Do good IPA's exist in Texas?

[akdivine]

I moved to Austin a few months back, from Kalamazoo MI. Michigan has around 76 Microbreweries, Texas seems to have about 5. I have had St. Arnolds and Real Ale varieties that are pretty good, but I can not seem to find a good "Michigan IPA" to save my rear. --I didnt even know the style existed until I moved. I find I was spoiled in Kalamazoo with great breweries like Bells, Founders, etc... that made FANTASTIC Hoppy beers.

So far the closest beer I have had tasted ALMOST like a Bells Two Hearted and was the Avery IPA. I have had some Stone IPA on draft while out, and that was pretty much delicious too. What I am asking here is does anyone have any suggestions on good IPAs I can get at a Spec's or HEB or anywhere near Austin?

Sidebar:
(doing my best to make a MI IPA right now. its in its 1st day of fermentation. American 2 row, Crystal 40L and a wee bit of White Wheat along with a LOT of Centenial hops early in the boil. Also looking for suggestions on how to make a Michigan IPA so if you have a decent Bells, Arcadia, Great Lakes, Founders, etc clone please let me know).

Cheers.

[Seymour]

HEB Central Market (Lamar Street, I think). The downtown location Whole Foods (also Lamar?). Grapevine Market out on Mopac. We frequent these stores when we're in town, especially Grapevine. Can't say I've seen any Michigan beers, but all three stores are lousy with Colorado and West Coast beers. Happy hunting.

[akdivine]

Thanks Seymore! I will have to venture out later on.

I went to Specs about a month back and the fellow there stated they didnt have anything from Michigan. As far as I know Specs is pretty much the place to go for the largest selection.

Bells website does not show any distribution down to TX. I wonder if its a law thing, or a cost thing? I know for smaller breweries its far to expensive to ship beers that far.

hrm.

[skahtboi]

You will find, living in Texas, that the TABC has some pretty strange laws concerning the marketing of alcoholic beverages. For example, for many years the word "stout" could not appear on any canned beverage. This has only recently been changed, and now Murphy's and Guinness can replace the word "Draught" on their cans of stout with the word "stout" or "draught stout." Also, according to TABC code, the words lager, ale...etc, do not refer to a beer making style but rather to the alcohol content of the beverage. It evades all logic, but currently that is the way things are in Texas. Slowly, though, there has been some loosening in these restrictions, and I hope that we continue to see more.

[akdivine]

I have heard of these strange laws, but didnt realize the extent of their idiocy. Someone (forget who) told me when I first moved that Coors, Miller, Bud were DEEP in the TACB pockets and they spend a lot of time lobbying right here in Austin to keep the laws as is. More good beer = less of their beer being consumed I suppose.(not that I dont mind having a Miller Light every now and again).

[Seymour]

I used to get down to Austin right reg'lar, but now it's only about once every three or four months. Can't say I ever knew the place like the back of my hand to begin with. What is Spec's? You've piqued my curiosity, to say the least.

[akdivine]

Spec's started in Houston from what I hear... There are 2 in Austin, one down by Ben White and Mopac. Its in an old Acedemy sports shop. They have a very huge selection of wine. A decent selection of cheese, and an ok selection of beer. I say ok because I am used to places in MI that have a lot more than they do. For Texas, they have the most I have seen. The staff I spoke with are very knowlegeable too.

[Seymour]

Ah. Thanks. I'll keep an eye skinned next time I'm down.

[akdivine]

having an "broken halo" IPA made by Widmer. Its not that bad. The Avery I had last week was way better.

...fermentation looks like its done for the most part, waiting for everything to settle. T minus about 8 days from yummy IPA that hopefully tastes like a Bells or Founders.

ak

[skahtboi]

You know, you can get a lot of the mainstream stuff in Texas. Flying Dog's Snake Dog IPA, Stone IPA and others are pretty prevalent around here.

[akdivine]

yes there are a lot in the stores that are only in specialty stores in MI. I went to HEB and got a pretty good brekenridge brew, just thier normal pale. It is pretty much decent pale ale. NOT quite like a Founders Pale though. ...it was fresher, if that makes sense. Plus different hops.

Most of the "mainstream" down here seems to come from Colorado. Stone is yummy and is on draft in a lot of places. Wasnt on draft at all in Kalamazoo or Grand Rapids from what I remember.

So far, Avery and Stone are the decent IPA'a I can get my mits on here. Very yummy, and distinctly Colorado.

right now I am trying to think of a mainstream IPA that uses Centenial hops. Im pretty sure that Avery I had was using centenial. Anyone have a clone that would clue me in?

ak