HOW TO PAIR BEER WITH EVERYTHING: Honeyspot Road White IPA by Two Roads Brewing Company
Beer: Honeyspot Road White IPA
Brewer: Two Roads Brewing Company
Style: American IPA
ABV: 6.00%
Description: Honeyspot Road White IPA pours a cloudy straw yellow with a frothy bright white head that leaves small traces of lacing on the glass. The nose is filled with hints of citrus fruit and semi-sweet wheat malts, showcasing a perfectly balanced beer. The taste follows the nose with hits of citrus fruits up front, such as oranges, grapefruit, and tangerines, followed by semi-sweet wheat malts that round out the hop profile and provide great balance. The medium body and moderate carbonation aid in the incredibly smooth, easy-drinking experience of this beer.
While IPAs are by far the most popular craft beer style, there are great variations of it on the fringes. Honeyspot is a great example of a well-brewed White IPA that has perfect balance and a lot of refreshing characteristics.
Ideal setting: Wheat beers have long been staples of summer, and this hopped-up variant makes it extra summer-like and perfect for those balmy, sticky, hot summer days. Honeyspot is a textbook beer for enjoying while outdoors doing work or lounging around the pool.
Ideal music: The summer feel of the beer with its crisp, light qualities put you in the mood for some energetic, upbeat music. The ideal music match would be something with an upbeat tempo that isn’t just generic pop.
Some great albums to enjoy with Honeyspot Road White IPA are:
- Bloc Party – “A Weekend in the City”
- LCD Soundsystem – “Sound of Silver”
- Gorillaz – “Demon Days”
- Matt and Kim – “New Glow”
- Weezer – “Weezer (The Blue Album)”
Ideal movie: The hop presence is perfectly matched with the soothing wheat malts in Honeyspot, creating a perfect marriage. Films that pull from two very distinct genres, in this case comedy and drama, to make an exceptionally enjoyable viewing are the best pairing for a fun evening.
Some great movies to watch with Honeyspot Road White IPA are:
- “The Descendants”
- “Lost in Translation”
- “Everything Must Go”
- “The Royal Tenenbaums”
- “A Serious Man”
Ideal book: Sometimes the idea of reading a great book while enjoying a beer is better than the action, especially when the ABV of the beer is too high. This is a perfect beer, with its low ABV, bright character, and refreshing qualities, to have on hand while settling in with a classic book. Maybe it’s the brewery name conjuring up images of choosing between two roads, maybe it’s the combination of flavors, or maybe it’s the invigorating aromas, but this is a beer that seems best paired with books that are examining life on a deeper level.
Some great books to read with Honeyspot Road White IPA are:
- “Choosing My Religion: A Memoir of a Family Beyond Belief” by Stephen Dubner
- “The Ragamuffin Gospel” by Brennan Manning
- “Exile and the Kingdom” by Albert Camus
- “Fear and Trembling” by Søren Kierkegaard
- “Being and Time” by Martin Heidegger
The perfect experience: Honeyspot Road White IPA is the perfect summer beer. It touches on all the right qualities to be a truly refreshing beverage that is best enjoyed outdoors under the summer sun with friends around while listening to some great music.
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you’re a fan of this column, be sure to check out the latest episode of the brand new How to Pair with Everything Podcast, available now on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and nepascene.com!
