#313: Sixpoint Brewery » HiRes (3xIPA)

Sixpoint Brewery » HiRes (3xIPA) | ABV: 10.5% | IBUs: 115

Having missed the inaugural batch of Hi-Res last year, I grabbed a 4-pack back in January in a restock of the beer fridge, for what's been a bitterly cold winter. In between bouts of sub-zero temperatures, my partner and I have been cozy indoors with regular respites full of wonderful beers.

This massively hopped skinny can from Sixpoint barrels out of the gate with huge aromas of pithy grapefruit and rind, coupled with weighty pine and tropical fruit notes.

Hi-Res packs a tight, bitter punch, that eases off in the initial finish. Sticky pine and hop resin flavors make way for a touch of heat, swiftly moving on to a sweet finish of the liquid, followed by a long, dry, hop-heat remnants on the tongue.

This deep amber brew is rich and packed with non-grapefruit citrus flavors. Under-ripe mango and Gin-like juniper and other herbal characteristics glimmer through the dense hop-cone bitterness and throat heat.

Overall, an enjoyable big-hop brew.

#297: Elysian Brewing Co » Space Dust IPA

Elysian Brewing Co » Space Dust IPA | ABV: 7.2% | IBUs: 62
Originally part of Elysian's Manic IPA seasonal series, Space Dust reached Year-Round status in 2014 and went to six-packs.

Space Dust boasts "pure starglow energy", brewed with Chinook and dry-hopped with Citra and Amarillo. Grapefruit and grass aromas kick off this hop-centric brew with minerally/slate notes. Bitter, pith notes dominate throughout among tropical fruit notes with a long, finish with a touch of heat.

Altogether, Space Dust rides the IPA wave of strong, aromatic, bitter brews.

#285: Ithaca Beer Co. » Excelsior! Anniversary Seventeen

Excelsior! Anniversary Seventeen (Wheat Double IPA w/ Brettanomyces) | ABV: 8.8% 
Fittingly, as my pre-Big Day In routine included a stop to Ithaca's Taproom, my celebratory beer of choice, following the 13 hour day, is the latest chapter in Ithaca Beer's praiseworthy Excelsior! series, Seventeen - hybrid between a Wheat ale and an India Pale Ale, bottle conditioned with Brettanomyces.

The awaited Seventeen kicks off with a highly purfumed, floral hop nose with notes of lilac & orchid along side soft, pink peppercorn aromas. It's a spicy, warming, and impressive IPA.

Flavors of white & pink peppercorn and soft chili spices real you in, followed by complimentary, smooth blood orange notes. Like a winter warmer of an IPA. Further through, distinct characteristics of orange & lemon zest peak through, backed by the brightness of the young Brett, which itself yields earthier tones late in the glass. It's complex all the way through, finishing elegantly dry.

A delightful, inspired brew that should get nice & funky with time.

#283: Yards » Frankford Hall, Cape Of Good Hope, Russian Imperial, Trubbel, General Washington's, Thomas Jefferson's, Poor Richard's, Love Stout, Cicada, Brawler, ESA, IPA, Grand Cru

My partner & I rolled into Philly at the start of December for our Anniversary, as usual, much centered around beer. I was laid out ill the first night, better by day two, and by day three, it was time for some serious beer exploration. We set aside an afternoon to spend at Yards and were glad we did, splitting three flights & a tulip.

(right to left...)

Frankford Hall (Session IPA) | ABV: 5.5%
A session IPA seemed like a fine place to start the afternoon. Frankford Hall serves up with a translucent straw body and a ring of while head. Grassy hop aromas introduce this drinkable IPA. Taste & body akin to an offspring from IPA and a Pils parents.

Cape Of Good Hope (West Coast IPA) | ABV: 9.3% | IBUs: 76
Stepping up a notch, this Imperial IPA entices with sweet mango aromas emitting from a hazy straw body. Bright, shimmering tropical notes pair well with the lively carbonation. Further flavors of lemon zest arise, gaining piney momentum with a touch of floral futher through. Refreshing and tightly bitter.

Russian Imperial Stout | 10.8% ABV
Boasting an alcohol volume over ten percent, this Russian style stands tall, deep, and dark with strong notes of molasses on the nose. It's robust & roasted, nutty and growing evermore bitter, never turning sweet or sticky. Food brings out the huge booze notes in this hardy stout.

