Brickstone Hop Skip

Brickstone Hop Skip is a 7.75% ABV Double Pale Ale brewed by Brickstone Brewery in Bourbonnais, Illinois, loaded with three American hop varieties. Rated 90 on BeerAdvocate across more than 200 reviews, Hop Skip has earned a reputation as one of the standout hop-forward pale ales coming out of the Illinois craft scene.

Quick Facts: ABV: 7.75%  |  Origin: Bourbonnais, Illinois  |  Style: Double (Imperial) Pale Ale  |  IBU: 60  |  Brewery: Brickstone Brewery

Production & Heritage

Brickstone Brewery operates out of Bourbonnais, Illinois, producing a focused lineup of craft beers with Hop Skip among its most recognized releases. The brew uses a hefty 4.2 pounds per barrel of Citra, Amarillo, and Centennial hops — an unusually aggressive hop loading for even an imperial-strength pale ale. That combination delivers the citrus-forward, resinous character the beer is known for while maintaining a balanced malt backbone that keeps the 60 IBU bitterness from overwhelming the palate.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with massive citrus — juicy orange and grapefruit rind — followed by layers of lemongrass and pine resin. A subtle bread-dough malt sweetness sits underneath, grounding the hop intensity.

Taste: Citrus and lemon hit immediately on entry, with pithy grapefruit and bursts of tropical papaya developing across the mid-palate. A nicely balanced malt backbone provides structure, giving way to piney hop bitterness that builds steadily without becoming harsh. Despite its 7.75% ABV, the body remains crisp and dangerously drinkable.

Finish: Clean and smooth with a deceivingly easy fade from slightly sweet to dry. Lingering pine and citrus rind carry through, encouraging the next sip.

How to Drink Hop Skip

Hop Skip drinks best poured cold into a tulip glass or standard pint, which helps concentrate the aromatic hop oils. Served between 45–50°F, the citrus and tropical notes are most expressive. For cocktail-curious drinkers: try it in a Hop Shandy blended with fresh lemonade and a pinch of sea salt, where the citrus hops amplify the lemon; in a Michelada built with lime, hot sauce, and Worcestershire, where the hop bitterness stands up to bold spice; or as the base for a Beer-a-Rita with fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice and a salted rim, letting the pithy grapefruit notes in the beer merge naturally with the fruit.

Best For

• Sharing with hop-loving friends at a summer cookout
• Introducing someone to imperial-strength pale ales without the palate fatigue of a heavy DIPA
• Pairing with bold, spicy foods that need a bitter counterpoint
• Building an Illinois craft beer tasting flight alongside other regional standouts

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Hop Skip taste like? Hop Skip delivers immediate citrus and lemon flavors up front, followed by pithy grapefruit, tropical papaya, and pine resin, all supported by a balanced malt sweetness. The finish is smooth and clean, moving from slightly sweet to dry.

How does Hop Skip compare to a standard American IPA? At 7.75% ABV, Hop Skip sits in Double/Imperial Pale Ale territory, which is stronger than most standard American IPAs that typically range from 5.5–7.5% ABV. Its 60 IBU and 4.2 pounds of hops per barrel give it a more intense citrus and tropical hop presence than a typical single IPA, while its pale ale malt bill keeps it lighter-bodied than many Double IPAs.

Is Hop Skip good for sipping on its own? Yes — despite its imperial strength, Hop Skip is frequently described as dangerously drinkable, with a clean malt profile that prevents the beer from feeling heavy or cloying.

Where is Hop Skip made? Hop Skip is brewed by Brickstone Brewery in Bourbonnais, Illinois, a small city about 60 miles south of Chicago in Kankakee County.

What foods pair well with Hop Skip? Grilled burgers with sharp cheddar, where the hop bitterness cuts through the fat; fish tacos with mango salsa, which echo the tropical hop notes; spicy Thai curry, where citrus bitterness cools the heat; aged gouda, whose caramel sweetness contrasts the pine resin; and pepperoni pizza, where the carbonation and bitterness cleanse the palate between bites.

What sizes does Hop Skip come in? Hop Skip is available in standard draft and packaged formats typical of craft brewery distribution; availability of specific package sizes may vary by market.

Is Hop Skip worth the price? Hop Skip positions as a mid-range craft offering with an unusually high hop loading of 4.2 pounds per barrel, and its 90-point BeerAdvocate score suggests strong value relative to other imperial-strength pale ales in its price tier.

Why Hop Skip?

The defining detail here is the sheer quantity of hops in the kettle — 4.2 pounds per barrel of Citra, Amarillo, and Centennial is an aggressive charge that puts Hop Skip in rare company among imperial pale ales. That investment translates directly into the glass, delivering a depth of citrus and tropical character that earned a 90 on BeerAdvocate and consistent 3.9-out-of-5 ratings across nearly 18,000 Untappd check-ins. At 7.75% ABV, it manages to be strong without tasting strong, a balancing act that many higher-gravity hop bombs fail to achieve. For drinkers who want serious hop intensity without the syrupy body of a Double IPA, Hop Skip occupies a well-defined niche.