The 16oz canned IPA still nothing

Technically it's a Double IPA, and I'm not really a fan of it, but Two Roads Road 2 Ruin is rated an 89 (if you put any stock in that) and is available pretty much everywhere in New England in 16oz cans.

 

Finest Kind is an example of an old school IPA style and it was a forerunner IPA like SN Torpedo. At one time these were some of the best IPA's available, and they were and still are "available". Comparing Finest Kind IPA to a Julius IPA is like comparing English and American IPA's and is just ridiculous. And to even mention Limbo with Finest Kind is crazy. Limbo is a mediocre version of a new school IPA and is nothing like a Finest Kind, which IMO is a great classic IPA.

 

Finest Kind and Limbo are both pretty mediocre beers (at best).

 

I thought when limbo first came out it was great. Since then the hop brightness has disappeared and a unpleasant yeast flavor has taken over.

To the OP hardcore chimera is pretty available. I don't care for it but know a lot of people do. For my money a 16 oz can is exactly 0% more perfect a format than a 12 oz can. There are a good number of good to very good IPAs in that format.

 

Smutty Finest Kind predated Torpedo by 5-6 years. SN was actually trying to catch up with west coast breweries that were putting out super hoppy IPAs and they were losing market share. They reacted quickly and put out a great product, but it certainly wasn't a trendsetting beer.

 

Took the words right off my keyboard.

Haven't had Finest Kind in awhile, but before the new brewery consistency was an issue. Supposedly that's been remedied, and when it's on it's an elite "old school IPA". It may have been the first IPA I ever had, and I distinctly remember the grapefruit popping out of the glass. Excellent.

I had their Shoals Pale Ale on draft a few weeks ago, it was amazing, but I can see how most would consider it quite boring.

 

I'm a fan of the 16 oz size as well.

Santilli meets few of your criteria right now but I think it gets there someday. The beer part is there, it's excellent. Road 2 Ruin as a dipa is a good call.

CBC flower child (12oz can) is solid and at most stores in Mass, never looked for it out of state...mostly because each state has a pretty strong selection of local but findable brews, just below that top tier.

Ithaca's Flower Power would be kick ass in 16oz cans.

 

Shoals I like. Its quite unique for a pale ale. Finest kind just has been past by other available options and finding it's consistency is too little too late for me. I had it at a cookout this past weekend and it was very meh even fresh and canned.

 

Gandhi bot used to come in 16oz cans

 

Plenty of other beers to drink in all sizes, flavors and colors. I honestly couldn't care less about a 16oz IPA right now.

 

Nothing wrong with a 6er of fresh finest kind cans especially at$6.99.

 

I LOVE Shoals. It's my favorite Smuttynose beer. It's not boring and I drink it every chance I get.

 

Except I'm pouring about $5 worth of beer down the drain.

 

It's available here and in the good to very good range. If you qualify your search too much you'll never find what you are looking for. Also if $11-13 dollars is borderline you aren't going to be happy when/if this ever does happen. There are plenty of beers that hit all of your needs just in a 12 oz can. Most in six packs so you get more anyways.

 

I'm huge Finestkind supporter. It's an old school IPA, which I prefer. I enjoy the occasional tropical/fruity IPA, but if I wanted something like that regularly, I'd drink more mai tais...I just finished a 12 pack of Finestkind last week and every bottle was pure grapefruit and pine. And not completely turbid. Top notch. There were consistency issues in the past, but I no point did I think it was bad, just less good sometimes.

As for 16 oz cans, meh. I really enjoyed Hoponius Union in the 500 mL bottles (16.9 oz), but I don't really care much about format, as long as it's not 22 oz. I don't remember the last time I bought a bomber. Apparently Jack's Abby is going to be doing Framingham Lager in 16oz cans, maybe Hoponius Union will get in on that too?