Good People Brewing Company//Hitch Hiker IPA

Good People Brewing Company//Hitch Hiker IPA

Well, friends, we’re just a few mere weeks away from baseball season, and personally, I’m too excited for words. There’s just something about going to the ballpark, having a couple of beers, a hotdog of course, and taking in the warm weather. This also marks that spring is here and that also means that several breweries are releasing spring seasonal offerings. One of my favorites brewed in the state of Alabama is Good People’s Hitchhiker, a west coast IPA, whose release coincides with the beginning of baseball season. I always know when the weather begins to warm up and pitchers and catchers report to spring training, Hitchhiker is being brewed. This is one of my favorite beers that Good People offers, so here are my thoughts:

The design work for all of Good People’s beers are some of my favorite, and I love that they’ve stuck to the same design for Hitchhiker for all these years. There’s just something about that big block lettering and the map background that I really love. If you’ve seen the cans, you’ll notice that the art is basically a sticker on a blank, silver can. Last year Good People purchased a labeler so that they could begin offering smaller runs of seasonal beers in cans rather than just in draft like they had done for so long. This was a great move on their part, because seasonal beers like Hitchhiker and Mumbai Rye were great on draft, but the fact that I can now have it in a can makes me so happy.

I poured this beer into a Good People pint glass, because why not, and you first notice a light, burnt orange color that has about a finger’s width of khaki colored head. As the head slowly disappears, you get some nice lacing on the glass and that continues as you drink. The aromas coming off this beer are so strong in the way of pine and citrus hops. You get a lot of what comes off as pineapple as well as some orange and lemon. The beer smells fantastic and as it warms, you get a lot more of the orange aromas and maybe even some grapefruit.

The taste is incredible; lots and lots of big hops flavors with tons of grapefruit and earthy notes. At first, the taste kind of follows the nose with the pine and citrus, but then you start to pick up even stronger notes of the grapefruit and lemon. The beer finishes with this really piney kick that’s resolved with a bit more of that lemon and orange. It’s important to note here that Good People lists the IBU (international bitterness unit, the way of determining how bitter the beer will be) at 100+, but that’s not to say that the beer is a tongue scorcher. It’s actually very mild and balanced. Although, it is a bit more on the bitter side than their core IPA, this one has a ton of citrus flavors that really tame the bitterness down and make it really enjoyable. I can’t say enough about the flavors in this beer, because it’s truly a work of art.

Mouthfeel is balanced and damn near perfection for the style. You get a little bit of a tinge in the back of your cheeks, but the beer has a light body and a nice crisp finish. Moderate carbonation makes this beer super easy to drink and very refreshing. It’s perfect for sipping in the heat and even better for drinking with a hotdog.

It’s a shame this beer is only available in the spring, because this would be a staple in my refrigerator. Like I said earlier, this is how I know it’s time for spring. I look forward to this beer and baseball at the same time like a light at the end of a cold, dark tunnel. Drink it up while you can because it won’t be around for very long, but I guarantee you’ll wish it was too.