Trubbel de Yards (Tripel Dubbel Ale) | ABV: 9.3% | IBUs: 66
The hazy, dark brown brew with off-white head, yields sweet, dark red fruit aromas. Smooth raisin & fresh plum flavors splash across the palate alongside rich, engaging overtones of caramel and chocolate in the far back. A notable brew.

(round two: Ales of the Revolution)

George Washington's Tavern Porter | ABV: 7.0% | IBUs: 34
Robust! Authentically brewed to Washington's own recipe, this strong porter bursts out of the gate with big notes of molasses and dried red fruits. Inferred winter spices are threaded through as well with mild, herbal and medical characteristics. A wonderful step back in time and away from the usual brew.

Thomas Jefferson's Tavern Ale (Strong Golden Ale) | ABV: 8.0% | IBUs: 28
Once again, historically authentic, Jefferson's is a standout, brewed with honey, flaked maize, rye malt. It's a wonderfully smooth golden ale, spiked with sharp rye notes peaking through sweet biscuit flavors and boozy esters.

Poor Richard's Tavern Spruce (Spice Ale, Indigenous Ale) | ABV: 5.0% | IBUs: 13
"Based on Franklin’s original recipe, which called for barley, molasses, and essence of spruce, our Tavern Spruce is as approachable and engaging as was the man himself." I've had good spruce beers and I've had bad spruce beers, but they're always worth picking up. This one absolutely lands in the former catagory.

Spicy notes abound, Poor Richard's calls on cinnamon & sarsaparilla, mild & sweet white fruit, faint honey flavors with pleasant honey and apricot on the nose. A unique, heavily spiced, and admirable brew.

Love Stout (Nitro Stout) | ABV: 6.9% | IBUs: 30
A growing seasonal favorite in the region, Love Stout, served on Nitro, was the first lackluster brew on the bill so far, in this blogger's humble opinion. A nutty, roasted nose is followed up by wonderfully smooth flavors of coco & nutty. Soft and straightforward. If you're a straight stout fan, this is you in a glass.

Cicada (Belgian IPA) | ABV: 8.5% | IBUs: 60
With an alluring, deep amber body and pink-white head, Cicada has a surprisingly transparent nose for an IPA. Countering the lack of a telling nose, suble notes of candi sugar, bubble gum, and hop citrus bloom on the palate. Bright flavors - hot hops, boozy esters, grapefruit, toffee all dance freely with a touch of caramel in the back. A solid limited brew.

(round 3: signature ales)

Brawler (English Mild) | ABV: 4.2 | IBUs: 12
Once of Yards' year-round flagships, Brawler is full English. A sharp, minerally nose is followed up by a crisp, refreshing session brew with plenty of character. Mildly bitter with firm malt support.

ESA (Extra Special Bitter) | ABV: 6.0% | IBUs: 16
ESA has assertive English styling, with a sweet nose of toffee and nutmeg, with a dance of spice & bitterness on the tongue.

IPA | ABV: 7.0% | IBUs: 62
Soft, tropical & passion fruit notes spring from the nose. Puckeringly bitter at first, this year-round IPA settles in nicely. A solid, east-coast IPA.

Grand Cru (Belgian Strong Ale) | ABV: 9.9% | IBUs: 50
We were able to swap out Yards' flagship Pale Ale (as we'd enjoyed a sixer over the days prior) for a sampling of their Grand Cru to see if we wanted to pick up a 750mL for home.

This brew was wonderful and a hell of a ride, starting with an intriguing pumpkin spice nose, with notable auromas of nutmeg, brown sugar, and yeast. Further whiffs reveal subtle sour cherry notes. On to the palate, it's impressive and heavenly. Hands down the best brew of the day and one of the best of the week.

Yards Grand Cru is elegant and silky smooth with just the right touch of lively, but soft Belgian-style carbonation. Coupled with firm, traditional Belgian spice & mouthfeel, flavors of white stone fruit flow amongs a touch of alcohol heat, all wrapped up in a big, velvety mouthcoat. A great end to the day.

Overall, Grand Cru, Jefferson, and Poor Richards were the winners in my mind, but every brew stood on it's own. High quality, consistency, with one foot in tradition and the other in modern creative craft brewing.

