Anthony1138's White IPA

Anthony1138's White IPA (2012)

Homebrew.

12 fl. oz. / $N/A (Gift) / 4.7% ABV

About: Late last year Anthony1138 sent me two more bottles of his awesome home-brews, another Pumpkin brew of course and this time a White IPA (I did a follow up review on his Pumpkin Brown Ale which can be found under the Double Vision section of my blog - which is a tag for when I revisit a beer and decide to blab some more). I'd like to take this time to thank Anthony once more for being such a great pal through these years. Dude, wherever you are and whatever crazy shit is going on, I hope you're drinking some kickass beers, watching some demented Italian films and feelin' good, man.

Thoughts: When I got the bottle of this in the mail it looked insane. There were funky clouds swirling throughout the whole bottle. I let it rest a few days so some of that yeast could settle, but that only made it angry! When I opened it the cap almost exploded into the stratosphere.

WIPA poured out an uber cloudy light yellow with a huge fluffy white head, and it immediately fogged up my pint glass. I had to wait a while to pour the rest from the bottle before taking the pics, as the head filled up about a third of the glass at first. Carbonation is a heavy medium, and there seem to be a few black peppery flakes in here. Not many, but they're clinging to the side of the glass.

This beer has lemon zest all over it and it smells really really good. There's a light spiciness to it, and it's got a nice aromatic quality as well. 

The orange peel really comes blasting out in the first sip. Wow. I love orange peel too. I always eat about a third of the peel when I eat an orange. There's a ton of wheat in this, and while the Belgian Pils malt seems a bit overpowered by it, it's still there just enough to influence the flavor of this thing. Nice balance. It doesn't really go off in any one singular direction, but rather maintains a tasty fusion of all the ingredients that mingle together harmoniously.

Mouth feel is really slick. It leaves a slight film on the teeth, but it's really smooth and just a little bit dry. Nice work on making yourself a sessionable, interesting and great tasting brew. Keep it up. If I ever move out of my crawlspace the first thing I'm going to do is go get the tools to make myself some crazy concoctions. When that day comes you can expect a black licorice maple syrup harvest pumpkin cinnamon baked french toast oatmeal stout in the mail.

Stone IPA and Cali-Belgique IPA

Stone IPA - India Pale Ale (2012)

Year Round Brew.

22 fl. oz. / $4.99 USD / 6.9% ABV

About: "You'll find our Stone India Pale Ale to be true to style with a huge hop aroma, flavor and bitterness throughout. If you're a hop-head like us, then you'll love our Stone India Pale Ale! Medium malt character with a heavy dose of over the top hops! Generous "dry hopping" gives this beer its abundant hop aroma and crisp hop flavor. Hop Variety: Columbus, Chinook and Centennial."

Thoughts: Stone IPA poured a light yellowish golden hue and featured a huge white head that built slow and showed not a single sign of going anywhere. The brew is slightly hazy and there's a nice amount of carbonation rising up. Looking at the bottle before opening it I notice a lot of sediment on the bottom, I'll be pouring that in later.

As I poured it I immediately got hit with a huge pungent smack! I gave it a minute after pouring it in the glass and then leaned in cautiously. Alright, I'm getting a lot of citrus hops and some pine. It smells slightly sweet, but I've got a feeling it's not going to taste sweet at all.

Gentle bitterness, little bit soapy... spicy, hints of ginger on orange chicken, and there's a heavy haze of grassy grapefruit. That's about it. Doesn't taste boring, but it's not terribly exciting. For their standard IPA, it's decent start for anyone looking to try one of their brews. To me though, it feels as it it's missing a special something. It's not nearly indulgent enough. Then again, I'm a triple IPA kind of guy now so it's hard going back to the standards.

Mouth feel is very frothy, bubbly and fades smoothly as you swallow it.

Alright, pouring the rest with the junk at the bottom: Result is a slightly more flavorful brew, and a bit more balanced, if that's possible. Not sure how it happened either, but it's a lot smoother as well. This beer is fairly inoffensive, and wait, what happened at the end... that sweetness that I never thought I'd taste? There it is. Minimal as it is, there's a candy coated finish on the bomber. This is most likely the first and last time I'll ever buy this... but it'll help give me some perspective on some of Stone's other beers which I'm soon to try out, and for a lonely couple of them, revisit.

Stone Cali-Belgique IPA (2013)

Year Round Beer.

22 fl. oz. / $5.69 USD  / 6.9% ABV

About: "When reading the name "Stone Cali-Belgique IPA", "Cali" hints that it is a California-style IPA, and this brew has an undeniable Belgian influence, indicated by the word "Belgique" (which is how Belgium's French-speaking population says the word "Belgian"; the Dutch-speaking Belgians say "België"). We carefully selected a Belgian yeast strain that illuminates a fascinating new aspect of the beer that is otherwise quite simply Stone IPA. The result is both completely new and different, while still being recognizable as a Stone brew - and Stone IPA in particular. Think of it as an otherwise identical twin to Stone IPA that was raised in a Belgian culture. Literally. HOP VARIETY: Columbus, Chinook and Centennial"

Thoughts: Purchased and drank on 1/22/13 with an Enjoy by date of 2/22/13. Loud hiss on the cap. Poured a golden yellow color with a shade of orange in there, and a smaller than expected white head that fizzled down into four puddles and a foamy ring around the glass.

Smells a little bit light. It's not as hop forward as their regular IPA, but it still smells really sweet and the addition of Belgian yeast is very harmonious. Getting a lot of peppery spice and everything seems to be flowing smoothly. It gets pretty dank after a while too. While this brew does have a solid scent to it, it's not really popping too much.

