IPA that got you over the hump.

Firestone Walker Union Jack. It taste good.

 

The first christmas that Lagunitas Sucks came out...I believe 2011. The combination of that and Celebration turned me into a hop head one day. Was already starting to get really into beer, but didn't care for the hoppier stuff until then...and ever since that day my mouth waters when thinking of hops!

 

17th Anniversary Götterdämmerung IPA

 

Furious. (probably)

 

60 Min. It took two attempts of drinking an IPA. First time i picked up an entire case of 60 from my shop and took it home to drink during shark week ( this was like 7 years ago so give me a break ) Opened up the bottle and my first impression was ugh! Literally sampled out the entire case to friends and customers. 2 Years later I was in Fairfax,VA visiting my Aunt and cousins when we decided to go to Dogfishead brewpub. Having drank lots of ales since my last IPA I gave it another try and lights out, my love for IPAs and craft beer in general had been aquired. Thanks DFH.

 

DFH 60 min got me halfway there, then Stone IPA kicked the door in.

 

Lagunitas IPA. Still one of my all time faves.

 

Years ago, before I liked IPAs, I had a week of just blonde ales and got tried of them. I grabbed a Son of Spot IPA from Full Sail just to reset my palate and get back to the blonde ales. It didn't work. I liked the IPA. Few weeks later I grabbed a Pliny the Elder not knowing what it was. When I opened it I figured I would dump it because I don't like IPAs. Not so, became an official hophead and have never looked back.

 

I think Harpoon IPA was my first and I was hooked on IPAs from the first sip.

 

Hop Wallop, one of the first things I ever grabbed from a bottle shop n i immediately knew what i was getting into with craft beer, never looked back

 

SNCA - early 90's!

 

A summer of Harpoon IPA and SN Pale Ale......a summer of love

 

Alaskan IPA that pushed me towards Stone IPA and BAM I was in.

 

Red Hook was the first beer that moved me towards enjoying IPA's was RedHook ESB. From there I found Sierra Nevada, then Harpoon, then finally....DFH 90 min.

 

Kuhnhenn DRIPA was definitely the game changer for me, as I also couldn't stand the extreme hoppiness and bitterness of IPA's beforehand.

Of course, it also has a lot to do with what your first IPA experiences are (my first were from some joke Genessee Brewing contracted company called Roscoe's) and Redhook IPA, both of which weren't too accommodating to my palate. On the otherhand, a world class brew like DRIPA packs a ridiculous amount of flavors and balance. I also tend to find DIPA's easier to get into, as strange as that sounds =D

 

SNPA, then Green Flash West Coast IPA kicked the door completely down.

 

Nectar Ales IPA

 

60 min wins the unofficial gateway IPA award

 

I was hooked after my first DFH 90 min.

 

Mine too was a Harpoon... It was a free beer after a 5k mud race... man was it good and damn did that start an expensive hobby.