Hop Butcher Meet the Simcoes 4Pk

Hop Butcher Meet the Simcoes 4PK is a single-hop India Pale Ale brewed at 6.5% ABV, sold as a four-pack of 16 oz cans. This Chicago-brewed IPA isolates the Simcoe hop variety to showcase its full range of dank, tropical, and resinous character — earning a 4.25/5 rating on BeerAdvocate.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.5%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois  |  Style: Single-Hop IPA  |  Brewery: Hop Butcher for The World

Production & Heritage

Hop Butcher for The World operates out of a production brewery in Bedford Park, a southwest suburb of Chicago, with a taproom at 4257 N. Lincoln Ave in the city's Lincoln Square neighborhood. Meet the Simcoes belongs to the brewery's single-hop series, built entirely around Simcoe hops — a dual-purpose variety prized for its ability to deliver both bold bittering and aromatic complexity without the support of other hop varieties. The result is a focused IPA that strips away blending complexity and lets one hop tell its entire story, from tropical fruit to sticky resin.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Bright tropical fruit leads the nose, layered with dank pine resin and a squeeze of fresh citrus. Juicy berry undertones emerge as the beer warms in the glass.

Taste: The entry is soft and semi-sweet with a clean malt backbone that quickly gives way to dank pineapple and orange peel spice at the mid-palate. As the sip develops, pine resin and citrus rind intertwine, delivering the full dual-purpose punch that Simcoe hops are known for.

Finish: Medium in length with lingering dankness and a gentle citrus bitterness that stays balanced. The body is medium and well-carbonated, leaving a clean, dry close that invites the next sip.

How to Drink Meet the Simcoes

Pour into a tulip glass or standard pint at around 42–48°F to open up the full hop aromatics; drinking straight from the can mutes much of the tropical nose. At 6.5% ABV, it sits at a sessionable-enough strength to enjoy across several rounds.

Best For

• Hop enthusiasts exploring single-variety IPAs to learn individual hop character
• Backyard cookouts and warm-weather gatherings with bold grilled food
• Gifting to a craft beer fan who follows limited Chicago brewery releases
• Side-by-side tastings comparing Simcoe against other single-hop expressions

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Meet the Simcoes taste like? Meet the Simcoes delivers dank citrus and pineapple up front, supported by pine resin, juicy berry notes, and a semi-sweet malt backbone that keeps the bitterness in check.

How does Meet the Simcoes compare to other Hop Butcher IPAs? While many Hop Butcher IPAs use complex multi-hop blends to achieve layered tropical profiles, Meet the Simcoes is a single-hop beer that isolates Simcoe, making it danker and more resinous than the brewery's fruit-forward double-dry-hopped releases.

Is Meet the Simcoes good for IPA beginners? At 6.5% ABV with a balanced malt profile and moderate bitterness, it is approachable for newer IPA drinkers, though the pronounced dank and piney character may be more appreciated by those already familiar with West Coast and hazy IPA styles.

Where is Meet the Simcoes made? Meet the Simcoes is brewed by Hop Butcher for The World at their production facility in Bedford Park, Illinois, a suburb southwest of Chicago, with a taproom located at 4257 N. Lincoln Ave in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood.

What foods pair well with Meet the Simcoes? Spicy tacos al pastor complement the tropical hop notes; sharp cheddar or aged gouda echoes the malt sweetness; grilled citrus-marinated chicken mirrors the beer's citrus peel character; a burger with pepper jack and jalapeño stands up to the dank resin; and fish and chips benefit from the beer's carbonation and clean bitterness cutting through the fried batter.

What sizes does Meet the Simcoes come in? Meet the Simcoes is available as a four-pack of 16 oz cans, the standard format for Hop Butcher for The World's IPA releases.

Is Meet the Simcoes worth the price? It positions as a craft-premium single-hop IPA from one of Chicago's most respected haze-forward breweries, and its focused hop showcase and strong community ratings — 4.0/5 on Untappd across more than 1,700 reviews and 4.25/5 on BeerAdvocate — suggest solid value within the specialty IPA tier.

Why Meet the Simcoes?

Single-hop IPAs are the clearest test of both a hop variety's range and a brewer's technical skill, and Meet the Simcoes passes on both counts. Simcoe is a notoriously versatile cultivar — capable of tropical sweetness, citrus brightness, and deep resinous dankness — and Hop Butcher harnesses the full spectrum here without any supporting cast. With consistent ratings above 4.0 across major beer platforms, this release has earned a reputation as one of the more reliable single-hop showcases available from a Midwest brewery. For anyone building hop literacy or simply chasing well-executed Chicago craft, this four-pack delivers a focused, rewarding pour.