Modus Hoperandi, Ska Brewing, Durango

Style: IPA

ABV: 6.8 percent

Serving Type: 12-ounce can

Malty? Hoppy? More malt than you’d expect, but (of course) hoppy.

Reviewed: August 2013

When I tour breweries, I sample whatever new thing the head brewer is bonkers about. (Over time, that’s been everything from earthy saisons to pucker-up sours.) But my true test is to sample their flagship IPA. The reason? If they can’t get their IPA right, it raises red flags in my beer glass.

I’m not saying that every brewery has to have an IPA. I’m saying that if they do, it better be solid. And hoppy. And citrusy. And thirst-quenching. And with a bitter aftertaste that isn’t off-putting.

That’s where Ska’s Modus Hoperandi excels. It is all of those things and more, including having a big floral nose, some malty layers, and a light mouthfeel that makes you think you should drink two, just to make sure it is so tasty. It’s all for the sake of research, after all.

Would we buy it again? Our fridge has a regular rotation of this and Odell’s IPA.

Natasha Gardner
Natasha Gardner
Natasha Gardner is a Denver-based writer and the former Articles Editor for 5280.