West Sixth Brewing - West Sixth IPA

Pouring a golden-amber topped by a plentiful head of persistent foam, West Sixth's IPA offers up bold aromas of orange and tangerine citrus along with floral tones, touches of stone fruit, grassy spice, and some pine-like herbal hints. On the palate, look for the malt backbone to show very nicely, with prominent caramel and toasty bread impressions, and thankfully it's plenty sturdy too, providing the necessary heft to hold up 70 big IBUs of hop bitterness. Those hops come through quite dank and resinous with bold citrus zest and a spicy, piney dash that hold on in the long, dry finish. Spicy dishes are the usual go-to pairing for IPAs, and we won't argue against it here. Kung Pao Chicken leaps to mind, along with any number of citrus-infused Thai or Vietnamese dishes. Additionally, the brewery recommends Mexican food as well as a Kentucky Hot Brown sandwich. Cheers!

West Sixth Brewing hit our radar pretty early on after they were founded in 2012, and this sustainability-minded brewery in Kentucky has been making some exceptional beers that see very modest distribution. From their core year-round IPA (packed with Cascade, Centennial, Citra, and CTZ hops) to more occasional offerings like their exceptional Christmas Ale and imperial stout releases, West Sixth has been continually knocking it out of the park. The brewery distributes solely in its home state of Kentucky and nearby areas, but the local emphasis has also helped them grow in leaps and bounds over the past few years.

West Sixth currently operates a taproom at their brewery in downtown Lexington in the historic Bread Box building, along with a brewery and taproom in Louisville’s trendy NuLu neighborhood. There’s also the brewery’s West Sixth Farm, a 120-acre property in Franklin on which West Sixth grows all kinds of different regional ingredients for their beers: hops, blackberries, raspberries, cider apples, and more. A small fourth location serves visitors to Newport’s Bridgeview Box Park.

In addition to world-class beers, we appreciate the mindfulness West Sixth shows toward the surrounding communities, as well as their efforts toward environmental sustainability. Along with supporting nonprofits through campaigns like Sixth for a Cause, Wooden Nickel, Pay It Forward Cocoa Porter, and Pedaling for a Purpose, the brewery also releases a sustainability report each year—highlighting efforts in areas like farming and land management practices, resource utilization & recycling, charitable giving, and community involvement. For more info, visit their website at www.westsixth.com.