Archives for April 2025

Top 10 American Stouts Brewed in the USA
Here’s a list of the top 10 American stouts brewed in the USA, based on recent rankings, reviews, and results from the GABF and U.S. Open. These are selected for their quality, availability, and representation of the American stout style, which often features bold roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, and hoppy notes. I’ve focused on non-imperial stouts under 8% ABV to align with the classic American stout profile, excluding barrel-aged or pastry stouts unless noted, as per some source preferences.

1. Deschutes Obsidian Stout (Bend, OR, 6.4% ABV)
   A benchmark American stout with complex flavors of dark roasted coffee, chocolate, caramel, and subtle black licorice. American hops add citrus and pine resin notes, making it robust yet balanced. Widely praised for its drinkability and availability.
2. Sierra Nevada Stout (Chico, CA, 5.8% ABV)
   A style-defining stout with assertive roasted malt, cocoa, and a hoppy finish from Cascade and Yakima Golding hops. Its balance and accessibility make it a go-to for stout lovers.
3. Bell’s Kalamazoo Stout (Kalamazoo, MI, 6% ABV)
   Known for its freshly ground coffee and dark chocolate notes, this stout offers a creamy texture and true-to-style roasted malt character. Available in all 50 states, it’s a classic from a revered brewery.
4. Shovel Town Brewery Broad Blade Stout (North Easton, MA, 7% ABV)
   Broad Blade is velvety smooth, delivering flavors of bittersweet chocolate, cocoa, and a touch of coffee, complemented by a prominent yet balanced Chinook hop punch that adds resinous pine and medium-high bitterness, especially on the finish.
5. Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout (Boonville, CA, 5.8% ABV)
   This oatmeal stout shines with rich chocolate, dried fruit, and a creamy mouthfeel from flaked oats. Its complexity and balance make it one of the best in its class.
6. Stoup Brewing Stoup American Stout(Seattle, WA, 6.6% ABV)
   This Stout is built on a grain bill of 2-row, Black Patent, Chocolate, and Crystal malts, with roasted barley adding a distinctive roasty touch, delivering a moderate alcohol warmth and noticeable bitterness.
7. Evolution Craft Brewing Rise Up Stout (Salisbury, MD, 6.7% ABV)
   A coffee-forward stout with roasted malt and a smooth finish. Its local popularity and balanced profile earned it a spot in blind tastings.
8. North Coast Old No. 38 Stout (Fort Bragg, CA, 5.4% ABV)
   A dry stout with robust roasted flavors, coffee, and dark chocolate. Its affordability and wide distribution make it a standout for everyday drinking.
9. Exile Brewing Sir Moch-a-lot Stout (Des Moines, IA, ~6% ABV)
   A well-crafted stout with caramel, chocolate, and roasted coffee flavors, finishing with a dry bitterness. A regional favorite that stands out in rankings.
10. Marble Brewery Cholo Stout (Albuquerque, NM, ~6% ABV)
    This stout offers a smooth blend of roasted malt, caramel, and coffee with a distinctive dry finish. It’s a top pick from the Southwest craft scene.

American Stout Profile:
An American stout is a robust, dark ale characterized by a bold, roasted malt profile and a distinctly American twist from hop usage. Here are its key characteristics:

Appearance: Deep brown to jet black, often opaque, with a creamy tan to brown head. Some may have ruby highlights when held to light.
Aroma: Dominant roasted malt scents, evoking espresso, dark chocolate, or burnt coffee, often with secondary notes of caramel, toffee, or dark fruit. American hops contribute citrus, pine, or resinous undertones.
Flavor: Intense roasted malt drives the taste, delivering coffee, cocoa, or char-like bitterness, balanced by moderate sweetness from caramel or crystal malts. American hops add a pronounced bitterness and flavors like grapefruit, pine, or earthy spice, setting it apart from sweeter stouts. Oatmeal or lactose (in milk stouts) may add creaminess.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full-bodied, with a smooth, sometimes velvety texture, especially in oatmeal or nitro versions. Carbonation is moderate, and alcohol warmth is subtle (typically 5-7% ABV, though some push higher).
Bitterness: Moderate to high (30-60 IBUs), reflecting American hop influence, unlike the softer bitterness of Irish or English stouts.
Ingredients: Roasted barley, black malt, or chocolate malt for color and roastiness; American hop varieties like Cascade, Centennial, or Chinook for bitterness and aroma; base malts like pale or Munich for body. Adjuncts like oats or lactose may enhance texture in substyles.
Distinguishing Traits: Compared to other stouts, American stouts are hoppier and less sweet than milk stouts, less boozy than imperial stouts, and more assertive than dry Irish stouts. They balance robust roast with hop-driven complexity.