The taste is really gentle with tons of sweetness up front and then a heavy bitterness that builds up rapidly. There's a lot of citrus here, mostly lemon, maybe some tangerine, but also a bit of grapefruit on the end of it. There's no sting to the beer, but there is a mellow buzzing to it which is enjoyable and fun. It's pretty cool how it starts out really sweet but then the bitterness hits and gives it a nice balance of flavors.

Basically this is a really affordable beer that was made well and tastes pretty good for a different version on their standard, less celebrated beer. While it's an interesting take on their IPA, it's nothing truly remarkable (when compared to their better offerings I mean). It tastes really good overall, and I can't complain as it's all enjoyable.

This is a really laid back and relaxed beer, very reminiscent of the beach bum California lifestyle... but with a little twist.

Sixpoint Autumnation

Sixpoint Autumnation (2012)

Brewed and Canned by Sixpoint Brewery, Brooklyn, NY. USA.

Autumn Seasonal.

16 fl. oz. / $2.95 USD / 6.7% ABV

About: "No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace, as I have seen in one autumnal face. One of the most special times of the year for craft brewers is the hop harvest. The Autumnation celebrates this season by harnessing pumpkin and fresh "wet hops" chosen by our fans. Our Autumnal brew is made with subtle pumpkin and spice, but its prominent feature is the fresh harvested "wet-hops" that are added. There is a new hop strain and selection every year. Autumnation 2012 features Citra Hops." 

Thoughts: What an absolutely beautiful looking beer. Autumnation poured an extremely cloudy bright orange hue with a huge fluffy white head on top. There were a few flakes floating around in there at first, but they quickly dissolved.  The carbonation seems slight.

The scent is of incredibly fresh, strong, zesty and piney hops! Awesome. I'm reminded of Sierra Nevada's Estate Ale and a little bit of that Pliny The Elder. It's very resiny, and has got a nice and sweet malt backup to it.

Stinging hops burst and explode upon first impact, and after slowly settling down, an earthy semi-sour mash rolls in... and is then uprooted by a gentle and slightly sweet, toasty caramel malt. This one is really light on the spices. I would have liked to get a little bit more of a traditional pumpkin beer taste with this one, but I'm not really complaining. It's very raw, peppery and pretty fierce. I like it a lot.

Mouth feel on this one is very frothy, tingling and only slightly sticky.

I'm not really sure how I feel about this as a "pumpkin beer". It's one hell of an IPA, that's for sure. And for what it is, a definitely worthwhile beer to seek out, this one is going high up the list of Pumpkin Ale for me. It really does bring all the flavors of fall along with it. This is a strange beer, but it's some damn good fine drinking.

Baxter Brewing Stowaway IPA

Baxter Brewing Stowaway I.P.A. (2012)

Brewed and Canned by Baxter Brewing Co., in Lewiston, ME. USA.

Year Round Brew?

12 fl. oz. / $1.70 USD / 6.9% ABV

About: "Bold, complex flavors with a solid malt backbone and assertive hop profile, along with cold conditioning, give this beer its crisp, clean, hoppy finish. Deep amber-to-orangish in color, Stowaway pours with a nice, creamy head; a huge hop aroma of citrus, pine and grapefruit notes; and a big, complex, and intense hop flavor from the 5 different hop varieties and double-dry-hopping procedure used in making this beer. The malt flavor up-front turns dry and crisp; Stowaway is full-bodied but with a dry finish and pleasant, long-lasting, hop aftertaste. This I.P.A. definitely leaves you wanting more."

Thoughts: Poured like an orangy amber, almost golden color with an off white head bursting and popping all different sized bubbles. It's an extremely clean looking beer, totally transparent and seems to have some pretty abundant carbonation.

It's got a bit of a classic IPA scent to it. Very citrusy right off, loads of grapefruit and lemon zest. Smells tangy, and tropical, and there's a sweet malt background to it. The longer you breath it in the more slowly frosts the nostrils.

Taste is... well, similar to the smell. Though it got pretty damn bitter relatively quickly, and then a strange sensation of burnt caramel that's a bit metallic tasting hit. After that a little bit of soap and even some sourdough bread. It's pretty peppery overall, and there's a slight grassyness to it after a short while. It's got a snap to it, but I wish some of that fruitiness stuck around after the first two gulps.

Mouthfeel is pretty oily.

There's a ton of hop bitterness in this that really pops. It tastes very raw, and equally strong. And despite that soapyness, it's still pretty good. The malt background doesn't do a stellar job of balancing out this bitter bomb.

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp 2012 Series

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp 2012 Series

Limited Release. 12 fl. oz. (x12) / $20.49 USD / VAR% ABV (see below)

I was mildly excited about this and picked it up on sight. Care to read what I thought about these?

Floral IPA (aka Long Stem IPA) - Beer Camp #53 (2012)

12 fl. oz. (x3) / 5.9% ABV

About: "This unique take on the IPA style takes the floral aromas and flavors found in hops, and combines the with actual flowers! This medium-bodied brew was made using actual organic rose petals and rose hips for an unusually aromatic experience. With a complex mix of floral, citrus and pine hop flavors, and a balanced and easy-drinking malt backbone Long Stem IPA is a one-of-a-kind beer.

Bittering Hops: Citra / Aroma Hops: Centennial and Crystal / Torpedo Hops: Centennial, Saphir and Rose Petals / Malt: Golden Promise, Caramel (15L), Special B and Chocolate / Yeast: Ale / Other: Rose Hips."

