IPA Day 2012: How Austin is Celebrating

Cheers to new traditions! Last year’s IPA Day was such a success, it’s becoming a real annual to-do. Held on the first Thursday of every August, this year’s festivities will take place on August 2.

Didn’t participate last year? Here’s the scoop: IPA day is a new beer holiday of sorts. It’s an opportunity for breweries, bloggers, homebrewers, bar owners, or, better yet, all beer enthusiasts to come together for one big, global tribute, homage, TOAST to the iconic India Pale Ale.

Last year, bars, breweries, and groups of beer aficionados gathered across the country for special events featuring the IPA. Participants were encouraged to spread the love through social media, utilizing the all-holy hashtag #IPADay to share events, photos, tasting notes, anecdotes, etc. This year, the goal is to make even more noise, so remember to keep up the #IPADay hashtag.

Below we’ve listed how a few Austin establishments plan on celebrating. Keep checking this spot for updates as the second annual IPA Day draws closer, and let us know if you have any events to add:

#IPADay Events

North by Northwest
NXNW will be celebrating IPA Day with a special cask of their Green Menace double IPA starting at 5pm.

Black Sheep Lodge
Thursdays are traditionally Meet the Brewer night at Black Sheep Lodge, and in honor of IPA Day, Thirsty Planet is bringing out something extra special–Buckethead IPA with mangos. Event runs from 7-9p.m.

Hopfields
Hopfields will be offering $1 off all IPAs and half price IPA flights. Get ready to be spoiled for choice, because they’ll have approximately 20 IPAs and double IPAs on tap.

Easy Tiger
With 30 craft beers on tap, Easy Tiger offers some great IPAs any day of the week, but they have a few all-star brews on the lineup for IPA Day:

• Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA (Randalled in our 3.0)
• Lagunitas IPA
• Stone Ruination IPA
• Stone Ruination 10th Anniversary IPA (bottle)
• Rogue I2PA (served in reusable ceramic container that can be used for brewing purposes )

Brew Exchange
Brew Exchange will be offering $4 IPAs all day Thursday. On draft: 512 IPA, Avery IPA, Independence Stash IPA, Thirsty Planet Buckethead IPA, Live Oak Liberation, Stone IPA, Lagunitas IPA, Green Flash West Coast IPA,  Alaskan IPA and Dogfish Head 60 minute IPA.

Austin Homebrew Supply
Homebrewers rejoice! AHS will be featuring 30% off on their new Viking IPA recipe and 15% off on 18 other IPA kits. See the complete list here.

Independence Brewing
Independence will be turning #IPADay into more of a #IPALongWeekend with casks of Cascade dry Hopped Stash IPA on tap at a variety of local bars leading up to their monthly First Saturday event August 4. Celebrations are as follows:

• August 2nd – #IPA Day @ Flying Saucer in Austin
• August 2nd – Stash IPA cask at Red’s Porch (5pm)
• August 3rd – Stash IPA cask at Baker Street Pub

For more information on IPA Day, visit: www.ipaday.org

-Caroline