Cigar City Brewing's Jai Alai India Pale Ale

First time I had a pint of Jai Alai (pronounced hi-uh-lie) was in Key West, at the end of a rather long motorcycle trip (see: this). The second pint was at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando, Florida where I was accused of being a pimp by a gang of Gatorade employees (true story). The third time was in Paris (yea, that Paris), where a can sat serendipitously on the shelf of a small, but well stocked, beer store a few blocks from the flat we had rented. So to say my experiences with this illustrious IPA are extraordinary is an understatement. I could tell you that the fourth and fifth pints were also rather weird, but that's to be expected, no? Instead, what I should tell you is that this Tampa Bay creation is my absolute favorite at the moment, and offers the magic IPA equation I've come to discover: 70 IBU's and roughly 7(.5)% ABV. It's carried by citrus and fruit notes akin to my beloved West Coast IPAs, but is not a light golden color like its kinfolk. Instead, it's a more malty copper, perhaps thanks in part to the "bouquet of tangerine and candied orange peel." It is hop forward, though, proof of which came courtesy of my step-father Bruce's approval - a proper bitter beer fanatic. But it's also easy going for something that runs a cool 7.5% and has more hops than most. What was once hard to find, or at least offered an odd experience in the process, is now stocked at your local beer store (at least in Arizona and Texas). So if you see a can or tap of this tasty Tampa IPA, get after it. Assuming you like the same thing I like.

For those that give a fuck...

BeerAdvocate: 4.28/5

RateBeer: 99 Overall

Read more 'Brew Reviews' here.

Dragoon Brewing Company IPA

Unbeknownst to me, there were a lot of alright IPAs being brewed in Arizona prior to our arrival. SanTan's HopShock and Moon Juice, AZ Wilderness' Refuge, Mother Bunch Brewing's Old Skool and Black Hole's Comet IPA are all solid sippers. Now if you know anything about me, you know I like my beer bitter, with all the IBUs and at least 6% ABV. My math works like this: 70 IBU and 7% ABV is just about perfect, assuming the "brewmaster" has a palate that I'd appreciate. Anything over that 7% ABV mark will have me chewing my face and talking like a pirate.

Considering the fact that I'm rather particular when it comes to my IPAs (I recently poured a few down the drain... I know, FOR SHAME!), I was pleasantly surprised when we wandered into the Dragoon Brewing Company in Tuscon, AZ and they poured me a pint of their IPA. What they consider 'West Coast Style,' the Dragoon iteration of an IPA is "deep gold in color, featuring a dank, herbal, citrusy hop aroma supported by a sparse malt backbone. It is appropriately bitter, with a relatively high alcohol content." So there you go! At 7.3% ABV and 83 IBUs, it's a pretty perfect match with my brilliant Beer Math.

Available in four-packs at Whole Foods (at least in AZ), Dragoon's IPA is a damn fine beer that might be better than most of the IPAs featured in our Brew Reviews. That said, and like a lot of other wonderful beers being brewed by small shops all around America, it's hard to find, easy to drink and will leave you wishing you'd gone for the growler.

Odell Brewing Company's IPA

When I was younger, I'd drink just about anything. Milwaukee's Best? Fuck it. Tall cans of Coors Light? Duh. But as I've aged, a man now three decades deep, I've developed an appreciation for the IPA. To be honest, I'm not sure when or how it happened. I remember my first proper pint, poured at the Paragon on Queen Anne when I turned 21. It was an Amber Ale brewed by Mac & Jack's in Redmond, WA. Something you could only drink on draught, it was a beer that made me feel like an adult. "Here, look at me, man of 21 years, drinking this beer you teenagers can't acquire." And so for the next few years that's what happened. A slow and steady transition from malt liquor to craft beer. And then the IPA.

The first one that really grabbed me by the boo-boo was brewed by the Pelican Brew Pub in Pacific City, OR. I mean, I am sure there were others, but that's the first one I blogged about. Anyhow. Fast forward a few years and I am now an expert in the IPA, or so I tell myself. IBUs and ABVs... Yea, I know what that shit means. Cascade compared to Centennial hops? Yea, I can totally tell the difference (ahem, bullshit!). All of that to say, when I find an IPA that I can't stop swilling - pouring one bottle after another into my face (see: Sculpin) - I feel obligated to write about it... being an expert and all ;) So allow me to introduce my latest face-eating friend, Odell Brewing Co.'s IPA, a "bolder and more flavorful – American Style IPA" that is brewed in Fort Collins, CO. At 7% ABV and 60 IBUs, Odell's offering is nobody's bitch. But she goes down all-too-easy and will leave you looking for a place to purchase another six-pack. Also there is a man riding an elephant on the bottle - which obviously makes the beer better. So if you're an IPA expert like myself, do you really need an excuse to drink something different? I think not. Do yourself a favor and find a few.

