IPA Challenge
Since living here I have really
come to love the craft beer scene that New Mexico has. There are a lot of great
breweries, and events you can attend to support these small businesses. But
there was one event that I have always wanted to attend, and finally this year
was the year. I love the concept that 16 breweries put forth their best IPA and
leave it up to the fans to choose their favorite for a years’ worth of bragging
rights. So, when it was announced that the finals would be in Albuquerque, I
quickly got my ticket for the IPA Challenge.
The venue itself this year was
very interesting as Flix Brewhouse was the host. I was expecting it to be in
their bar area, but we were quickly ushered into one of the theatres itself. At
first it seemed odd, but it was great with the comfortable chairs, the table
for our flight, and a slide show on the big screen showcasing this year’s event
and highlighting past winners. As for the flight itself, at first it seemed
daunting looking at 16 different IPAs with a ballot, and pad for tasting notes
to compare what ultimately turned out to be 16 unique beers ranging from hazy
IPAs to the classic West Coast style.
There were two aspects of this
event that I loved. The first was that it was a blind tasting which eliminated
the temptation to vote for a brewery based solely on their name. The second is
that one of the things I hear people saying a lot is that there are too many
IPAs on the market and that they all taste the same. Well after this I can
assure you that after you sample 16 in a row, they are anything but similar.
Each one had a unique flavor ranging from pineapple, to floral, piney, orange
peel, and grapefruit. Some were very light in body while others had a big malt
flavor to balance the hops. Some had a clean aftertaste while others had a
lingering bitterness. Some focused on a singular flavor profile, while others
created a unique blend of hops to create a more complex drink.
After our flight and voting on
our favorite guests were treated to a pint of their choosing. While this was a
hard decision, and there were so many delicious options my favorite of the day
happened to come from Ex Novo. It had such a big flavor, and a great balance
between malt and hops. More importantly in my opinion it was the most complex IPA
I had of the day. Each sip brought out a different flavor profile, and I found
myself wanting more than the small pour from my flight. At the end of the day
though, the voters thought that Bosque Brewing had the best IPA of the day and
the tournament, and they will have bragging rights for the next year, and it
was also a delicious IPA.
Without hesitation this is an
event I would do again, and it will probably become an annual tradition. With
so many great breweries in this state, and the fact that only 16 get
represented in this challenge it guarantees that attendees will be treated to
16 high quality beverages that brewers put a lot of thought into. Even after
looking at the list of who was in this challenge there were a lot of surprising
omissions. But, most importantly this is a great event that allows craft beer
lovers to get together and have a good time, supporting not only the brewer’s
guild, but 16 great, local breweries. Until next year.
To see photos of my adventures follow me on Instagram at the_nm_tx
To support my adventures and see exclusive content check out www.patreon.com/thenmtx
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