Saying farewell to my first IPA

Summit has announced a re-jiggering of their IPA lineup, including Saga and 3 new offerings for 2018, but “True Brit,” formerly known simply as Summit IPA long before the IPA craze, is being put out to pasture.

This is the first IPA I ever drank. For my 18th birthday way back in 1999, my cool older sister took me to Mystic Lake where we lost most of our money, then out to eat Cuban food and smoke cigars at Cafe Havana on Washington Avenue (long defunct but incredible), then back to her place in Dinkytown where we got good and drunk on this fantastic old school English IPA. A memorable night in my life.

So if anyone else has a place in their heart for this beer, get it while you can. I’m working my way thru one final 12 pack.

My first IPA (actually DIPA) was Bells Hopslam. This is a good reminder that it should be hitting liquor stores very soon.

Still one of my favorites if I can get it fresh.

Might be just you and me P2 on this forum that knows or cares. I have been a long time fan favorite of the Summit IPA, replaced by the “True Brit” version…even better! Not to be confused with the weaker, diluted EPA. And as I have also found, it has been fading and becoming harder to find anymore if at all. I have now been buying Fulton “Sweet Child of Vine”…excellent but pricier than the Summit IPA.

I did not hear of this latest announcement. I would hope that they have some comparable replacement.

Here is my infamous pic from last year, loading up for the GTG at Mille Lacs that melted away like the Summit IPA is now…

Attachments:

1. 

   20170219_165253.jpg
   

Summit EPA is my go to beer. I only like it from the draft though not so much from the bottle. I like summit saga from the bottle. I think I’ll have to check out the IPA and some of the other beers.

Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:

Might be just you and me P2 on this forum that knows or cares. I have been a long time fan favorite of the Summit IPA, replaced by the “True Brit” version…even better! Not to be confused with the weaker, diluted EPA. And as I have also found, it has been fading and becoming harder to find anymore if at all. I have now been buying Fulton “Sweet Child of Vine”…excellent but pricier than the Summit IPA.

I did not hear of this latest announcement. I would hope that they have some comparable replacement.

Here is my infamous pic from last year, loading up for the GTG at Mille Lacs that melted away like the Summit IPA is now…

Awesome Andy! Remember the cool old logo with the elephants? I can’t even find a pic of that online anymore. The bar & grill I worked at as a teenager and through college had a great neon sign with those elephants. The liquor store near my place in St. Paul is liquidating their stock, I think it was 11 or 12 bucks for a box. The Horizon Red IPA is going buh-bye as well.

As for suitable replacement, that will depend on your taste, but the link above has info on their 3 new IPAs.

crappie55369 wrote:

Summit EPA is my go to beer. I only like it from the draft though not so much from the bottle. I like summit saga from the bottle. I think I’ll have to check out the IPA and some of the other beers.

I’m a fan of EPA too. Cans are great on the boat as I don’t like to bring glass. I wouldn’t exactly call it “diluted” like Andy. Extremely drinkable beer to my taste. If you want to try the original IPA you better get after it, it’ll be gone soon!

pool2fool wrote:

I’m a fan of EPA too. Cans are great on the boat as I don’t like to bring glass. I wouldn’t exactly call it “diluted” like Andy. Extremely drinkable beer to my taste. If you want to try the original IPA you better get after it, it’ll be gone soon!

I’ll have EPA too. Better off the tap, but bottled ok. Cans in the boat for sure a safer more convenient choice. What once I used to do almost always, I do no more because of my age and past mishaps. I no longer drink any alcohol while boating, and/or driving my boat. Bottled water keeps my whistle wet enough. Any motor vehicle for that matter. Once upon a time I’d light that candle, partier to the end. That candle can burn you sometimes…thankfully for me, not enough to kill me or anyone else.

That being said with lessons learned, safe zones to tip ’em up. One thing about the EPA vrs IPA. Takes me 6 EPA’s to get me where 4 IPA’s take me. Ally, ally…oop, aye!

I hear ya loud and clear Andy. I had too many 12 beer nights in my prime. Decision making wasn’t my strong suit in those days but you live & learn.

pool2fool wrote:

I hear ya loud and clear Andy. I had too many 12 beer nights in my prime. Decision making wasn’t my strong suit in those days but you live & learn.

Long story but haven’t had a beer in 32 years. When I was younger I always new my limit just didn’t know when to stop. Live and learn is correct p2f.

I don’t drink often, but when I do it is ipa. Bent Paddle Bent Hops was my go to last summer. Lake Monster was one I enjoyed too. Todd the Ax Man by Surly is one I liked in moderation. Toppling Goliath is definitely my favorite brewery. So many great bears. King Sue might be my favorite beer ever, and I am not a fan of doubles.

Bright side is there are plenty of pale ales on the market. May not replace the nostalgia but a good substitute is likely out there.

I don’t understand releasing IPAs in the winter. They have a short shelf life and I think of IPAs and Pilsners as summer beers. I prefer something heavier in the colder months, stouts, porters, and ales this time of year. Preferably barrel aged. By the time summer comes the winter IPAs are past their prime.

Looking forward to that 120 shilling in November.

tegg wrote:

Bright side is there are plenty of pale ales on the market. May not replace the nostalgia but a good substitute is likely out there.

That may be the understatement of the year, tegg! I find the selection of ales almost dizzying at times. You go out to certain places and 3/4 of the beer list is IPA.

I’m not that picky about beer in general, I like everything from Hamm’s to Arrogant B@stard and most points between.

I agree with you Kyhl. I am not a big IPA drinker, although I do drink my fair share in the summer. I am finding Belgian IPAs much more palatable to me. Winter is definitely for heavier beers and I do miss Summit’s Porter.

hawkguy wrote:

I don’t drink often, but when I do it is ipa. Bent Paddle Bent Hops was my go to last summer. Lake Monster was one I enjoyed too. Todd the Ax Man by Surly is one I liked in moderation. Toppling Goliath is definitely my favorite brewery. So many great bears. King Sue might be my favorite beer ever, and I am not a fan of doubles.

X2 on Toppling Goliath. King Sue is my favorite (but pretty spendy). Their every day Pseudo Sue is excellent, too.

If you like Todd the Axe Man you’d like most of TG’s stuff.

pool2fool wrote:

That may be the understatement of the year, tegg! I find the selection of ales almost dizzying at times. You go out to certain places and 3/4 of the beer list is IPA.

I’m not that picky about beer in general, I like everything from Hamm’s to Arrogant B@stard and most points between.

I take it you are using the word ale as a synonym for beer instead of a style of beer.

I love IPAs and pilsners, especially in the summer but rarely select an ale. Although I do usually pick up some winter ales each winter, as a break from stouts.

Btw, anyone use the Untappd app to track their beer sampling?
I do like using it to keep notes on things that I like and to try to avoid things I’m not fond of.

Prost!

@kyhl: I was actually being literal. Ale is everywhere, the selection is crazy. Pale ale, india pale ale, scotch ale, belgian ale, black ale, brown ale, session ale, abbey ale, bitter ale. . . that’s hardly exhausting the list.

I dig ale, I was just pointing out that it occupies an enormous slice of the craft beer market. I’ve been to tap rooms that served 10 different kinds of ale and then maybe 1 pilsner, 1 wheat beer, 1 stout, etc.

Ah, I get it now. I guess I compartmentalized it in my mind by separating IPA, and EPA from a straight ale.

That’s on me. I improperly categorized IPA and EPA’s separate then lump the rest of the ales together, maybe because of how I rank them on flavor.