hopIQ
ENDE
Build your DNASign in

Featherweight Session IPA

Boxing Bear Brewing Co.
Tap to rate
🌍 United States · Session IPA · One of 69 Session IPAs in hopIQ

A 4.7% session IPA from Albuquerque that refuses to feel diluted — the hops deliver classic West Coast tropical and citrus, with a light pine-resin edge. The malt body stays out of the way, letting grapefruit, mango and passion fruit take the front seat. Bronze at GABF 2017 in the session IPA category — a hard category to place in because there's less alcohol to hide behind.

ABV
4.7%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter20 IBU
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
golden6
See all Session IPA alternatives →

AWARDS

Bronze · 2017
Great American Beer Festival 2017
Session India Pale Ale
Gold · 2018
North American Beer Awards 2018
Bronze — Great American Beer Festival 2017 (Session India Pale Ale)
Gold — North American Beer Awards 2018
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Medium body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Soft bitterness.
mildbitter
Texture
Balanced mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

Each axis lands close to the centre in a considered, even reading.

A profile in balance where the form comes from all sides, every layer speaks in turn.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Session IPA.
Hop character
citrusy
hoppy
tropical
juicy
piney
Fermentation & yeast
fruity
clean

FEATURED IN

Featured inThe Best American IPAs

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Featherweight Session IPA

Appearance

A pale golden brew with excellent clarity and a fine, persistent white head that leaves distinct lacing as it recedes. The carbonation is lively and well-integrated, giving the beer a crisp visual presence in the glass. The color sits at a bright, translucent amber-gold typical of West Coast session IPAs.

pale goldenclearfine lacinglively carbonation

Aroma

The nose leads with bright citrus notes—fresh grapefruit pith and zesty lemon—layered with tropical fruit aromatics of ripe mango and passion fruit. A restrained pine-resin character edges in on the mid-palate, providing structure without dominating. The Edelhopfen character remains clean and forward, with no detectable yeast or grain haze.

citrus-forwardtropical fruitpine resinclean hop

Taste

The palate opens with a light, crisp entry that showcases grapefruit and citrus zest, moving into a mid-palate where mango and passion fruit take the lead. The bitterness is measured at 20 IBU—present enough to provide definition and balance, but restrained to preserve drinkability. The malt backbone remains deliberately light and transparent, never getting in the way of the hop expression.

citrus bitetropical sweetnessbalanced bitternesslight body

Finish

The finish is clean and dry, with lingering citrus notes and a subtle pine-hop fade. The aftertaste remains refreshing and quenching, with no residual sweetness or sticky mouthfeel.

drycitrus faderefreshing
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
83
Appearance
80
Finish
79
+ Sign in to add your tasting note

Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Featherweight Session IPA

Serve at 7–10°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve well-chilled. Session IPAs are at their best cold — the lower ABV means less warmth to balance the hops.

Tulip glass
Recommended for this style

The curved shape concentrates hop aromas and supports a thick head. Essential for aromatic ales and IPAs where the nose is half the experience.

Drink fresh. Session IPAs are brewed to be consumed young — the hops are at their best now.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Featherweight Session IPA

About Session IPA

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Session IPA?

IPAs are hop-forward ales with 5.5–7.5% ABV and IBU 40–70+. Bold hop aroma — citrus, tropical, resinous — with firm bitterness and a dry, clean finish.

Finding a similar Session IPA

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same citrusy, fruity, tropical character as Featherweight Session IPA will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Session IPAs in hopIQ

Compare with another beer →Explore all Session IPA beers in hopIQ →Browse United States beers →