Hubbard's Cave IPA 4Pk

Hubbard's Cave IPA 4-Pack is a 7% ABV hazy IPA brewed in Niles, Illinois, sold as a four-pack of cans. Produced by the team behind Une Année Brewery, this flagship expression has earned a 3.9 rating on Untappd across nearly 7,000 reviews, establishing itself as one of the Chicago suburbs' more respected hazy IPAs.

Quick Facts: ABV: 7%  |  Origin: Niles, Illinois, USA  |  Style: Hazy IPA  |  Brewery: Hubbard's Cave (Une Année Brewery)

Production & Heritage

Hubbard's Cave operates as a label under Une Année Brewery, located at 6343 Gross Point Road in Niles, Illinois. Une Année initially gained recognition for its Belgian-inspired ales, and the Hubbard's Cave line was created to explore American hop-forward and barrel-aged styles. This flagship IPA is brewed with a combination of Citra and Simcoe hops, a pairing prized for balancing bright tropical aromatics with resinous depth. The result is a hazy, unfiltered IPA with a deliberately soft, full-bodied mouthfeel characteristic of the New England IPA tradition.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Mango and stone fruit hit first, followed by layers of tangerine and grapefruit peel. A subtle dank, resinous quality from the Simcoe hops lingers underneath the tropical top notes.

Taste: The entry is juicy and malt-forward, with a rush of orange, mango, and melon across the mid-palate. Peach and nectarine emerge as the hop character opens up, balanced by a gentle malty sweetness. A moderate piney bitterness anchors the back palate without overwhelming the fruit-forward profile.

Finish: Silky, smooth, and creamy — often compared to an orange creamsicle with a frothed-milk texture. The finish stays relatively clean and light, avoiding the cloying sweetness that can plague lesser hazy IPAs.

How to Drink Hubbard's Cave IPA

Pour into a tulip glass or stemmed IPA glass at around 45°F to let the hop aromatics fully express themselves. Drinking straight from the can works in a pinch, but you lose the aromatic complexity that makes this beer worthwhile.

• Michelada: The tropical citrus character and moderate bitterness complement tomato juice, hot sauce, and lime for a hop-forward twist on the classic.
• Beer Margarita (Beergarita): The mango and citrus notes fold naturally into a frozen margarita base, adding body and bitterness.
• Shandy-style: Mixed half-and-half with fresh lemonade, the creamy body and stone fruit notes create a refreshing warm-weather drink.

Best For

• Stocking a weekend cooler for backyard gatherings with craft beer enthusiasts
• Introducing a friend to quality hazy IPAs without an extreme ABV
• Pairing with grilled foods at a summer cookout
• Exploring the Illinois craft beer scene beyond Chicago's downtown breweries

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Hubbard's Cave IPA taste like? It delivers a juicy, tropical profile dominated by mango, orange, and stone fruit, with a creamy mouthfeel and moderate pine-resin bitterness on the back end. The finish is smooth and clean rather than aggressively bitter.

How does Hubbard's Cave IPA compare to Other Half Mosaic Dream? Both are well-regarded hazy IPAs, but Hubbard's Cave leans on Citra and Simcoe for a citrus-and-pine combination, while Other Half Mosaic Dream showcases Mosaic hops for a more blueberry-and-mango-forward character. Hubbard's Cave tends to drink slightly lighter and cleaner on the finish.

Is Hubbard's Cave IPA good for beginners? At 7% ABV with a smooth, fruity profile and restrained bitterness, it serves as a strong introduction to hazy IPAs for drinkers who find West Coast-style IPAs too aggressively bitter.

Where is Hubbard's Cave IPA made? It is brewed at Une Année Brewery's facility at 6343 Gross Point Road in Niles, Illinois, a suburb just northwest of Chicago. Hubbard's Cave is Une Année's American-style brewing label.

What foods pair well with Hubbard's Cave IPA? Spicy tacos al pastor, where the tropical hop character echoes the pineapple garnish; grilled shrimp with citrus butter for a complementary pairing; sharp cheddar or pepper jack cheese to contrast the malt sweetness; Nashville-style hot chicken, where the creamy body tempers the heat; and fish and chips, where the bitterness cuts through the fried batter.

What sizes does Hubbard's Cave IPA come in? It is commonly available as a 4-pack of cans, the standard retail format for this expression.

Is Hubbard's Cave IPA worth the price? Hubbard's Cave IPA positions in the mid-range craft beer tier, and its consistent Untappd rating of 3.9 across thousands of reviews suggests reliable quality that competes well against nationally distributed hazy IPAs at a similar price point.

Why Hubbard's Cave IPA?

The Citra and Simcoe hop combination is one of the most proven pairings in modern IPA brewing, and Hubbard's Cave executes it with notable restraint — the beer reads as juicy and aromatic rather than sticky or sweet. With nearly 7,000 Untappd reviews holding at a 3.9 rating, the consistency batch to batch is clearly there. For a suburban Illinois brewery operating under the radar compared to flashier hype brands, Hubbard's Cave delivers a flagship IPA that earns repeat purchases on quality rather than scarcity marketing.