Three Nice IPAs

I picked up three IPAs during a recent trip to Phoenix that are not available in Denver.  These were Lumberyard – Flagstaff IPA (6.1% ABV and 90 IBU), Four Peaks – Hop Knot (6.7% ABV and 47 IBU), and Green Flash – West Coast IPA (7.3% ABV and 95 IBU).  These were all good and I think I liked the Four Peaks – Hop Knot the best.  It was very easy to drink and very well-balanced.  The Flagstaff and West Coast IPAs were very hop focused and much bitter in comparison.  

Website description – Lumberyard – Flagstaff IPA –

URL - http://www.lumberyardbrewingcompany.com/index.html

Website description – Four Peaks – Hop Knot – “Hop Heads this is your beer.  American malt, lots of American Hops, mixed in with a bold pioneering spirit.  Hop Knot gets its name from weaving seven different hops added at seven different times during the brewing process.  Including the cavernous hop-back, which gets so stuffed with whole leaf hops that we feel genuine guilt for its excess.  So you know its chock full of hoppy goodness.  It’s the cure-all for hop obsessed.”

URL – http://www.fourpeaks.com/#/the_regulars/HopKnot/

Website description – “A menagerie of hops is layered throughout the brewing process: Simcoe for unique fruitiness and grapefruit zest, Columbus for strong hop pungency, Centennial for pine and citrus notes and Cascade for floral aroma. A multi-dimensional hop experience.”

URL - http://www.greenflashbrew.com/

Four Peaks Brewery - Kilt Lifter

Four Peaks is a brewery in Tempe, AZ and their flagship offering is Kilt Lifter.  Kilt Lifter is a Scotch Ale that has an ABV of 6.0% with an IBU of 21.  This one pours a dark amber color with very little head.  Kilt Lifter is on the sweet side with very little bitterness and a slightly higher alcohol content that is consistent with the style.  I paired this with a grilled steak, baked potato, tossed romaine salad, and mixed fruit.  This was not a bad beer and it has won a few awards for Four Peaks Brewery.  The website for Four Peaks highlights the other beers and I think the Peach Ale might be good for people new to craft beer or for those who say they do not like beer.  They seems to have a nice offering of eight different styles with some seasonal ones too.