< PreviousThe Summer of IPANot all that long ago “bitter” was made out to be derogatory when describing beer. Entire marketing campaigns revolved around denouncing dreaded “bitter beer face,” instead encouraging the opposite: consumption of easy-going, light and smooth brews. Well times have certainly changed, to state the obvious. Nowadays, bitterness and a general understanding and appreciation of IBUs (International Bittering Units, the universal scale used to measure a beer’s bitterness level) is de rigueur.Credit the change to the heroic rise in popularity of India Pale Ales, or IPAs as they are commonly referred to. In fact, IPAs have become so prolific that they now warrant a bevy of sub-IPA categories. While these may not all yet be officially recognized under the Beer Judge Certification Program Style Guidelines, they are all ready to satiate during this summer of IPA!CLASSIC IPAAnyone new to beer or simply finding themselves ready to branch out from lager and ales in general would do well to start with a classic IPA. Though historically this would entail imbibing British IPAs (to whom all hoppy descendants owe their originator, India passage-fortified brethren dues), in modern IPA parlance the classics refer to the forebears of the West Coast IPA movement. These bold beers feature big citrus and tropical fruit with an unabashed pine and resin hop profile, dialing back the malt to focus on bright and bitter hoppy notes, albeit with a crisp finish. DOUBLE IPAOf course, it wasn’t long before breweries began doubling down on a good thing, creating a class of Double IPAs (or DIPAs for the impatient). Admittedly, the “double” descriptor is rather arbitrary, it’s not as if these beers need to have double anything relative to their IPA counterparts. DIPAs typically connote more hops and a higher final alcohol by volume (ABV). Seven percent plus is the standard, and these beers are commonly dry-hopped for a full on hoppy, bitter impact (pushing the IBU measurement to the limit)!SESSION IPAPerhaps a backlash to the DIPA style, or simply a rational appreciation that high ABV beers are not always the best match for everyday pairing, many breweries have begun offering Session IPAs. The appeal is straightforward: maintain bold flavour and a bold hop presence, but lose the heavy body and alcohol content. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Session IPA profile has met immediate success, and indeed may represent the ideal go-to IPA for summer. WILD IPAWith the continued interest in IPAs, it’s not surprising to find brewers pushing themselves ever further. One area experiencing significant creativity is Wild IPAs, a term typically used to refer to IPAs fermented with wild yeast, such as Saccharomyces Trois or even ambient yeast. This brewing process often introduces effects of Brettanomyces or other funky yeast characteristics and, generally speaking, the result in the glass is an IPA that retains its robustness yet moves away from overt hop notes to more prominently feature tropical fruit and a dollop of delicious funk.88NORTHEAST IPAIt’s about now that things start to get hazy – literally. The last few years has seen a huge rise in the popularity of northeast, or Hazy IPAs. As the name suggests, these beers (which initially were popularized by craft breweries in the northeastern part of America) intentionally pour opaque and cloudy, often due to the inclusion of oats or other higher-protein malt bills, but also thanks to particular yeast strains. This tends to create a flavour profile that favours juiciness and tropical fruits, smoothing and rounding out any sharp, bitter hop influence.GRAPEFRUIT IPALately there has also been a significant push in citrus-infused IPAs, perhaps not surprising given the natural predilection of many hop varieties to provide citrus aromas and sensibilities. Grapefruit IPAs ratchet up the association by adding juice, zest or even whole citrus to the brewer’s kettle (made with real fruit!), the resulting beer showing serious citrus aromas and an amped-up juiciness that makes for seriously enjoyable refreshment. IPAs have become so prolific that they now warrant a bevy of sub-IPA categories.by James Nevison89bcliquorstores.comTHE SUMMER OF IPA CONTINUEDTHE BEER GEEK PROGRAM Select BC Liquor Stores across the province offer a rotating selection of new, exciting and rare beers. Available only for the season and in limited quantities, these beers tend to be quite unique, intriguing and experimental in style, reflecting some of the most exciting trends and innovations in the craft beer industry. Whether you are an experienced craft beer drinker, a budding enthusiast or someone looking to try something new, there is something for everyone in the Beer Geek Program.COMING THIS JULY• Steamworks Cucumber Ale • Driftwood Drawn to Light Abbey Ale• Torchlight Brewing The Big Squeezy Stone Fruit Pale Ale• Russell Brewing Triple Berry Milkshake IPA• Steel & Oak Smoked Hefeweizen • Le Trou du Diable Saison du Tracteur For product availability, visit