Spy-P-A New Eng Ipa

Spy-P-A is a New England IPA from Massachusetts, sold as a four-pack of cans. The style comes from the Northeast and is built around hop aroma rather than bitterness. Expect a hazy, yellow-to-orange pour with a soft, full mouthfeel, and a nose of tropical fruit, citrus peel, and stone fruit, sometimes with a resinous or piney edge. The bitterness in this style is usually restrained and rounded off by a soft, lightly sweet malt and yeast body. No ABV or IBU figure is listed for this beer, but New England IPAs commonly land in the mid-to-upper range of IPA strength, so treat it as a full-flavored beer and pour accordingly. Haze is part of the style, not a flaw. It comes from suspended proteins, yeast, and hop oils, and it is why the beer is usually packaged in cans, which protect hop aroma from light and oxygen. Drink it fresh and keep the cans cold, since hop character in this style fades faster than in most beers. A gentle roll of the can before pouring will redistribute any settled yeast and hop material if you want the full, cloudy body. Serve it cold but not ice-cold, around 40 to 46°F (4 to 8°C). A fridge-cold can left out for five to ten minutes will open up the aromatics. A tulip glass or a wide-mouthed IPA glass is the right choice, since the curved bowl concentrates the hop aroma toward the nose. A standard shaker pint works, but it lets the aroma escape. For food, the juicy hop profile suits spicy dishes such as Thai curries, jerk chicken, or tacos with a chili-lime rub, where the beer's soft sweetness and fruit cool the heat. It also works with fried chicken, burgers with sharp cheddar, and carrot-based or citrus-dressed salads. For cheese, try a washed-rind or tangy goat cheese rather than anything delicate, which the hops would overwhelm.