Thoughts: As I poured this the head got off to a pretty violent start then slowly fell back into a sliver atop the brew. It's got an orange color overall, perhaps a little bit of a cinnamon color to it. When I hold it up to the light I notice that this beer is Grainy as all hell! It looks like someone took a couple hop flowers and took a cheese grater to em.

Smelt pretty pungent during the pour. Well, the scent is certainly more floral than anything else. I'm noticing like a 75% lemon 25% grapefruit citrus hop background under the flowery aroma. It's kind of sweet, like those Lemon-head candies, or those old school sugared lemon candies that your granny would have in a jar for three years straight and when  you tried to pick one up the whole bowl would come up with it! It's like that, and soft flower pedals.

The taste pretty much matches the scent exactly, which isn't a bad thing at all since it smells really cool. It's got a decent bitterness, and a light touch of pine, but it's also a tad sweet too.

Mouth feel is a little heavy. It's a weighted beer that's prickly, very crisp and finishes clean.

This is an OK beer. It's not incredible or mindblowing, and unfortunately not too intresting really. But it tastes good at least, and I guess that matters. Right?

Imperial Red Ale (aka Red-Oric) - Beer Camp #65 (2012)

12 fl. oz. (x3) / 8.1% ABV

About: "This Imperial Red Ale takes the bold hop profile found in a traditional Imperial IPA and turns up the malt. It has big aromatic hop notes of grapefruit, peach and melon, balanced by a very smooth and surprisingly robust malt body. Hops take the lead on this beer, but the malt tames the bitterness and adds a unique drinkability.

Bittering Hops: Magnum and Experimental Variety / Aroma Hops: Chinook, Magnum and Experimental Variety / Dry Hops: Citra and Magnum / Malt: Pale 2-Row, Patagonia, Caramel (45L) and Chocolate / Yeast: Ale."

Thoughts: This beer poured a translucent cherry cool-aid like color, with a huge somewhat pink looking fluff of a head. There's tons of carbonation bubbles going up, the smaller bubbles rising slow and the bigger bubbles zooming right past them. Cool. There are really neat speckles scattered all throughout the brew too. I like the cut of this one's jib, or something...

The scent isn't all too strong. It's hard to pick up, and a little bit strange. A very low droned, malty and sourness to it. I'm getting toasted sesame seeds I think, or like, funky sourdough bread.

Taste is bitter straight off the bat. And smokey. And tart. Well hidden alcohol. A prickling sensation while it's held in the mouth. After the swallow the whole back of the throat is as if I had just chewed a piece of lemon peel. Eventually that dies down a bit, and as the beer warms it become easier drinking. It tastes kind of like a funky, flat, spiced soda. Meh.

Light, airy and fluffy like a bit cotton ball as it expands.

Not really digging this one too much, despite the noticeable quality.

Imperial Pilsner (aka Sticke Pilsner) - Beer Camp #43 (2012)

12 fl. oz. (x3) / 5.6% ABV

About: "Packing a big hop-forward punch and bright crisp finish, this golden pilsner features a hearty dose of "sticky" resinous Crystal and Pacifica dry hops, which balance the light-bodied yet complex malt background.

Bitter Hops: Magnum / Aroma Hops: Crystal and Pacifica / Torpedo Hops: Crystal and Pacifica / Malt: Pale 2-Row, Europils, Munich and Acidulated / Yeast: Lager."

Thoughts: Poured an incredibly clear light yellow. There's a lot of carbonation going on. The head was really crackly at first but didn't die down as fast as I thought it was going to.

Smells of straw. Light, crispy hops. Mild citrus.

Slightly bitter, herbal... quite yeasty, and a there's a bit of twang to it. There's a subtle spicyness to it and a  Lemon kick in the background.  In fact, a lot of this beer is subtle. There's really not a lot going on  at all, other than it tastes OK. Very mild and soapy, aside from that tingling spice that's it's got there. It's a little bit funky. Aftertaste is like ash.

Mouth is light, easy and a little watery.

Yep, nothing I love more than sitting back with an Imperial 5.6% Pilsner after a hard days wor... oh wait, I fuckin' hate pilsners now don't I? Forgot about that. But hey, maybe I'll find an eye-opener pils one of these daze, who knows.

Oatmeal Stout (aka Snowed In Stout) - Beer Camp #45 (2012)

12 fl. oz. (x3) / 9.0% ABV

About: "Brewed in honor of the season's only snow-day in Chico, this big stout was born out of winder, but is perfect any time of the year. This imperial oatmeal stout is inky black in color, with a big milk chocolate, mocha-like aroma. It has a silky body from the use of rolled oats, and a round and lasting finish.

Bittering Hops: Brewer's Gold and UK Challenger / Aroma Hops: Willamette and Styrian Golding / Malt: Pale 2-Row, Caramel (60L), Rolled Oats, Chocolate, Black and Roasted Barley / Yeast: Ale."

Thoughts: The deceptively hidden milk-chocolate colored head on this erupted in a downward fury that nearly overflowed. In its fluffy and giggly wake, it left a pitch black brew that clouded up the sides of the glass.

Sweet and somewhat spicy, an roasted coffee undertone, toasted oats and chocolate milk. This smells... awesome!

Starts off with a gentle sweetness, with kind of a tingle that slowly fades into a slow roasted bitterness that isn't all too powerful. Alcohol must be incredibly well hidden in this one. After a while it becomes bittersweet, and though there's a bit of a burn around the back of the throat once it warms, it's all pretty mellow. There's nothing extreme at all about this one, but that isn't really a bad thing here.

