What I’m drinking this week: Guaranteed Personality from Fall Brewing Company

Name: Guaranteed Personality

Brewery: Fall Brewing Company

Style: West Coast IPA

ABV: 7.6%

Another day, another IPA. Or is it?

This week’s pick for my 22 IPAs in 2022 challenge is from Fall Brewing Company, inspired by my recent visit to the North Park location. I’ve always loved Fall Brewing — not only is its tasting room one of my favorite spots in San Diego, but it has an amazing sour selection (shout out to its Jazz Hands series).

I figured if I start with one of my top breweries, the chances of liking the IPA are hypothetically higher, right?

While it’s not the strongest hypothesis, I surprisingly was right. From the first sip — and first smell — I was in love with this beer. But I couldn’t put my finger on what I liked so much about it. Guaranteed Personality had all the usual hops flavor that other IPAs I’ve tried in the past — why was this one so appealing?

Then it hit me like a tree. A pine tree, to be precise. Guaranteed Personality is definitely one of the more pine-ier (is that even a word?) brews I’ve ever tried. I never considered myself a pine aficionado, but five minutes into this beer I was about ready to assume a Pine Personality. As I sipped the refreshing beverage, I began making plans of all of the pine-forward IPAs to stack my to-drink list with.

Then came the bad news: that affection doesn’t have staying power. The longer I sipped the drink, the less I liked it. It felt stale, tangy and warm ... an experience that turned my latest Go-To Beer to Just Another IPA. Why?

I’m don’t know — but I refuse to give up on the Best First Sip. So I’m going to chase that taste and see if I have the same experience with drinking the beer on tap versus in the can. Next time I visit Fall Brewing — this time the Golden Rhino Room in South Park, a place that has been on my list for awhile — I plan to swap my Jazz Hands with Guaranteed Personality for a second taste. (Opting for a sour over an IPA ... who even am I?)