Port Brewing Mongo IPA

Port Brewing always has some great IPAs and this is no exception.  I always find that they have that strong hop flavor that I like and the Mongo didn't disappoint.  The Mongo IPA had a very strong hoppy flavor along with a citrus flavor that was very nice.  The alcohol content is pretty high at 8.5%, so you need to watch your intake. 

I highly recommend this beer.  If you don't like a strong hop taste, this beer isn't for you, but if you do you need to go and pick up a few. 

I give it 4.75 out 5 hops!

Stone Ruination IPA

Well I happened to pick a great beer that I have been enjoying for years!  My random selection of a Stone Ruination IPA was a great surprise.  All Stone beers have a great consistency and are always excellent.  The Ruination IPA is no exception.

It has a terrific hoppy taste with a smooth finish.  The 7.7% alcohol isn't too high for such a hoppy beer.  Drinking the Ruination IPA was like saying hello to a friend I haven't seen in a while.

The only regret with this beer was that it was out of a bottle rather than the tap.  I just think the keg has a little better flavor for some reason.

I give it 4.5 out of 5 hops!

Hermitage Brewing Company H-Series single hop IPA

This beer was made using Nelson Sauvin hops from New Zealand.  Here is a link to more information on that particular hops: http://www.nzhops.co.nz/varieties/pdf/nelson_sauvin.pdf.

Hermitage Brewing Company is based in San Jose California.  This is the first beer I have tried from this brewery, and overall I would say it was a very well made beer.  It wasn't a typical IPA, possibly due to the single hop choice, and had a lot more sweetness to it than I expected.  After a little research it seems that this is typical for this variety of hops.  The beer has a 7% alcohol content, so it isn't too strong so drinking 22oz (the size of the bottle) isn't a big issue.

I think it was a good beer, but not a great IPA.  Once again this goes to my taste for very hoppy, less sweet beer.

I would recommend that you give this beer a try as it was tasty and very drinkable.

I give it 3.5 out of 5 hops.

Alaskan IPA

Week three in the quest for the perfect IPA, and the Alaskan IPA will probably be a contender.  This was an excellent IPA.  The beer had a great hoppy taste, but remained light and smooth through the finish.  The alcohol content wasn't too high at 6.2% either.  The Alaskan Brewing Company makes a great IPA.  I highly recommend it!

I give it 5 hops!

Here is a link to the Brewery website:  http://www.alaskanbeer.com/our-brew/year-round-beers/ipa.html