It's a little bit more watery than I thought it would be.

This one is decent enough. Once it gets room temp there's a bit of black licorice that comes out, and that's pretty nice.

Final Thoughts: Overall I think all four of these beers lacked in a special something. I can see why they're pretty much brewpub exclusives and don't imagine that any of these will ever see a full time release on their own. I am interested in trying more beers from their uber-long list of Beer Camp brews though. Hopefully next time they'll keep the original names on the package though. I wasn't fond of the generic titling (and labeling) on these. 

Considering the fact that I didn't totally love at least one of these four beers, the only way I'd buy another Beer Camp 12 Pack for 20$ would be if they were four different brews. Though it goes without saying that all four of these beers are far better than a lot of the mainstream shit out there, they don't really hit me as "labors of love" or whatnot. Quality brews nonetheless, but not nearly Sierra Nevada's best moments.

Santa Cruz Ale Works IPA and Dark Night Oatmeal Stout

Santa Cruz Ale Works I.P.A. (2012)

 Brewed and Bottled by Santa Cruz Ale Works in Santa Cruz, CA. USA.

Year Round Brew.

22 fl. oz. / $4.99 USD / 6.5% ABV

About: "Another excellent example of how brewers out West can manipulate hops. Originally designed by the British, this style was made with more hops and alcohol in order to survive the long traveling ships from Great Britain to India, at the time a new English Colony. This lightly colored ale is very aggressively hopped from start to finish. From the first sip the hop bitterness and aroma are overwhelming then rounds off nicely with a citrus finish. Including dry-hopping we use over 30 lbs. per batch (2 lbs. per bbl)."

Hey, thanks for the descriptive description!

Thoughts: This beer's got a hazy, lemony yellow color and bursted with a quick building and long lasting fluffy white head.

The scent... is pretty dank. It's extremely floral, there's a slight citrus tone, and it's got a heavy, pungent odor.

First gulp, and I get bitter, crackling hops. It's zesty, lemony, and quite a bit funky. After a while a flowery and grassy mix of fuzz coasts the back of the tongue. It's got a hint of sweetness, but it's clouded by a bitter and earthy taste. Too strong of yeast perhaps? It's not the most pleasant tasting beer, but I can tolerate it.

Medium and feels like a solid brew. Not too thick and not really watery at all.

This beer is way too flowery and acrimonious (O_o) for me. It's not horrible or rancid or anything, a bit gamy rather, but I'm not digging it enough for a 22 oz. Though I'll finish the bomber, a 12 oz would have been enough for a one time try. I could see if this beer was incredible, that they may be a little secretive about how they brew it... but it wasn't really all that good, so what's with the lack of info? Does dry hopping = "manipulating" hops? Is that what they call it out west? Innovative stuff.

Santa Cruz Ale Works Dark Night Oatmeal Stout (2012)

Year Round Brew(?)

22 fl. oz. / $4.99 USD / 6% ABV

About: This beer isn't even listed on their website, and also, I don't have the bottle any longer so I cannot write what was on the label (and I don't recall there being much).

Thougths: Poured a pitch black hue with a light tan head that faded into a few strange looking puddles that resembled the shape of sea-horses.

It smells pretty good, like a standard stout actually. It's got a rich, hearty aura to it though I'm not really getting much oatmeal... only coffee.

The taste is bitter coffee and grass for the most part. Oatmeal is severely lagging behind, and there really isn't much else. And for some reason it seems really watered down or something. Huh, it's not that interesting at all, just kinda there. Meh!

Mouth feel is watery, thin, lacking... it leaves no trail. Well, aside from some grass on the back of the tongue.

This isn't rich or indulgent enough for me. It's actually pretty bland. Damn shame. This is a pretty weak beer on it's own, but when I think back to Wolaver's Oatmeal Stout this one becomes downright horrendous compared.

Berkshire Sour Mash Whiskey Barrel Aged Saint of Circumstance

Berkshire Saint of Circumstance - Sour Mash Whiskey Barrel Aged IPA (2012)

Limited Release (Brewed Once)

22 fl. oz. / $9.49 USD / 5.7% ABV(?)

About: "Saint of Circumstance Sour Mash Whiskey Barrel Aged IPA married the grassy hop notes of this unique India Pale Ale with the richness of whiskey and oak, creating an enticing brew of exceptional character. The use of a mystery hop means this beer can never be duplicated. Aged 8 months in barrels from a well known Tennessee distillery, we at Berkshire Brewing Company offer up this special brew as a treat to you, our loyal customers. Ad Chris and Gary are fond of saying "Its all about the beer, but the beer is nothing without the people". We hope you enjoy it, and thank you for your support."

Thoughts: Poured a darker amber with a shade of red that settled into a orange hued, near golden haze. The eggshell white head was slow to form and lasted for a short while before frothing out into clusters.

The scent is blisteringly strong and agonizingly beautiful! Very strong splinters of wood from those sour mash whiskey barrels pierce my nose. I'm not really getting much of an IPA scent on this one at all, and I'm wondering if they even completely emptied the barrels before filling it with their beer. Either way, it smells delightful, but if you don't like the smell or taste of any sort of whiskey then you'll positively hate this!

