What Was Your Gateway IPA?

Fat tire. I drank so much of that stuff I had to find something else. Racer 5 happened to be the ticket.

 

Racer 5

 

My gateway IPA Was a Dogfish Head's 60 Minute IPA. I then went on to more East Coast IPAs from DFH, Flying Dog, Saranac, Brooklyn Brewery, Victory, Harpoon, etc. Worked my curiosity out west to Goose Island's IPA, to Sierra Nevada to Stone, Bear Republic, Ballast Point, and other great West Coast IPAs.

 

I can't really remember, but I did hate them at first.

I would say it was either Anchor Liberty Ale or DFH 60 minute.

 

Ruination...Weird right?

 

BLACKROCKS - 51K IPA

 

It was either Hop Devil or Torpedo; can't remember which came first

 

Don't remember so I will guess Odell's IPA.

 

I had a hard time getting into them, then a friendly BA sent me some heady and flower power. I've been chasin the green dragon ever since.

 

Great gateway IPA is Big Sky. Tons of aroma and citrus taste but very little bite. I get people with that one all the time!

 

Great point- there were plenty of hoppy beers available before IPAs became dominant.

 

Couldn't stand hoppy beers about 4 years ago. Then Racer 5 got me hooked on regular IPAs. Knee Deep Hoptologist got me hooked on double IPAs. Now I love each style.

 

I did not like IPAs at first and for many years I was content with drinking the craft styles I did find that I liked and didn't bother to learn much about the different kinds of hops, IPAs, etc. Then one year for my birthday a girl I was dating at the time who didn't know a thing about beer showed up with a case of DFH 60 Min. because, "The guy at the beer store told me this was good and it's one of his top sellers." I didn't have the heart to tell her that IPAs were not my thing and I figured eh, I'll drink what I can and then give the rest to friends. We eventually cracked one open and then another and then another and as I drank them down I learned that I CAN like IPAs and appreciate hoppy beers and the flavors they provide and that there really can be a huge difference as certain beers warm and it's amazing how the flavors can change (prior to this I drank mostly craft Lagers and Pilsners and such). Ever since then I have been trying all sorts of IPAs/DIPAs and have learned a lot!

 

Lagunitas Maximus was the IPA that really got me hooked.

 

Columbus ipa still my go to.

 

G'KNIGHT

 

My first "real" IPA, other than Alexander Keith's IPA was Propeller IPA. The thing about Propeller IPA that really turned me on to IPA's is that it was "refreshingly bitter" which sounds strange to someone who has never had a hoppy beer before, but the amount of bitterness that was presented was more of a flavour enhancer than a nose turner.

 

probably a Ballantine, but I probably forgot about that...then, in about 1991 or 1992, when I got into craft--Bridgeport. Probably the first craft IPA I ever drank, probably the second craft beer (behind Red Hook). I knew this was for me.

What do you think, primarily Cascade and maybe a little Willamette? Been a decade since I've had one, I'll bet.