Beer Review: Ripe by Great Notion Brewery

Beer: Ripe by Great Notion

Style: New England IPA

ABV: 7.0% @ 55 IBU’s

Is it really a New England IPA if it came from a west coast brewery? If done right, then yes! Great Notion out of Portland, Oregon definitely does a lot of things right. Ever since they came into NH, I have been trying to get my hands on everything that comes in and I can’t say I have been disappointed by a beer yet. This time I got my hands on Ripe, which is their award-winning flagship IPA. After drinking this beer, I see why it is award winning because it is the best flagship IPA I have had to date.

This beer has been in the can for two weeks. I had to pour this in my Great Notion glassware since beer looks and tastes better in its own glass. This beer pours a nice murky straw-yellow with a good head that is pretty loose. Surprisingly, I don’t get as much aroma as I thought I would. The fresh fruit aroma is there but it’s not in your face. You’ll know why this beer is called Ripe when you drink it though. Every sip you get slammed with loads juicy hops and notes of fresh fruit. They dry hopped this one with Citra and Citra Cryo hops, which adds to the zippiness and juicy character of this beer. Those hops are a big part of why I love this beer. If I could have any hop for the rest of my life, it would be Citra. This beer is hopped so much, at times I could feel a slight tingle in the back of my throat. Thankfully, it isn’t enough to make me cough or not want to drink it. It’s just too good. And at 7%, this beer could be a crusher since it doesn’t taste too heavy. If you’re a fan of lacing, this beer has a great amount of that too. No flagship IPA in the area tastes this good and that includes the powerhouses of the Northeast. I wish this wasn’t a west coast brewery but hopefully it’s a regular beer they distribute. The rating on this is an astounding 4.75/5.