E-Gah... whoo-boy! Straight up sour mash whiskey slap to the face. Any resemblance to an IPA seems to be completely lost in this one. I'm getting a lot of wood around the end and after the swallow once the air hits me again. Then I sucked the froth out of my mustache and cringed as the sour remnants struck their chord once more. Nicely done, Berkshire. They say they use a mystery hop in this so it'll never be duplicated, but I'll be damned if I can't really find much of it here. What I am getting is citrus and light grass, and it's very sour but not like lemons or limes or grapefruit at all, more like orange... but it's funky sour orange like I've never tasted before. Not only is this IPA domniated by the aging process here, but it's really seemingly malt heavy as well. I'm getting a lot of biscuit and a little bit of caramel. The hops, well, they start to come through the more you drink it. But it's an undertone to it all, and that's mainly how citrus and grass likes to hang around on the back of the tongue and taunt.

Mouth feel? Pucker up baby!

The only other beer that I've had that's remotely comparable to this is Innis and Gunn's Whiskey barrel , and even then, they're not even near similar.

This tart as all fuck brew doesn't exactly stand out as any sort of IPA, but as a whiskey aged brew it is decent enough, though totally sour! I can only imagine what it would have tasted like if it were a true IPA with a bit of these flavors. The sour overwhelms everything here. Meh, I finished it.

Blue Hills Brewery Black Hops

Blue Hills Black Hops (2011)

Brewed and Bottled by Blue Hills Brewery in Canton, MA. USA. 

Year Round Beer?

22 fl. oz. / $3.99 USD / 6.75% ABV

About: "This black hybrid ale is a style of its own creation. Truly original, we base the grain bill after the infamous German Schwarzbier, a drinkable beer with a depth of dark color. This is accomplished using hops to bitter the beer rather than roasted malts common in styles like stout or porter. For our masterpiece, we use our house ale yeast to produce a fuller flavor than the lager versions found in Germany. Once fermented we “lager” or cold store the ale, which tones down the aroma produced in top fermentation. What’s left is the satisfying aroma of chocolate malt and citrus, followed by a malty, hoppy, and slightly dry taste. Our Blackhops delights the ale or lager customer alike."

Thoughts: Black Hops didn't pour black as I had been expecting, but rather a lighter dark amber brown during the pour that ended up looking like a brown ale with a shade of raspberry red. The dark cream colored head exploded upon the first pour and took up half the glass with tons of very small bubbles going crazy. The head eventually ended up as a foamy froth, and as I look through the incredibly murky glass I notice tons of carbonation bubbles rising.

The smell is very interesting and unexpected. Not a lot of hops coming through at first, but rather some roasted caramel and chocolatey malts. There's a very fruity tone to it as well, not really banana as I thought at first, but instead... sliced pears in natural juices. It's kinda weird.

Taste is well... pretty bad. Yeah. It's so grassy. The flavor, whatever there is of it, disappears almost immediately and leaves a hazy film in the mouth. The fruity smell when you drink and the taste of that burnt grass just combine to form this really sour sensation and that ain't good. It really tastes like some kind of watered down soda that's gone bad. You know that scene in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas where Duke gets all that dust in his beer, I imagine it tastes like that, only not thick at all.

Mouth feel is very thin and watery. It doesn't taste or feel like a real beer. Considering pouring the rest out.

Went to pour the last half out and as I took a last look at it I noticed a HUGE amount of sediment in the bottom of the glass. Considering that this beer tastes dusty, sour and strange already I don't even want to know if that's good stuff or bad shit. Meh! Down the drain with you. Should I even try their Watermelon Wheat Ale now? Am I that much of a glutton for abuse!? We'll see.

Weyerbacher Hops Infusion

Weyerbacher Hops Infusion - India Pale Ale (2011)

Year Round (Standard Release)

12 fl. oz. / $0.78 USD (Sale) / 6.2% ABV

About: "Our brewers’ intention on Hops Infusion was to create a complexity of hops flavor and aromas, not found in any other beer. Made with seven hop varieties, this deep copper-orange IPA is loaded with juicy hop notes of pine, lemon zest, and a layer of pink grapefruit and a strong foundation of toasted caramel malts underneath it all give this beer a complexity that’s unparalleled. Hops Infusion weighs in at 6.2% and is available year-round. In case you are wondering, the seven varieties are Cascade, Pilgrim, Centennial, Liberty, Saaz, Fuggle and E. Kent Golding."

Thoughts: Poured a totally glowing orange amber shade with a thick as all hell fluffy bubbly head that was pretty darn white but just a tad orange itself as well. This beer is incredibly hazy and there's hardly a bubble rising when I check through it.

The scent is strong with this one as it hit me during the pouring, and let me tell you, it is beautiful. I'm getting some spicy sweetness

Sweet candied hops up front. I'm getting a gentle soothing of caramel like tones, and peach(!) of all fruits. Cool. It's almost a little bit grassy towards the back of the tongue but not really. This brew is pretty smooth tasting. Low bitterness. Sweet, mild and fruity. Enjoyable.

Mouth feel is very frothy and bubbly, and it's almost like swallowing air. Interesting.

This is a pretty unique tasting IPA. I really didn't know what to expect at all, but I don't think I was expecting something this drinkable. I pounded the thing in four gulps (which I don't ever do in reviews). It was pretty refreshing too. I'm not exactly blown away or anything, but this is a pretty quality beer and I found myself really enjoying it. Too bad I hear it's getting discontinued.

Southern Tier IPA, Hop Sun and Phin and Matt's

Southern Tier IPA - India Pale Ale (2011)

Year Round Release
12 fl. oz. / $0.78 USD (Sale) / 7.3% ABV

About: "IPA stands for India Pale Ale and ours is an American version of the classic style. IPA’s namesake lies in its colonial roots. British soldiers on their way to India drank a lot of beer, but found it would go stale on the long voyages. Meanwhile, brewers knew that by adding more hops the beer would stay fresh. Voila! A new style was born and it is one we are proud to brew. Southern Tier IPA is triple hopped on its journey to your glass for a fully aromatic experience."

