Sunday Night Suds - Lakefront Brewery Hop Jockey

This week's Sunday Night Suds looks at Lakefront Brewery's Hop Jockey Double India Pale Ale. 

Found this in Binny's in Lincolnwood, Illinois when we were in Chicago for Sukkos. Since this variety had not hit NY, I did not know much about it, but I can't pass up an opportunity to buy a double IPA. Although this was not the only new beer that I sampled in Chicago over Sukkos, I reviewed this beer tonight in the hope that the lucky horseshoe could send the Cubs back to Cleveland. 

As described by the folks at BA, the Double IPA style

Take an India Pale Ale and feed it steroids, ergo the term Double IPA. Although open to the same interpretation as its sister styles, you should expect something robust, malty, alcoholic and with a hop profile that might rip your tongue out. The Imperial usage comes from Russian Imperial stout, a style of strong stout originally brewed in England for the Russian Imperial Court of the late 1700s; though Double IPA is often the preferred name.

The Hop Jockey has a deep malt flavor with some grapefruit and an alcoholic taste reminiscent of a barleywine. The beer is 8.2% abv but still is eminently drinkable and worked well with rich saucy meat dishes in my BiL's sukkah. I am hoping that this beer does make its way to the East Coast as it is easily the best new double that I have had in years.

Lakefront Brewery's Hop Jockey Double India Pale Ale is under the kosher supervision of the Star-K (there is even a Star-K on the label). For the experts' take on the brew, please click here http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/741/206460.

As always, please remember to drink responsibly and to never waste good beer unless there is no designated driver.

If you are reading this post more than six months after it was written, please note that it is possible that the product is no longer still certified kosher. To verify that the product is still certified kosher, please click on the kosher beers list link on the top left corner of the blog.

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