Thirsty Thursday knows that the weekend is almost here, and that the classy members of the Destructoid community may want some tasty beverages that don't come from the “big three” brewers. Here's your weekly look at the world of craft beer.
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60-Minute IPA
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Style: American IPA
IBUs: 60
Color: Orange / Amber
Alcohol by Volume: 6 %

From the Brewers:
Our flagship beer. A session India Pale Ale brewed with Warrior, Amarillo & 'Mystery Hop X.' A powerful East Coast I.P.A. with a lot of citrusy hop character. THE session beer for beer geeks like us!

The Experts:
Lots of fresh hop oil flavour, very juicy with citric and bitter herbal tones. Solid maltiness holds up to the hops well with a dough toasted grain mix. Touch of nutty yeast with a slight warmth from estery alcohol. Finish semi-dry with a long lingering bitter finish from the hops. ... An idea IPA to have around, very drinkable and very flavourful. With it being bottle conditioned I’ll have to make this a regular in my fridge.. - Jason Alstrom

The 60 minute pours like a typical IPA, capping out somewhere between a one and two finger head which lasts a good while. The nose has a nice hint of grapefruit and the hops come right on out to meet you. The flavor is great - easy to drink, but it has some complexity as well. As with most Dogfish heads, it’s got that smooth mouthfeel and maltiness that’s really a trademark of the brewery, coupled with a nice sharp bitterness which lingers for a bit. More subtle flavors hint at caramel and cream, but the hopping lends an evergreen quality that add to the beer’s drinkability. I like this beer a lot. Worth a try, even for the casual beer fan. - Grey of Grey's Beer Blog

My Take:
Good lord, this is a perfect IPA. Pours out a great orange color, with the foamy head and lacing you'd expect from a hoppy India pale. In the nose you can really smell the citrusy Amarillo and Warrior hops, and get a nice grassy note from the “mystery hop.” Lots of bready malt flavors to start off, which quickly surrender to grassy and grapefruity hop flavors. Finishes nice and bitter, with a hop taste that lingers for a while and a dryness that makes you want another sip.

Recommended if you like: Hop bombs. Even at the low end of Dogfish's IPA's, this beer has a ton of hops. If you're someone that shies away from a more bitter beer, steer clear. Otherwise, this is one of the best examples of an American IPA on the market.

Availability: Going from the distribution map on the Dogfish Head site, you can probably find this beer if you live east of the Mississippi. Colorado, Arizona and Texas are also listed as states you can pick up the 60 Minute IPA. Finally, you can order it anywhere from Liquid Solutions. Not too pricey for a craft beer – most of the stores around here put it at around 6.99 – 8.99 for a six-pack (with about twice the ABV of the fare from the big brewers).

Enjoy While Playing: Rock Band. Even at six percent alcohol, the dry mouthfeel and pure drinkability of the 60 Minute IPA make it an ideal session beer. Grab a case and a couple of your most rhythmic friends and rock out to a couple setlists. Personally, I drum better after I've had a few.

Previously:
Alaskan Smoked Porter

[If cocktails are more your speed, check out Excremento's C-Blog and his excellent “Look, I drink” series]