Base Camp Brewing's S'more Stout

Since that first foamy sip accosted my upper lip and left me with a stout 'stache, I've been hooked. In one way or another. My veracity for this malty, dark drink grew with age. The lust becoming far more diverse. And yet in all this time, I hadn't actually found a favorite. Porters for a lighter, effervescent, yet firm punch to the mouth. Stouts to quench my thirst for adult-grade chocolate milkshakes and affogatos. To say I've had them all isn't a huge overstatement. I've sampled many. But, sadly, remembered few.

This was my conundrum for many arduous, beer-tasting years - cue 'eye roll.' Then enters Base Camp Brewing. Thanks Portland for taking yet another classic treat (from a campsite perhaps?) and adding alcohol. Like a good amount of it (7.7% ABV). The S'more Stout is a force to be reckoned with. Its noir-ish black chocolate taste and sweet notes float around the mouth like marshmallow angels. A thing of kings! I'm taken beachside as its aftertaste "burns" of campfire ash. And I mean this in the best of ways. No. Better than best.

Ballast Point's Sculpin IPA

You'd like to think that all IPA's are sorta the same. An India Pale Ale, as described to me years ago, was developed as a means to preserve beer as it traveled aboard ships from England to India. The added hops allowed it to still be beer when they arrived. And so on. What one expects when pouring the contents of an IPA into their snout is a strong, sometimes bitter, beer that'll "make you chew your face," wondering why you hadn't purchased a Pilsner. And then, you want another... An addiction perhaps? The IPA, though, is not created equal. I've been on a mission these last few years to find one that is delicious, strong and can be consumed more than once, er, thrice. An example: Russian River's ever popular, almost infamous, 'Pliny the Elder.' This is a beer that registers on the schnocker'd scale at around 8%. It goes down all too easy, and after three or four, leaves you feeling like fuck. Another example: HUB's Abominable Winter Ale, which until recently was one of my favorite beers. It, however, tastes like shit as soon as it gets warm and, unless it's cold outside, seems like overkill. Enter Ballast Point's Sculpin IPA. At a hearty 7% ABV, Sculpin is nobody's bitch. But at the same time, she goes down smooth - almost easy - and can be consumed during all four of the seasons. I don't want to get into all the nuances. It's just beer after all. But I can say that of all the IPA's I've been drinking these last few years, it is by far my favorite.

Pelican Pub's 'Bad Santa' Cascadian Dark Ale

The Pelican Pub & Brewery in Pacific City, OR is one of our favorite places to enjoy a beach side beverage. Sitting in the sand a short walk from the surf, the Pelican Pub offers a wide variety of ales, pales and IPAs, as well as an assortment of seasonal beers, including their 'Bad Santa' Cascadian Dark Ale. A dark brown beer with "good clarity and a roasted malt and earthy hop aroma," Bad Santa is bitter like a lot of the winter beers we've had, but features a maple syrup sort of flavor at the finish. Brewed with an abundance of Fuggle hops, this dark ale would pair well with clam chowder or chili. And while I can't say it was Karissa's favorite, I did notice our bottle of Bad Santa went bye-bye real fast ;)

You can find Pelican Pub's 'Bad Santa' Cascadian Dark Ale at Full Throttle Bottles.

Elysian Brewing's Pumpkin Patch

Admittedly, pumpkin beer isn't for everyone. Some people think it’s too dark, some think it's overspiced, while others simply prefer their ales unadulterated. Understandable, I suppose. But I like beer brewed with plenty of pumpkin, and spices and stuff. It is the epitome of fall for me. A tall brown bottle, maybe some meat cooked over a campfire and some kind of squash. Simple stuff. Hearty. Elysian Brewing has been a favorite of mine for awhile now. Their Avatar Jasmine IPA is one of the best beers I've ever had. Honest.

So when Erika at Full Throttle Bottles told me Elysian was introducing a fall four-pack featuring three of their usual pumpkin beers, as well as a limited edition offering, I drove down to Georgetown and picked up a patch as soon as possible. A tall, narrow box with four big brown bottles inside, Elysian's 'Pumpkin Patch' includes their Night Owl Pumpkin Ale, The Great Pumpkin Imperial Ale, Dark O' The Moon Pumpkin Stout and their limited edition Hansel & Gretel Ginger Pumpkin Pilsner. An eclectic assortment. Something for everyone, as far as we’re concerned.

Seattle Cider Co.

Did you know that John Adams drank a tankard of cider nearly every morning of his adult life? I'm not talking about apple juice. No sir. This was the strong stuff. Fermented fruit. The drunk drink. And it was, like all the other alcohol at the time, consumed not only for it's flavor, but for safety's sake. Beer being better than brown water, etc. Now, we've come quite a ways since the Founding Fathers drank fermented fruit juice. But that's not to say it's bad. I believe hard cider is the answer to a lot of our alcohol issues. Don't drink beer? Unwilling to whiskey your way through the weekend? Gin and juice a little too O.G. for that ass? Well, you should have some hard cider!

