Phase Three Just Use Your Wings 4Pk

Phase Three Just Use Your Wings 4Pk is a Pacific Northwest-style Double IPA from Phase Three Brewing Company, brewed at 7.5% ABV and sold in a four-pack. Built around a classic trio of Cascade, Centennial, and Chinook hops layered over sweet honey malt and toasty Munich malt, this DIPA channels the resinous, piney character of old-school West Coast brewing at a time when the style has largely been eclipsed by haze.

Quick Facts: ABV: 7.5%  |  Origin: Lake Zurich, Illinois  |  Style: Double IPA (PNW-style)  |  Brewery: Phase Three Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Phase Three Brewing Company operates out of Lake Zurich, Illinois, running a 3-vessel, 15-barrel steam-powered brewhouse. All water used in production passes through reverse osmosis filtration, giving the brewing team precise control over mineral content and mouthfeel — a significant factor in hop-forward beers where water chemistry directly shapes bitterness perception. Just Use Your Wings was conceived as a holiday-season DIPA that deliberately reaches back to Pacific Northwest IPA traditions, pairing the "three C's" hop bill (Cascade, Centennial, Chinook) with a malt backbone of honey malt and Munich malt rather than the stripped-down grain bills common in modern hazy IPAs.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Pine resin leads, followed by bright lemon zest and a grassy, lemongrass-like lift. A subtle sweetness from the honey malt rounds out the nose without pushing into caramel territory.

Taste: The entry is clean and moderately bitter, with pine and citrus peel hitting first. Mid-palate, the Munich and honey malts provide a toasty, bready warmth that balances the hop load without masking it. At its peak the bitterness is assertive but controlled — firm enough to satisfy West Coast loyalists, smooth enough to stay drinkable.

Finish: Medium-long with lingering pine and a faint herbal edge. The malt sweetness recedes quickly, leaving a dry, resinous close that invites the next sip.

How to Drink Just Use Your Wings

Pour cold into a tulip glass or standard pint to let the hop aromatics open up; this beer rewards a few minutes at cellar temperature rather than ice-cold. For cocktail-adjacent serves, consider these options:

• Michelada: The pine and citrus character plays well against lime, hot sauce, and Worcestershire, adding depth to the classic beer cocktail.
• Beer-a-Rita: Blend with fresh lime juice and a splash of orange liqueur — the resinous hops create a bitter backbone that keeps the drink from turning too sweet.
• Shandy: Cut with housemade lemonade for a lower-ABV patio drink where the lemon zest notes in the beer amplify the citrus.

Best For

• West Coast IPA fans looking for a Midwest-brewed homage to PNW hop traditions
• Holiday gatherings where a malt-forward DIPA pairs with roasted meats and rich sides
• Gifting to a craft-beer enthusiast who gravitates toward classic bitter profiles over haze
• Stocking a winter fridge rotation with a beer that drinks warmer and cozier than typical DIPAs

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Just Use Your Wings taste like? It delivers prominent pine resin, lemon zest, and lemongrass hop character supported by a toasty, lightly sweet malt body from honey malt and Munich malt. The overall impression is a cozy, warming Double IPA with assertive but balanced bitterness.

How does Just Use Your Wings compare to a modern hazy DIPA? Where hazy DIPAs emphasize juicy, tropical fruit flavors and a soft, pillowy mouthfeel, Just Use Your Wings leans into pine, herbal bitterness, and a drier finish rooted in West Coast tradition. The Munich and honey malt backbone gives it more toasty warmth than most hazies, which tend toward lighter grain bills.

Is Just Use Your Wings good for sipping on its own? Yes — at 7.5% ABV it sits at a moderate strength for the DIPA category, and its balanced malt-to-hop ratio makes it an enjoyable standalone pour, especially in cooler weather.

Where is Just Use Your Wings made? It is brewed at Phase Three Brewing Company in Lake Zurich, Illinois, a suburb northwest of Chicago. The brewery uses a 15-barrel steam-powered brewhouse with reverse osmosis water treatment.

What foods pair well with Just Use Your Wings? Roasted turkey or chicken benefits from the beer's piney bitterness cutting through rich, fatty skin. Sharp cheddar or aged Gruyère mirrors the toasty malt character. Grilled sausages with mustard complement the herbal hop notes. Spicy Thai curry harmonizes with the lemongrass quality in the hops. Pecan pie creates a sweet-bitter contrast that highlights both the dessert and the beer's resinous finish.

What sizes does Just Use Your Wings come in? It is available as a four-pack of cans, the standard retail format for this release.

Is Just Use Your Wings worth the price? It positions comfortably within the craft DIPA price tier and delivers a well-executed take on a classic style that many breweries have moved away from, making it a solid value for hop-forward beer drinkers who appreciate the PNW tradition.

Why Just Use Your Wings?

At a moment when most celebrated DIPAs lean into soft, hazy profiles, Just Use Your Wings deliberately zigs the other way — building its identity on the same Cascade, Centennial, and Chinook hop combination that defined Pacific Northwest IPAs in the first place. Phase Three's reverse osmosis water system allows precise calibration of bitterness, ensuring the classic hop trio reads as clean and resolved rather than harsh. The honey malt and Munich malt base adds a seasonal warmth that separates this release from leaner West Coast examples, giving it a distinct niche as a cold-weather DIPA. For drinkers who miss the pine-and-citrus peel directness that put American IPA on the map, this beer makes a compelling case that the old school still has something to say.