Chicagoist's Beer of the Week: Founders All Day IPA

By Jason Baldacci in Food on Jul 26, 2013 8:20PM

Over the past few weeks, we've covered a lot of malt-forward beers. Before our beer drinking readership starts to think we're opposed to the bitter brews, this week is all for the hop heads.

The good folks at Founders Brewing Co describe their All Day IPA as a session IPA, since the alcohol content is only 4.7%. The aroma is loaded with notes of tropical citrus and pine, with a hint of fresh cut grass. Those notes explode on the palate, the citrus first and foremost. Since the alcohol content is so low in All Day IPA, the body is also light, so those hops race across the palate with ease. There is a touch of malty sweetness to make sure it's not a complete hop bomb, but it is surely hoppy enough to to satisfy most of the hopheads out there. It's incredibly refreshing, and pleasantly bitter, not to mention a lot of fun to have such a full flavored beer in such a light-bodied package.

Personally, we love that Founders has shown that they can make such a low alcohol beer taste so bold. The alcohol content of All Day IPA isn't far off from that of any macro-brewed, light lager on the market, but the flavor is overwhelming if you compare the two. At the same time, it's also nice to see that a beer this light can be so hoppy and still remain balanced on the palate. For us, All Day IPA is a testament to what can happen when talented brewers get to hone their craft and get a recipe just right. The best news of all though, is that Founders plans to roll out cans of All Day IPA in the coming months, so we should be able to enjoy it in even more places than before.

Check beermenus.com to see where you can find All Day IPA near you.