What IPA is your "par"?

Hop Nosh/ Dales = Par...got to be as good as these for a 2nd purchase

 

Holy cow, Nelson is one of your pars? That must be at Pebble Beach or Spyglass! I love that stuff!!

Locally, gotta go with Anti-Hero or Senita/Heyoka.

 

If there's nothing I can find, I always go back to Sculpin or Hop Nosh.

 

Looking over my Untappd data to see if I missed any selections, and, no. Not really. I would add Free State Stormchaser, though it's just a summer seasonal, but an absolute top 5 pick for me. I also kinda dig Humboldt/Nectar IPA, but I can't really find it around me any longer.

 

I guess I would say Torpedo as well, but I've always kinda viewed it as better than par. Regardless, when I'm trying a new IPA, if there is one IPA that I find myself thinking "I'd rather have a..." it's usually a Torpedo.

 

Hmm. Well, I'm interpreting the OP as "What is your Platonic Ideal of an IPA?" And for me, it would certainly be the four I cited. You can find some that may overachieve from time to time, and certainly many that will underachieve. But you can always find comfort in your Platonic Ideal.

 

In my neck of the woods, Surly Furious.

 

Revolution Anti-Hero

 

Very well. Then I double down on Torpedo.

 

NB Ranger because you can get it ANYWHERE and SN Torpedo because of my deep rooted,everlasting love affair with Sierra Nevada.XXX

 

I'd agree with that choice.

 

Union Jack. And Sculpin.

 

Loose Cannon is a nice pick, and 60 minute. For 'par' I think three star, not great, not bad, just ehh. My 'go to' would probably be a four star choice.

 

I don't really have one anymore just because there are so many diverging flavor profiles.
At one time it was probably Green Flash WCIPA, but the entire IPA universe has expanded 5-fold in the last few years...and WCIPA was totally changed to boot.

 

Man no one put racer 5?? Sculpin would be the easy answer but I'd say racer 5 is my "par" ipa

 

I forgot about Surly Furious! I need to change my answer

 

Two Hearted. Its in my fridge more than any other IPA.

 

I'd go with Firestone Walker Union Jack. Its a really good IPA that's always easy to find around Chicago. There's nothing crazy about it, just a really well constructed IPA that had some great hop flavor and a nice malt backbone. There are certainly IPA's I like better, and I've found myself more interested in the more light colored, hazy, and fruity IPA's as of late , but it set the standard for me for what an IPA should be to be considered good, so I'd say it's my par.

 

21st Amendment - Brew Free or Die! is my par 6pk cans.

 

Two Hearted