Favorite Colorado IPAs?

More Dodge Less RAM just tapped yesterday

 

And still the best situationally driven beer name out there.

 

Cerebral has a black ipa on tap. Reminds me a lot of OG mountain standard but a touch sweeter.

 

Looks like it's in cans, too. I'm going to have to keep an eye out. I've taken to buying Kalamazoo and Obsidian to cover that craving, but they aren't quite the same.

 

If SoulCraft in Salida still makes it, I recommend the Green Chili IPA. You cannot go wrong if you want something with a unique local twist. I’m surprised I never found something like in in New Mexico where the hatch chilies originated from.

 

Eske’s in Taos made one; unfortunately, they closed in 2019.

 

Odell dropped a fresh hop in sixers.


I’d recommend it

 

Outstanding Achievements In The Field Of Excellence (Comrade, Cannonball, La Cumbre) is available in cans and is pretty damn wonderful.
Westbound's Colorado Crush and Juice Caboose have also been hitting the spot lately.

It's not super readily available for some reason, but Upslope's Spruce Tip IPA is in cans if you get lucky and stumble upon it. It's the best of its kind IMO.

 

Ohhh yeah I got a 4 pack of the Outstanding Achievements and good lerd is it tasty!


I plowed through my 4 pack so quickly that I nearly forgot about it lol

 

My local had one 4 pack left and I gladly snagged it…

Probably a top couple IPA for the year imo

 

Yeah it’s really tasty. Not surprised given the breweries involved.

 

New Belgium Juice Force IPA

 

I actually like that stuff for what it is...a cross between a mimosa, an IPA, and a malt liquor.
Now that other one, Fruit Force...lord it's rough.

 

It certainly is rough. I wanted it to be red so bad too was very disappointed when I poured it into a glass. (Also if you see Voodoo Ranger Hard Tea it's actually pretty good)

 

It's pretty easy to hate on New Belgium's new direction, but I'd rather see them thriving than going out of business. At the very least they're still making a few old faves and I mostly think their VR beers are pretty good for what they are. They're certainly no worse than a lot of the zany adjunct-heavy craft beers that sell for $20+ per 4-pack.

Anyway, back to CO IPA, anyone have any unusual "old school" IPAs that fly under the radar? After having some Celebration, Dale's, and Man Beer over Thanksgiving, that take on the style is still my jam even vs. the best new school examples. I can down pint after pint of 'em vs. 1-and-done with the newer takes. Modus has changed a bit, but definitely still heads in that direction, too. Avery IPA and Titan kinda sorta do. Are there some others out there that I'm missing out on?

 

You might like Across The Neverwhen from TRVE.

Has the old school west coast bitterness and flavor profile, but it must be made with more crystal malt than the caramel malt that I think of when I think of the OGs

 

Not sure if it's been mentioned here or not, but I was at Diebolt last night and the Electric Cowboy has become such a good IPA from a brewery that doesn't typically make much noise for their hoppy beers. A great blend of old-school and new-school West Coast styles. A little bit sweet on the malty side without being cloying and has that nice tropical juicy hop-forwardness that's become so popular. Anyway, I know it's out and about all over town, and well worth a re-visit if you haven't had it in a while.

Side note, they have a bunch of great high abv Belgian styles on right now if that's up your alley.

 

I can't believe it hasn't been mentioned yet but Amalgam's The Modern West is phenomenal

I also enjoyed Cerebral's DDH Nelson Rare Trait

 

Modern West is fantastic!

 

New beers at Comrade this week:
3/7, Powder Session, IPA
3/8, Honeyman 59
3/10, Fastest Gun in the West, a new West Coast IPA
3/11, More Dodge Less RAM