West coast vs East coast!

^^^ this is correct ^^^

 

Man, I love a good BA whiney bicker thread.

And consider my 'West Coast' vote as another squirt of gasoline on the fire.

 

A league of their own starring the draft horse Rosie O'Donnell
@RBassSFHOPit2ME

 

I'm not going to vote because I don't believe in the whole "west coast vs east coast" thing. There are all types of IPAs from all different parts of the country, and to quantify them by coast is grievously inaccurate and overgeneralizing. SN Torpedo and Lagunitas IPA are more malty and are West Coast, and the more tropical fruity IPAs I've had are also West Coast. (Sculpin, Sucks, Enjoy By, Ruination 2.0)
I like IPAs all over the spectrum. One day I'll want a Two Hearted Ale or Centennial IPA and another day I'll want a Stone IPA. I've also never had a legendary-status Vermont/New England-style IPA, so those don't count for me.

 

I prefer the Tropical juicy fruit IPA's ..regardless who makes them.
Please don't make this scene like its the crips and the bloods,greasers and socials,Tupac and biggie ....it's just beer.Share and enjoy it.

 

Thread title isn't accurate. Hrmph. The coasts don't only brew IPA's!!

 

Yeah I get it. You don't know what you're talking about.

 

THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN.

 

West Coast. Kind of a hard question though. Many folks I'm sure haven't had these mythical northeast IPA's due to lack of distribution. I've liked the IPAs from the east coast I've had for the most part: Heady, Space Cake and Finestkind were great. But it's sad that I may never get to experience the other much-ballyhooed stuff from HF, Lawson, Trillium, Treehouse. Maybes those could change my vote, but I won't find that out anytime soon.,.. I guess I'll drown my sorrows in the limitless options over here.

 

If we are talking about hoppy beers, it really can be narrowed down to New England v California, no?

HF, Lawsons, Alchemist, Trillium, MBC, NEBCO, Bissel Bros, Fiddlehead

Cellarmaker, Beachwood, Alpine, Russian River, KRBC, Societe (and this CA guy will tag on lesser knowns Faction, Altamont, Berryessa, and newcomer Fieldwork)

Now, between those two lists...it's still too close.

 

I have had both excellent and boring, and fresh and old representations of both East and West Coast IPAs.

Excellent, fresh beer is where you find it.

 

I tend to think of it as the Vermont variation on the American IPA. Not so much west coast vs east coast. I had a Boo Koo IPA from Mother Earth when I visited CA recently, and it was decidedly a "Vermont style" IPA (and darned good). Color will be very pale, malt more akin to a pilsner in some respects. Hops are showcased to the extreme, but not typically resinous or bitter, ranging from tropical/grapefruit to dank. Almost always unfiltered. Just about everything I get from the west coast (or midwest) is filtered. In some cases, like HF, Trillium and Treehouse, you are talking about beers consumed on tap from kegs that run dry in a few hours or within a few days of being canned/bottled. Like Heady, Be Hoppy from Wormtown will be out of the stores within hours of arrival (Gandhi-Bot too).

So you have local beers, delivered refrigerated, unfiltered and unpasteurized to the consumer within hours or at most a few days. I do think its an important aspect of the enjoyment of these beers. By the way, Space Cake and Finestkind are both (in my view) traditional American IPAs, more like what I get from the west coast or midwest. Limbo is the high volume/distro beer closest to the "Vermont style" in my experience. Had a Be Hoppy alongside a Sculpin the other day, and it really showcased the stylistic differences (both are excellent beers).

 

I love both. That's like asking me which of two styles is better. I like all styles.

 

Haven't had enough east coast to really say. But i wasn't blown away by Heady

 

SoCal tropical/fruity IPAs

 

Winner takes all of the hops?

 

The Midwest gets no love. Half Acre, Surly, Toppling Goliath, Revolution, Bell's, and many more can be added to your two.

 

West Coast of course! The east coast could never make IPA's as good as the west coast. Best beers in the states come from the west coast.

 

East coast. Dinner is my favorite IPA followed closely by King sue. Don't really care for many west coast IPAs, never got the love for Pliney.

 

A League of Their Own!