City: Fall River, CA

ABV: 7.1%

Style: India Pale Ale

Mode: 22oz Bottle

First off, let’s address this Hex… hexa… hexawhat? A hexagenia is a type of mayfly, and the largest hatch in North America happens every year on the Fall River in northeastern California. One might think naming a beer after a bug isn’t the best marketing plan, but for a certain demographic of fly-fishermen/ladies (or all you entomomaniacs out there), this is definitely something to get your panties in a twist over. The 22oz bottle boasts a bitchin’ graphic of a gigantic fish about to chomp down on one of these tasty flies.

To really get the full effect of this beer, I brought along a couple bombers on our latest trip- mostly so I could be drinking a Fall River Hex, on the Fall River, fishing the hex hatch. (BOOM! Did that blow your mind a little?) The beer itself has a fantastic nose- bright and hoppy. I find this to be a really well-balanced IPA. If you’re looking for that bitter finish that smacks you hard across the face, look elsewhere, because this particular IPA goes down smoooooooooth. There is a strong grapefruit presence in the flavor, along with some subtle pine notes, which blend nicely with this hoppy brew. 

I’m not going to lie - this is one of my favorite IPA’s, and it was hard not to just fangirl all over the place while writing this review. I love that it’s a local brew, the owners are awesome, and they have the best taphouse employees around. They have several award-winning beers, so even if hops aren’t your thing, you should definitely check out their other offerings. 

Written by Emily

Photos by Dan