Thoughts: Poured a clear amber orange with a puffy two finger bone white head that slowly made its way down to a frothy one finger head of foamy goodness. I noticed as I was pouring this that a few small bits of hop flowers came out of the bottle... causing me to giggle mischievously like The Sinful Dwarf.

Wow. This is what it's all about. This is the kind of smell that you just want to breath it in all night while you sleep!

Major spices and haze hit the back of my throat, before a flow of circling biscuity malts and flowery hops roll around my mouth. Very peppery, malty and semi-sweet. For an IPA this one is superbly balanced. Whereas the hops in Hop Sun slightly overpower the wheat, the hops and malts here intertwine perfectly. The scent of hops in this IPA is a lot stronger than in the taste. The taste here is just fuckin' smooth as hell. Not a single sour note, just fresh and sweet hops with a brilliant malt backup.

Sweet and spicy. Very smooth. Little bit silky.

I believe this is Southern Tier's flagship beer. It's listed first on their website anyways. Aftertaste is a really cool kind of tingling peppercorn on the upper roof of the mouth. It's also pretty crisp, leaving behind no dryness but rather a clear mouth feel with lingering candy brew flavor.

Southern Tier Hop Sun - Summer Wheat Beer (2011)

Summer Seasonal (Limited Yearly Release - March)

12 fl. oz. / $1.79 USD / 5.1% ABV

About: "Pour Hop Sun Summer Wheat Beer into a pint glass, give it a long whiff and you’ll realize that this isn’t your average wheat beer. Filtered to a golden clarity and dry-hopped to perfection, Hop Sun is a fantastic session ale in which flavors of wheat, barley and hops commingle to a refreshing and zesty conclusion. Hints of lemon and sweet malts waft to the fore as a touch of bitterness contributes to Hop Sun’s bright finish. Enjoy Hop Sun all summer long as a perfect balance to your outdoor recreation. Summer never tasted so good."

Thoughts: Hop Sun pours a very light amber color that ends up resembling a bit of a yellowish lime green / orange mix with a stark white one inch bubbly head with a little bit of frothing. It's reletively transparant with only a few carbonation bubbles rising about.

Starts off with a mix of citrus and a little bit of pine. Wheat rounds out a malty ever flowing sensation. This is really a fantastic smelling beer.

The dry hopping they did for this beer hits me first, and then the taste of wheat just makes its way in waves before everything settles back down and the barley malt fades in. After breathing in there's a bit of a hop musk. I'm actually surprised that there are three types of malt in this one and only one variety of hop. Even though the name of this brew isn't Malt Sun, the hops here are pretty dominant. The hops used here were one of the two from their imperial Oat, because I'm getting the same sticky "dusty candy" aftertaste.

This beer is a bit light, very drinkable and is quite crisp.

Overall it's pretty good. For one of their session beers it sure does go down pretty damn smooth and it's nice to see what one of their "normal" beers tastes like. Seeing as I've tried most of their Imperial Bombers and have enjoyed them all, I figured that I'd like this as well. It's a good beer, but still there's that part of me that wishes it was a big bottle of the heavier stuff.

Southern Tier Phin and Matt's - Extraordinary Ale (2011)

Everyday Availability

12 fl. oz. / $0.78 USD (Sale) / 5.7% ABV

About: "When we sat down to collaborate on this beer, we knew we had to create something extraordinary. After sampling a wide array of great beers, we hit upon an idea: use vast amounts of whole hops, the finest malted barley North America has to offer, and crystal filtered artesian water. Thus creating this classic American style pale ale."

Thoughts: Poured a seriously light amber yellow with a huge fluffy and bubbly white head. Very minimal carbonation bubbles rising, and it's slightly hazy. The glass is looking pretty cool with all those bubbles clinging to the side like that.

Beautiful scent on this one. It's long and lingering. Candy apple sweet. A tingle of sweet hops with a very welcome flowy malt background. Nice.

Grassy hops. Caramel malts. This is a very pleasing beer. It's subtle, yet elegant tasting. You get this little hint of soft oven baked sweet rolls that are sprinkled with a peppery sugar... or a little bit of a caramel coating with not-really-cinnamon.

It's actually quite watery, goes down super smooth with a bit of a bubbly froth at the end of the gulp. Still, a bit more watery than usual though.

Overall, a pleasing taste all around. There's no super sweet, no bitter, no sour and no discomfort. It's just soft and smooth and like a watery candy. Hops and Malts balance equally and they're both identifiable. It's really done so well, even if a bit watery. So far I like this one the best out of the three standard Southern Tier brews that I've tried (Hop Sun and IPA). This one's Nice. Is it Extraordinary? I don't think I'd got that far.

Cambridge Brewing Bannatyne's Scotch Ale and Big Man IPA

Cambridge Brewing Bannatyne's Scotch Ale (2011)

Brewed and Bottled by Cambridge Brewing Co., in Cambridge, MA. USA.

Winter Seasonal - December (Limited Release) - Batch #1.

22 fl. oz. / $6.59 USD / 9.2% ABV

About: "This strong ale style comes directly from Scotland, boasting a huge, complex maltiness and very full body, which finishes with a long, herbal, hoppy dryness. We craft this traditionally big, malty beer from imported Scottish Maris Otter pale malt and a touch of roasted barley. We then caramelize the strong wort in the kettle and subject it to extended cold-conditioning to round out its myriad complexities. Intriguing flavors of caramel, chocolate, molasses, and a hint of treacle are not uncommon to those perceptive of palate, so slip on that old kilt (wear whatever you want underneath- we’re pretty open-minded.) and enjoy!"

