Sketchbook Insufficient Clearance 4Pk

Sketchbook Insufficient Clearance 4Pk is a sessionable New England-style hazy IPA from Evanston, Illinois, at 5.0% ABV in a four-pack of cans. Named to Draft Magazine's Top 20 IPAs in the USA in 2017 and one of the Chicago Tribune's 11 Best Beers of Summer in 2018, this lower-alcohol IPA punches well above its weight class with pronounced tropical hop character and a firm bitter backbone.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.0%  |  IBUs: 65  |  Origin: Evanston, Illinois  |  Style: Hazy IPA / New England IPA  |  Brewery: Sketchbook Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

Sketchbook Brewing Company operates out of Evanston, Illinois, a college town just north of Chicago on Lake Michigan's shore. Insufficient Clearance is built on a grain bill of pale malt, flaked oats, flaked wheat, and caramel malt — the oats and wheat contributing the pillowy, full body and persistent haze that define the style. The hop schedule layers Mosaic, Citra, and Warrior varieties to deliver intense tropical fruit aromatics while Warrior anchors the bittering charge at 65 IBUs, giving the beer a notably firmer edge than many of its softer, juice-bomb contemporaries. The result is something of an old-school approach to a new-school style: hazy and hop-forward, but with real bitterness and a dry, sessionable finish at just 5.0% ABV.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Grapefruit and pineapple lead immediately, followed by waves of orange peel and ripe mango. A faint resinous pine note lingers underneath the tropical fruit, hinting at the beer's bitter backbone.

Taste: The entry is bright and juicy — tangerine, guava, and mango arrive in quick succession across the front palate. At mid-palate, grapefruit pith and pine resin emerge, pulling the sweetness into balance. The 65 IBUs make themselves known with a clean, assertive bitterness that separates Insufficient Clearance from softer, sweeter hazy IPAs.

Finish: Medium in length with a dry, slightly resinous close and lingering grapefruit zest. The light body and moderate alcohol keep everything crisp and drinkable, inviting the next sip.

How to Drink Insufficient Clearance

Pour cold into a tulip glass or drink straight from the can — both work well, though the glass unlocks more aroma. This beer is at its best fresh; hazy IPAs lose hop vibrancy with age, so drink it sooner rather than later. Insufficient Clearance also works in hop-forward beer cocktails: a Michelada variation with lime, hot sauce, and this IPA adds tropical depth; a Beermosa blending it with fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice plays into its natural citrus character; and a Shandy mixed with lemonade makes a crushable warm-weather drink that takes advantage of the low ABV.

Best For

• Afternoon backyard sessions where you want full IPA flavor without high alcohol
• Introducing hop-curious friends to the hazy IPA style at an approachable strength
• Pairing with summer grilling — burgers, grilled fish tacos, or spicy wings
• Stocking a cooler for a Chicago-area brewery tasting lineup

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Insufficient Clearance taste like? Insufficient Clearance delivers bold tropical fruit flavors — grapefruit, mango, tangerine, and guava — balanced by a firm pine-resin bitterness and a dry, clean finish. Despite its hazy, juicy profile, it has more bite than many New England IPAs thanks to 65 IBUs and a restrained 5.0% ABV.

How does Insufficient Clearance compare to a full-strength hazy IPA? At 5.0% ABV, Insufficient Clearance sits in session territory, roughly 1.5–2 percentage points below most standard hazy IPAs, yet its hop intensity and 65 IBUs are comparable to or higher than many 6.5–7% examples. The trade-off is a lighter body and slightly less malt sweetness, which actually sharpens the hop bitterness.

Is Insufficient Clearance good for beginners? Its lower alcohol, approachable tropical fruit flavors, and smooth mouthfeel from flaked oats and wheat make it a strong entry point into the hazy IPA category. The notable bitterness at 65 IBUs may challenge total hop newcomers, but it accurately represents what the style can do.

Where is Insufficient Clearance made? Insufficient Clearance is brewed by Sketchbook Brewing Company in Evanston, Illinois, a city on Chicago's North Shore along Lake Michigan. Sketchbook is a small independent craft brewery focused on hop-forward and experimental styles.

What foods pair well with Insufficient Clearance? Spicy fish tacos benefit from the beer's tropical fruit aromatics and bitter cut through rich sauces. Grilled citrus-marinated chicken mirrors the tangerine and grapefruit notes. Sharp cheddar or pepper jack cheese stands up to the hop intensity. Thai green curry finds balance with the beer's juicy sweetness and dry finish. Buffalo wings pair naturally, with the bitterness cleansing the palate between bites.

What sizes does Insufficient Clearance come in? Insufficient Clearance is commonly available in four-packs of cans, which is the standard retail format for this beer.

Is Insufficient Clearance worth the price? Insufficient Clearance positions as a craft session IPA at a typical four-pack price point, and its recognition by Draft Magazine and the Chicago Tribune suggests quality that justifies its place among premium craft offerings. For drinkers who want big hop flavor with moderate alcohol, it delivers strong value within the session hazy IPA segment.

Why Insufficient Clearance?

Session-strength hazy IPAs often sacrifice hop complexity to hit a lower ABV, but Insufficient Clearance maintains a 65-IBU backbone and a triple-hop combination of Mosaic, Citra, and Warrior that rivals beers a full two percentage points stronger. Its inclusion in Draft Magazine's Top 20 IPAs in the USA and the Chicago Tribune's summer best-of list confirms it competes at a national level despite coming from a small Evanston brewery. The grain bill of flaked oats, flaked wheat, and caramel malt provides the creamy, full texture the style demands without weighing the beer down. For anyone seeking a genuinely flavorful IPA they can drink through an afternoon without fatigue, this is one of the more credible options coming out of the Chicago craft scene.