In Honor of National IPA Day, Sip Your Way Through PA

August 7 is IPA Day, but you still have plenty of time to make plans with all of your friends to hit the town and enjoy a few pints of heavily hopped ales. And what better way to imbibe than to support your Pennsylvania breweries at the same time? PA Eats’s thirst-quenching guide to Pa.-made IPAs is sure to satisfy your love of lupulin and your hankering for hoppiness.

Readily Available in Bottles and on Draft

Victory HopDevil

Ever since Victory opened its doors in 1996, HopDevil IPA has been one of its flagship brews. HopDevil is big on aroma and flavor or, as Victory describes this hoppy delight, “Bold, spicy and menacingly delicious.” HopDevil is readily available at nearly any bottle or package store near you, but for a real treat stop in to Victory’s brewpub and enjoy HopDevil on cask.

Neshaminy Creek County Line IPA

County Line IPA is brought to you by Neshaminy Creek’s head brewer, Jeremy Myers. Myers is the recent recipient of the 2014 Philly Beer Scene Award for brewer of the year, and the talent that achieved this accolade shines through in his flagship IPA. County Line IPA showcases loads of big citrusy grapefruit aroma and flavor that is sure to please any hophead. Find this one in cans at any respectable bottle shop or distributor.

Sly Fox 360 IPA & Sly Fox Rt. 113 IPA

Sly Fox Brewing Company, with locations in Phoenixville and Pottstown, brings you two year-round canned IPA offerings. The 360 IPA comes in a 16 oz. tallboy can that showcases Sly Fox’s new 360 can design allowing you to pop the entire top and drink out of it like a glass. 360 IPA is dry hopped heavily, giving it a fabulous aroma and hoppy flavor. If you prefer a more traditional earthy and spicy IPA, try the Rt. 113 IPA. While you can score both of these IPAs at stores near you, why not pop into one of the two Sly Fox locations and enjoy menu favorites like the Rt. 113 BBQ Pork Flatbread or the Birchrun Black and Bleu Burger alongside your preferred IPA?

Yards IPA

If you prefer a balanced IPA, then Yards IPA is definitely for you. The hefty malt backbone in this one stands up beautifully to the citrusy and floral Amarillo and Chinook hops creating a very traditional East Coast-style IPA that is quenching and crushable. Grab a six-pack and a block of your favorite aged cheddar to get your evening started with a perfect pairing.

Saucony Creek Stonefly IPA

Three words…Alle Zeit Hopfen. What does that mean, you ask? Well I haven’t the foggiest idea, but it is what Saucony Creek has named its dry-hopping process. Those crafty brewers at Saucony Creek have built a piece of equipment designed to “slowly release dry-hops continuously for 48 hours into the fermentation tank,” which allows them to extract the maximum amount of hoppy goodness for the Stonefly IPA. This one is loaded with fruity hop notes ranging from grapefruit to passionfruit and plenty in between, all of which play beautifully together without dominating the subtle hoppy spice. A portion of the proceeds from Stonefly go to Schuylkill Action Network, whose goal is to protect the health of the Schuylkill watershed.

Lancaster Hop Hog

This long-time Lancaster Brewing Company flagship has recently been revamped with what the brewery simply calls “new hop character.” The Cascade hops really shine in this one, packing it full of sweet citrus with a hint of pine, while the malts peek through with mild bread, caramel and honey notes. IPA Day is as good a time as any to revisit this perpetual Pa. favorite.

Free Will Techno

Brewmaster John Stemler is quickly making quite a name for himself with his catalogue of mouth-watering brews. Techno IPA is a must try for any IPA lover, offering up notes of lush melon alongside citrus rind, grapefruit, orange and hints of juicy clementine. But don’t worry…there’s plenty of bitterness in this one too as its 70 IBUs make for a dry finish that lingers nicely. Year-round availability makes it easy enough to find, and it is certainly well worth the price of admission.

Troegs Perpetual

You are undoubtedly familiar with Troegs Brewing Company since those wiley Trogner brothers have been very busy in recent years, churning out one excellent brew after another while expanding their brewery to Hershey, Pa. and collecting several medals at the Great American Beer Festival. And though they insist that their Perpetual IPA is an Imperial Pale Ale rather than an India Pale Ale, I think it is more than acceptable to sip on a few of these for IPA Day. It is absolutely delectable and it is brewed with an impressive six hop varieties! If this can’t satisfy your craving for hops then nothing can.

Destinations for IPA Day

Barren Hill Tavern and Brewery

Situated along Germantown Pike in Lafayette Hill, the Barren Hill Tavern is a great place to celebrate IPA Day. Since its grand opening late last year, Barren Hill Brewmaster Scott Morrison has been working on a series of single-hopped Belgian IPAs. On August 7, beginning at 6 p.m., the series will be on tap in its entirety, marking the first time that Barren Hill patrons will have the opportunity to try all eight beers side by side.

Tired Hands Brewing Company

While it may not be planning a special event for IPA Day, Tired Hands regularly has at least a couple of wonderful IPAs on tap. Currently the brewery boasts a honey wheat IPA called Just Like Honey that is brewed with an impressive 50 pounds of Pa. wildflower honey and a double IPA called UYAWA POG that is juicy and delicious. Enjoy one or both of these tasty brews with a locally sourced cheese and meat plate or the house-made bread and pickles.

Armstrong Ales

Swinging through Phoenixville on IPA Day? Stop in at Armstrong Ales and visit owner and brewer Steven Armstrong. His tasty Scrupulous Lupulus IPA is well worth the visit, and my guess is that once you sample it, you won’t be leaving without purchasing a growler or two. And if you are nice, Steve might even play a few songs on his guitar while you sample his beers.

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

Can’t make it out on August 7 to celebrate IPA Day? Iron Hill has your back! They are opting to celebrate on Saturday, August 9. Beginning at 1 p.m., each of the Iron Hill locations will be tapping ten IPAs: one brewed at each of the ten locations. You won’t want to miss the chance to sample these heavenly hop-forward ales from the many talented Iron Hill brewers.

Whether you head out on the town or stay in to enjoy some tasty brews on August 7, support one or more of your Pennsylvania breweries by drinking hoppy nectars made right here in your home state. Help put the P-A in IPA Day!

  • Yards, Armstrong Ales Beer: Nina Lea Photography
  • Barren Hill Photo: Steve Legato/Main Line Today

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