#280: Maine Beer Company » Lunch (IPA)

Maine Beer Company » Lunch (IPA) | ABV: 7.0% | Rating: 9.2/10

As mentioned a few weeks back, a stop in Buffalo isn't usually without a stop at The Village Beer Merchant, where I snagged this bottle o' Lunch.

This praised brew pours up a hazy amber color with white, fluffy head all emitting a beautiful bouquet of grapefruit alongside soft floral notes, smoothed with a mild sweetness.

Dry, cool, and refreshing, Lunch is a mid-weight IPA with plenty of character. As easy to drink as an all-day variety, but quickly diversifying with a richer with a slight creaminess in the mouthfeel.

Bitter, biting hops hit the palate up front, followed by a quick flip of sweet & smooth flavors, then back a gain with a drying finish. An effortless, well-tuned beer, Lunch blurs stone and pome fruit flavors with bold Warrior, Amarillo, Centennial, and Simcoe bittering characteristics. It's clean with distinct notes of pine appearing further in with pith & rind peaking in here and there, but never getting dank.

Lunch is highly enjoyable, but not as jaw-dropping as its reputation, in my humble opinion. That said, I'll probably pick is up any time I see it and would absolutely recommend to any IPA fan.

#268: Three Heads Brewing » Rye-Dye (Smoked IPA)

Three Heads Brewing » Rye-Dye (Smoked IPA)
ABV: 6.4%  Rating: 8.8

This lovely brew (one of the only 3HB I hadn't seen down my way) another gift beer I'd been eagerly anticipating since my birthday bash. After a wildly successful bottle share where one of our guests brought a homebrewed smoked IPA I just could not get over, I was on a kick and just happened to have the right follow up for the next day.

For a smoked brew, this 3HB pours up with a translucent straw body topped with lacy white head. It's grassy hop nose sets up the taste allure nicely.

On to the taste and just, WOW. Bright citrus hop flavors slam with a smoothed out mouthfeel, perfectly stoked with smoke.

Smoked beers can easily venture harsh, astringent, or overbearing in the wrong hands, but not here. Sublime balance and perfectly understated smokey notes permeate the fine hop character 3HB always brings to the table. There's a fine cheese element to it, rather than your typical campfire imagery.

Overall, a great, creative beer worth anyone's try.

#266: Fairport Brewing » White Buck, Whipple Bros., Peter J. IPA, Apollo 8 (visit)

After far too many times passing by Fairport Brewing on holidays or late at night on the way to or from visiting family, I finally had a brief moment to catch up on what my former hometown was offering up as it's local brews between lunch and dinner with my sister & crew.

White Buck (Wheat Ale) ABV: 4.3% | IBUs: 20 | Rating: 8.0
A start. Big banana bread flavors, lively carbonation, mild yeast notes and even a bit of green pepper threaded through. Easy finish with a sharp start.

Whipple Bros. Ale (NYS Local Ale) ABV: n/a | IBUs: n/a | Rating: 8.2
A solid, biting bitter of an ale with a clean mouthfeel. A firm, traditional american pale offering.

Peter J. IPA (American IPA) ABV: 6.0 | IBUs: 60 | Rating: 8.5
An inviting and interesting IPA that isn't trying to be west-coast. Sweet malts peak through the plentiful hops with notable nectarine flavor and nutty hints, even sunflower seeds. A worthy variation.

Apollo 8 (Double IPA) ABV: 8.0% | IBUs: 90 | Rating: 8.4
For the finale, we have an all-Apollo hopped-DIPA. A smooth, growing bitterness and dryness spills from the deep, hazy amber brew, filled with boozy esters in the finish. Mild pith and rind notes continue to rise throughout. This one shows it;s IBUs and ABV. One for the straight-ahead hop fans.

In addition to their own brews, Fairport also has Galaxy Brewing's phenomenal Andromeda IPA and an offering from Keuka as well. Interesting to see more small breweries offering other neighbors brews on their line. I'm a big fan of collaboration in whatever form it takes, so kudos there as well.

Looking forward to how this brewery develops!

#246: Dark Horse Brewing Co. » Double Crooked Tree (IPA)

Dark Horse Brewing Co. » Double Crooked Tree (IPA)
ABV: 12% | Rating: 9.3

Aptly names, this DIPA is a double version of Dark Horse's Crooked Tree offering. Only my third Dark Horse, having nearly missed Smell Like A Safety Meeting, I've jumped on to make sure I get a bit broader view of their offerings.

