NC's Best Drinking IPAs/ DIPAs

Really enjoying this one. New Anthem has seriously been knocking it out of the park lately.

 

Now this by no means is intended to be any form of a fair comparison AT ALL but I picked up a 4-pack of NA's HSF and did a little blind side by side comparison with the better 1/2 this past weekend. The comparison was done against Tree House's Alter Ego and Trillium's Melcher St. and was done strictly for the heck of it. Well... I am guessing you guys kinda already know which beers got the respective nod. Accordingly, I guess I have a different standard in terms of "hitting it out of the park". At least with respect to this style of beer. AnyWho, what really stood out to me as well as the wife was that HSF had a lingering smokey flavor. Not sure what it was attributable to(?) but regardless, the beer was decent. Also, and this is strictly a personal preference thing, I am not a big fan of using Centennial hops when going for that full-on juicy / tropical NE IPA smell and taste.

All of the above being said, are certain breweries in the area continually stepping up their game regarding the style? Absolutely! However, IMO there is still a bit of catch-up going on but the divide seems to be narrowing.

 

In the last week I’ve had new anthem’s she’s so pretty, Wilmington brewing’s hop geyser (4 pack from pelagic) and their hoppy business, fullsteam’s brawny, and a fridge staple when I can find it, burial’s surf wax (and a nonNC veil brewing which greg 4 pack).

Of those:

Brawny was good and different. Sort of like Fullsteam’s take on dogfish head PA tuxedo. The sprucey, piney, tree tasting IPA.

Surf Wax - always great, but does alter in taste from time to time.

Hoppy Business - a triple dry hopped dipa, tasty, hazy, and very crisp in the mouth for the level of bitterness. All around it was ok, I’d say good, but not hope geyser good.

She’s So Pretty was delicious. I would say New Anthem is bringing it, but I haven’t had many from the north (tree house, etc).

Hop Geyser wins my favorite from the past week. Fresh. Juicy. And incredibly easy for a dipa. Even beats out veil’s which greg for me. Almost the same exact playing field, too, hazy 8% dipas.

Got a few in the fridge I haven’t tried yet. Pisgah ipa, burial hawkbill, and an American ipa from bhramari. Bring on the week.

 

To each their own.

I would never compare 1:1 NA to Treehype or Trillium, but am super happy to be able to go to my local shop and have high class NE IPAs without trading or traveling.

 

Peace!

If you read my reply, as it was intended anyway, you might have come to the conclusion that I was not intending to start a spat or otherwise question your opinion regarding N/A. Rather, it was provided simply to express that the easily recognizable NE guys / breweries (two of which I mentioned in my prior post) have arguably been in on this whole NE IPA craziness for quite some time, however, some other breweries are making some solid progress with respect to the the style of beer. Please note that my taste comparison was intended to do nothing more than to assess if the guys making solid progress (N/A being a very solid example) are, and no offense intended, "hitting it out of the park" with respect to my opinion and my opinion only. For me, it's a stretch at this point but I would agree that N/A is one of the locals on the fast track to doing just that. And... I sure do appreciate the fact that they are in the NE IPA fray and have beer that is readily available and is pretty damn good (Steez, IMO, being the best that I have had the opportunity to try).

 

It was more of you are comparing beers not from NC in a "best IPA's in NC"... Seems a bit irrelevant and not necessary.

 

You're right. I unintentionally expanded the stated subject of the thread. My bad. But, too me, it just seems a little goofy when arguably the bulk of the comments on here of late are regarding who makes the best NE style IPA? Seems somewhat contradictory to leave the region (and brewers within it) out of the conversation when talking about the style and who measures up.

 

Any love for Foothills Jade? Just had one today for the first time in I don’t know how long and it was pretty crazy good! I feel like it’s never ever talked about and just always excluded from pint nights around here (raleigh).

 

When it’s fresh it’s definitely still one of the best west coast examples around.

 

I can definitely get what you’re saying. I feel like the first can of my four pack was great and fresh and really had me excited. But then I started barely being able to finish a can due to the hop profiles once it was not fridge cold. Who knows, maybe it was my taste buds, maybe I crushed the first one so quick that my brain registered it was just a deliciously fresh cold beer, ha. Nevertheless I appreciate it and was glad I could grab some and would honestly try it again from another batch. I was down there last week and only tried a few on draft, not including Tropical Lightning. Now that it’s in cans I hope it finds it’s way into a few bottle shops around Raleigh.

 

Just had a Pithy IPA while throwing down some amazing lunch at Bhavana. What an amazing beer. The color, smell, taste, all superb! Wish it was available in cans!

 

It will be canned again in a few weeks. Think they’re doing that and Yield next go-round.

 

^^^yes!!!!

 

I’ve probably said this before, but this is my favorite thread on this forum by a lot.

 

I think the most amazing part of this thread, is look at the beers being compared on the first page to now, it blows my mind how quickly NC brewers have stepped up their IPA game.

 

The February dated Hawkbill is just phenomenal. If you put some in a Trillium growler it could pass for one of their 6.5%ers.

 

Such a great batch, they should just make that all the time

 

Whoa! Ahhhh never mind.

 

I think they are gonna try to. The January batch I had was a big step up from the previous few, and now this new one is a whole ‘nother level.