Beer Pick: Samuel Adams Rebel IPA

Rebel IPA. Credit: Boston Beer Co.

Credit: Bob Townsend

Credit: Bob Townsend

Rebel IPA. Credit: Boston Beer Co.

Given the Super Bowl back-and-forth between Boston Beer Co. and SweetWater , it seemed like a good time to be a good loser and feature this new version of Rebel IPA.

Beer Pick

Rebel IPA

Boston Beer Co., Boston, Mass.

Available on draft and in bottles, cans and variety packs

Profile

For the first time, the brewers at Sam Adams have completely reformulated a flagship beer, giving Rebel IPA a new hop bill, and removing caramel malt from the grain bill. In addition to Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe and Chinook hops, the 2017 version adds Mosaic, along with HBC 566, a new proprietary hop, and HBC 682, a new experimental bittering hop.

The result is lighter, crisper beer, with more of the juicy, tropical and citrus notes that are the draw of many other newer IPAs. You’ll also find some piney and earthy aromas, and a clean, quick finish. At 45 IBUs, it’s on the lower end of the bitterness scale for an American IPA. But that’s sure to widen its appeal to the hop-adverse.

Pair with

Try Rebel IPA with salty or fried foods, such as Nashville-style hot chicken, fish and chips, steak frites or poutine.

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