Night Shift Santilli
1 log on Brewskipotatoes
Tasting Notes
Santilli leads with bright citrus and tropical fruit aromas — think grapefruit pith, tangerine, and a hint of pine resin. On the palate, the hop character is assertive but not aggressive, backed by a firm but clean malt base that keeps things grounded. The body is medium-light with moderate carbonation, and the bitterness lingers through a dry, resinous finish. It's a well-calibrated example of the style without leaning too hazy or too aggressively bitter.
About the Brewery
Night Shift Brewing is based in Everett, Massachusetts, founded in 2012 out of a home-brewing background by a small group of friends. They've grown into one of the more prominent craft operations in the Boston area, known for a broad, rotating lineup that spans IPAs, lagers, sours, and stouts. Their Everett taproom and distribution footprint across New England have made them a fixture in the regional craft scene.
Food Pairings
The citrus-forward bitterness here works well alongside fish tacos, where lime and charred fish mirror the hop profile without competing. Spicy Thai noodles benefit from the beer's dry finish cutting through chili heat and coconut fat. A sharp cheddar or aged gouda can hold up to the resinous bitterness while bringing out the malt underneath. Grilled chicken with a citrus marinade echoes the tangerine and grapefruit notes in a straightforward, complementary way.
Style Guide
American IPA is defined by its prominent hop character — typically citrus, pine, tropical fruit, or a combination — layered over a neutral to lightly sweet malt backbone that exists mainly to support rather than compete. The style emerged from American craft brewers in the 1980s and 1990s who pushed the hop-forward English IPA tradition further using high-alpha domestic and later Southern Hemisphere hop varieties. It differs from its West Coast cousin by being a broad enough category to include cleaner, more bitter expressions, and it sits clearly apart from the hazy New England IPA in both clarity and overall bitterness emphasis. ABV typically runs from about 5.5% to 7.5%.