I can be pretty cheap when it comes to beer. Sure, like most good beer geeks, I've been known to spend a bit too much when I step into Kahn's. And anyone who's made the trek to Jungle Jim's in Cincinnati and hasn't had to fight the urge to fill up an entire grocery cart with beer is LYING to someone. For the most part, however, I like my beer to be economical. Does that mean I'll buy any crap off the shelf? Hell no! Good price AND good taste are important when I make my beer purchases and Mission St. IPA (6.1% abv, $6.99 per six-pack) fits the bill. The bottle label says Steinhaus Brewing Company, but rumor has it Firestone Walker contract brews this beer -- as well as a couple other beers under the Mission St. label -- for distribution to Trader Joe's locations around the country.
Is Mission St. IPA the greatest IPA in the world? Not by a long shot, but it's got the pieces in all the right places and you can't go wrong with the price point. It's perfect for the end of a night where you want one more beer but don't want to waste anything more expensive on your tired palate. Many IPAs around this price point use hops to hit IPA-appropriate bitterness while neglecting any of the citrus/pine/floral hop flavors that make IPAs so enjoyable. In Mission St., you'll find they've bypassed this flaw with a good dose of citrusy hops balanced out nicely with some biscuity malt. If you're a fan of Goose Island IPA, this is a pretty good stand-in and it comes in about $1-2 cheaper, depending on where you shop.
Find Mission St. IPA at Trader Joe's in Indianapolis:
5473 East 82nd Street, Indianapolis, IN - (317) 595-8950
2902 West 86th Street, Indianapolis, IN - (317) 337-1880
Do you have any beers that you think hit a good balance of quality and value? Let us know in the comments and we'll check them out.
Agreed.
ReplyDeleteThere is always some of the Trader Joes; Josephs Brau Dunkelweizen in my fridge. It's too sweet and too thick for style freaks but the drinkability factor is high.
At $6.99/6pack you can't beat TJ's beers. The Vienna Lager, and Trader Jose's Dark Lager find a place in my shopping cart also, right next to the dark chocolate covered raisins.
At the grocery store.
ReplyDeletethere are some finds in the world class mix-n-match endcaps--- dark horse, victory, bells, 3F--- for $8.99... not quite as good of a bargain as the TJs offerings.
And I'm also a fan of Sierra Nevada or Sam Adams 12packs for $12-13. Hoping to encounter a 12pk of Ranger cans before long!
Tom H