Allagash Hop Reach 6Pk

Allagash Hop Reach 6Pk is a 6.8% ABV American IPA from Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine, sold in six-packs of 12 oz cans. Developed through seventeen test batches over seven months, this IPA earned an 88 score on BeerAdvocate, reflecting a meticulous approach to hop-forward brewing few breweries attempt for a year-round release.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.8%  |  Origin: Portland, Maine  |  Style: American IPA  |  Brewery: Allagash Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Allagash Brewing Company, founded in 1995 by Rob Tod in Portland, Maine, built its reputation on Belgian-inspired ales before expanding into hop-forward styles. Hop Reach represents an unusually rigorous development cycle: the brewing team ran seventeen distinct test batches and collected over 400 individual sensory assessments from staff before finalizing the recipe. The grain bill layers Allagash 2-Row base malt, raw white wheat, Carapils, Munich malt, a locally sourced base malt, and rolled oats, creating a soft, supportive body for a seven-hop blend of Nugget, Mosaic, Idaho 7, Cascade, Citra, Cashmere, and El Dorado.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Ripe stone fruit — peach and mango — rises first, followed by tart citrus notes of grapefruit and lemon. A soft bready malt backbone sits underneath, alongside a subtle earthy, dank hop quality that adds depth.

Taste: The entry delivers a measured hop bitterness that quickly gives way to nectarine and stone-fruit sweetness at mid-palate. Citrus notes emerge as it develops, shifting into a tropical register before a gentle earthy bitterness balances the finish. The oat and wheat components keep the mouthfeel smooth without veering into heaviness.

Finish: Medium in length with a light, refreshing close. Lingering mango-nectarine sweetness is checked by a clean hop bite that invites the next sip.

How to Drink Hop Reach

Hop Reach drinks best poured cold into a tulip or standard pint glass, which concentrates the aromatic hop oils and lets the stone-fruit character bloom. Its moderate 6.8% ABV and thin, refreshing body also make it a strong candidate for pairing with food or mixing into beer cocktails.

• Michelada: The citrus-forward hop profile complements lime, hot sauce, and tomato juice without getting buried.
• Hop Shandy: Equal parts Hop Reach and fresh lemonade amplify the grapefruit and stone-fruit notes into a sessionable warm-weather drink.
• IPA Float: A scoop of vanilla ice cream contrasts the hop bitterness and highlights the tropical sweetness in an unexpectedly balanced dessert pairing.

Best For

• IPA drinkers exploring New England breweries beyond the usual haze craze
• Summer cookouts and backyard grilling sessions where a refreshing but flavorful beer is essential
• Gifting to craft beer enthusiasts who appreciate process-driven brewing
• Introducing friends to hop-forward beers without overwhelming bitterness

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Hop Reach taste like? Hop Reach leads with ripe stone fruit — peach, nectarine, and mango — layered over tart citrus notes of grapefruit and lemon, finishing with a balanced earthy hop bitterness that keeps it refreshing rather than heavy.

How does Hop Reach compare to Maine Beer Company Lunch? Both are American IPAs brewed in Maine, but Lunch leans into a drier, more resinous pine-and-citrus bitterness at 7% ABV, while Hop Reach emphasizes tropical stone fruit and a softer mouthfeel from its oat and wheat grain bill at 6.8% ABV.

Is Hop Reach good for beginners? Its moderate bitterness, approachable tropical fruit character, and clean finish make it a strong entry point for drinkers transitioning from lighter styles into American IPAs.

Where is Hop Reach made? Hop Reach is brewed at Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine, a brewery founded in 1995 that distributes across much of the eastern United States.

What foods pair well with Hop Reach? Grilled shrimp tacos benefit from the citrus hop notes cutting through richness. Spicy Thai green curry finds balance against the stone-fruit sweetness. A sharp aged cheddar contrasts the malt body. Fish and chips gain a bright counterpoint from the grapefruit bitterness. Fresh ceviche mirrors and amplifies the beer's tropical character.

What sizes does Hop Reach come in? Hop Reach is commonly available in six-packs of 12 oz cans, which is the standard retail format for this expression.

Is Hop Reach worth the price? Hop Reach positions as a mid-range craft IPA that punches above its price tier in complexity, particularly given the extensive seventeen-batch development process and multi-hop blend that rival more expensive limited releases.

Why Hop Reach?

Few year-round IPAs undergo the level of scrutiny Allagash applied here — seventeen test batches and more than 400 sensory evaluations before a recipe was locked. That process-driven rigor shows in the final product: a seven-hop blend that reads as cohesive rather than chaotic, supported by a thoughtful grain bill featuring rolled oats and raw wheat for body without weight. The 88-point BeerAdvocate score confirms broad approval across experienced palates. For drinkers who value intention behind their IPA, Hop Reach stands as one of the more deliberately engineered options on the shelf.