09 Jul SpindleTap Break Em Off DIPA

SpindleTap Break Em Off DIPA

SpindleTap Brewery

North East Houston, Homestead, Aldine
Double Hazy IPA
ABV: 8%
IBUs: ?
Packaging: Draft, Growlers, 4pack 16oz cans delivered by Hop Drop

SpindleTap first jumped onto my radar on March 5, 2016. I know it was this exact date because it’s logged on my beer list.

I knew almost nothing about them at the time. One day, while making my weekly grocery trip to HEB, there was a small beer tasting outside the store.

As I do with any tasting, I only go for beers I’ve never had. I hit a few stalls, then approached the SpindleTap booth.

After talking to the rep, grabbing a business card, and sampling a few beers, I was HOOKED.

Their Honey Hole ESB stood out to me. The ESB style is both one that doesn’t interest me in the slightest, nor had I ever found one I liked…until that day. But theirs was excellent as was everything they brought that day. It’s no wonder that it’s one of the most searched beers on our site with almost 150 searches a month. All you Hypesters out there didn’t see that one coming.

Over four years later, that brewery has so much of my money, I feel like I should be signing my name in concrete on their building! ⁣

In those same four years, SpindleTap has taken the hazy IPA scene by storm. It all began with their incredibly-named Houston Haze.

Their unfiltered, pale yellow hop bombs have been credited with starting the haze craze of Houston (which is still going strong), even though Baa Baa was the first to plant that flag with Cow Jumped Over the Moon.

⁣Over the years, SpindleTap has zeroed in on the 8% hazy double IPA style. Many of their releases fall into this category, including one of their most recent, Break ’em Off.

Despite the COVID-19 mess, SpindleTap has been super consistent on keeping the city stocked with hazy IPAs. I snagged this one at the release at the end of May and have been itching to pop it open.

SpindleTap Break ’em Off is an 8% New England double IPA and was sold in the industry-standard 16 oz. tallboy cans. The can art reminds me a lot of one of their most popular beers, Diamonds in my Mouth, with a diamond pattern made up of the words SpindleTap, and a diamond-encrusted oil derek alongside a big green badge of hop-fluff.

Brewed with Galaxy and Sabro hops, this NEIPA pours a bright golden yellow color with light lacing and a head that quickly disappears. While hazy and fairly opaque, it does not have any murkiness or cloudiness, keeping them true to the BJCP style guidelines.

One aspect that hit me right away was its aroma. As soon as that aluminum tab opened the can, I immediately noticed a strong, citrusy aroma full of passion fruit and pineapple with a touch of peach.

On the first sip, it was clear that the taste was going to mirror the aroma. However, the Sabro hops, with their signature coconut and cream notes, came out in the taste. There may have even been a smidge of mint in there too (if you want to get fancy).

As it warmed, the citrus got much stronger, adding to the body a bit. Those Galaxy hops really shone throughout this one. Plenty of that signature Spindletap taste as well.

Mouthfeel was very smooth, and there was less hop burn than I’m accustomed to, even after 30+ days in the fridge. I usually sit on hazy IPAs for a while to avoid hop burn, as do the rest of the Beer Chronicle crew.

The finish held up as well. It was clean without tapering, even adding a bit of citrusy pith on the very end, making it bitter.

I loved the bright citrus and unique addition of mild coconut notes that added some roundness to what easily could’ve just been a huge pile of fruit.

In addition, SpindleTap’s hazy IPAs can be found at finer Spec’s, Kroger, and HEB’s around the city amongst others. Hop Drop will score some sometimes, and you can have it delivered to your door. Use code BEERCHRONICLE for 10% off your first order, and enjoy safely in the comfort of your own home. Or wherever you have it delivered to.

Also, if you like that Hypester Teku, go buy one from our store site, Houstonbeer.af. It’s gotta be the properest glassware ever for this Hype-P-A, SpindleTap Break em Off DIPA.

Beers to you, Houston.