Double Crooked Tree pours up with a deep, amber body and thick, staying, head of lace. The nose is impeccable - sweet raisin, cane sugar, caramel, coconut... a damn fine and potent collection of aromas.

Down the hatch it's barelywine characteristics up front quickly followed by a chili-hot DIPA - WOW. There's tons of hop heat on the finish here.

A sipper of a beer for sure. Rich, buttery mouthfeel, complex and huge the whole way through with charcoal notes in the finish; all wrapped up spicy and dry.

Overall, a heck of an IPA that holds its own amongst the big-ABV IPAs and recommended for the big-beer fans.

After some time between my first Dark Horse and these last two, I've surely discovered what all the buzz is about. I personally was a bit more struck with the unique palate of Smells Like A Safety Meeting, but my bet sees this DCT as a more widely-cheered brew.

#245: Dark Horse Brewing Co. » Smells Like A Safety Meeting (IPA)

Dark Horse Brewing Co. » Smells Like A Safety Meeting (IPA)
ABV: 8.5% | Rating: 9.3

I picked up a handful of single bottles from the newly expanded Fingerlakes Beverage Center that hadn't yet checked out this spring / summer that we'll run through this week, starting with Dark Horse's curiously monikered, 4/20 release.

Smells Like A Safety Meeting arrives with an amber-coffee colored body topped with a tuft of lacy, ivory head. Huge hop aromas permeate even before the pour is finished. Sticky fumes of resin, raisin, toffee, tangerine, and honey follow upon a closer whiff.

A strong, unique burst of flavors drops onto the palate - like a barelywine-meets-IPA. Dank notes of pine and sap with a curious flavor that follows all the way to the throat... we'll find it.

It's herbal, sticky up front and devilishly dry on the finish. Upon further discussion, grilled rum-pineapple is the flavor we pull out further out which seeps through slightly charred and burnt sugar notes.

Overall, a unique, high-power, hop-tastic brew that's a few clicks shy of sane. Recommended.

Coming Soon...

#228: Ithaca Beer Co. » Cayuga Cruiser, Poster Child, Galileo Gambit, High Roller, Honey Love, Green Trail (Bravo), Ozzy, Chardonnay-Aged White Gold, 16 Lambic

Due to shows and two bouts of summer colds, I've had a bit of catching up to do. Much of which surrounding Ithaca Beer's seamlessly endless supply of new experiments.

From their new, Berliner-Weisse summer sixer, robust 5-Barrel brews, cask & aged versions of year-round hits, and even a couple ultra-limited special releases.

Cayuga Cruiser (Berliner Weisse-style) ABV: 4.3% | Rating: 8.5/10 Bottle (8.7/10 Draft)
After last summer's 5-Barrel Berliner Weisse, I've been very intrigued if Ithaca Beer would ever include the classic German style in a more general release. Wish granted.

As their new summer seasonal, Cayuga Cruiser is a very light brew. It's far less astringent than their 5-Barrel BW, but still quite tasty. Out of the bottle, it presents a light body, mildly quenching finish, with faint notes of lemon and just a touch of pucker.

On draft, it's a bit more up my alley, with a greater nod to tradition through higher sour, acidic notes and prominent lemon. Either way, an excellent recommendation for a low-gravity, refreshing, warm-weather brew.

Poster Child ABV: 5.8% | Rating: 8.6/10
Transparent, crystal-clear straw body, topped with lacy, soapy white head kicks of this 5-Barrel brew. A beautifully strong and sharp hoppy nose follows with crisp grapefruit aromas and a hint of lime & lemon.

The taste? Smooth hop love in a glass. Strong, but soft, rolled-over flavors of pine, yellow grapefruit and a touch of tropical fruit in the bone-dry finish. An enjoyable, light-bodied, fully-flavored beer. It also pairs well with Flower Power to create 'Flower Child'.

Galileo Gambit (Porter) ABV: 5.8% | Rating: 8.7/10
Fluffy, lacy ivory head crowns an opaque, but not hazy, dark brown body with a glimmer of ruby. Aromas of dark, roasted malts invite the nose with a pinch of spice.