Thoughts: Poured a dark reddish brown with a very slim tan head that depleted rapidly. The beer is hazy, and the slightest bit see through. I'm not seeing much carbonation bubbles.

Smells like sweet coffee. Wasn't expecting that. Loads of malt coming through.

Doesn't taste like coffee, thankfully. It's a bit fruity, like black cherries. Very warm and pleasing. Slight bit of tart afterburn. Little bit of a smokey almost banana split with candy shell topping. Caramel, hints of spices, with a low alcohol haze in the background. Roasted malts, raisins, sugary sweetness, and almost an unnoticeable amount of dark chocolate.

Medium, and a bit syrupy. Very rich and creamy. Prepare yourself.

This is like a mix of a big Scotch Ale and a little bit of a Stout. This beer is strong and seriously malty. Overall a pretty cool beer. It's been a short while since I had a downright mean and nasty malt bomb like this. I like it.

Cambridge Brewing Big Man IPA (2012)

Winter Seasonal. 

22 fl. oz. / $5.99 USD / 6.8% ABV

About: "Our Winter seasonal beer is here! Originally brewed in September of 1992 at the request of three bartenders/managers (who have since gone on to great fame and glory) Big Man I.P.A. has been a favorite seasonal brew at Cambridge Brewing Company ever since. Legend has it that the grist weight of Big Man Ale was their combined total weight – 770 pounds of malt for 10 barrels of beer!

Deep copper-colored and unfiltered (as are all of CBC’s beers), it boasts a full body complemented by strong, robust flavors. Its rich notes of malt and caramel are offset by very aggressive hopping - it is kettle-hopped with Columbus, Cascade and Amarillo hops and further dry-hopped with even more Cascades and Amarillo. These hop varieties lend a fruity, citrusy character to this big malty beer, in the style of a “winter-ized” I.P.A."

Thoughts: A Winter Seasonal IPA huh? Interesting. I wonder how it will compare to a certain other beer like that...

Real dark color on this one. It's like a raspberry, ruby toned beer and quite a bit darker in tone than a lot of other IPAs. It's a lot more reddish than the usual orange standard, but that's what "winter-izing" is all about, right? The head is puffy and white, and the beer is very clear.

Smell is crisp, citrus, loads of hop profile, very fresh, earthy and leafy... a lot of those cascade hops come shining through. This smells pretty damn good.

Malts get pretty much destroyed by the abundance of hops here. It says on the bottle that there's a "robust malty balance" to this, but this is very hop heavy with a resinous blast that takes over. Overall though, I'm finding that it's not terribly complex. The flavor actually fades rather quickly. Aw man... but there's lots of floral and grassy hits with each gulp, so keep gulping away! It's a very good effort, but it gets a little thin on the taste once it's down. Tastes of a quality brew, just wish it was a bit longer lasting. Once it warms up it starts to give off this nutty kinda flavor, like unsalted cashews.

These guys tried with very nice results to get Celebration Ale down with the scent, but the taste just falls apart at the seams once swallowed. A damn shame too, since I really dig their other brews. This one is still good mind you, but not as good as their other stuff. Mouth is medium, watery, bubbly and popping.

Rogue Yellow Snow IPA

Rogue Yellow Snow IPA - India Pale Ale  (2011)

Brewed and Bottled by the Oregon Brwing Co., in Neewport, OR. USA.

Winter Seasonal (Yearly Release)

12 fl. oz. / $2.99 USD / 6.2% ABV

About: "Yellow Snow IPA was originally introduced for the 2000 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City as a tribute to winter sports everywhere (downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross country, ice hockey, ice fishing, snowmobiling, and even curling). Malts: Cara Foam, Melanoiden and Rogue Micro Barley Farm Dare & Risk / Hops: Amarillo and Rogue Micro Hopyard Revolution / Yeast: Free Range Coastal Water and Pacman."

Thoughts: Poured an über light and pale straw yellow with a very slow to form head that puffed up twice its size and spilled over a bit. I may have poured somewhat aggressively. There are bubbles of varying sizes all over the top that bubble down into a frothy stark white head.

Getting some sweet smelling hops first off. Little bit piney, with a touch of lemon zest.

Starts off pretty bitter and gets even more bitter afterwards on the first gulp. Citrus hops demolish the roof of my mouth while grassy hops crawl under the sides of my tongue. The malt is so light it's almost non-existent. I'm not getting much of a taste aside from massive hops and bitter. While I like how strong the hops are here, I'm having trouble identifying with anything else about the beer that I really like... aside from the mouth feel, which is pretty amazing:

It's thick and seriously creamy. Creamy like a warming milkshake.

Finish is dry and mellows later into a grapefruit tone. That's about it. This is offically my second Rogue Ale. Surprisingly I've never tried their Dead Guy, which seems like it would be right up my dark alley. That didn't sound right. Uh... this is a decent brew, but not memorable at all for me. This has four malts and two hops? Could have fooled me and I guess they did.

