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Top Gun IPA

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Blind Tiger's San-Diego-styled West Coast IPA — aggressive hopping, resinous piney character, firm bitter finish. A Topeka brewpub doing what the West Coast used to do best, back before hazy took over. Top Gun is straightforward: clean malt, big hop punch, dry closer. Kansas West Coast, unabashed.

ABV
7%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter60 IBU
Resinous hop bitterness
SRM
golden7
PaceTwo or Three
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
resinoushoppypiney
resinous
hoppy
piney
clean
malty
Aroma
Assertive hop character dominates the nose, with pronounced piney and resinous notes that recall classic American Cascade and Centennial profiles.
not found:juicy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Top Gun IPA

◎ Appearance

Golden-amber body with bright clarity and visible carbonation. White head forms with moderate retention and leaves a delicate lacing on the glass. The beer presents a clean, well-defined appearance typical of the West Coast IPA style.

golden-amberbright clarityfine carbonationmoderate head retention

◌ Aroma

Assertive hop character dominates the nose, with pronounced piney and resinous notes that recall classic American Cascade and Centennial profiles. Clean malt underpinning provides a subtle grainy sweetness without competing. A dry, woody edge cuts through, reflecting the beer's firm bitterness to come.

resinous pinenoble hop characterclean graindry wood

◐ Taste

Entry is crisp and malt-forward, offering a light caramel sweetness that quickly gives way to aggressive hop bitterness. The mid-palate shows good body and hop intensity without harshness, with the piney, resinous character fully expressed. The finish dries rapidly, leaving a sustained bitter edge that lingers cleanly.

hoppy punchpiney finishdry mouthfeelfirm bitterness

◑ Finish

Long, dry finish with a lingering resinous bitterness and no cloying aftertaste. The hop character persists throughout the aftertaste without becoming astringent.

long dry finishpersistent bitterness
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
85
Taste
84
Appearance
80
Finish
78
Serve at 8–11°C

Serve at 8–11°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Tulip glass

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

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Top Gun IPA

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About West Coast IPA

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a West Coast 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 West Coast IPA

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same resinous, hoppy, piney character as Top Gun IPA will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all West Coast IPA beers in hopIQ →New to West Coast IPA? Read our guide →Browse United States beers →