What makes the IPAs on this list different is the variety of hops used, with each presenting different aromas, flavors and even affecting the mouthfeel. Hops' technical term is Humulus Lupulu, which is a vine-like plant that grows little cone-shaped female flowers with the important ingredient being found within the cone’s lupulin glands. It's harvested, dried out, then taken to breweries in the form of whole leaf, pellets and oil.
Each variety produces something different. Amarillo hops give beer citrus and floral aromas, while Simcoe hops give it piney, herbal and grapefruit flavors. Citra, Mosaic and Galaxy can affect mouthfeel with a more fruit-forward flavor that can generate a softer and fluffier body found in hazy IPAs.
While some IPAs can be in-your-face intense, these hoppy brews are presented in a variety of styles and flavors ranging from juicy and hazy to dry and crisp to an abundance of tropical notes, all of them perfect for springtime sipping.
Legal Draft Beer Company’s Smash and Grab IPA
American IPA6.2% ABV
500 E. Division St., Arlington
legaldraftbeer.com
Smash and Grab IPA is a great springtime brew with a medium body and citrusy, piney aromas followed by orange peel and biscuit characteristics. Each sip presents an abundance of citrus flavor with fresh herbs and baked bread with hints of coriander and caramel. This traditional American IPA is moderately bitter and finishes off dry, with a bit of citrus and herbal notes lingering behind.
Looking for a fruity, herbaceous slap in the face? 100 Million Angels Singing delivers.
Michael Thacker
Texas Ale Project’s 100 Million Angels Singing
Double/Imperial IPA9.2% ABV
1001 N. Riverfront Blvd. (Design District)
texasaleproject.com
Inspired by Johnny Cash’s "The Man Comes Around," this heavy-hitter steps up the ABV and IBU to give the full hop experience. Expect aromas of pine and pink grapefruit with notes of freshly picked tropical fruits. It's a medium- to full-bodied brew with plenty hop bitterness and flavors of blood oranges, herbs and pineapple. It finishes dry but has a hit of juiciness to it.
Manhattan Project Beer Co.’s Particles Collide
Hazy IPA7.5% ABV
2215 Sulphur St. (West Dallas)
manhattanproject.beer
This new Dallas brewery is making a splash in the DFW beer scene with their work ethic and innovative brewing ideas, and the Particles Collide hazy IPA is proof. With a deep, hazy, golden hue that gives off a tropical fruit fragrance with a grassy, earthy backdrop, this beer has flavor just as deep as its color. Expect a full body with juicy orange and mango characteristics, followed by an herbal complex that finishes off creamy and moderately bitter, leaving your palates itching for more.
Rahr and Sons Brewing Company’s Dadgum IPA
American IPA6.6% ABV
701 Galveston Ave., Fort Worth
rahrbrewing.com
The oldest operating craft brewery in Fort Worth is still brewing great beer. This classic American IPA may be classic, but it isn't boring. Look for aromas of citrus, pine and floral attributes followed by a moderate bitterness with plenty of citrus character and flavors of fresh herbs, biscuit and resin, and it all finishes dry and refreshing.
Community Beer Company’s Citra Slice IPA
American IPA7.0% ABV
1530 Inspiration Dr. (Design District)
communitybeer.com
Nothing seems to fit a spring day better than some citrus, and what better way than adding some hops and malts in the mix? This IPA is packed full of citrus goodness. A medium-bodied beer with a light to moderate bitterness packs tons of citrus flavors like oranges and mandarins with hints of orange peel, dark cherries and a balancing biscuit warmth.
Shannon Brewing Company’s Love ‘N Haze IPA
Hazy IPA7.0% ABV
818 N. Main St., Keller
shannonbrewing.com
Shannon Brewing is always branching out to see what goods they can conjure up, and their Love ‘N Haze is definitely the goods. The hue and body are reminiscent of a glass of orange juice, and each sip packs a load of citrus juiciness, along with pineapple and mangos with hints of oats. This brew is moderately bitter with a bit of a creamy finish that settles well on the palate.
BrainDead Brewing Company’s Happiness Comes From Within
Hazy IPA6.7% ABV
2625 Main St. (Deep Ellum)
braindeadbrewing.com
Another haze to fit the craze, and this one delivers with plenty of citrus aromas with notes of orange peel and grass. A light copper-colored brew with a medium body, it floods the palate with deep orange flavors and notes of fresh herbs and resin flavors that balance nicely with each mouthful. This IPA provides a moderately bitter touch while finishing off relatively smooth and dry, leaving room for a another glass or two.
Martin House Brewing Company’s Friday IPA
Northeastern-style IPA6.0% ABV
220 S. Sylvania Ave., Fort Worth
martinhousebrewing.com
Martin House is known for stretching the limits of brewing by creating some of the most intriguing beers in North Texas, and their Friday IPA is no short-comer. Full of danky characteristics reminiscent of your favorite Colorado dispensary, this beer is a mouthful of juicy tropical fruits, citrus flavors and hints of caramel with a moderately bitter profile that finishes off dry and as refreshing as a spring breeze.
Turning Point Beer's Dragon and the Wolf
Double IPA8.2% ABV
1307 Brown Trail, Bedford
turningpointbeer.net
Stepping up again in both ABV and IBU, the Dragon and the Wolf gives off aromas of citrus and tropical fruit with notes of orange peel and fresh-cut grass, followed by hints of dank. Expect a juicy brew with a pale malt backbone and touch of fresh herbs, and a beer that straddles the line between juicy and bitter, creamy and savory.
