Do You Remember Your First IPA?

Ballantine India Pale Ale . . . . used to get it as an underage teenager in North Jersey in 1970-1971. Didn't know anything about it at the time although I liked it right away because of the pine taste. Good buzz too.

 

If I had to guess, it was probably something like Shipyard or another one of those Ringwood IPAs. I'm pretty sure it was named *Brewery Name* IPA, as opposed to something like "The Unbearable Lightness of Being Hazy in the Full Moon Last Tuesday"

 

Anderson Valley Hop Ottin', at the old Viking Tavern, here in Spokane, around '03-04. Brian the bartender asked me what I wanted to drink. I said I wanted to try something different and he asked me "ever had an IPA?" I said no, he handed me a bottle of Hop Ottin', and the rest is history.

 

I finally decided to respond to this thread and it opened on THIS post. Yep! That was my first IPA, and with exception of the year, exactly what I was going to say.

 

My first IPA was quaffed at Bridgeport Brewing in Portland, OR - maybe 1998? I forgot the name and unfortunately Bridgeport has been closed for a few years.

 

I went back and looked at some of my first ratings/reviews and Rogue yellow snow IPA is one of the earlier ones for me. I remember my local bottle shop had bombers for about $5 so I bought that on a few occasions. Based on my review I liked it.

 

Two words: Hop Devil
Even if you don't like bitterness, this is so much better than Natty/Rolling Rock/Yuengling that many Philly kids learned the way of IPA from this beer.

 

That was a solid haul, my friend!

 

Cut my teeth on a bitter one!

 

New Glarus Hop Hearty IPA, 2007 maybe early 2008. First beer I also ever had that I actually liked.

 

My first American style IPA was from either Odell's or Deschutes, I can't remember which. I've liked them ever since but it's far from my favorite style of beer.

 

This was my daughter's favorite IPA when she was in high school, but to me it tasted like soap. It's not that the beer is bad, it's just a reaction by my taste buds.

 

My first IPA was sometime in the late 90s from a brewery in Holyoke, MA called Paper City. The beer was called India'n IPA and it was named in honor of the Indian motorcycles that were built in nearby Springfield for many years.

I was living in Western Mass at the time and attending grad school at UMass. I had gotten into craft while living in Vermont a few years before but I wasn't drinking anything super hoppy until I stumbled across India'n.

Paper City was on tap at a few of the local establishments. I remember thinking that it was without a doubt the most bitter beer that I had ever tasted. The brewery has been closed for years but my guess is that I'd probably find it unacceptably mild at this point considering the evolution of my hop tolerance.

 

Definitely Two Hearted, while on vacation in Michigan. Late 90's from a bottle in a friend's supply. A floral experience only magnified when later enjoying it on draft at the Eccentric Cafe. Ah, for one last such experience in my lifetime; may the Gods of Beer help me make it so.

 

Absolutely DO remember...there were two:

Tupper's - Hop Pocket Ale (the brewery has long since closed)

FFF's - Alpha King (still, a timeless Classic IPA)

Funny how I can't remember how many years ago that was but yet still remember which beers they were. (!!!!)

 

Loved the Hop Pocket

 

Wow, Tupper's Hop Pocket takes me back aways, I forgot all about that one!

 

I can’t be certain; too long ago. But, I’m assuming it was this one.



(not my photo).

 

Part of the problem was the Tuppers didn't have a brewery - their beers were initially contract-brewed by Old Dominion and that contract ended around the time of that weird Anheuser-Busch+Fordham = Coastal Brewing Co. buyout. They've resurrected the beer a couple of times since then, brewed at a few other area breweries.

 

I got a Hop Pocket in trade from a friend in Harrisburg back in the 90s sometime -- really don't remember what I thought.

I do remember rolling my eyes at another beer using "hop" in their name to attract those drinkers.

Yeah, was a long time ago.

Just what the heck *is* a Hop Pocket?

Edit: Looks like I reviewed it in 2010 -- not a favorite.