All Day West Coast IPA - Founders Review
We’re gliding through summer with Founders Brewing’s All Day IPA series as our riding companion. This week we’re taking a dip in the pool of their All Day West Coast IPA, available April-August and full of classic West Coast flair in a lighter, more approachable package.
But what makes it lighter and more approachable, or, as we might say in the beer world, sessionable? Well, Founders starts off with a simple malt bill of 2-row and flaked rice to help keep the body crisp and light, and they add some old school flavor with the addition of Simcoe, Mosaic, Chinook, and Azacca hops. This results in a very reasonable 4.7% ABV and 35 IBUs.
Founders says this approachable West Coast has “Hop forward citrusy pine notes, with tropical and floral undertones.” Summer is short, so let’s get after it.
First Impressions:
On the Eyes--Straw colored with a slight haze. Topped with a cream-colored head that diminishes quickly.
On the Nose--Classic IPA aroma with a touch of modern fruitiness from the Azacca hops. Light, light, light like the color, and ready to drink. It really is quite lively with lots of citrus and pine elevated even further with a touch of fruit.
On the Palate--The pine and citrus of the West Coast IPA come out as a quick one-two punch of classic flavor and shine bright against the light and crisp malt bill. And the fruity and floral notes from the Mosaic and Azacca hops balance out the bitterness in a race through the clean finish. The bitterness lingers only a moment, as you’d expect from a West Coast IPA, but the IPA remains light enough to have more than one… or two, as advertised.
Food Pairings: Grilled meats or vegetables, roasted sweet corn with lots of butter, and good ol’ hot dogs and hamburgers. It’s summer, baby, keep it fun!
Final Thoughts:
West Coast IPAs are considered the originals, and if you’ve ever drank one of those originals you know they are strong and bitter with lots of hop character and sweet malt to back it up. They are iconic… and also very difficult to make light and sessionable, especially when using classically heavy hops like Simcoe and Chinook, yet it is challenging to call a beer a West Coast IPA without one of these hop legends present.
But Founders has achieved this feat of both a West Coast AND a sessionable IPA in a few intelligent ways. First they used a straightforward malt bill of classic 2-row for simple malt flavor and flaked rice to keep it crisp without adding more sugars which keeps the ABV low. Then they brought in the old beaters of Chinook and Simcoe, both necessary for legendary flavor and bitterness, but they lightened them up with the use of Mosaic and Azacca hops, both more modern hops, and both offer gentle floral and fruity undertones. I believe Founders has achieved their goal, and I’m happy to have All Day along for our summer brew adventures. Get it while you can! Because like summer, it’ll be gone before you know it.
Cheers!
Mr. Brew
Want more from the West Coast IPA tap? Try Party Tricks IPA from AleSmith Brewing!