Warm Weather. Sunshine. Soaring temperatures. Welcome to summer in Washington! When the temps start rising, we crave delicious, crisp, hoppy beers to quench our thirst. Originally brewed in England for export to India (hence the “India” in India Pale Ale), these beers benefit from a little bit of aging, whether in bottle or cask. American IPA’s tend to be brewed using exclusively American hop varieties and have a bit more flavor (floral and citrus), and bitter hoppy punch than their English forefathers. Just one question: Are you thirsty yet?
Beers:
Great Lakes Commodore Perry (Cleveland, OH)
Founders Centennial IPA (Kalamazoo, MI)
Bell’s Two Hearted Ale (Grand Rapids, MI)
New Belgium Ranger IPA (Fort Collins, CO)
Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA (Rehoboth Beach, DE)
Laugnitas IPA (Petaluma, CA)
Food Pairings:
IPA’s scream for all the spice you can throw their way. From Indian curries (… makes sense, no?) to spicy South American or Szechuan, an IPA’s hop characteristics compliment and combat spice perfectly. Another winner? Pungent or sharp cheeses. This is your beer choice for bleu cheese, extra aged sharp cheddars, and even stinky delights like limburger. If you’re headed for the grill, stick to milder meats like chicken, turkey, pork or veal.