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Top 10 West Coast IPAs
This Top Ten West Coast IPA list is from the U.S. Open Beer Championship, Great American Beer Festival, and World Beer Cup. West Coast IPAs are known for their hop-forward profiles, characterized by intense bitterness, piney, resinous, and citrusy flavors, with a crisp, dry finish. Below is a list of 10 highly regarded West Coast IPAs brewed in the United States, based on historical and current acclaim from beer enthusiasts, reviews, and industry sources. This list draws from available data, including web sources and recent posts on X, while prioritizing beers that align with the classic West Coast IPA style. Note that rankings can vary due to personal taste and evolving brewery offerings, but these are consistently celebrated examples.

1. Head Hunter IPA – Fat Head’s Brewery (Middleburg Heights, Ohio) ABV: 7.5%
Description: Though brewed outside the West Coast, it adheres to the style with aggressive hop bitterness, featuring Simcoe, Columbus, and Centennial hops for dank, piney, and citrusy flavors.
Why It Stands Out: Frequently tops lists for its bold, unapologetic hop profile, rivaling California originals.

2. Pliny the Elder – Russian River Brewing Company (Santa Rosa, California) ABV: 8%
Description: A pioneering Double IPA, Pliny the Elder is often cited as the gold standard for West Coast IPAs. It features a balanced yet intense hop profile with notes of pine, citrus, and resin, using hops like Simcoe, Centennial, and Amarillo. Its clarity and dryness embody the style.

3. Union Jack IPA – Firestone Walker Brewing (Paso Robles, California) ABV: 7%
Description: A balanced West Coast IPA with bright citrus, pine, and grapefruit notes, hopped with Cascade, Centennial, and Simcoe. It has a clean malt backbone and crisp finish.
Why It Stands Out: Multiple award-winner at the Great American Beer Festival, known for its consistency and widespread appeal.

4.Pure Hoppiness – Alpine Beer Company (Alpine, California) ABV: 8%
Description: A Double IPA with a resinous, pine-heavy profile and citrus undertones, using a blend of American hops. It’s intensely hoppy yet surprisingly smooth.
Why It Stands Out: A cult favorite from a small brewery, often praised for its old-school West Coast character.

5. Liquid Gravity IPA – Liquid Gravity Brewing (San Luis Obispo, California)
ABV: 7%
Description: A modern West Coast IPA with a tropical and citrusy blast, hopped with Citra, Mosaic, and Simcoe for a hoppy kick and smooth finish.
Why It Stands Out: Gaining attention for blending classic bitterness with newer hop varieties, as noted in recent X posts.

6. Unknown Depths – Societe Brewing (San Diego, California)
ABV: 7.2%
Description: A citrus-driven West Coast IPA with a strong hop presence, featuring notes of grapefruit and pine, and a clean, dry finish.
Why It Stands Out: Highlighted on X for its bold, consistent hoppiness, it’s a rising star in the San Diego craft scene.

7. IPA – Stone Brewing (Escondido, CA) ABV: 6.9%
Description: Piney and citrusy with Centennial and Columbus hops, delivering Stone’s signature bitterness.
Why It Stands Out: A cornerstone of the style, known for its unapologetic hop intensity.

8. Torpedo Extra IPA – Sierra Nevada Brewing (Chico, CA) ABV: 7.2%
Description: Pine, citrus, and slight caramel malt, amplified by Sierra Nevada’s “Hop Torpedo” dry-hopping device.
Why It Stands Out: A widely available pioneer, blending tradition with innovation.

