Temperance Gatecrasher 6Pk

Temperance Gatecrasher 6Pk is a 6.6% ABV English-style IPA from Temperance Beer Company in Evanston, Illinois, packaged as a six-pack of 12oz servings. This flagship brew earned a Gold Medal at the 2016 Great American Beer Festival in the English-style IPA category, following a Silver Medal at the same competition in 2014—a rare back-to-back showing that cemented Gatecrasher as one of the Midwest's most decorated English IPAs.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.6%  |  Origin: Evanston, Illinois, USA  |  Style: English-Style IPA  |  Brewery: Temperance Beer Company

Production & Heritage

Temperance Beer Company operated out of Evanston, Illinois, a city with deep ties to the American temperance movement—a historical irony the brewery leaned into with pride. Gatecrasher was their best-selling beer and flagship release, built on a base of Maris Otter malt, a traditional English barley variety prized for its superior malting characteristics and considered a keystone grain for authentic British ale flavors. The hop bill layers Chinook, Falconer's Flight, and East Kent Goldings through a triple dry-hopping process, producing a hop-forward character rooted in English brewing tradition rather than the aggressive West Coast approach. Temperance Beer Company officially closed on October 27, 2024, making remaining Gatecrasher stock among the final production runs of this acclaimed IPA.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with lemony wildflower and crackery malt before giving way to pine resin and tropical citrus. Grapefruit and melon notes emerge as the beer warms, balanced by a pleasant hop presence that never overwhelms.

Taste: The palate enters with a firm hop bitterness that frames layers of citrus, lemon, and a distinctive tea-like quality. Mid-palate introduces caramel from the Maris Otter base, along with grassy and honey-floral tones that reflect the English hop character. The interplay between malt sweetness and hop bitterness is well calibrated, leaning bitter without losing balance.

Finish: Gatecrasher finishes dry, with the bitterness attenuating smoothly rather than clinging. A touch of honey lingers on the tongue alongside fading pine and citrus peel.

How to Drink Gatecrasher

Pour into a tulip glass or English pint glass at around 45–50°F to let the Maris Otter malt and dry-hopped aromatics open fully; drinking straight from the bottle mutes the layered nose. For a Hop Shandy, Gatecrasher's lemon-floral character pairs naturally with fresh lemonade for a sessionable warm-weather drink. In a Citrus Radler, mix half Gatecrasher with grapefruit soda to amplify the tropical hop notes into a refreshing low-ABV sipper. For a Snakebite, the English IPA tradition of blending with dry cider highlights Gatecrasher's honey and cracker malt backbone against crisp apple acidity.

Best For

• Fans of English-style brewing seeking a Midwest interpretation with serious credentials
• Building a curated craft beer tasting flight around GABF medal winners
• Collecting final-run bottles from a celebrated Illinois brewery
• Pairing with a backyard cookout centered on grilled meats and sharp cheeses

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Gatecrasher taste like? Gatecrasher leads with citrus, lemon, and pine hop flavors backed by a biscuity Maris Otter malt sweetness and a tea-like quality. It finishes dry with lingering honey and attenuated bitterness.

How does Gatecrasher compare to Sierra Nevada Pale Ale? Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is an American pale ale built primarily around Cascade hops with a lighter body, while Gatecrasher is a more complex English-style IPA using East Kent Goldings and a triple dry-hopping process at a higher 6.6% ABV. Gatecrasher leans into biscuity Maris Otter malt depth and honey-floral notes that distinguish it from Sierra Nevada's cleaner, more straightforward citrus hop profile.

Is Gatecrasher good for sipping on its own? Absolutely—the balance between Maris Otter malt sweetness and layered hop bitterness makes it a rewarding standalone pour. Serving it slightly below room temperature in a proper glass reveals the full complexity of the triple dry-hopping.

Where is Gatecrasher made? Gatecrasher was brewed by Temperance Beer Company in Evanston, Illinois, a suburb just north of Chicago. The brewery operated until its closure in October 2024.

What foods pair well with Gatecrasher? Aged cheddar or Stilton cheese brings out the honey-malt backbone. Grilled sausages complement the pine and citrus hop bitterness. Fish and chips is a natural English-style pairing, with the dry finish cutting through the batter. Lemon-herb roasted chicken mirrors the beer's floral and citrus aromatics. Spicy Thai or Indian curries benefit from the malt sweetness tempering the heat.

What sizes does Gatecrasher come in? Gatecrasher is available as a six-pack of 12oz servings, which was the standard retail format from Temperance Beer Company.

Is Gatecrasher worth the price? Gatecrasher positions in the premium craft tier, justified by its GABF Gold Medal pedigree, triple dry-hopping process, and imported Maris Otter malt base. With Temperance Beer Company now closed, remaining stock carries added significance as a piece of Illinois craft beer history.

Why Gatecrasher?

Two Great American Beer Festival medals in three years—Silver in 2014 and Gold in 2016—placed Gatecrasher among the most recognized English-style IPAs brewed in the United States. The triple dry-hopping of Chinook, Falconer's Flight, and East Kent Goldings over a Maris Otter malt backbone gives the beer a depth that most American-brewed English IPAs struggle to achieve, bridging Old World grain character with New World hop technique. As Temperance Beer Company's best-selling beer and the release that defined the brewery's identity, Gatecrasher represented the best of Evanston's craft scene for over a decade. With the brewery's closure in late 2024, each remaining six-pack stands as a final testament to one of the Chicago area's most decorated IPAs.