Idiot IPA

I had some pretty high expectations for the Idiot IPA from Coronado Brewing Company in San Diego based on reviews from some friends that had this on tap.  I ended up pretty disappointed.  It is a double IPA with 8.5% Alcohol, so I was really expecting a good strong hop.

It poured a nice golden hue, but the head was pretty excessive.  It was even just coming out of the bottle just sitting on the counter, so maybe there was something spoiled.

Overall it was barely drinkable and I poured most of it down the drain.  I wonder if they call it idiot IPA because you would need to be an idiot to buy a second bottle.

I give it 1 out of 4 hops.

Ranger IPA

Ranger IPA from New Belgium Brewing Company in Colorado was a very enjoyable brew.  It had a good balance of hops and citrus flavors.  It was only a 6.5% alcohol IPA, so I was expecting it to be a little week, but I was pleasantly surprised by it hoppy bite and solid after taste.

This was a very nice smooth IPA.

I give it 4 out of 5 hops!

Pursuit of Hoppiness

I just finished having a Pursuit of Hoppiness from Grand Teton Brewing Company and it was great.  It isn't even an IPA, but is an American red ale.

Poured into the glass it was clearly a red ale, but the aroma and taste were akin to a double IPA.  This beer did have the reminiscent flavors of a red ale, but on top of that it had some great hops!  Alcohol content was at 9%, so I expected some hops, but not as much as I got.  This was an excellent beer and I highly recommend you try it.

It went down smooth and had a great after taste.  I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of this beer.

4.5 out of 5 hops!

Rubicon IPA

Rubicon IPA is from Rubicon Brewing company in California.  It is a light IPA, only 6.5% alcohol so I wasn't expecting too much from this beer.  Unfortunately my expectations were still too high.  This beer shouldn't even be called an IPA.  It tasted more like a Miller Light.

It had a slight hoppy taste, but it was barely evident.  It also was a very fizzy beer and light in color (like a light beer).

If you are looking for a slight step up from a light beer then you may like this, but if you are a serious IPA drinker then you should just leave this on the shelf.

2.5 out of 5 hops.

Firestone Double Jack

Firestone beers are usually very good, and this beer was no exception.  Overall it had a good, balanced taste to it although I found it a bit heavy.

The aroma had a distinct citrus nose to it and the taste followed that nicely. I didn't find it very hoppy, but it did have a little bite to it, with a decent lasting after taste.

It poured form a 22oz bottle, and was heavy enough that one bottle was more than enough for me.  The 9.5% alcohol  content wasn't too strong for a double IPA, but the heaviness of the beer made it very filling.

Overall it is a good beer worth trying.

I give it 3.75 out of 5 hops.

Leafer Madness

Leafer Madness is from the Beer Valley Brewing Company in Oregon.  It was a double IPA and I think this is one of the best IPAs around and highly recommend that you try it.

It has a very good bitter taste that lasted a good long while.  It wasn't at all abrasive and at 9% alcohol content is very drinkable.  This was fairly light and you could easily drink several of these without getting overly full.

I was not expecting such an exceptional IPA given the name, which seemed like just a good joke.

I give this IPA 4.75 out of 5 hops!  Go get one!