NC's Best Drinking IPAs/ DIPAs

I do wish they would can Hubris and $14 is definitely rough for a bomber. But you got that through distro and got the Heist one directly from the brewery, not 100% apples to apples.

Got some Blurred coming, really excited to try it. The cans look really cool as well.

 

You are correct Caveman. I just feel Craft is at a point where Bombers are not practical! I do not remember the last Bomber IPA or Double IPA I have purchased. My purchases now are right at 85-90% 12oz or 16oz cans. Blurred is friggin awesome, I think it was as good as the Citraquint'l canning. Cheers!

 

Good to hear you think Blurred is awesome! Buddy picked up some yesterday and sending down my way. Looking forward to it since really enjoyed other 3 have had from Heist.

 

I think when they get their own canning line then they will can Hubris, but they just don't want to trust it to the mobile people for their signature beer. But yeah I agree, I rarely buy bombers anymore.

 

Found out it's Amarillo btw.

 

Surprised this hasn't been mentioned yet, but it looks like Trophy is getting into the canning game. First up Cloud Surfer and Trophy Wife.

 

They go on sale today and looks like more to come when they get their in-house canning line up and running.

https://www.raleighagenda.com/2515/trophy-today-trophy-starts-selling-beer-cans/

 

I've never had either of these IPA's from Trophy, which is the best out of the two?

 

The first couple of batches of Cloud Surfer were amazing. Hopefully these cans turn out the same. Unfortunately, I'm leaving for the beach right before they are released. I wanted to take some of these with me.

 

Some of these sound excellent...What are the top IPA options that one can find on the shelf in Asheville at the moment?

 

In Asheville... that's a little bit more difficult. Most of the hyped Charlotte breweries (Heist, Wooden Robot, etc) and Raleigh Breweries (Trophy, Bond Bros, etc.) don't regularly distribute to Asheville.

If you're looking for on the shelf in Asheville, look for fresh Wicked Weed Pernicious or Freak of Nature (DIPA). Both beers are great, especially when you can get them right off the line.

Foothills Jade IPA is great (actually ranked higher than Pernicious and Freak on BA right now), but you can't always get it fresh. NoDa's Hop, Drop, 'n Roll IPA is pretty good (although not as good as it was back in 2014), but NoDa isn't big on distro and you can't find it everywhere. Lynnwood's Hubris is pretty solid, but I don't know if bombers made it out to the mountains.

Burial makes great beers all around, and I imagine you can find their stuff fairly well in Ashe-Vegas. Their Ceremonial Session IPA is always good and they have a new Amarillo-featured version. Scythe is great if you like Rye IPAs. They recently canned their Surf Wax IPA, but I don't know if you can find it anywhere.

Aside from that, Highland has a good new IPA (just called... IPA, in bottles) and I like Boojum's King of the Mountain DIPA (16oz cans). Green Man's Rainmaker DIPA (bottles) is great when you can get it fresh, but we might be too late in the year for that. If you like maltier resiny DIPAs, you might enjoy the Foothills Seeing Double IPA (bombers)

 

http://m.imgur.com/vHebTxN

 

Definitely need to pick up some Cloud Surfer but here's the look / coloring & cloudiness (along with that juicy flavor) NE style IPA's are known for. Maybe it's just the angle of the Cloud Surfer shot?

http://i63.tinypic.com/2m80ej5.jpg

 

I thought it was tasty - similar to how I remember it being to the last time I had it on tap. Lots of Mosaic dankness.

 

Pretty good. I'd say it was better than the previous batch, but still not as good as the first. Definitely glad I picked some up though, $11.99 I think it was, not too bad.

It wasn't this though, which may be my new favorite NC IPA...

http://m.imgur.com/dDCcb9v

 

Based on the picture by Caveman, it appears a lot like the growler I got of Cloud Surfer in May. Good beer, but I am not sure I would call it NE style yet. Pretty sure the NE traders will not be looking for it. I think Trophy is headed in the right direction though!

 

It doesn't look like a Trillium beer, no. Looks the same as the last batch did though IMO.

 

That's okay. The key is what @TomDRaleigh outlined above. No doubt Chris & Woody at Trophy are heading in the right direction. AnyWho... I will definitely try to lay my hands on some Cloud Surfer as I have yet to try it.

On another note, that Blurred Is The Word looks just like the orange ice cream floats I recall having as a kid. Definitely envious you got to give it a go.