Pipeworks Devil Firefish 4Pk

Pipeworks Devil Firefish 4Pk is an Imperial IPA brewed with puréed apricots, wildflower honey, and Citra hops at 9.5% ABV, sold as a four-pack. Rated 4.1 out of 5 on Untappd across more than 3,800 reviews, this bold double IPA from Chicago's Pipeworks Brewing Company stands out for its seamless integration of stone fruit sweetness with resinous hop character.

Quick Facts: ABV: 9.5%  |  Origin: Chicago, Illinois  |  Style: Imperial IPA  |  Brewery: Pipeworks Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Pipeworks Brewing Company operates out of Chicago, Illinois, and has earned a devoted following for its inventive, art-forward approach to craft beer. Devil Firefish is brewed as an Imperial India Pale Ale with a base built around Citra hops, then augmented with puréed apricots and wildflower honey during the brewing process. The apricot purée and honey work in tandem to round out the aggressive hop profile, producing a beer that leans into tropical fruit complexity rather than straight bitterness — a deliberate departure from the more hop-forward character of the brewery's flagship Ninja vs. Unicorn double IPA.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Ripe apricot and peach lead the nose immediately, followed by waves of mango, pineapple, and a subtle floral lift from the Citra hops. Underneath the fruit, lighter notes of crackers, lightly toasted malt, and fresh bread provide a bready backbone.

Taste: The entry is juicy and decidedly fruit-forward, with apricot sweetness blending into tropical pineapple and mango from the Citra hops. At mid-palate, honey-driven sweetness rises and melds with the stone fruit, while a tannic, slightly resinous hop presence keeps things grounded. The interplay between apricot and hops is the defining quality here — the fruit amplifies the best citrus characteristics of the Citra, and the hops sharpen the apricot's edges.

Finish: The finish is drier than the sweet mid-palate suggests, with a tannic grip that lingers alongside fading tropical fruit. Residual honey sweetness and a whisper of toasted grain close things out cleanly for a 9.5% beer.

How to Drink Devil Firefish

Pour into a tulip glass or stemmed IPA glass at around 45–50°F to let the aromatics open fully; this beer rewards a slower pour that builds a moderate head. A beer float pairing with vanilla ice cream plays off the apricot and honey sweetness. It works well as the base for a hoppy michelada, where the stone fruit character complements lime and hot sauce. For a simple summer serve, try a beer shandy blend with fresh lemonade — the citrus from both the Citra hops and the lemon creates a bright, crushable drink despite the higher ABV.

Best For

• Sharing with craft beer enthusiasts who appreciate fruit-adjunct IPAs
• Summer cookouts where a bold, aromatic beer anchors the table
• Gifting to a hop-head looking for something beyond standard West Coast IPAs
• Side-by-side tastings comparing fruit-forward versus traditional double IPAs

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Devil Firefish taste like? Devil Firefish delivers prominent apricot and tropical fruit sweetness upfront — mango, pineapple, peach — balanced by a tannic, drying hop finish and a subtle honey roundness. It drinks sweeter than a typical Imperial IPA on the mid-palate but finishes dry.

How does Devil Firefish compare to Pipeworks Ninja vs. Unicorn? Ninja vs. Unicorn is Pipeworks' flagship double IPA and leans more heavily into hop bitterness and resinous character, while Devil Firefish uses puréed apricots and honey to shift the balance toward stone fruit sweetness and a smoother body. Both sit in the Imperial IPA range, but Devil Firefish is the more fruit-driven of the two.

Is Devil Firefish good for sipping? At 9.5% ABV with layered fruit and malt complexity, Devil Firefish rewards slow sipping from a proper glass, and its drying finish keeps it from becoming cloying despite the honey and apricot additions.

Where is Devil Firefish made? Devil Firefish is brewed by Pipeworks Brewing Company in Chicago, Illinois. Pipeworks is known for its rotating roster of creative, small-batch beers alongside its established core offerings.

What foods pair well with Devil Firefish? Grilled shrimp or fish tacos, where the apricot sweetness complements charred seafood; spicy Thai curry, where honey and fruit cool the heat; aged cheddar, which contrasts the tropical fruit notes; stone fruit desserts like apricot tart, which echo the beer's core flavor; and smoked pork, where the tannic hops cut through fat.

What sizes does Devil Firefish come in? Devil Firefish is available as a four-pack of cans, which is the standard retail format for this expression.

Is Devil Firefish worth the price? Devil Firefish positions in the mid-premium tier for craft Imperial IPAs, and its use of real apricot purée and honey — combined with strong community ratings on Untappd (4.1/5) — represents solid value for a fruit-adjunct double IPA at 9.5% ABV.

Why Devil Firefish?

What separates Devil Firefish from the crowded Imperial IPA field is its deliberate use of puréed apricots and wildflower honey alongside Citra hops — an ingredient combination that produces genuine synergy rather than gimmick. The apricot draws out the citrus and tropical dimensions of the Citra, while the honey smooths the body in a way that belies the 9.5% ABV. With a 4.1 out of 5 Untappd rating across thousands of reviews, this is a beer that has proven its appeal well beyond novelty. For drinkers who find standard double IPAs one-dimensional, Devil Firefish offers a more layered, fruit-integrated alternative without sacrificing the hop backbone that defines the style.