Hop Butcher Two Thumbs Up 4Pk

Hop Butcher Two Thumbs Up 4Pk is a hazy double IPA from Chicago's Hop Butcher for the World brewery, packaged as a 4-pack of 16oz cans at 7.5% ABV. Rated 4.1 on both Untappd and BeerAdvocate, this release showcases a distinctive New Zealand and American hop combination that lands squarely in the tropical, white-grape spectrum the brewery has become known for.

Quick Facts: ABV: 7.5%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois, USA  |  Style: Double IPA (Hazy)  |  Brewery: Hop Butcher for the World

Production & Heritage

Hop Butcher for the World operates out of Chicago, Illinois, and has built a reputation as one of the country's most prolific hazy DIPA producers — roughly 85 percent of their output falls into that category. Craft Beer and Brewing ranked them the #13 Hazy IPA producer and #7 small regional brewery for 2024. Two Thumbs Up features a triple-hop bill of Motueka, Nelson Sauvin, and Mosaic Hyperboost, with the brewery's meticulous fermentation control delivering a smooth, drinkable body free of the astringent hop burn that plagues many double IPAs at this ABV.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Fresh orange and pineapple lead the nose, followed by ripe grapefruit and a subtle floral undercurrent. The Nelson Sauvin contribution emerges as a distinct white grape character, adding complexity beyond standard tropical hop aromas.

Taste: The entry is pillowy soft and silky, coating the palate with sweet tropical fruit — think pineapple and white grape — before shifting into blueberry and lime at the mid-palate. A layer of toasted caramel provides malt backbone, while a measured piney bitterness arrives late to balance the fruit-forward sweetness without overwhelming it.

Finish: Medium in length with a gentle, resinous bitterness that lingers alongside fading notes of grapefruit and light earthiness. The texture stays smooth through the close, reinforcing the brewery's signature soft mouthfeel.

How to Drink Two Thumbs Up

Pour this one into a tulip glass or wide-mouth pint at around 40–45°F to let the hop aromatics open up fully; it drinks best fresh and cold. A Beermosa works well here — the existing citrus and tropical notes amplify fresh orange juice rather than clashing with it. Try it in a Hop Shandy with lemonade on warm days, where the white grape and lime flavors create a layered refresher. It also holds its own in a Michelada variation — the silky body and fruit character round out the hot sauce and lime without thinning out.

Best For

• Sharing with friends during a weekend cookout or tailgate
• Gifting to a craft beer enthusiast who gravitates toward New Zealand hops
• Stocking a curated hazy IPA tasting flight at home
• Pairing with bold, spicy foods that benefit from a juicy, fruit-forward counterpoint

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Two Thumbs Up taste like? Two Thumbs Up delivers a pillowy, soft mouthfeel loaded with tropical fruit — white grape, pineapple, and citrus — balanced by toasted caramel malt and a moderate piney bitterness on the back end.

How does Two Thumbs Up compare to other top-rated hazy DIPAs? With its prominent Nelson Sauvin and Motueka hop presence, Two Thumbs Up skews toward white grape and gooseberry notes more than the purely citrus-and-stone-fruit profile common in many American hazy double IPAs. Its 7.5% ABV also keeps it lighter and more sessionable than the 8–10% range typical of the style's upper tier.

Is Two Thumbs Up good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — the smooth, pillowy texture and balanced bitterness make it an approachable sipper, especially when poured into a proper glass at cellar temperature to appreciate the full aromatic range.

Where is Two Thumbs Up made? Two Thumbs Up is brewed by Hop Butcher for the World in Chicago, Illinois. The brewery focuses almost exclusively on hazy IPAs and double IPAs, drawing on both American and Southern Hemisphere hop varieties.

What foods pair well with Two Thumbs Up? Grilled shrimp tacos with mango salsa echo the beer's tropical character. Spicy Thai green curry benefits from the soft, fruity sweetness cutting through the heat. A sharp aged cheddar contrasts the beer's juicy body with salty, crumbly richness. Fish and chips offer a classic pairing where the hop bitterness slices through fried batter. Pork belly sliders with a citrus glaze create a natural bridge to the grapefruit and lime notes.

What sizes does Two Thumbs Up come in? Two Thumbs Up is available as a 4-pack of 16oz cans, which is the standard format for Hop Butcher's rotating DIPA releases.

Is Two Thumbs Up worth the price? Two Thumbs Up positions as a premium craft double IPA, priced in line with other top-tier small-batch hazy DIPAs from highly regarded regional breweries. The quality of the hop bill — featuring specialty varieties like Mosaic Hyperboost and Nelson Sauvin — and the brewery's consistently high ratings justify its place in the upper segment of the category.

Why Two Thumbs Up?

Hop Butcher for the World has earned its 2024 ranking as the #7 small regional brewery and #13 hazy IPA producer from Craft Beer and Brewing by exercising uncommon fermentation control across a relentless release schedule. Two Thumbs Up exemplifies that discipline — three distinctive hops, including the less common Mosaic Hyperboost, deliver layered fruit complexity without the harsh edges that frequently accompany 7.5% ABV double IPAs. The New Zealand hop backbone sets it apart from the citrus-dominant American hazy landscape, offering white grape and floral dimensions that reward attention. For drinkers who have explored the usual hazy DIPA territory and want something with a Southern Hemisphere twist from a brewery that consistently scores above 4.0, this release delivers.