We’re just days into 2017, and while my personal New Year’s resolution may already be fading, Summit Brewing is just getting theirs started. You see, their resolution is to “enjoy more delicious high-quality IPAs” and I can’t think of a better resolution to help them fulfill. To make it even easier for me to join in, Summit was kind enough to launch two new hoppy beers….Double IPA and India-Style Black Ale.
You may remember Double IPA as the first release in their 30th Anniversary series of beers and we sampled it back in March 2016. This beer now returns for 2017 and the good news is that it will remain in 16oz cans and 4-packs. Double IPA uses New Zealand
Wakatu, Orbit and Motueka as well as Experimental 07270, Mandarina Bavaria and Azacca hops and to my nose it’s about as aromatic as you can get in a DIPA. I found loads of fresh lemon and mango in the nose with a resilient citrus aroma I really liked. The flavors follow with bright tropical fruits, orange and mango and with a nice malty balance. Our pal Damien McConn tells me they used
Weyermann Barke Vienna malt and I think it works really well to balance this hoppy and resinous DIPA. At 8.5%-AbV and 105 IBU this beer will get your attention, especially in a 16oz can, but in the end it’s so good that you’ll want to keep it to yourself instead of sharing (trust me on that one). 
Up next I couldn’t resist cracking into the bottle of the new Summit India-Style Black Ale. This beer pours a really striking deep black color and you can’t help but be surprised by the hoppy and roasty aromas. There are loads of citrus-y and roasty aromas and we found everything from coffee to tangerine in the flavors. As the beer warmed, we also found more peach, pineapple and apricot flavors as well as some slightly dry chocolate flavors. India-Style Black Ale uses
Bravo, Chinook, Equinox and Denali hops as well as
US Pale, UK Pale, Midnight Wheat, Caramel, Perla Negra, Chocolate Rye malts and we really liked the balance these created. I’ll admit the dark color plays with your mind a bit when you’re sampling this beer and I’ll also admit it reminded me a bit of some of the export stouts we enjoyed in the UK. India-Style Black Ale hits 6.8%-AbV and 60 IBU and it is available now in 12-packs of 12oz bottles and as part of the IPA Collection, 
Be sure to get out there and join in with Summit Brewing’s New years resolution. Be sure to try Summit Double IPA and Summit India-Style Black Ale for yourself…and when you do, be sure to let us know what YOU think.
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