Abita Big Easy Session IPA

Review Date 8/7/2016  By John Staradumsky

  Style: Session IPA   Brewery: Abita   Country: USA   State: Louisiana   $ Per OZ: $.12 (B), $.34 (D)   ABV: 4.5%

Ever been to the Big Easy? I have, and I can tell you that New Orleans is a great place. When I go there, I love to prowl the streets of the French Quarter, most of the time with a beer from Abita in hand. Abita Amber is ubiquitous there, but these days you can find lots of other Abita beers as well. Now, you can even drink a Big Easy in The Big Easy-Abita Big Easy IPA.

Abita Big Easy IPA is Abita’s entry into the “session IPA” category, a style that really can’t exist of course, but that doesn’t stop brewers from making them anyway. Abita’s example is better than many in my opinion, though I still find them all lacking in the malt department.

We’ll let Abita tell you more about it, from their website:

The hop flavor’s big, but like life in New Orleans, we’re taking it easy. This Session IPA is brewed with lemon peels and dry hopped with Cascade, Amarillo, Centennial and Simcoe for a hoppy aroma of citrus, fruit and pine. Easy to drink and just right for long hot days, steamy nights, parades or a day on the river with friends.

Abita Big Easy IPA has an alcohol content of 4.5% by volume with 45 IBUs. I paid $5.50 for a 20-ounce mug at Taco Mac here in Canton; it runs $8.99 a six-pack in local stores.

My mug of Abita Big Easy IPA arrived a bright orange color with a thick fluffy white head of foam and flowery, resiny hops in the nose with a hint of butter there, too.  Taking a sip, I got very light malt up front followed by zesty lemon peel, resin pine tar and a lingering, dry herbal bitterness. I’m getting a hint of diacetyl in the palate too as I did in the nose.

I like this better than many in the "style", I think it has a bit more body to support it and the addition of citrus peel is refreshing, too. Abita Big Easy IPA. Yeah, I like it. And the price is right, too.

Glad I tried it?  T

Would I rebuy it??