I remember watching the Fantastic Mr. Fox a few years ago. The protagonist, a misbehaving middle aged newspaperman turned thief, spends his evenings chicken stealin' and hard cider swillin'. Living that good life. While weird, the film did, however, inspire us to sample different ciders. There weren't many at the time, though. So after a few of our own cider swillin' evenings, we were all but empty. Fast forward a few years. The local grocery store shelves are now overflowing with options. Especially in Seattle. Every sorta cider you can think of. There's big brown bottles, tall cans, small cans and even those fancy ones with the resealable pop-tops. Overwhelming it is. So when we heard our friends at Full Throttle Bottles were hosting the launch of a new Seattle based cidery, we jumped at the opportunity to learn more about cider and all the available varietals.

Rince Cochon

Rince Cochon is a strong pale ale brewed by Brouwerij Roman in Oudenaarde, Belgium. It's light in color and mild in taste, with a refreshing finish and no hint of it's 8.5% ABV. Honestly, I bought the bottle because there was a pink pig on the label. That said, I was surprised to find that a pretty alright pale ale awaited me this weekend. And having consumed countless IPAs as of late, this light bodied Belgian was a welcome reprieve from the heavily hopped and hard to handle. Find it at Full Throttle Bottles.

Dogfish Head Theobroma

Our friend Joshua at the Longhouse talked us into buying a bottle of Theobroma. Brewed by the boys at Dogfish Head in Milton, Delaware, this "Ancient Ale" is based on the chemical analysis of pottery fragments found in Honduras. Brewed with cocoa powder and cocoa nibs, honey, chilies and annatto, Theobroma is a recreation of the earliest known alcoholic chocolate drink, used by the Aztecs to toast special occasions. It's light in color, malty and strong - in a weird way. I mean, with 9.0% ABV you'd expect it to be, but Theobroma has no bite. A lot like a bottle of barley wine, this beer'll grab you by the boo-boo about half an hour after you're done drinking it. I couldn't taste the cocoa, though. It was more like a not-so-light lager, with that "I've been drinking alcohol" aftertaste. It was good, but not something I'd buy again. Click here to learn more about the beer.

HUB's Abominable Winter Ale

I try to buy a different bottle of beer on our way outta town every weekend. Usually when we stop to fill up Fargo. I like the Longhouse, as they have a healthy selection of both microbrewed and bullshit beer; everything from Miller High Life to the Midas Touch. Always a sucker for a cool looking logo, I couldn't help but buy a bottle of Hopworks Urbran Brewery's Abominable Winter Ale. According to their website, this seasonal stuff is made with "Cascade, Centennial and Chinook hops and six organic malts," and has a "complex floral, spicy and citrus hoppiness backed up by just the right amount of malt sweetness." An interesting list of ingredients, and I'll be damned if it wasn't delicious! A lot like an IPA, the "A-Bomb" as HUB refers to it, has 7.3% ABV and is available in both 16oz. cans and 22oz. bottles.

India Pelican Ale

I drank my first pint of India Pelican Ale after surfing the shore pound in Pacific City this past summer. Nothing's better than drinking a beer on the beach! To be honest, though, I'm not all that interested in IPAs. I usually sip something more subtle - Pale Ales or Pilsners. But that evening, as the sun set behind that big rock, I found something that would forever change how I feel about the British. Kinda.

Originally a seasonal beer offered by the brew pub, the India Pelican Ale quickly became an official offering after numerous people demanded a pint. Made with both Cascade and Centennial hops, Pelican's IPA is full of flavor... but not bitter. And with 7.5% ABV, it'll definitely grab you by the boo-boo! Lucky for me, it's one of the many IPAs available at the Long House. So on our way outta town last weekend I bought a tall bottle. And when the surf didn't show up on Saturday, it was an excellent alternative.

Churchkey Can Co.

On her way home from work on Friday, Ms.Wood stopped by Full Throttle Bottles in Georgetown and picked up a six-pack of this stuff. Hipster beer brewed by the Churchkey Can Co. It's a 'pilsner style beer' in a flat top can that you need a church key to open. Wait, what the hell is a church key? Well, when your father's father wanted a cold can of Coors, he needed something to open it. Something other than a sharp stick. And then came the can opener, er, church key.

Named after it's likeness to the keys used to keep churches closed, a church key is what your grandfather used to crack a cold one. Okay, so what's with this throwback stuff? Well, according to their website "It’s about the joy of drinking good beer—from the people you drink it with to where you drink it and, now, how you open it." We can dig it. Which is why we snatched a six-pack. So, how'd it taste? Like a pilsner with a bit more bite. Worked well with hot dogs and hamburgers. And was it worth the effort? I'd say so. Something fun for when there weren't any waves. Beer is never bad.

Click here to learn more about the Churchkey Can Co.