Sketchbook Coastal 4Pk

Sketchbook Coastal 4Pk is a 6.5% ABV West Coast IPA from Sketchbook Brewing Co. in Skokie, Illinois, sold in a four-pack of cans. What distinguishes this IPA is its deeply regional ingredient profile — Lake Michigan water, Midwest-grown Cascade and Centennial hops, and barley grown and malted in Wisconsin — delivering a classic West Coast bitterness rooted in Great Lakes terroir. The beer holds a 3.8 out of 5 rating on Untappd across more than 1,000 reviews.

Quick Facts: ABV: 6.5%  |  IBU: 72  |  Origin: Skokie, Illinois  |  Style: West Coast IPA  |  Brewery: Sketchbook Brewing Co.

Production & Heritage

Sketchbook Brewing Co. operates out of Skokie, Illinois, a suburb on Chicago's North Shore. Coastal is built on a foundation of Lake Michigan water, which provides a clean, mineral-appropriate base for the assertive hop bill. The grain is straightforward — Wisconsin-grown and Wisconsin-malted barley — while the hop schedule relies on Cascade and Centennial, two American classics sourced from the Midwest rather than the Pacific Northwest. At 72 IBUs and 15.5 degrees Plato, this is a firmly bitter, medium-bodied IPA that leans into traditional West Coast structure rather than the haze-forward styles that dominate the current market.

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Pours a clear, bright amber with a big frothy white head and visible lacing down the glass. The clarity signals its West Coast lineage — no haze here.

Aroma: Pine resin leads, followed by a burst of citrus peel. The hop character is direct and clean, with minimal malt sweetness on the nose.

Taste: Bitter citrus hits first on entry, with grapefruit and orange rind driving the mid-palate. Lightly toasted malts provide a modest backbone without competing with the hops. The bitterness is assertive at 72 IBUs but stays balanced enough to avoid being abrasive.

Finish: A pronounced piney finish lingers with dry, resinous bitterness. The malt recedes quickly, leaving the hops in full command through a clean, crisp close.

How to Drink Sketchbook Coastal

Pour it cold — around 45°F — into a tulip glass or standard pint to let the pine and citrus aromatics open up. This IPA is built to drink straight from the pour, no garnish needed. For a Michelada, the citrus bitterness pairs well with lime juice, hot sauce, and Worcestershire. In a Beer-a-Rita (beer margarita), Coastal's grapefruit notes complement fresh lime and a salted rim. A simple IPA Shandy with fresh lemonade tempers the bitterness for warm-weather sessions.

Best For

• Backyard cookouts where a bold, hop-forward beer can stand up to grilled food
• Introducing friends to the West Coast IPA style with a locally brewed example
• Stocking a craft beer fridge with a reliable, sessionable Midwest IPA
• Pairing with spicy food nights — tacos, wings, or Thai takeout

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Sketchbook Coastal taste like? Sketchbook Coastal delivers bitter citrus — primarily grapefruit — over lightly toasted malts, finishing with a resinous pine character. It is a classic, hop-forward West Coast IPA with 72 IBUs of assertive but clean bitterness.

How does Sketchbook Coastal compare to Lagunitas IPA? Both are West Coast-style IPAs with prominent Cascade and Centennial hop profiles, but Coastal runs slightly higher in ABV at 6.5% versus Lagunitas IPA's 6.2%. Sketchbook Coastal also distinguishes itself through its Midwest-sourced ingredients, including Lake Michigan water and regionally grown barley, giving it a subtly different mineral and malt character.

Is Sketchbook Coastal good for sipping on its own? Yes — it is a straightforward, well-structured West Coast IPA meant to be enjoyed on its own, poured cold into a glass. The 6.5% ABV keeps it sessionable enough for multiple pours without overwhelming the palate.

Where is Sketchbook Coastal made? Sketchbook Coastal is brewed by Sketchbook Brewing Co. in Skokie, Illinois, located on Chicago's North Shore. The brewery uses Lake Michigan water as its brewing source and sources barley from Wisconsin.

What foods pair well with Sketchbook Coastal? Grilled burgers and bratwurst complement the toasted malt and bitter hop character. Spicy tacos or buffalo wings benefit from the citrus bitterness cutting through heat. Sharp cheddar cheese echoes the beer's malt backbone. Fish and chips work well, as the hop bitterness acts like a squeeze of lemon. Thai green curry matches the pine and citrus aromatics.

What sizes does Sketchbook Coastal come in? Sketchbook Coastal is available as a four-pack of cans, the brewery's standard retail format for this expression.

Is Sketchbook Coastal worth the price? Sketchbook Coastal positions as a craft microbrewery IPA, priced in line with other small-batch, independently brewed four-packs. For drinkers who value locally sourced ingredients and traditional West Coast IPA structure over trendy hazy styles, it represents solid value within the craft tier.

Why Sketchbook Coastal?

In a market saturated with hazy, juicy IPAs, Sketchbook Coastal is a deliberate throwback — a clear, bitter, pine-and-citrus West Coast IPA brewed with entirely regional Midwest ingredients. The use of Lake Michigan water, Wisconsin-malted barley, and Midwest-sourced Cascade and Centennial hops gives this beer a sense of place that most West Coast IPAs, ironically, lack. With 72 IBUs and a clean, dry finish, it rewards drinkers who actually want to taste hops rather than fruit juice. Its 3.8 Untappd rating across more than a thousand reviews reflects a loyal following that values honest brewing over trend-chasing.