Finally found this stuff at a liquor store in Berkeley a few days ago. I'd first heard it existed about a year ago. It's extremely easy to find their Pale Ale, Stout and Porter. I wondered wtf is goin' on with not being able to find their IPA? So anyway. DISCLOSURE:I'm totally whipped on IPAs and esp Double IPAs. I'm a complete Hop-Head, and even marginal IPAs are preferred over most other beers. But this is probably the worst, weakest IPA I've ever had. And I've had a lot. Very underwhelming. At least it's the worst I've ever had from a west coast of US brewery. Tastes like they skimped on hops big-time. (Afraid of alienating the General beer-public by making it too bitter? Sorta like Mexican restaurants that serve "hot salsa" that no one wd break a sweat on? Anyway.)
Now I fully understand why I couldn't find SN IPA for so long: it can't compete with the other stuff out there that Hop Heads go nuts for. One of my other favorite IPA brewers - I forget who: Moylan's? - says on their bottle "Go big or get out." Something like that. I agree. If you're gonna be on the Left Coast of the USA and brew an IPA, now is not the time to come up with something like Samuel Smith's.
I think maybe it is Butte Creek who said the thing about going big. Nonetheless...
I have one more in the fridge, but I think I'll revert to my cache of Green Flash West Coast IPA, of which every bottle seems inhabited by the Hop Gods.