4th of July beer, pt. III

July 3, 9:32 PMSF Craft Beer ExaminerBrian Yaeger

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Sierra Nevada's new Torpedo E.IPA

America didn’t invent beer, but it sure is augmenting it. When the word “American” appears in the style, you know the beer will be big, bold, brash, brawny, and brazen; that’s the American way.

This Saturday as we celebrate Independence Day, bring the perfect accoutrement to your BBQ. Today is the second in a three-day/part series that started with lagers, then onto American Pale Ales, to find the perfect beers to pair with grilled burgers, dogs, steaks, chops, or—for the Vegetarian-Americans out there—grilled vegetables.

Today’s style: American IPA.

India Pale Ales are beefed-up versions of British-style IPAs. And really, isn’t the Fourth about celebrating liberating ourselves from the British monarchy’s shackles? Think about it: when the Brits set sail for India, they dropped anchor in India. When Columbus took to the open seas for India, he “discovered” America.

1. Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA. From the quintessential American microbrewery—founded in 1979 with a clunky, homemade system which remains one of the largest American craft breweries today despite the creation of some 1,500 new once in its wake—this may be a newcomer to the American IPA table, but at 7.2% ABV and 70 IBU, it skipped right over the kids’ table.

2. Russian River Blind Pig IPA. This is one of the IPAs that got the hop-cone rollin’ for ballsy American IPAs. Don't let its famous sibling Pliny the Elder Double IPA overshadow it, this is a crowd-pleasing classic. Weighing in at 6% ABV and 72 IBU, there’s no better beer for grillin’ and/or floating down the river, Russian or otherwise. 

3. Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA.  Whereas Blind Pig won a silver medal at the Great American Beer Festival and a gold at the World Beer Cup, Racer 5 inversed those medals, meaning Bear Republic has had bragging rights about a gold at GABF for a decade now. Ten years, 7% ABV and 69 IBU later, this Healdsburg honey still makes me see fireworks.

Please drink responsibly this holiday.