Meetings always get off to a better start when they start with beer recommendations from the area – I could attend those all day long! Today’s beer comes from our friends in Orlando at DPR. They were very stoked about a limited release from Cigar City (in nearby Tampa) of their White Oak Jai Alai IPA. Now you might be familiar (as I was) with the regular IPA (also delicious). This beer is named after the sport of Jai Alai, where participants whip a really hard ball off a wall at speeds of over 150 mph. Now, if you ever feel like you’ve been whacked in the head by something hard at 150 MPH, you’re probably in the middle of a LEED review. In this case, we’ll just appreciate the sport (which you can bet on in Florida!) for the namesake beer that resulted.
The regular IPA has some pretty decent availability, at least in the southeast, and represents the true IPA style (albeit not beating you over the head with hops, as some do). A hint of orange complements the bitterness and malt of the brew, and you get your hoppy characteristics from six different hop varieties. 
But that is just an appetizer for the main course – the White Oak Jai Alai IPA. Alas, it is a special brew (our DPR buddy Rob Z got it straight from the brewery, one of the 124 he’s been to), and we’ll have to keep our eyes peeled to see if it graces store shelves around here. But besides your regular IPA characteristics, the white oak imparts an oaky flavor (shocker, I bet) with a touch of vanilla that sets this beer apart as a must try. You maintain your hoppy bitterness, but get a nice smooth barrel character. 
It’s about the time – grab a Green Badger Koozie, pop a beer, and get ready to enjoy the weekend!
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