Best of Boston

A hoppy, aromatic, high-octane India Pale Ale, the Back Bay IPA gets its character from the dry hops added in the aging process. The copper-colored beer starts with the full taste of Centennial and Cascade hops from the Pacific Northwest but finishes with a hint of grapefruit. Head brewer Brian Allen says the IPA isn’t the Beer Works’ best-selling beer, but it retains a cult following because it is served as both a frosty filtered draught and, for the traditionalist who wants to drink it like the British, a cask-conditioned ale.