Modern Times Fortunate Islands

Tasting Notes

Fortunate Islands leads with bright tropical fruit aromas — papaya, mango, and a touch of white grape — driven by heavy dry-hopping with Mosaic and other New World hops. The flavor follows through with juicy, low-bitterness hop character that feels more fruit-forward than resinous. The body is light and dry, which keeps the hop aromatics front and center without weighing the beer down. The finish is clean and short, fading quickly without lingering bitterness.

About the Brewery

Modern Times is a San Diego-based brewery founded in 2013, known for building an employee-owned model and a strong identity around coffee, bold branding, and hop-forward beers. They operate multiple tasting rooms across California and have been a consistent presence in craft beer conversation, particularly for their IPAs and stouts. Fortunate Islands became one of their flagship beers and helped establish their reputation for accessible, aromatic hop-forward brewing.

Food Pairings

The juicy tropical hop character here works well with spicy Thai green curry, where the fruit notes soften the heat without clashing. Fish tacos with mango salsa echo the beer's tropical lean and let the dry finish cut through any richness in the fish. A Vietnamese banh mi — with its pickled vegetables and fresh herbs — complements the bright, aromatic hop profile. Mild soft cheeses like fresh chèvre also pair cleanly, letting the beer's fruit character read more clearly against something neutral and creamy.

Style Guide

American IPAs are defined by assertive hop character — ranging from citrus and pine to tropical fruit depending on the hop varieties used — moderate to firm bitterness, and a generally dry finish. The style developed in the United States in the 1980s and 1990s, building on the English IPA tradition but leaning harder into American hop varieties and cleaner fermentation profiles. Fortunate Islands sits at the lighter end of the style's ABV range, which is unusually low for an IPA, putting it closer to what some would call a session IPA — though it maintains the aromatic intensity the style is known for. What separates American IPAs from their hazy or West Coast cousins is typically a clearer appearance and more defined bitterness structure.