Faction Brewing Winter IPA 7.2% Review

Faction Brewing Winter IPA 7.2%

This article is based on a past tasting experience and was updated in June 2025.

【#りほびーる No. 433] Faction Brewing Winter IPA 7.2% — here’s my review!
Recommended Craft Beer

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About This Craft Beer

Beer Characteristics

Faction’s most popular flagship IPA.
This core product is brewed with slightly adjusted recipes each spring, summer, fall, and winter, with the label design and name changing seasonally — Summer IPA, Winter IPA, and so on.
Using whole cone Citra hops and Simcoe for dry hopping. Rich hop aroma and solid flavor, yet extremely drinkable and well-balanced.

When Did I Buy It?

March 2023

Where Did I Buy It?

Bought at Hiraguchi Toyojiro Store, near The Slop Shop. Since The Slop Shop doesn’t carry Nagano Trading beers, I often use this shop instead.

【ふるさと納税】 ビール クラフトビール 鶴居村 12本セット Brasserie Knot レギュラービール4種各2本 + 道東 限定 ビール 4本 craft beer ブラッスリーノット お中元 パーティー お歳暮 価格：30000円（税込、送料無料) (as of 2023/1/21) 楽天で購入

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Craft Beer Review

Appearance

Clear with a slightly strong brown hue.

Aroma

Orthonasal Aroma

Strong tart apple-like aroma. When you smell carefully, you can also detect Citra’s ripe melon. Also, a distinctive sweet aroma reminiscent of vanilla.Likely malt-derived. Pleasant.

Retronasal Flavor

Alcohol with a tea leaf-like quality similar to black tea. Berry aromas with slightly peachy sweetness. Acidity like pineapple and kiwi mixed together. Delicious.

Taste

Mouthfeel

Natural, beer-like mouthfeel. Slightly low carbonation? Just right. A brief flash of crispy umeboshi (pickled plum)-like acidity that’s pleasant.

Body and Texture

Strong bitterness and acidity. Marmalade-like bitterness. Not the type that gradually builds — it’s bold and bitter from the start. Heavy bitterness with momentum that I really love. A powerhouse. Intense bitterness carrying marmalade and kiwi-like acidity that hits you like a muscular punch — wonderfully pleasant. The hops aren’t overpowering; the malt foundation is extremely solid. When you spread the liquid flat on your tongue, you can clearly taste vanilla-like malt sweetness — very pleasant. Holding it on the tongue for a while reveals slight astringency, but nothing concerning.

The Swallow

Acidity and astringency stand out a bit, but they pair wonderfully with a touch of dankness. A pepper-like spice runs through the back of the nose. Fermentation-derived perhaps?

Aftertaste

What I thought was astringency transforms beautifully into orange peel — wonderfully pleasant and surprising. Very delicious. Not dry; instead, it leaves a mellow malt sweetness and citrus lingering in the mouth. Pleasant.

Overall Impression

It feels like a modern take on an old-school IPA — a PA with almost sweetly pronounced malt, generously loaded with hops. I’d want to sip this leisurely. Better enjoyed on its own than with food, though fried food and cheese would pair well — and surprisingly, oysters might be a great match too! That was my review of Faction Brewing Winter IPA 7.2%!

Sediment

Rich acidity and malt sweetness. Strong yeast ester character, giving an impression like zero-calorie diet soda. Completely different from the main pour. Better to separate.

Check out my other Faction Brewing reviews

FACTION アーカイブ - りほのビール旅行記 - アメリカと日本のブルワリー訪問

「FACTION」の記事一覧です。

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Check out my article on craft beer furusato nozei (hometown tax) picks from 2022 below!

クラフトビールのふるさと納税完全ガイド

ふるさと納税で手に入るクラフトビールをブルワリー別にまとめました。納税先を検討中の方は参考にしてください。

rihobeer.com

2024.07.05

I regularly update my recommended craft beers available on Rakuten, so check it out!

Best Craft Beer on Rakuten (March 2026 Update)

Best Craft Beer on Rakuten (Updated March 2026)This article is based on past tasting experiences and was updated with th...

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🏆 Overall Rating

🛒 Purchase Information

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👉 What is Dank IPA?

Faction Brewing Winter IPA 7.2% FAQ

What does Faction Brewing Winter IPA 7.2% taste like?

Faction Brewing Winter IPA 7.2% is an IPA style beer. See the main article for detailed tasting notes on flavor, aroma, and appearance.

Where can I buy Faction Brewing Winter IPA 7.2%?

It may be available at specialty craft beer shops or online stores. If hard to find, our recommended craft beer featurefor other great options.

Are there other recommended IPA brands?

We review many IPAs on this site. Complete Guide to Dank IPAやDDH/TDH Beer Guide for more recommendations.

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