NC's Best Drinking IPAs/ DIPAs

I've liked Surf Wax a lot when I've had it in the past, it'll be interesting to see if it's noticeably different when they do the first batch of it that's not 100% Nelson.

As much as I like Hop Beard, Double Hop Beard didn't do much for me. It's probably the coolest looking growler I have though.

 

Very solid list but I have to give some local props...the IPAs (Tropical Lightning) and DIPAs (Midtown Swank or Sneaky Goose) that Wilmington Brewing Company are putting out are on par with the beers mentioned above. Unfortunately they aren't distributing yet, so y'all are gonna have to come down and check them out! Also, I am huge fan of pernicious, surf wax and Jade. It's great to see so many solid options nowadays considering how short this list would have been just 2 years ago.

 

Of the ones not mentioned I thought Ashville brewing Shiva and Perfect Day IPA were both great.

 

Have you reused yours since you got it? The bottom blew off of mine right after I got back from a trip to Raleigh with a couple of growler fills. Thought it might have to do with temperature fluctuation or the beer that was in it (Crank Arm Chocolate Coffee Imp Stout) but my gut tells me the quality of the glass was low.

 

I have not re-used it yet as I usually try not to use the growlers that have a specific beer on them because places have to go through the trouble of covering it up (or are supposed to at least) if it's not that beer being put in it. I usually just use my ones that only have a brewery name on it.

 

Sneaky Goose is very aptly named... you'd never know it was 9.6% from drinking it. Definitely a solid IIPA, too. Need to check out more of their stuff.

 

Lot of great candidates and I LOVE that new Highland IPA but my current favorite is Jade.

 

Pernicious is my current favorite. Also worth adding to the list is Birdsong Higher Ground IPA. Love that beer. No cans yet, so hasn't been sent around the state. It's maltier than most, but it's unique and delicious and has been pretty consistent.

 

Out of curiosity, does anyone know if there have been multiple different batches of the Highland IPA brewed to this point, or is everything that's out there in a bottle currently the same one?

 

Not sure what has happened to Double Death Spiral, but it has fallen off big time since the new brewery has gotten up and running. Which is weird, because I feel like all their other beers have only gotten better. But DDS seems to have suffered a similar downfall as the much lamented Hop Drop. It's visibly darker, tastes sweeter and maltier, and just clearly not as good as it was in its prime. Hope it's just growing pains.

 

while not the best, i have really enjoyed hoppalachia and the DIPA from granite falls. Very solid IPAs...My favorite lately has been Jade, but 3c and surf wax deserve a mention as well. I really want to try hubris.

 

Hubris should be back out next week, come to Raleigh and try it!

 

just had king of the mountain from boojum. Really nice dipa

 

I remember reading long ago that there was some reason The Alchemist uses a large number of smaller fermentors for Heady Topper rather than a smaller number of large fermentors.

Maybe the downfall of these great IPAs has something to do with the scaling up of fermentor size.

 

Death By Hops
Double Death Spiral
Carpetbagger
Pernicious
Freak
Hop Drop

I will also say that DBH holds up better any of them due to it's malt backbone. It resides somewhere in between east and west coast, stylistically. I haven't had old carpetbagger, but the rest fall off quickly.

Super fresh pernicious may be my fav of the bunch.

And I got to give a huge shout out to Gringo Sandals, which is the best brett IPA I've ever had.

 

Hop Drop changed when the brewery added a centrifuge. I would add Deep River's Mango Tango Foxtrot. The new hop stuff from Heist is killer; change in brewer helped. Wooden Robot is delivering the goods with their What He's Having and what She's Having.

 

I'll be the first to say Hop Roar is a fantastic beer and deserves to be on this list. Highland needs to throw all their other IPAs in the garbage and roll with their new one. I feel like Pisgah has fallen off recently but Grey Beard is still okay. Pernicious is a solid go to and would pick it over most of the others on the list.

 

Why the heck aren't hazy / juicy IPA's coming out of NC? Arguably the hottest in-demand beer now... Sierra Nevada took a run at it with their Beer Camp Tropical IPA (sans the haziness) but, IMO, really missed the mark. Perhaps those of you who come back from Extreme Beerfest in Boston this weekend can chime in on what I am getting at here once you get back.

 

Shiva is very underrated , it's really different not sure what it it, but I do like it.

 

Shiva is the best 6% IPA in the state, wish it made it to Raleigh