Superpower IPA

Puget Sound, USA

Georgetown Brewing Company's Superpower IPA from Seattle, the flagship beer of the Pacific Northwest's best-loved volume craft brewery. Georgetown produces more liquid than any other independent Washington craft brewery yet maintains a fierce commitment to quality and value; their beers are found on more Seattle tap handles than any competitor. Superpower is their hoppiest and most celebrated expression: dank, resinous, pine-forward — the archetypal Seattle West Coast IPA, unswayed by the NEIPA trend that swept the rest of the country.

Pairing intelligence

• casual: Superpower's resiny bitterness and tropical hop aromatics amplify hot sauce heat rather than extinguishing it; blue cheese's fat provides a counterpoint; carbonation resets between wings.
• starter: Tempura prawn's light, airy batter and delicate sweetness requires a beverage with acid and bitterness to provide structural contrast. Georgetown Superpower IPA's citrus and tropical hop character complements the prawn's natural sweetness; its bitterness cuts through tempura batter fat; its carbonation lifts the frying oil. Chili dipping sauce's heat is amplified and then managed by the IPA's bitterness. Lime and coriander echo the tropical hop profile.
• main: Superpower's tropical fruit and resiny bitterness are a functional counterpoint to green curry heat — the hops amplify the aromatics while carbonation resets capsaicin intensity.
• cheese: The resinous bitterness of the IPA cuts through the fat and salt of aged cheddar while the honey bridges the residual sweetness in the malt.
• amuse: The IPA's resinous citrus and tropical hop character mirrors the grapefruit directly; the jalapeño heat is tempered by the beer's carbonation, creating a vivid amuse moment.