IPA Recommendations?

[Pickaxe]

Hi All,
Finally tried my first IPA and want more, as I want to stretch my palate. I'm very keen to learn more about the style. If you were to drink an IPA, what would you suggest I go for?

I've just tried Karl Strauss Tower 10 IPA from San Diego that I picked up from DM. What others can people recommend?

I don't have the best bottle shops near me (Noosa - there's only one small specialist I know that carries more wine), so any recommendations would be great?

Miss Sydney bottle shops, used to live near some crackers.


Cheers,
A.
Sunshine Coast.

 

[razz]

Ballast Point Big Eye IPA should be on the shelf near Karl Strauss beers, my favourite import IPA to date.

 

[mwd]

If you like Tower 10 you should like Ballast Point Bigeye IPA also from Dans. I also like Sierra Nevada Torpedo but it is a bit more expensive. I have not found an Australian IPA I like yet but have not found much choice to try from the selections at my local Dans.

 

[manticle]

Try some UK ones too.

Sam Smiths and Fullers are both tasty.

 

[lukiferj]

+1 on the Ballast Point Big Eye. One of my favourite things they sell at Dan's.

 

[slash22000]

Not an IPA, but if you're somewhere that sells Ballast Point beers, do yourself a favour and grab a Ballast Point Black Marlin porter while you're at it. Haven't been able to find a clone recipe anywhere, which is pissing me off. Might not the best porter in the world (no idea?) but it's easily the best dark beer I've ever had, it doesn't have that "acidic charcoal" taste I get from other dark beers.

 

[Tilt]

8-wired Hopwired is a landmark NZ IPA - well worth hunting out.

 

[Truman42]

Try Stokes bomber which is a Kiwi Pale Ale. Has a very nice malt profile. Also at Dans. I also like the sleeping giant IPA from Dans.

 

[rehab]

I feel some Ballast Point beers travel better than others. In NZ Sculpin doesn't travel well at all. I remember the one time it got here on draught and was bloody amazing!
Had it in LA on my recent trip and was so good it was better than my first Pliny experience.
Firestone Walker Pale ales (either Union Jack or Pale 31) are fantastic.
Green Flash beers are all good and (I know it only gets here by dodgy means) but if you get Stone at all then the Oaked Arrogant Bastard and the Ruination are crackers.

Be careful with the IPA's though: Next thing you know the Lupin threshold effect has taken place and you're passing on them for IIPA's and then sculling Barley Wines as Triple IPA's taste like water to you :super:

In terms of some Kiwi stuff you may like: 8 wired Hopwired was already mentioned, Epic have the normal Pale Ale which is a great sessionable beer, they also have Mayhem which is a step up then Armageddon which is always good drinking too. Hop Zombie if you can find it is pretty good too. I also rate Tuatara and both APA's they do (the OG APA is American Pale and is damn good but they do an Aotearoa Pale as well which isn't too shabby). Croucher Pale is very good and if Liberty have expanded their empire then I would go for C!tra, Yakima Monster or Yakima Scarlet (which looks like an amber but drinks like a IIPA).

Im sure SOMETHING I have mentioned might take your fancy :beer:

 

[slash22000]

Trouble with brews like Epic Armageddon is they cost $20 a bottle. Could just about make a batch for that. :blink:

 

[milestron]

Hop hog is pretty widely available these days

 

[beerdrinkingbob]

I might be wrong but isn't feral hop hog a pale?, bloody tasty drop though!!

Out of interest OP what's the name of the place in noosa, Dans was the best i found.

 

[slash22000]

They list Hop Hog as an IPA. American IPA 5.8% 48 IBU

 

[Nick JD]

There is a bit of an overlap with APAs and IPAs.

Some could be classified as either.

 

[spog]

Try Stokes bomber which is a Kiwi Pale Ale. Has a very nice malt profile. Also at Dans. I also like the sleeping giant IPA from Dans.

+1 on the stokes bomber,nice drop indee. ..cheers...spog.

 

[GalBrew]

If you like Galaxy, then hop bazooka from southern bay is worth a try.

 

[Bizier]

Feral enter Hog as a pale, but it is an IPA.

If you can get it, Thornbridge Jaipur is delicious.

Seriously though, you can't go past relatively fresh Big Eye at DMs as value for money.

 

[Will88]

Vale IPA is another tasty drop that usually pops up around Dan's.

 

[jaymzica]

IPA's are my fav!!!

Here are some of the ones i drink regularly

Mountain goat IPA
Kooinda Black IPA (this is one of my favs of all time)
Bridge Road Bling IPA
Yeastie Boys Gunnamatta tea leaf IPA (my second fav)
any of the Mikkeller single hop series IPA's
Kooinda Hop Transfusion (only on tap not in bottles yet)
Burleigh brewing FIGJAM IPA

these are the ones i buy when i can.
Im on my first ever hombrew atm with a coopers pale with heaps of hops. next ill give an IPA a go!

cheers Jimmy

 

[Pickaxe]

Thanks for the suggestions all. Certainly have enough to go with for a while. Very glad to be exploring the wonderful world of IPAs.

@beerdrinkingbob.
There's a bottle shop near Coles at Noosa Junction which have had a few beers I've not seen, but a recent trip to Dans I started recoginising the same beers. It's only small and a bit expensive and I need to revisit to see if they have anything else. Pretty sure it's the same stuff now I think about it.
I wonder if there's anywhere in Maroochydore? There's a couple of beer cafes or pub, or a brewery down there apparently? Need to make the effort soon.