Sketchbook Orange Door 4Pk

Sketchbook Orange Door 4Pk is a double dry-hopped West Coast IPA brewed by Sketchbook Brewing Co. in Skokie, Illinois, at 7.2% ABV and 76 IBUs. Built on a five-hop, five-malt grain bill, this beer delivers the kind of layered hop complexity that has helped Sketchbook earn recognition including a 2023 World Beer Cup bronze medal and the Chicago Tribune Readers' Choice Award for Best Under the Radar Brewery.

Quick Facts: ABV: 7.2%  |  IBU: 76  |  Origin: Skokie, Illinois  |  Style: West Coast IPA  |  Brewery: Sketchbook Brewing Co.

Production & Heritage

Sketchbook Brewing Co. is a microbrewery in Skokie, Illinois, that earned its local following long before it had a proper taproom. The brewery's earliest days saw founders rolling out a portable bar beside the building's orange alley door — an image so iconic it became the namesake for this flagship IPA. Orange Door uses Amarillo, Warrior, Cascade, Centennial, and Simcoe hops alongside Falconer's Flight, layered over a malt bill of Pale Malt Two Row, Munich Malt, Maris Otter, Caramel/Crystal Malt, and Cara Pils. The double dry-hopping process amplifies aromatic intensity while the varied malt backbone keeps the 76 IBUs in check, producing a West Coast IPA that hits hard but stays balanced.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Grapefruit and orange dominate the nose immediately, followed by waves of pineapple and sticky pine resin. The hop aromatics are assertive and layered, a direct result of the double dry-hopping technique.

Taste: The entry is bright with citrus — grapefruit leads, followed by orange peel and a flash of tropical pineapple at mid-palate. The malt backbone introduces a measured sweetness that offsets the hop bitterness without dulling it. The body sits between medium and full, giving the flavors room to develop.

Finish: A firm, resinous bitterness lingers alongside dry grapefruit pith and a subtle piney bite. The finish is clean and encouraging, pulling you back for the next sip rather than overwhelming the palate.

How to Drink Orange Door

Orange Door is best served cold, around 45°F, in a tulip glass or standard pint to let the hop aromatics bloom. For food pairing, this IPA has enough backbone to stand alongside bold dishes. It also works surprisingly well in hop-forward beer cocktails: a Beermosa with fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice plays off the citrus notes naturally; a Hop Shandy with lemonade tames the bitterness for warm-weather sessions; and a Michelada built with hot sauce and lime adds a savory-spicy dimension that complements the resinous hop character.

Best For

• Bringing a standout four-pack to a cookout or tailgate
• Stocking the fridge for hop-loving friends who know their IBUs
• Pairing with spicy or grilled food at a backyard gathering
• Introducing someone to a well-made, classic West Coast IPA

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Orange Door taste like? Orange Door delivers bold grapefruit, orange, and pineapple flavors supported by a piney resin backbone and balanced malt sweetness. The 76 IBUs provide firm bitterness without harshness, and the medium-to-full body keeps everything grounded.

How does Orange Door compare to Stone IPA? Both are West Coast IPAs that lean into citrus and pine, but Orange Door uses a more complex five-hop, five-malt bill and a double dry-hopping process that amplifies tropical and citrus aromatics. Stone IPA tends to be slightly leaner and more aggressively bitter at a comparable ABV, while Orange Door carries more malt depth and aromatic layering.

Is Orange Door good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — its balance of citrus hop character and malt sweetness makes it a satisfying standalone drink, especially for anyone who appreciates a traditional West Coast IPA with serious hop aromatics.

Where is Orange Door made? Orange Door is brewed at Sketchbook Brewing Co., a microbrewery located in Skokie, Illinois, just north of Chicago. The beer is named after the orange alley door that served as the brewery's original entrance during its early days without a taproom.

What foods pair well with Orange Door? Grilled burgers and bratwurst match its bold hop character. Spicy tacos or Thai curry benefit from the malt sweetness tempering the heat. Sharp cheddar or pepper jack cheese creates a classic IPA pairing. Fish tacos with citrus slaw echo the beer's grapefruit and orange notes.

What sizes does Orange Door come in? Orange Door is available as a four-pack of cans, the standard retail format for this beer.

Is Orange Door worth the price? Orange Door positions as a craft microbrewery IPA — a step above mass-market IPAs in complexity and ingredient quality, priced within the range typical of small-batch four-packs. The double dry-hopping, five-hop bill, and Maris Otter malt backbone represent genuine production investment that shows up in the glass.

Why Orange Door?

In a crowded IPA landscape, Orange Door earns attention through its unusually complex grain bill and generous double dry-hopping with five distinct hop varieties. Where many West Coast IPAs lean on one or two hops and a simple malt base, Sketchbook layers Amarillo, Simcoe, Centennial, Cascade, and Warrior over a foundation that includes both Maris Otter and Munich malt — an approach that delivers depth alongside the expected citrus punch. The beer comes from a brewery that has proven its range at the highest levels, including a 2023 World Beer Cup bronze medal. Orange Door represents Sketchbook's roots: the flagship that grew from weekend growler fills at an alley door into one of the Chicago suburbs' most recognizable IPAs.