scattered along the deck.”

    “You and what army?” Chided Judy, bringing the three of them to a hearty laugh with their Bimini’s raised above their heads.    

THEIR STORY: Our perfect IPA: Intense citrus and floral hop aroma coupled with slight hints of citrus make this beer as refreshing as a Bimini sea breeze. Don’t let this one get away.

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