Sierra Nevada Celebration Fresh Hop Ale

Sierra Nevada Celebration Fresh Hop Ale (2011)
Winter Seasonal (Limited Release)
12 fl. oz. / $1.69 USD / 6.8% ABV

About: "The long, cold nights of winter are a little brighter with Celebration Ale. Wonderfully robust and rich, Celebration Ale is dry-hopped for a lively, intense aroma. Brewed especially for the holidays, it is perfect for a festive gathering or for a quiet evening at home. Bittering hops: Chinook / Finishing and dry hops: Cascade and Centennial / Malts: Two-row Pale and English Caramel / Yeast: Top-fermenting Ale Yeast. Awards: Gold Medal Winner at: United States Beer Tasting Championship (IPA: 1994), Silver Medal Winner at: California State Fair (IPA: 1999), Great American Beer Festival (IPA: 2002)"

Thoughts: Poured a very clear golden amber orange with a fluffy, snowy head that lasted a little longer than some of their other brews.

Grapefruit citrus, like Ruby Red. Hops are popping all around. Little bit of pine. Man, this really takes me back. I remember the first time I bought a six pack of this, I don't know if it was 2003 or sometime around there, but I've never forgot how much I loved this brew. Back then I had never really had such a beer to this extreme.

Major hops hit at all corners of the mouth and back of the tongue, it's spicy and tingling, with a low level of malt that tries to sneak in and calm things down. Better luck next time malt! Oh malt, I'm just playin' with ya. Don't cry! The super subtle malt really does back it up nice... kinda like how Robin backs up Batman, that is!

There's a long bittersweet that sticks around at the end. It's very warming in the belly too.

If you're a hop head, you've probably already tried this. And if you haven't, this strong and easily found brew (later in the year) will either make you one, or totally break you down into buying another case of Amstel Light. Myself, I just finished a single 12 oz bottle off (gotta save up for the pricy stuff - doin' reviews here) and man do I feel good! This is my all time favorite Sierra Nevada brew.

Note: This is the start of my short but not-so-necessarily sweet Christmas Brew Review for 2011, to be summed up at an unknown later date and perhaps even discussed. This beer has always reminded me, not necessarily of Christmas, but of December, Snow and Festive times. I've always loved snowfall. Sometimes when I look around town in the later months and see everything covered with the stuff, my brain just automatically goes to that Celebration label. Then I think about how much fun I had the first night I drank that entire six pack alone in the dark...ness. Good fucking times man!

Left Hand 400 Pound Monkey IPA

Left Hand 400 Pound Monkey India Pale Ale (2011)

Brewed and Bottled by Left Hand Brewing Co., in Longmont, Colorado. USA.

Year Round (Standard Release)

12 fl. oz. (x2) / $4.00 USD / 6.8% ABV

About: "Malts: Pale 2-row, Crystal, Munich, and Malted Wheat / Hops: Magnum, Boadicea and Sovereign. Why does the world need another IPA? Because this one ain't like them others. We use hops of a different color, earthy and herbal, well-balanced by bready malt. The result? An English-style IPA that separates itself from the ubiquitous bunch. Cartloads of bitter monkeys flinging wasteful amounts of bananas into the jungle ...we're so done with that." 

Thoughts: Poured a very light amber orange with a small bubbly white head that left a light film around the top of the glass.

Smells of sweet floral hops, and it's pretty damn malty for an IPA too. Strange.

Initial taste is hops. There's orange peel and it's a little grassy. The malts flow through shortly afterwards. So basically it tastes just like it smells. Well... it's a good tasting brew. There's a little sour bite towards the end, but it's very well balanced altogether. Aside from that, there doesn't seem to be much going for it. It's not tasting good enough for me to fawn over it, and it's not horrible in any way for me to dismiss it.

Mouth is light and fizzy. Goes down smooth enough.

Finishes really dry. 400 Pound Monkey is a very approachable English style IPA with pretty artwork that will give some non-adventurous couples on a date night in something easy to go along with their P.F. Chang's or not delivery DiGiorno's. According to BeerNews.org this beer is meant to bring the IPA back to a time where it was "sessionable and balanced." This is my first brew from Left Hand (I was intrigued by the artwork obviously), and it may not be my last, but I don't plan on going out and buying a six pack of this.

Samuel Adams Tasman Red

Samuel Adams Tasman Red - Red IPA (2011)

1'st Batch Special Edition - Rotating (depending on sales) (Limited Release)

22 fl. oz. / $4.99 USD / 6.75% ABV

About: "Hops: Topaz, Galaxy (Imported from Tasmania) / Malts: Two-Row Harrington, Metcalfe, Copeland Pale, Special B, Caramel 60, Roasted Dehusked. This wily red IPA gets its character from the Tasmanian hops that are full of grapefruit, pine and earthy notes creating a bold flavor that threads throughout the taste. The hops are balanced by a core of roasted malts that give this brew body and richness with hints of toffee."

Thoughts: Poured a dark amber out of the bottle that developed into a deep red inside the glass. The foamy head is very frothy looking and going nowhere fast.

First scent is hops, obviously... little bit flowery. This smells really, really, like utterly sweet though. Very nice.

Through there's a distinct hop flavor throughout the entire flavor of the brew, malts come flowing in like sets of waves hitting the shore. These hops from Tasmania must be pretty damn strong that they'd have to use so many different malts to offset it, and even then the hops are the main thing going here. The malts are doing a nice job of balancing things out here, with a bit of a roasted nut flavor and those Cella's goo-filled chocolate covered cherries, only with less emphasis on the chocolate.  

Bitter citrus on the back of the tongue. There's a bit of a peppery spice, though very mild.

The super malty backbone they've got here really tries to hold back what most surely would be a huge snap of these hops, so I'd say that's fairly well done. It sure does feel malty, but those hops just cannot be denied here! This is a really good, and very hoppy beer. And these hops taste awesome.