9. Alpha Dank IPA – Hop Dogma Brewing Company (California)
Description: Bold, bitter profile with notes of pine, citrus, and tropical fruit, and may also include hints of earthy or dank notes.
Why It Stands Out: Gold Medal Winner at the 2024 U.S. Open Beer Championship

10. Codebreaker IPA – Trademark Brewing (Long Beach, CA)
Description: A vibrant 7.2% West Coast IPA featuring Cryo Simcoe and Mosaic hops for crisp, bitter citrus, grapefruit, and dank stonefruit flavors with a dry finish
Why It Stands Out: Gold Medal Winner at the 2024 Great American Beer Festival

History of West Coast IPAs

The West Coast IPA emerged in the late 20th century as a bold, hop-forward beer style rooted in the American craft brewing revolution. Originating in California during the 1970s and 1980s, brewers like Sierra Nevada and Anchor Brewing began experimenting with American hop varieties such as Cascade, Centennial, and Chinook, which imparted intense citrus, pine, and floral notes. Unlike the maltier, balanced IPAs of England, West Coast IPAs emphasized aggressive bitterness and dry finishes, with a clean malt backbone that let the hops shine. By the 1990s, breweries like Stone Brewing and Green Flash amplified this style, pushing IBUs (International Bitterness Units) higher and creating iconic beers like Stone IPA and Pliny the Elder from Russian River Brewing, which became benchmarks for the style. The West Coast IPA’s clarity, hop intensity, and refreshing drinkability made it a staple of the craft beer movement, spreading from San Diego to Portland and beyond.

In the 2000s and 2010s, the West Coast IPA solidified its place as a cornerstone of American craft beer, though it faced competition from newer styles like hazy, juicy New England IPAs. Its influence persisted as brewers refined the style, incorporating modern hop varieties like Citra and Mosaic for more tropical and stone fruit flavors while maintaining the style’s signature bitterness and crispness. The rise of double and triple IPAs pushed alcohol content and hop intensity even further, catering to hop enthusiasts. Despite evolving tastes, the West Coast IPA remains a beloved classic, with its legacy evident in the enduring popularity of beers like Sierra Nevada’s Torpedo Extra IPA and the continued innovation by West Coast breweries. Its history reflects the fearless experimentation and hop obsession that defined American craft brewing.

Top 10 Beers in America – Ales  Lagers  Specialty  Barrel Aged

FREDERICK, Maryland — Flying Dog Brewery is flipping the script on bold beers with the launch of Underdog Easy IPA—a bright, refreshing brew that proves less can definitely be more. Clocking in at just 4.7% ABV, this easy-drinking IPA is made for craft beer fans who crave full flavor without the heavy hit.

Bold Flavor, Light Touch

Crafted with Citra and Amarillo hops, Underdog Easy IPA shines with juicy notes of pineapple, orange citrus, and a burst of tropical fruit. It’s the go-to brew for kicking back after work, lounging on the weekend, or fueling your next backyard hang. Crisp, smooth, and endlessly crushable—this underdog has some serious bite.

IPA for the Mindful Sipper

With more beer drinkers leaning into moderation, Flying Dog is stepping up with a sessionable IPA that doesn’t skimp on flavor. Underdog Easy IPA is the answer for those who want a flavorful pint without the high ABV—perfect for long sessions and easy sipping.

Tasting Breakdown:

• Aroma: Citrus zest, pineapple, and light tropical tones

• Look: Clear golden pour with a frothy white head

• Flavor: Bright citrus and tropical fruit balanced by a clean, crisp finish

• ABV: 4.7%

Ready to Run with the Underdog?
Find Underdog Easy IPA wherever Flying Dog is sold and discover why beer lovers are calling it the next big thing in mindful drinking. Because sometimes, the best beers don’t shout—they just sip smoothly.

About Flying Dog Brewery
Flying Dog Brewery, once based in Frederick, Maryland and now owned by the F.X. Matt Brewing, is one of the most iconic and irreverent names in American craft beer. Known for its bold flavors, boundary-pushing brews, and eye-catching Ralph Steadman artwork, Flying Dog has built a loyal following since its founding in 1990. From hop-heavy IPAs to creative seasonal releases, the brewery continues to innovate while staying true to its rebellious roots. With a commitment to quality, creativity, and craft beer culture, Flying Dog remains a standout in the ever-evolving beer landscape.

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