Jacked Up DIPA from Hobbs Brewing

India has given us a lot to be happy about. Spices like curry and cumin help to make their food hot and delicious. But what has really brought India notoriety in the beer world are India Pale Ales. IPA’s, in case you didn’t know this, came about when the English were settling in India and were sending English beers over by ship to the settlements. They found that their regular brews would spoil before the three month trip finished. But by putting more hops into their recipes, the beer would be preserved.
It seems that almost every India Pale Ale brewers offer today are filled to overflowing with hops and citrusy flavor. New England-style IPA’s are especially hoppy but with a difference. They are not the bitter, mouth-puckering, sock-in-the-jaw flavor you might expect. Rather, they are cloudy masterpieces of citrus flavoring. Many have orange or grapefruit juice tendencies which stems from a gigantic amount of dry hopping during fermentations. One of these offerings has just been released and is our focus beer for today, Jacked Up from Hobbs Brewing.
Hobbs Tavern and Brewing Company is a beautifully restored rustic pub, boasting a diverse and tasty lunch and dinner menu and is a great place for friends and family to gather. Originally taking almost a year and a half to complete the restoration, Hobbs also offers a spacious upstairs function area with more taps and full bar. The current brewers there are carrying on from the roots of Randy Booth who is now at Twin Barns. Jacked Up and the entire Jack series was his creation. Visit their website at www.hobbstavern.com
You have noticed this column often concentrates on Double IPA’s. I believe in bigger flavor profiles and juicier citrus balances. Jacked Up is the big brother to the popular Hi, Jack IPA from Hobbs. Boasting of pineapple, peach and orange peel, Jacked Up jumps out of the glass with aromas and citrusy goodness. At 8%, Jacked Up has a beautiful orange hue and employs flaked oats for head retention and mouthfeel, a bit of wheat and English base malts for the maltiness. Hops in this Jacked version are Vic Secret, Mosaic and Azacca; all artistic hops that together paint a beautiful combination of flavors and aromas. Hobbs has in the past only sold this beer in growler fills at the tavern. With the release of Jacked Up in cans, a wider distribution for adoring fans can only increase its popularity.
Since the canned version of this beer has just been released, BeerAdvocate.com hasn’t scored Jacked Up yet. UnTapped.com and RateBeer.com websites are starting to show reviewers and agree it is quite special. You can find it at Case-n-Keg in Meredith as well as other fine beverage retailers. Go get yourself Jacked Up and join in the celebration of great beer!