Accessible IPA's for newcomer

Be sure to mix-a-six when experimenting!

 

My bad.

 

They are pretty much all over Houston, but they are also like jumping in the deep end, but nothing wrong with that, gotta learn to swim sometimes.

 

In Texas, I'd recommend starting with these heavily-distributed IPA's. All are solid (in some cases, out standing) and alot of them got me into the style I love now.

Session:
Founders All-Day IPA
Firestone Walker Easy Jack

IPA:
Lagunitas IPA
Dogfish Head 60 Minute
Firestone Walker Union Jack
Deschutes Fresh Squeezed
Founders Centennial IPA
O'Dell IPA
Sierra Nevada Torpedo
Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
Sixpoint Bengali
Stone IPA
Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin
Ballast Point Big Eye

Imperial IPA:
Lagunitas Hop Stoopid
Dogfish Head 90 Minute
Firestone Walker Double Jack
Green Flash West Coast IPA
Green Flash Palate Wrecker
O'Dell Myrcenary DIPA
Oskar Blues Deviant Dales
Sierra Nevada Hoptimum
Sixpoint Resin
Stone Enjoy By
Stone RuinTen/Ruination
Ballast Point Dorado

 

Ballast Point - Sculpin

 

From the "Beers" link above, click on Top Beers, then use the pull-down menu on the right for Top Beers (by style) and select American IPA. You can also look at the list of top beers by state, and then look for the IPAs.

 

That is a very good IPA. Had it on tap in Hobby Airport.

 

I'll echo those who have said Two Hearted but add a caveat ... FRESH Two Hearted is wonderful stuff. Cheers.

 

My beer slinger said that we are due to get Two Hearted within the next couple of months. Just muled 2 cases of it back from Florida for him

 

Ballast Point grapefruit sculpin. You can thank me later

 

In 2 months it'll be yucky . Gotta drink it within a week of brewing I've read here

 

Three words. Bell's. Two. Hearted.

 

Two Hearted. Stone. Firestone Walker.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner

 

IPA:
Bell's Two Hearted
Ballast Point Sculpin
Lagunitas IPA
Alesmith IPA
Noble Aleworks I Love It IPA (if available)
Alpine Duet
Alpine Nelson
Dogfish Head 60min
Sierra Nevada Torpedo
Deschutes Fresh Squeezed
Bear Racer 5
Stone IPA
Kern River Just Outstanding IPA

Imperial IPA:
Firestone Double Jack
Ballast Point Dorado
Green Flash Palate Wrecker
Alpine Pure Hoppiness
Russian River Pliny the Elder
Stone Enjoy By
Lagunitas Maximus
Lagunitas Hop Stoopid
Sierra Nevada Hoptimum
Dogfish Head 90min
Avery Maharaja

These are just a few and I scrolled up and JRose had a lot of these on his list. So this is my tiny contribution.

 

I second MetaModern. Got one as an extra in a trade from @pnelting and it was phenomenal for a session IPA. Best "session IPA" second only to Carton Boat (which you won't find in TX).

 

If it's an accessible IPA, I'm probably not drinking it. I kind of prefer those "you gotta pay your dues first" IPAs.

Seriously though, to answer the question, locally produced IPAs that you can be confident are relatively fresh are going to be a good place to start. Just remember, if you don't like IPAs, you don't have to drink them. Don't be surprised if, after spending some time in this hobby developing your palate, you return to styles you initially didn't care for and find that you enjoy them.