Ninkasi Tricerahops Double IPA
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Tasting Notes
Tricerahops leads with a bold wave of citrus and pine resin on the nose, with some tropical undercurrent beneath the hop intensity. The palate gets a firm, sticky bitterness that dominates mid-palate without much sweetness pushing back — the malt base is present but kept restrained to let the hops run. Body is medium-full with a dry, resinous finish that lingers. At 8% it sits on the leaner end of the double IPA range, which keeps it from feeling heavy despite the hop load.
About the Brewery
Ninkasi Brewing is based in Eugene, Oregon, founded in 2006. Named after the Sumerian goddess of fermentation, they built their reputation on hop-forward Pacific Northwest ales and grew into one of the larger craft operations in the state. Tricerahops has been a flagship in their lineup for years, and the brewery has a strong foothold in the Oregon and broader West Coast market.
Food Pairings
The resinous bitterness here does well against rich, fatty foods — a double bacon cheeseburger gives the hops something to cut through, while the malt backbone holds its own. Spicy Thai or Mexican dishes work because the beer's dry finish resets the palate between bites rather than amplifying heat. Sharp aged cheddar is a natural match, with the fat and salt rounding off the bitterness. If you're going dessert, dark chocolate with at least 70% cacao can mirror the bitter edge without clashing.
Style Guide
The American Double or Imperial IPA is essentially a bigger, more aggressive version of the American IPA — more hops, more malt to balance them, and higher alcohol, typically ranging from roughly 7.5% to 10% or above. The style originated in the late 1990s and early 2000s as American craft brewers pushed hop character to its limits, with Russian River's Pliny the Elder becoming a defining benchmark. What separates it from a standard IPA is the intensity across the board: deeper bitterness, more pronounced hop aroma, and a fuller body, though the best examples stay dry enough to avoid tipping into sweetness.