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Rainbows & Unicorns

Breakside Brewery
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🌍 United States · Session IPA · One of 40 Session IPAs in hopIQ

Breakside's session IPA — Comet, El Dorado, and Galaxy hops over a flaked-rice base that thins the body about as much as it can go. Juicy tropical fruit hop character, peach and honeydew and apricot on the nose, and a light finish that keeps it under 5.5%. Originally brewed for the 2015 Oregon Brewers Fest, still here.

ABV
5.1%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter32 IBU
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
golden5
See all Session IPA alternatives →
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Dry finish.

A clean close sets the character — an invitation to the next sip.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Session IPA.
Hop character
tropical
citrusy
hoppy
floral
juicy
Fermentation & yeast
fruity
Distinctive notes
peach
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Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Rainbows & Unicorns

Appearance

A pale golden hue with excellent clarity and bright, lively carbonation. The head forms quickly and maintains a fine, delicate lacing around the glass as you drink.

pale goldencrystal clearfine carbonation

Aroma

The nose leads with vibrant tropical fruit character — distinct notes of peach, honeydew, and apricot from the Galaxy, Comet, and El Dorado hops. A light, juicy fruitiness dominates without heavy malt presence, creating an inviting and refreshing aromatic profile.

tropical fruitpeach, apricotjuicy, bright

Taste

The flaked-rice base creates a remarkably thin, dry palate that allows the hop character to shine through without heaviness. Tropical and stone-fruit notes carry through the mid-palate with a light citrus edge and subtle floral undertones, leading to a gentle, clean bitterness that remains integrated rather than sharp.

tropical, citrusdry, light-bodiedsmooth, balanced

Finish

The finish is crisp and short, fading cleanly with residual peach and honeydew notes lingering briefly. A dry aftertaste leaves the palate refreshed and ready for the next sip.

clean, dryrefreshing
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
85
Taste
82
Appearance
85
Finish
80
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Rainbows & Unicorns

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 Rainbows & Unicorns

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 tropical, peach, fruity character as Rainbows & Unicorns will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Session IPAs in hopIQ

Explore all Session IPA beers in hopIQ →Browse United States beers →

WHERE TO BUY

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