Brewer's Kitchen Base Mesa 4Pk

Brewer's Kitchen Base Mesa 4Pk is a double dry-hopped hazy IPA at 6.6% ABV, sold as a four-pack of cans. Built around the experimental hop variety HBC-630 alongside Citra and Amarillo, Base Mesa carries a 3.897 out of 5 rating on Untappd across nearly 200 user reviews — a strong showing for a limited-distribution craft release.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.6%  |  Origin: Milwaukee, Wisconsin  |  Style: Double Dry-Hopped Hazy IPA  |  Brewery: Pilot Project Brewing

Production & Heritage

Base Mesa is brewed under the Brewer's Kitchen brand at Pilot Project Brewing, a Chicago-based incubator brewery that also operates a production facility at 1128 N. 9th St. in Milwaukee's historic Pabst Brewing Company complex. The double dry-hop process loads Citra, Amarillo, and the experimental variety HBC-630 into the beer at two separate stages, maximizing aromatic intensity while minimizing harsh bitterness. HBC-630 is notable for delivering cherry candy-like aromas, stone fruit, raspberry candy, and tropical citrus characteristics — a hop variety recognized in the industry for providing a flavor and aroma profile distinctly different from most commercially available cultivars. Pilot Project's flexible system allows batch sizes from four barrels to 240 barrels, giving Brewer's Kitchen the agility to dial in small-batch recipes like this one.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Candied orange and cherry candy dominate the nose immediately, followed by waves of musk melon and softer tropical fruit. The HBC-630 adds a distinctive raspberry-candy sweetness that separates this from standard Citra-forward hazies.

Taste: The entry is pillowy and juice-forward, with candied citrus peel and ripe melon arriving on the mid-palate. Cherry and stone fruit notes build through the center, layered over a soft, creamy mouthfeel typical of well-executed New England-style IPAs. Bitterness stays restrained, letting the hop flavor do the talking.

Finish: Medium in length, with a clean, smooth fade that circles back to melon rind and a faint citrus zest. The overall impression is remarkably drinkable for a double dry-hopped beer — no astringent hop burn or cloying sweetness.

How to Drink Base Mesa

Pour into a tulip glass or wide-mouth pint to let the aromatic compounds open up; this beer rewards a slow, cold pour straight from the fridge. Base Mesa is built for drinking fresh and on its own, but its fruit-forward character lends itself to a few creative serves. A Hazy Shandy with fresh lemonade plays off the candied citrus notes. A Beer-a-Rita using lime juice, salt rim, and Base Mesa amplifies the tropical fruit character. A Hop Radler blending the beer with grapefruit soda highlights the cherry-citrus interplay from HBC-630.

Best For

• Craft beer enthusiasts exploring experimental hop varieties like HBC-630
• Backyard cookouts and warm-weather gatherings with friends
• Introducing someone to the hazy IPA style with an approachable, smooth example
• Building a tasting flight alongside other New England-style IPAs for a side-by-side hop comparison

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Base Mesa taste like? Base Mesa delivers candied orange, cherry, and musk melon flavors wrapped in a soft, creamy mouthfeel with restrained bitterness. It drinks exceptionally smooth for a double dry-hopped hazy IPA at 6.6% ABV.

How does Base Mesa compare to Hazy Little Thing by Sierra Nevada? Both are hazy IPAs, but Base Mesa uses the experimental HBC-630 hop that produces a distinctive cherry candy and stone fruit character not found in Hazy Little Thing's more traditional citrus-and-tropical profile. Base Mesa is also double dry-hopped and slightly higher in ABV (6.6% vs. 6.7%), giving it a more concentrated aromatic punch in a smaller-batch format.

Is Base Mesa good for someone new to hazy IPAs? Yes — its smooth body, low bitterness, and fruit-forward flavor make it one of the more approachable double dry-hopped examples in the style. The 6.6% ABV keeps it sessionable enough to enjoy without fatigue.

Where is Base Mesa made? Base Mesa is brewed at Pilot Project Brewing's Milwaukee production facility, located at 1128 N. 9th St. within the historic Pabst Brewing Company complex. Pilot Project is a Chicago-based brewery incubator that operates production sites in both Chicago and Milwaukee.

What foods pair well with Base Mesa? Fish tacos with mango salsa complement the tropical and melon notes. Grilled chicken with a citrus glaze mirrors the candied orange character. Soft, creamy cheeses like burrata balance the hop intensity. Spicy Thai noodles benefit from the beer's smooth body and fruit sweetness, which temper heat. Fresh fruit tarts echo the cherry and stone fruit flavors.

What sizes does Base Mesa come in? Base Mesa is available as a four-pack of cans, the standard retail format for this release.

Is Base Mesa worth the price? Base Mesa positions in the craft premium tier, consistent with other small-batch double dry-hopped hazy IPAs using specialty or experimental hops. The inclusion of HBC-630, a hop variety not widely available in commercial beers, adds genuine distinctiveness that justifies its placement above mass-market hazy IPAs.

Why Base Mesa?

The defining feature of Base Mesa is HBC-630 — an experimental hop that most drinkers have never encountered, delivering cherry candy and stone fruit notes that genuinely stand apart from the Citra-Mosaic combinations saturating the hazy IPA market. The double dry-hop treatment ensures those aromatics translate from nose to palate with real intensity. Brewed in small to mid-sized batches at Pilot Project's Milwaukee facility, this is a beer with limited availability and a focused recipe. Its near-3.9 Untappd rating across close to 200 reviews suggests consistent quality, and its smooth, balanced drinkability makes a strong case for the style done right.