Hop Butcher Cold Pizza 4Pk

Hop Butcher Cold Pizza 4Pk is a 6.0% ABV Cold IPA from Chicago's Hop Butcher For The World, sold as a 4-pack of cans. Ranked the #1 Cold IPA on BeerAdvocate with an 86/100 score, this release applies the emerging Cold IPA framework to the brewery's popular Tavern Cut recipe, swapping ale yeast for lager yeast to deliver a strikingly clean, hop-forward beer.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.0%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois (Bedford Park)  |  Style: Cold IPA  |  Brewery: Hop Butcher For The World

Production & Heritage

Hop Butcher For The World operates out of Bedford Park, Illinois, and has become one of Chicago's most sought-after hop-centric breweries. Cold Pizza uses lager yeast fermented at slightly warmer temperatures than a traditional lager — the hallmark of the Cold IPA style — producing a brilliantly clear beer with a lean, pilsner-like malt base that stays out of the hops' way. Dry-hopping with Citra and Vic Secret provides the aromatic engine, while the lager yeast delivers a clean fermentation profile that amplifies hop expression without fruity ester competition.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Citra drives the initial impression with bright grapefruit peel and ripe tangerine. Vic Secret adds a secondary layer of pineapple and subtle stone fruit, joined by flashes of lemon-lime zest.

Taste: The entry is crisp and effervescent, almost lager-like in its snap. Citrus and tropical hop flavors build across the mid-palate — tangerine, grapefruit, pineapple — layered over a lean, cracker-dry malt backbone. A tightly defined bitterness emerges toward the peak, lending a west-coast edge, with earthy, herbaceous undertones adding unexpected complexity.

Finish: Dry and moderately bitter, the finish cleans the palate quickly without lingering sweetness. Faint mineral and green herbal notes trail off, encouraging another sip.

How to Drink Cold Pizza

Cold Pizza is best served cold — around 40–45°F — straight from the can or poured into a tulip glass to concentrate its hop aromatics. Its clean, dry profile also makes it a surprisingly versatile mixer. A Michelada works well here, as the beer's citrus-forward hops complement lime juice and hot sauce without clashing. A Beer Margarita (Beergarita) benefits from Cold Pizza's lager-like crispness and tropical notes alongside tequila and citrus. A simple Shandy with fresh lemonade highlights the beer's existing lemon-lime character while cutting the bitterness for warm-weather drinking.

Best For

• IPA drinkers curious about the Cold IPA style who want a top-rated entry point
• Pairing with backyard grilling — burgers, grilled chicken, charred vegetables
• Sharing a four-pack with friends on a weekend afternoon
• Hop Butcher collectors adding another limited release to their tasting lineup

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Cold Pizza taste like? Cold Pizza leads with bright citrus and tropical fruit — grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple — from its Citra and Vic Secret dry-hop, layered over a clean, cracker-dry malt base. The finish is dry and moderately bitter with a west-coast-inspired snap.

How does Cold Pizza compare to Hop Butcher Tavern Cut? Cold Pizza is described by the brewery as a Cold IPA spin on Tavern Cut, meaning it shares a similar hop-forward focus but replaces ale yeast with lager yeast for a cleaner, crisper fermentation profile. The result is a leaner, more transparent hop showcase compared to Tavern Cut's fuller-bodied IPA character.

Is Cold Pizza good for IPA beginners? At 6.0% ABV with a clean, approachable bitterness and bright fruit-driven flavors, Cold Pizza is an excellent gateway for drinkers who find hazy or west coast IPAs too heavy or too bitter. The lager yeast backbone keeps everything light and drinkable.

Where is Cold Pizza made? Cold Pizza is brewed by Hop Butcher For The World in Bedford Park, a suburb in Chicago's southwest side in Cook County, Illinois.

What foods pair well with Cold Pizza? Grilled shrimp tacos complement the tropical hop character. A margherita pizza (fitting the name) works thanks to the beer's citrus cutting through mozzarella richness. Spicy Thai green curry benefits from the dry, bitter finish that resets the palate. Light fish like grilled mahi-mahi matches the beer's clean, lean body. Sharp cheddar or aged gouda stand up to the hop bitterness without being overwhelmed.

What sizes does Cold Pizza come in? Cold Pizza is available as a 4-pack of cans, which is the standard format for Hop Butcher For The World's rotating hop-forward releases.

Is Cold Pizza worth the price? Cold Pizza positions as a premium craft release from one of Chicago's most respected hop-focused breweries, and its #1 ranking among Cold IPAs on BeerAdvocate supports its standing in the style. For drinkers exploring the Cold IPA category, it represents one of the strongest available examples.

Why Cold Pizza?

Cold IPA is still a relatively young style, and Cold Pizza sits at the top of the category — literally ranked #1 among Cold IPAs on BeerAdvocate. The combination of Citra and Vic Secret hops through a lager-yeast lens produces a clarity of hop flavor that hazy IPAs cannot replicate; every note of grapefruit, pineapple, and tangerine arrives in sharp focus. Hop Butcher's decision to rework their established Tavern Cut recipe through the Cold IPA format demonstrates both technical range and an understanding of where the IPA conversation is heading. For anyone who wants to taste the Cold IPA style at its current benchmark, this is the beer to open.