Hopewell Zippy Ripper Gose 4Pk

Hopewell Zippy Ripper Gose 4Pk is a kiwi-and-watermelon gose-style sour ale brewed with sea salt, coming in at 4.5% ABV in a four-pack of cans. Brewed by Hopewell Brewing Company in Chicago, this low-ABV session sour stands apart with its uncommon fruit pairing — kiwi and watermelon together in a salted wheat ale — delivering bright tartness balanced by soft mineral salinity.

Quick Facts: ABV: 4.5%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois  |  Style: Gose (Sour Ale)  |  Brewery: Hopewell Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Hopewell Brewing Company operates out of its brewpub and production facility at 2760 N Milwaukee Ave in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood. The brewery has earned a following for expressive, approachable sour ales and lagers that emphasize drinkability. Zippy Ripper follows the traditional gose framework — a wheat-based sour ale brewed with salt — but distinguishes itself by incorporating both kiwi and watermelon into the recipe, a fruit combination rarely seen in commercially available gose beers. The result is a sessionable 4.5% ABV ale built for easy, repeat drinking.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Fresh watermelon rind and ripe kiwi lead, followed by a faint saline quality and light wheat grain. The nose is bright and fruit-forward without heavy funk or mustiness.

Taste: The entry is immediately juicy, with watermelon sweetness giving way to kiwi's green, tangy acidity at mid-palate. Tartness builds steadily and is pronounced — this is a genuinely sour beer — while sea salt provides a savory backbone that keeps the fruit from veering into candy territory. The wheat base adds just enough body to carry the flavors without weighing down the drink.

Finish: Short to medium, with lingering tartness and a clean mineral snap. A trace of salinity on the lips invites the next sip almost immediately.

How to Drink Zippy Ripper

Serve cold, straight from the can or poured into a tulip glass to capture the aroma. At 4.5% ABV, this is a session beer designed to be enjoyed across multiple cans without fatigue. For a simple cocktail riff, try a Gose Shandy by mixing half Zippy Ripper with fresh lemonade for an amplified citrus-salt refresher. A Michelada variation works well here — the existing salt and tartness pair naturally with hot sauce, lime, and Worcestershire. You can also use it in a Beer Margarita, combining it with blanco tequila and lime juice, where the kiwi-watermelon character adds a tropical twist.

Best For

• Hot-weather backyard sessions where low ABV and high refreshment matter
• Introducing sour-curious friends to the gose style with an approachable, fruity entry point
• Pairing with spicy foods at a taco night or cookout
• Stocking a craft beer fridge with something distinct from standard IPAs and lagers

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Zippy Ripper taste like? Zippy Ripper delivers prominent tartness up front, balanced by juicy watermelon and kiwi fruit flavors with a savory sea-salt finish. It is a genuinely sour beer — not a subtle hint of acidity — with bright, clean fruit character throughout.

How does Zippy Ripper compare to other fruited goses? Most widely available fruited goses use single fruits like lime, blood orange, or passionfruit; Zippy Ripper's kiwi-watermelon pairing is an unusual combination that leans more tropical and melon-forward. Its 4.5% ABV and assertive tartness place it squarely in the sessionable sour camp rather than the higher-gravity, sweeter fruited sour category.

Is Zippy Ripper good for beginners? It depends on your tolerance for sour flavors — the tartness here is bold and up front. If you already enjoy tart or tangy flavors in food and drink, Zippy Ripper makes an excellent first gose thanks to its approachable ABV and recognizable fruit notes.

Where is Zippy Ripper made? Zippy Ripper is brewed by Hopewell Brewing Company at their facility in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, at 2760 N Milwaukee Ave.

What foods pair well with Zippy Ripper? Fish tacos with lime crema benefit from the beer's tartness and salt. Thai green papaya salad echoes the kiwi's green tang. Grilled shrimp with watermelon-feta salad creates a direct flavor bridge. Fresh goat cheese on crostini contrasts the acidity nicely. Spicy Korean fried chicken finds relief in the beer's crisp, sour character.

What sizes does Zippy Ripper come in? Zippy Ripper is available in a four-pack of cans, which is its standard retail format.

Is Zippy Ripper worth the price? Zippy Ripper positions as a craft four-pack in the specialty sour ale segment, priced in line with other small-batch fruited goses from independent breweries. Its distinctive fruit combination and clean execution represent solid value within the category for fans of tart, sessionable beers.

Why Zippy Ripper?

The gose category is crowded with single-fruit iterations, and Zippy Ripper earns attention by pairing kiwi and watermelon — two fruits that rarely share a label in sour beer. That combination creates a layered fruit profile that moves from sweet melon to tart green acidity, held together by traditional gose salinity. At 4.5% ABV, it sits in the ideal range for extended drinking sessions without sacrificing flavor intensity. For anyone seeking a sour ale that goes beyond the standard lime-or-passionfruit playbook, this Chicago-brewed gose delivers a genuinely different glass.