On tap at Mews, winningly efficient Belgo-American hybrid combines tangy fruited bittering of an India Pale Ale with the candi-sugared white peppering of a Belgian tripel for a booze-lacquered strong ale. Scotch-licked corn sugaring elevates tropical melon, cantaloupe, pineapple and apricot tang contrasting heightened ethanol-like 9% alcohol whir.

Awesome well-balanced India Pale Ale with bright aromatic citric freshness gaining creamy crystal malting over wood lacquered floral hop bite and light ethanol burn. Resinous pine-needled bittering sinks into glistening pink grapefruit, pineapple, apricot and orange tropicalia as well as neutral celery-stalked furrow. Gets the nod over Kane’s superfine Heads High IPA.

Prominent full-bodied India Pale Ale blends bitter with the sweet quite effectively. Sweet candi-sugared caramel malt rush penetrates bountiful tropical fruit punch as brisk orange rind bittering drifts into pink grapefruit, red apple, nectarine, pineapple, melon, mango, cherry and peach tang, burying harsh alcohol burn. Maple-sapped spruce tones lacquer hop-oiled pine resin and musty floral snip.

On tap at Twisted Elm, delightful citric-centered West Coast IPA outstandingly balances the bitter with the sweet. Pungent hop-oiled pining and lemony grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering contrast tropical pineapple-tangerine-mango-papaya-melon panoply to floral potpourri backdrop. Sugary crystal malting elevates sweet fruitiness. Stylishly perfect.

Stylishly deviant Belgo-American hybrid contrasts resinous piney-hopped juniper bitterness and modest spruce-tipped black peppering against chewy caramel malt sweetness to its juicy fruited plain. Pineapple surges forth above a spectrum of tropical fruits including pink grapefruit, honeydew, melon, peach and tangerine. Toasted almond, praline and pecan further sweeten the caramelized center, but the candi-sugared Belgian yeast expectancy is suppressed. In theory, an interesting upgrade from Rock Art’s Extreme IPA (II).

On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, resinous hop-embittered ‘double’ IPA hybrid stays mild despite exalted ‘big beer’ tag. Moderated grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering contrasts tangy nectar-mango-pineapple tropicalia and sweet-honeyed caramel malting. Minor herbal tease sneaks in.

Despite heightened 8% alcohol volume, Voyage’s floral-hopped fruiting and mild dry-wooded bittering retain a more accessible soft-toned ambience (despite its augmented ‘double’ appellation). Sugary caramel malts saturate tangy peach, cherry, tangerine and grapefruit illusions. Mineral-grained Graham Cracker sweetness nips at the heels. 2012 re-tasting (Batch #1) retained luscious fruit-juiced piney-hopped resilience as sharp grapefruit peel bittering perfectly balanced tropical fruiting.

Wondrous tropical-fruited Imperial India Pale Ale maintains approachable crossover appeal as resinous piney bittering never overrides tangy apricot-pineapple-orange barrage and creamy caramel malting. Despite IPA tag, expectant pine-needled grapefruit peel bite sits way below sweet candi-sugared juicy fruiting.

Beautifully well balanced and stylistically efficient medium-to-full-bodied Oregonian deserves ‘elevated’ status. Floral honeysuckle aromatics seep into crisp-watered, piney-hopped, grapefruit-peeled sure shot. Sweet spruce overtones and creamy caramelized crystal malting caress expectant apple-peach-orange-melon-pineapple medley, contrasting heightened juniper-like bittering.

Exemplary Imperial India Pale Ale boasts hefty 86 IBU’s, but intricately-woven fruited hops and fruitier malts conceal sharp juniper bittering and expansive ethanol burn of 9.4% alcohol elixir. Prickly West Coast-styled pine needling saturates ripe red cherry, peach, pineapple, pear, pink grapefruit and navel orange tang. Creamy crystal malting and sugared almond-pecan glaze contrast floral white-peppered tingle.

Perfectly straightforward sunset-hazed medium body stays crisply hop fruited. Piney grapefruit-peeled bittering glazes perfumed peach, pear, orange, and apple illusions atop sugary caramelized vanilla malting. Boozy juniper-ginned bitterness tags briskly resonating juicy-fruited finish.

Easygoing zip-coded Imperial India Pale Ale brings succulent tropicalia to mildly creamed crystal malting and salt-watered mineral graining. Moderate dry-wooded grapefruit peel bittering seeps into candied pineapple, mango, melon, papaya and peach tang. A subtler take on a usually bitterer style.