Hop Butcher Tavern Cut 4Pk

Hop Butcher Tavern Cut 4Pk is a hazy Double IPA from Bedford Park, Illinois, brewed at 7.5% ABV and sold in a 4-pack of cans. Earning a 93 score on BeerAdvocate from 114 ratings, this Citra and Vic Secret–hopped release has become one of the most sought-after hazy DIPAs in the Illinois craft beer scene.

Quick Facts: ABV: 7.5%  |  Origin: Bedford Park, Illinois, USA  |  Style: Hazy Double IPA  |  Brewery: Hop Butcher for The World

Production & Heritage

Hop Butcher for The World has built a devoted following through limited-release, hop-forward beers brewed at their production facility in Bedford Park, a suburb just southwest of Chicago. Tavern Cut uses a pillowy malt base of malted oats and malted wheat, providing the soft, creamy body characteristic of the New England DIPA style, then dry-hops generously with Citra and Vic Secret for a layered tropical and citrus punch. The name pays homage to Chicago's iconic tavern-style thin-crust pizza — a nod to the brewery's ongoing celebration of the city's food culture — and like most Hop Butcher releases, freshness is paramount, with cans intended to be consumed as close to the packaging date as possible.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Sweet mango and ripe pineapple lead the nose, followed by a slightly mentholated pine resin character and subtle herbal dankness from the Vic Secret addition. The overall impression is lush and inviting without sharp bitterness.

Taste: The entry is soft and juicy, with concentrated clementine, mango, and passion fruit flooding the palate immediately. At mid-palate, grapefruit pith and a flash of pine resin add structural contrast, preventing the tropical sweetness from becoming one-dimensional. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied and creamy smooth, bolstered by the oat and wheat malt backbone.

Finish: Satisfyingly silky, with lingering citrus pith and a faint herbal dankness that keeps the palate engaged. Bitterness is restrained and modern, fading cleanly without astringency.

How to Drink Tavern Cut

Pour into a tulip glass or stemmed IPA glass at around 40–45°F to let the aromatics fully open up; drinking directly from the can mutes much of the hop complexity. This is a beer designed to be enjoyed fresh and on its own, but it also pairs naturally with bold-flavored foods: try it alongside a slab of Chicago tavern-style pizza (the beer's namesake), spicy Nashville hot chicken wings where the tropical fruit sweetness tempers capsaicin heat, or a platter of fish tacos with mango salsa that mirrors the beer's own fruit profile.

Best For

• Gifting a craft beer enthusiast who collects limited Illinois releases
• Hosting a backyard cookout featuring grilled meats and bold flavors
• Adding to a hazy IPA tasting flight alongside other top-tier DIPAs
• Celebrating a special occasion with a highly rated, small-batch brew

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Tavern Cut taste like? Tavern Cut delivers concentrated juicy flavors of mango, clementine, and passion fruit balanced by grapefruit pith, pine resin, and dank herbal notes, all carried on a creamy, medium-bodied mouthfeel built from malted oats and wheat.

How does Tavern Cut compare to Hop Butcher Cold Pizza? Cold Pizza is the brewery's Cold IPA reinterpretation of Tavern Cut, meaning it uses a crisper, lager-like fermentation profile rather than the pillowy, haze-forward New England approach that defines Tavern Cut. Drinkers who prefer a softer, juicier texture tend to favor Tavern Cut, while those seeking a drier, more refreshing finish gravitate toward Cold Pizza.

Is Tavern Cut good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — the creamy oat-and-wheat body and multilayered tropical hop character make it a rewarding standalone pour, best enjoyed fresh from a tulip or IPA glass at cellar temperature.

Where is Tavern Cut made? Tavern Cut is brewed by Hop Butcher for The World at their production facility in Bedford Park, Illinois, a suburb directly southwest of Chicago known as a hub for the city's thriving craft beer community.

What foods pair well with Tavern Cut? Chicago tavern-style thin-crust pizza highlights the beer's namesake connection and matches its bold hop profile. Spicy fried chicken benefits from the tropical fruit sweetness cutting through the heat. Fish tacos with citrus salsa echo the mango and clementine notes. Aged cheddar or Gruyère provides a savory counterpoint to the juicy hops. Grilled shrimp skewers with a lime-chili glaze complement the citrus-forward character.

What sizes does Tavern Cut come in? Hop Butcher Tavern Cut is available in a 4-pack of cans, which is the standard retail format for this release.

Is Tavern Cut worth the price? Tavern Cut positions as a premium craft DIPA, and its 93 BeerAdvocate score, limited-release availability, and reputation for exceptional freshness place it firmly in the upper tier of hazy Double IPAs — strong value for drinkers who prioritize hop-forward quality over mass-market pricing.

Why Tavern Cut?

Hop Butcher for The World has earned its cult following by refusing to rest on a flagship — instead releasing a rotating roster of single- and dual-hop showcases that keep hop heads coming back week after week. Tavern Cut stands out even within that lineup thanks to the Citra and Vic Secret combination, which delivers a rare balance of tropical lushness and resinous bite without the harsh bitterness that plagues many 7.5% DIPAs. A 93 score on BeerAdvocate from over a hundred ratings confirms its consistency across batches. For anyone serious about hazy IPAs in the Midwest and beyond, Tavern Cut is a benchmark release that rewards drinking fresh.