Alpine’s Iconic San Diego Beers: Hoppy Birthday Session IPA

Alpine (Green Flash): Hoppy Birthday Session IPA

Abv 5.25%

20170108 (Our Beers of the Day in January look back to some of our favorites of 2016)

Alpine has been one of the smaller breweries in the San Diego area. Green Flash acquired it a couple of years ago, but it retains its own identity. When we were in San Diego a several years ago, every brewer we talked to told us we had to make the pilgrimage to Alpine, which we did. It was a very small operation then and beer tourism was mostly a local phenomenon. We received a wonderfully warm welcome and it was quickly clear how Alpine had earned so much respect in the brewing community.

The Hoppy Birthday is one of many session IPAs, but one of the relatively few successful ones. Lots of spicy and fruity hops show its San Diegan origin but a solid malt foundation – especially for a session IPA—makes it continue to please over the course of the intended session. Bitter resin at the end of the taste returns you to the west.

Tomorrow we’ll feature Alpine’s higher octane Duet