Hoppy Easter – Five Great Central PA IPAs (2023)
Hoppy Easter
Hoppy Easter everyone! I hope the best for everyone of all religions and dominations have a wonderful and Hoppy Easter today. I am just about to make breakfast using the hop shoots that are popping up and growing, but first wanted to get this fun little IPA article posted.
As you can see above, my cascade hops are already springing up pretty quickly. (You can find images on our Instagram here: The Beer Thrillers – Instagram.) I will be cutting these early shoots to make breakfast this morning, possibly doing a Hop Shoots Omelet, I’ve done this in years past.
(That’ll probably be an article for tomorrow then. I’m not a big foodie or great cooker, so fingers crossed it’ll go well.)
In the meantime, lets take a look at five great Central PA IPAs, of this season. Enjoy!
Five Great Hoppy Central PA IPAs
Green Machine – Boneshire Brew Works
Beer: Green Machine
Brewery: Boneshire Brew Works
Style: IPA – American
ABV: 7.2%
IBU: 75
Untappd Description: Green Machine! Green Machine! Green Machine! This hop fueled juggernaut smashes your senses with its not-so-delicate bouquet of floral notes, tropical fruits, and pine. Drink up IPA lovers, drink up.
Global Average Untappd Rating: 3.80 (as of 4.9.23)
My Untappd Rating: 4.25
This is one of my favorite IPAs and why I lead off with this one. Its a year round flagship at Boneshire Brew Works, and it is absolutely delicious. If you get the chance to stop in at either of their locations, you have to try it.
Lollihop by Troegs Independent Craft Brewing
Beer: Lollihop
Brewery: Troegs Independent Craft Brewing
Style: IPA – Imperial / Double
ABV: 8.2%
IBU: N/A
Untappd Description:
We Taste: pear, citrus, hint of Melon.
When we make our annual pilgrimage to the hop-growing hotbed of Yakima Valley, we’re like kids in a candy store. We eyeball the hops on the lines, crush them in our hands and rub them til their oil fill the air. LolliHop brings together three of our favorites. Dry-hopping with Citra and Mosaic layers in notes of orange, grapefruit, and melon, while Azacca in the kettle adds hints of papaya and pineapple. Locally harvested rustic pale malt provides the backbone, and wheat and oats make this beer silky smooth with a touch of haze.
Global Average Untappd Rating: 4.03 (as of 4.9.23)
My Untappd Rating: 3.75
A fan favorite this time of year here in Central PA. Living five minutes from the brewery certainly has its perks. This is one of Drew (of Knights of Nostalgia)’s favorites from Troegs, and his favorites in general. Personally I can’t wait for Nimble Giant season which will be right around the corner.
Silent Disco by Funk Brewing
Beer: Silent Disco
Brewery: Funk Brewing
Style: IPA – New England / Hazy
ABV: 6.1%
IBU: 62
Untappd Description: A bowlful of tropical juicy flavors.
Global Average Untappd Rating: 3.89 (as of 4.9.23)
My Untappd Rating: 4.25
This is a fun New England IPA. It might not be their most notable, but its certainly one of their stellar flagship IPAs. They have many other IPAs that are very good as well like Citrus IPA, Double Citrus IPA, Pipe Dream, and Prop, and even a Double Disco. We have previously reviewed their seasonal IPA – Royal Rumble. (As well as another beer from them – Griddle.)
Broken Heels by New Trail Brewing Company
(Broken Heels by New Trail Brewing Company)
Beer: Broken Heels
Brewery: New Trail Brewing Company
Style: IPA – New England / Hazy
ABV: 7%
IBU: N/A
Untappd Description:
A Hazy IPA hopped intrepidly with hand-selected Citra and Mosaic, leading to High Aromatics of luminous Citrus, rich Conifer, and refreshing Tropicals. This beer packs a full mouthfeel with low bitterness that is soft on the palette. Broken Heels is available all day everyday, and reminds us that no adventure is without its risks.
Pack The Essentials.
