Here we go beer enthusiasts with yet another super-hyped (but is it overhyped?) India Pale Ale: Alpine Duet. This makes the third beer I’ve tried from Alpine, and they’ve all been delicious. My beef, however, is not with the quality of the beers from Alpine, it’s just that they’re ridiculously overpriced. Duet, despite all of the buildup, is the first beer I’ve tried from Alpine that isn’t outrageously priced, even if it is highly priced.

Alpine is located in California, and Duet is a classic American-style India Pale Ale that originated on the West Coast in the 90s. That may be why I like it so much; I relish these piney citrusy classic IPAs over the namby pamby fruit loopy IPAs of today.

From the label:

Duet all night long

A soon-to-be favorite, if it’s not already. This single IPA boats pine, citrus, and cedar notes from Simcoe and Amarillo hops.

Alpine Duet IPA has an alcohol content of 7% by volume and runs $13.99 a six-pack here in Georgia. That’s on the high side, but not so high I wouldn’t buy it again. My bottle is stamped as best before 05Jun17, and I drank it on January 15^th.  

Alpine Duet pours to a pale golden color with a thick creamy head of foam and an in your face pine and citrus nose. Taking a sip, the beer has a moderate caramel maltiness up front followed by oodles of resiny pine and grapefruit pith and especially bitter peel. It finishes enormously bitter, and I love the massive bitterness and thick resin pine and grapefruit notes. It could use more malt, and Elysian Space Dust IPA could teach it a lesson in that department, but then that’s a double IPA.

I’m in search of more Alpine beer after this one. Try it why don’t you, and you probably will be too.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft



Home