Sixpoint Resin
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Tasting Notes
Resin leads with an intense wave of pine resin, dank hop oils, and grapefruit pith on the nose, backed by a faint undercurrent of caramel malt. The flavor follows through with aggressive bitterness — sticky, resinous, and assertive — balanced by just enough malt sweetness to keep it from tipping into harshness. The body is full and chewy, which helps carry the substantial hop load. The finish lingers long and bitter, with a warming alcohol presence that's noticeable but not distracting at 9.1%.
About the Brewery
Sixpoint Brewery is based in Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York, founded in 2004. They built their reputation on hop-forward and technically ambitious beers, with Resin becoming one of their flagship products and a touchstone of the East Coast double IPA scene. They're also known for popularizing the 16oz can format for craft beer and maintaining a broad, rotating lineup alongside their core offerings.
Food Pairings
Aged sharp cheddar works well here because the fat and funk cut through the bitterness without being overwhelmed by it. Spicy dishes like Thai green curry or a chile-heavy barbecue rub complement the beer's bold hop character by meeting it at the same intensity level. A rich, fatty burger with caramelized onions picks up on the malt backbone while giving the bitterness something to push against. Blue cheese is another strong match, where the funky creaminess softens the resinous edge and creates a surprisingly cohesive pairing.
Style Guide
American Double or Imperial IPA is essentially a scaled-up version of the American IPA — more hops, more malt, higher alcohol, and more of everything. ABVs typically run from 7.5% to 10% or beyond, with bitterness levels that can be extreme, though modern versions often emphasize hop aroma and flavor over sheer bitterness units. The style emerged in the early 2000s from American craft breweries pushing the IPA format to its limits, with West Coast pioneers like Russian River's Pliny the Elder becoming defining examples. It differs from a standard IPA primarily in its weight and intensity, and from barleywine in its hop-forward rather than malt-forward character.