Global Average Untappd Rating: 3.94 (as of 4.9.23)
My Untappd Rating: 4.25
Albeit this is a little bit north of Central PA (Harrisburg wise), but its everywhere here. Sheetz, WaWa’s, Rutters, you name it, you can find it in their beer coolers. While I do love hammering some of the tall boys of these, I do typically prefer the Double Broken Heels, a good four pack of the Double Broken Heels will have you feeling all kinds of good.
We did review this previously here: Beer Review: Broken Heels. Here’s a brief quick excerpt:
This is like drinking hoppy juicy dank orange juice. It is so full of citrus fruit juicy hop taste and is just so easy to drink. You get a flourish of hop notes as soon as you start sipping, you get citrus, you get the tropical fruits, you get practically no bitterness, you just get a smooth drink. The pilsner malts and the flaked oats gives this a really smooth and tasty brew and just makes it like a wonderful NEIPA that drinks easy. After one sip of this you can quickly see why New Trails Brewing Co. is known for their outstanding IPAs.
Beer Review: Broken Heels (New Trail Brewing Co.)
We have reviewed a few other New Trail Beers in the past, and I know I can sometimes get a bit cynical of their IPAs tasting the same, but at the end of the day, their IPAs are absolutely wonderful even if they are all very similar. (You can find our review of Icicle here – Beer Review: Icicle.)
Annville iPA by Rotunda Brewing Company
Beer: Annville iPA
Brewery: Rotunda Brewing Company
Style: IPA – New England / Hazy
ABV: 7.8%
IBU: 110
Untappd Description: (Blank)
Global Average Untappd Rating: 3.90 (as of 4.9.23)
My Untappd Rating: 4.00
This is the highest IBU on the list. But thats nothing to hold against this (or to prop it up either I suppose). No Central PA IPA list would be complete without this wonderful IPA on it (so, it might be five on my list, but its not the least, or the last, this list is in no order). This is a delicious, juicy IPA, very tasty, and you can find it at Rotunda Brewing Company’s main brewery in Annville, or their brewpub in Hershey, or at a lot of different bars in the Hershey, Harrisburg, Hummelstown, Palmyra, Annville, Lebanon area.
We’ve reviewed a couple from them, such as: Juicy Fruit sWheat Tart, Irish Car Bomb Nitro Stout, Chewbacca, and Mango Guyabano sWheat Tart. Please check them out.
Hoppiest of Easters
Just want to wish everyone one last time, the Hoppiest of Easters. If you are looking for more great IPA and beer review and related articles from us, please be sure to check these out:
- The Last Beer Standing (Winner of our 2022 Best Flagship Beer Tournament)
- What is Craft Beer?
- Beer Review: The Death of Civilization in Slow Motion I (Ghost 907) (Adroit Theory)
- Beer Review: Mangolorian (Brewery Fire)
- Beer Review: Peace Among Worlds (Cushwa Brewing Company)
- Hoppy Easter – IPAs (2020)
- IPA Archives
- Beer Review Archives
Thank You For Reading
I hope everyone has a wonderful day. I’m off to make breakfast for Amy and Scarlet (well, she’s not gonna be eating, but all the same), and myself. Later we are getting my older three girls, and will have a wonderful Easter day. I hope the same for all of you.
We are currently starting to work on creating maps of all the breweries in each state, starting geographically with Maine. So be on the lookout for these great resources to soon be popping up on the blog. Hoping to get a state done every 2 – 4 days. (Some will be quicker and easier than others, but 50 states, plus Washington D.C., will certainly take some time!)
We just got the Maine map done, you can see that here: Map of Maine Breweries.
Currently right now we are in the Finals of our Battle of the Breweries (2023). You can check out the final four breweries left in the Finals Fatal Four Way here and vote:
- The Battle of the Breweries (2023) – Finals Fatal Four Way (Voting Page)
- The Battle of the Breweries (2023) – Conference Finals (Results Page)
In the upcoming two weeks I am going to do a more thorough look at the full tournament, breaking down the votes and how well each conference winner did. I will also do a full write up on each of the breweries in the Finals Fatal Four Way too, where I will list what articles we’ve done about them, and my visits to each of those places.
Thank you everyone for reading and please like, share, follow, subscribe, all that good stuff you see at the end of every YouTube video.
Cheers All!
-B. Kline
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