If anybody knows hops, it’s Sierra Nevada.
Inside their 4-Way IPA pack you’ll a wide range of hop flavor, from traditional flavors like the Know Good IPA, to some bolder beers like their No Middle Ground Coffee IPA.
It’s a bitter beer lover’s dream pack. And with the beers all sitting comfortably above a 6% ABV, I was able to get as toasted as the coffee notes in the No Middle Ground IPA, and write some slurred words about each beer.
Good To Know IPA – 6.2%
Sierra Nevada says: “This straightforward, slightly hazy, American IPA has just enough malt body to launch the citrus and floral hop notes straight to your palate, making Know Good perfect for today or any day. When it comes to hop flavor, we know what good is, and you do, too.”
The Good to Know starts with some grassy hop and pine notes, with a very fleeting citrus fruit flavor. As for the malts, they are hard to notice. There’s a small amount of biscuity, bready sweetness, but the primary flavor is bitter, grassy, piney hops. To me, it tastes way more bitter than a 62 IBU.
‘the boring ones
without any fun
live their life
clean cut through like a knife
swearing on good being good
and bad being bad
now where is the fun in that?’
Flipside Red IPA – 6.2%
A beer that’s about autumn and it’s barely even spring. Makes me realize how fast summer will come and go. Thanks for reminding me of the inevitable march of time and our ephemeral existence on earth. Anyway, Sierra Nevada says: “Flipside finds the perfect balance between hops and malt in this easy-drinking red IPA. It features just enough smooth and slightly sweet malt body to support huge citrusy and tropical fruit-forward hop flavors from the use of Simcoe, Citra, and Centennial hops.”
It’s toasty this one. The Flipside is full of bready, toasted malt flavor, with some rich caramel notes. The earthy and piney hops balance it out with some bitterness. It sounds weird, but the beer leaves an aftertaste of something very similar to eating a soft pretzel.
‘I always get nostalgic in early autumn
amber ale leaves fallen naked branches hung
lonely against the setting grapefruit sun
days go early as long restless nights comes
alone on the hilltop, thinking of you to this song.’
No Middle Ground Coffee IPA – 6.9%
Sierra Nevada says: “At first glance, it might seem strange to combine coffee and hoppy beer, but really, the two flavors have a lot in common. Good coffee and hops both have complex and fruity aromas which create layers of flavor. No Middle Ground is brewed with fruit-forward hop varietals and cold-brewed coffee for a unique take on the IPA.”
Holy hell did they do a good thing here! I normally like to leave coffee notes in my stouts and haven’t been a big fan of this IPA coffee experiment. But this is one I enjoy. The coffee notes have a nice roasted, earthy flavor, and the bitterness of that is balanced by a creamy malt sweetness, with notes of caramel and vanilla. The hops give it a citrus flavor, and the whole thing reminds me of a chocolate covered orange. Just delicious.
‘Bitter coffee beers and warm cheek glows
take me away to places I read
in roaring books long ago.
roasted beans and cigarette smoke
lost in wet pavement perfume
and gilded jazz age shows.’
Tropical Torpedo IPA – 6.7%
Sierra Nevada says: Inspired by the island life, we created an IPA completely disconnected from the mainland. We used our one-of-a-kind Hop Torpedo to deliver an intense rush of hop flavor and the lush aromas of mango, papaya, and passionfruit with every sip. Enjoy our tropical twist on the American IPA.”
You can definitely taste the tropical fruit notes. Tastes like mango and pineapple. But there’s also some resiny pine flavor. The malts add a nice white bread sweetness to it. It finishes dry and bitter. A great choice for someone who wants a tropical fruit beer, that doesn’t lean too juicy and doesn’t sacrifice any bitterness.
‘As a kid I read Dove
fell in love
with the notion
of circumnavigating the ocean
following wind streams
and naïve dreams
a pilgrim, a poem
surviving the doldrums
raiding clementine farms for fun
my backdrop the forever setting sun.’
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(Want me to write about your beer?Click here.
Curious about what the hell a 12 pack poem is? Click here.)