If you’ve already heard of Alpha Acid Brewing, you are remarkably in touch with what’s happening in craft beer. If you’ve actually TRIED something from this tiny crew, you’re part of a very small club!

Before now, nothing from this small-batch brewery has ever left California. In fact, aside from a few stray cases, nothing has even left the Bay Area. And, most of that gets snatched up right from the brewery’s homey little taproom in Belmont, about 30 minutes south of SF. 

Fortunately for us (and you) the brewery upgraded in March, adding new fermentation tanks and a 7 barrel brew kettle to replace their old 2.5 barrel system. That’s still tiny by any standard, but it’s enough that we were finally able to get our hands on a stash of Sim-Citra IPA.  

A small stash. We have just 20 cases to go around!

If you’re lucky enough to score one of these coveted cans, you’ll be mighty glad you did. The brewers used over 4 lbs per barrel of Simcoe and Citra Hops to wind this puppy up. It tastes like a pineapple spiked citrus juice blend. Tangy tangerine dominates up front, with pithy grapefruit and hints of pine on the finish.

It drinks clean, crisp, and crushable, with a touch of subdued bitterness balancing against all those juicy citrus flavors. 

If you haven’t heard of Alpha Acid yet, you will. They’ve already earned praise from Forbes and won a medal at the prestigious Bistro IPA Festival. The only question is: when one of your beer geek buddies starts talking about this little California brewery, will you just be able to say you’ve heard of them? Or, will you be able to offer a taste?

The Silicon Valley’s The Six Fifty Magazine loves Alpha Acid for brewing the “most un-boring beers!”