Pale Ale Style

Yeah I don't know why New England is the magical border for their prices. I could see Maine, NH, and MA getting them cheaper, but to me NY and CT are so close that it shouldn't cause a $2-3 difference per bottle.

 

Victory Headwaters
Smuttynose Shoals Pale Ale

Both are excellent, especially when fresh.

Edit: Oh, and Dales Pale Ale...which leans more towards an IPA.

 

Try living in a place where a local beer (La Folie) is cheaper OUT of state than it is IN state.

 

The Ten Hills Pale Ale is better from Goose Island than The 312 Urban Pale. But the Ten Hills is seasonal and on the way out now.

 

Firestone Walker Pale 31
Southern Tier 2XONE
Ale Asylum Hopalicious
Tallgrass 8-Bit Pale Ale
Two Brothers SideKick Extra Pale Ale

 

Flat 12 Walkabout... I see you are posting from Illinois. I live in Central Illinois, and it started showing up on shelves about a month or so ago, so maybe there is hope for you? I know Upland has come over and I think Triton has too. Man, I wish Fat Heads Head Hunter would get over here.

 

Just had a Firestone Walker Pale 31 I got in trade. Really good Pale Ale! Not sure if it is available in New York though, it isn't in WI/MN.

KISS army 1978!!

 

I have been in love with Westbrook One Claw for quite some time now.

 

I keep One Claw in my fridge at all times. It's my go to beer.

 

Like others have said Dales pale ale and Deschutes red chair are quality pale ales with a wide distro. Oh and Zombie Dust

 

OK... you mention Dales Pale Ale and Zombie Dust in the same sentence, both are Pale Ales, but to me, taste incredibly different from each other. It's amazing they are both in the same classification.

 

Since you apparently made up the term "session IPA" why don't you tell us exactly what differentiates every session IPA from every IPA and Pale Ale.

 

Honestly, New Dogtown and DayTime from Lagunitas are the best Ive had lately. Just had GI Endless IPA, starts out with a great citrus flavor, but turns into a medicinal nightmare as you work through the pint.

 

For me personally, pale ales are more balanced, with more of a malt presence, while session IPAs are like hop water- no malt at all, unbalanced hop attack, watery, yuck. Not my favorite "style". I have had session IPAs that were actually good, though, but not many. Blue Point Mosaic Session IPA is one of them, that one was excellent.

I have had session IPAs that are basically masquerading pale ales though, so the differences are definitely sometimes blurred. But in my mind, session IPA equals a pale they forgot to add malt to.

 

They're brewed differently. The hops are dialed up and the malt is cut to bring the abv (typically) in the 4 to 4.5% range. This creates a thinner body, hoppier nose, and a more bitter flavor.

Have a Victory Headwaters next to an All Day IPA, you'll pick up on the differences.

 

I get there are differences, it was more just tongue and cheek on the true reason breweries are calling so many things IPA's these days. We're getting to a point where substyles are getting out of control and most of this is due to marketing trying to differentiate one product from another.

 

Burning river pale ale...yeah, i like that one.

 

Or try a Headwaters side by side with Victory's new Hop Ticket. Night and Day. Headwaters is hop forward, but well balanced. Hop Ticket, like most of the sessions ipas, tastes like hop water.