bcliquorstores.com/promotions/2019-beer-geek.Northeast IPA HOYNE ALPHA ACID IPACanada $5.79 162969 650 mlWith a name referencing the resin of the hop cone, Hoyne’s Alpha Acid is, appropriately, not shy in amping up the herb and citrus top notes before a rich but unabashedly bitter finish.Session IPA FERNIE SLINGSHOT SESSION IPACanada $12.29 448159 6 x 355 mlPouring a deep, dark golden with slight cloudiness, this is an easy-going beer featuring citrusy top notes with a lighter body overall that finishes crisp and bitter.Grapefruit IPA PHILLIPS CITRICITY GRAPEFRUIT ZEST IPACanada $12.29 32222 6 x 355 mlHoly grapefruit! The citrus certainly dominates in this bitter but refreshing IPA, which is juicy and zesty as all get up and perhaps offers a new, rich take on the radler.Double IPA PARALLEL 49 COBRA CLUTCH DOUBLE IPACanada $2.69 82950 473 mlClocking in at a hefty 8 percent ABV, this strong beer comes across almost chewy thanks to its dense, opaque dark golden colour and toothsome body. Rich but elegant, this is a (slow) sipping IPA.Wild IPA FOUR WINDS JUXTAPOSE WILD IPACanada $6.19 75952 650 ml“Where orchards meet pastures” proclaims the back label, which is an apt description for this heady but elegant IPA that is both fruity and funky, and delicious overall.Classic IPA DRIFTWOOD FAT TUG IPACanada $13.29 127770 4 x 473 mlAn icon of northwest IPA style, the Fat Tug from Victoria’s Driftwood Brewery remains a benchmark thanks to its bold, hop heavy (but balanced) style that positively wallops the taste buds.91bcliquorstores.com4X FILTERED FOR EXCEPTIONAL SMOOTHNESS. TM/MCCoors Brewing Company used under license. Utilisée sous licence.Must be legal drinking ageMore for Your Pour5 Under $15 INNISKILLIN OKANAGAN CABERNET SAUVIGNONBC VQA $14.99 597070 Cassis, black cherry and blackberry notes accented by toasty oak, peppery spice and cocoa hints mark this medium-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with soft, rounded tannins. Enjoy with roast beef or pork tenderloin. FONTELLA CHIANTIItaly $13.99 391797 Red cherry, redcurrant, tomato leaf, leather and spice notes with smooth tannins, medium-bodied richness and mouth-watering acidity make this wine a match made in heaven with spaghetti Bolognese. SAINT LOUIS BLANC DE BLANCS BRUTFrance $11.99 18303 Named in honour of King Saint Louis IX who reigned over France in the Middle Ages, this French sparkler has lively flavours of peach, apple, pear and acacia flowers uplifted by persistent bubbles. GEHRINGER EHRENFELSERBC VQA $12.99 171512 Ehrenfelser is a unique white grape variety of German origin that was created by crossing Riesling and Silvaner. Look for apricot, grapefruit and candied orange peel flavours that finish with a kiss of sweetness. WILD OLIVE SWARTLAND OLD VINES CHENIN BLANCSouth Africa $12.29 205922 Very juicy, with a bright mix of stone fruit, melon, apple and honey notes laced with citrus and chamomile accents keep this wine bright and fresh through the fairly plump-textured finish.93bcliquorstores.com Vegetaria BarbecueBarbecued Brie with Marinated Cherries94Grilled Salad with Green Goddess Dressingrecipes and food styling by Taryn Wapairs with Grilled Salad MISSION HILL FIVE VINEYARDS SAUVIGNON BLANCBC VQA $14.99 118893 Invigorating aromas of lemon zest, grapefruit and honey with flecks of passion fruit and lemongrass mark this dry and zesty Sauvignon Blanc. On the palate, it is light-bodied with a crisp finish.pairs with Barbecued Brie with Marinated Cherries MIONETTO PROSECCO TREVISO BRUTItaly $18.99 86256 This beloved Italian sparkler brings together off-dry flavours of Golden Delicious apple, pear, peach and honey with a hint of minerality in a lively profile with taut, persistent bubbles and a crisp finish.pairs with Barbecued Brie with Marinated Cherries BULLEIT BOURBON FRONTIER WHISKEYUSA $37.99 774273 The high rye content gives this bourbon a distinctively bold and spicy character that accents the toffee, maple, orange peel, oak and nutmeg notes before finishing long, dry and satiny-smooth.95bcliquorstores.comfor recipes, see index on page 108VEGETARIAN BARBECUE CONTINUEDGrilled Cauliflower with Caper, Pine Nut and Raisin Dressingpairs with Grilled Cauliflower QUAILS’ GATE CHASSELAS PINOT BLANC PINOT GRISBC VQA $17.99 585737 Offering plenty of nectarine, Asian pear, green apple and white flowers notes with zippy acidity, this perennial crowd-pleaser is one of the top-selling VQA white wines in the province for a good reason.pairs with Grilled Cauliflower OKANAGAN CRUSH PAD NARRATIVE VEGAN ROSÉBC VQA $17.49 561464 Made from 100 percent certified organic Pinot Noir grapes, this vegan rosé delivers plenty of berry fruit flavours and lovely herbal characteristics to go with a bright, bone-dry and textural palate.pairs with Grilled Salad MARISCO THE NED MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRISNew Zealand $18.99 854240 Left for a spell on the skins, this pale pink Pinot Gris could easily be mistaken for a rosé. It has fragrant stone fruit, apple, lime blossom and honey notes with a deliciously slick texture97bcliquorstores.comNext >