Revolution Anti-Hero IPA
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Tasting Notes
Anti-Hero leads with assertive citrus and pine aromatics — grapefruit peel, resinous hops, and a faint grassy note. On the palate, the bitterness is firm but not aggressive, backed by a lean, medium-bodied malt structure that keeps the hops in focus without much sweetness to soften them. The finish is dry and moderately bitter, lingering with a clean resinous quality. It's a well-calibrated example of the West Coast-leaning American IPA format.
About the Brewery
Revolution Brewing is based in Chicago, Illinois, and has grown since its founding in 2010 into one of the largest independently owned craft breweries in the state. They operate both a brewpub in Logan Square and a larger production facility, and their lineup spans accessible flagship beers alongside more ambitious barrel-aged stouts like their Deep Wood series. Anti-Hero functions as their anchor beer and has earned consistent recognition as a benchmark Midwest IPA.
Food Pairings
The firm bitterness and citrus character here work well against rich, fatty foods: a burger with sharp cheddar gets cut down by the hop dryness, while fish tacos with a lime crema echo the grapefruit notes without fighting them. Spicy Thai or Indian dishes find a reasonable partner in the malt backbone, which tempers heat without amplifying it. Hard, aged cheeses like manchego or aged gouda also hold up well, their salt and funk playing off the resinous finish.
Style Guide
The American IPA is defined by prominent hop character — bitterness, aroma, and flavor derived from American hop varieties that typically express citrus, pine, and tropical fruit. It sits in a moderate-to-high bitterness range with a supportive but restrained malt base, usually landing between 6% and 7.5% ABV. The style developed out of the American craft brewing movement of the 1980s and 90s, taking the English IPA as a loose blueprint but pushing hop intensity well beyond what British versions typically deliver. It differs from a Double IPA primarily in scale — lower ABV, less malt weight, and bitterness that's assertive rather than overwhelming.