The flavor is a fully-bodied porter witha touch of spice heat. Wet up front with a pleasant, dry finish. The addition orange and cardamon are subtle, but exquisit, meandering their way through the traditional dark malt flavors. A uniquely drinkable porter, without the milky, earthy notes of many in the style.

High Roller (Wheat Saison) 5.3% | Rating: 8.5/10
This 5-Barrel starts with an unabashed yeasty nose with a touch of citrus. A rustic brew, with big wheat flavors, and a touch of earthiness, and mildly dry finish. (Left-most pic)

Honey Love (Barrel-Fermented Saison w/ Oats, Honey) ABV: 6.0% | Rating: 8.9/10
A beautiful, orange citrus nose blooms into a wonderful flavor bouquet of wine-like complexity having been fermented in Chardonnay Barrels, all backed by prickly carbonation. Soft, semi-sweet and breathy earth flavors of local wildflower honey peak through, firmly supported by the addition of oats. (Third-in pic)

Green Trail Cask (Session IPA dry-hopped with Bravo) ABV: 6.0% | Rating 8.8/10
Smooth, hoppy goodness in a glass. Where many cask IPAs can loose their hop-forward nature, IB has packed this one with Bravo hops for a breath of additional acidity and distinct orange and tropical fruit flavors. It's core Columbus and Cascade hop bitterness take a momentary back seat to allow it's soft malt backbone to shine through, sitting well with the aforementioned Bravo cones.

Ozzy (Belgian-style) ABV: 4.7% Rating
A highly tasty, heavily aromatic, Belgian-hybrid brew. Belgian yeasts, dance will Ella hops - an excellent choice to calm the heavy yeast flavors with mild floral and spice alongside distinct tropical and grapefruit flavors. (No pic)

Chardonnay-Aged White Gold (Oak-Barrel Belgian Wheat) ABV:  Rating: 9.5/10
In special release for their Luminous Wild Ale, Ithaca Beer concocted a handful of what I would argue as some of their finest releases to date.

This aged edition of one of my Ithaca favorites, presents a cloudy, pale straw-yellow body topped with pure white head. A beautifully fruity brew that is light on it's feet, threaded with pleasant Chardonnay notes. It's rounded off, elegant, and a touch less rustic than the original White Gold, wonderfully smoother and buttery.

The dance of white stone fruit, soft hops and white wine flavors vied to top of my already top Ithaca brews. Kudos.

16! Lambic (Lambic) 9.4/10
Last but not least. After a worthwhile half-hour wait for my two bottles of Luminous, I parked my seat at the Taproom bar for a look over their special, release-day brews. Most would only be there for the day and after a quick look, I knew there was no way I could pass on a local limited lambic.

16! Lambic bursts out with a pungently tart and funky nose. Fluffy ivory and auburn-flecked head crowns the murky, opaque, dark-caramel body.

In a word? Intense. Funky barnyard and wet hay notes meet sharp, fermented berries with spicy esters. By far the most intense Ithaca Beer I've enjoyed yet - a completely unhinged experimental success. Further in, sweet dark fruits, like past-ripe cherries, peak through the wild funk, but just barely. It's all wrapped up in a dry funk finish, that wets with each new sip. On the final sips, fine, raw Brettanomyces notes shine through. Superb.

#215: Bacchus Brewing » Cyclhops (Single Hop-Ale)

Our first stop to a local staple...

The Brewery: Bacchus (Dryden, NY)

The Brew: Cyclhops (Single Hop-Ale)

Availability: Draft only (limited)

ABV: ? 

Rating: 8.7/10

Location: Bacchus Brewing

My partner and I found ourselves with an extra hour to kill after running some Saturday errands and figured we could make it out to Dryden before Bacchus closed up for the day. We're both well versed in Bacchus' offerings from the taps downtown, but getting it from the source is always just the best.

In addition to their familiar year-round beers coming of fresh and delicious, we were pleasantly surprised by a new brew, their single malt, single hop Cyclhops with Vienna malt and  Galaxy hops.

Served up, it's a hazy yellow pour with a touch of white head. The nose is dank, earthy, and wonderfully hoppy. Deep, full flavors of pine flow down the hatch, offer a refreshing, but nicely bitter experience with a mild dryness on the finish and a heavy mouthcoat. Not too much citrus, but plenty of rind and pine. Even with just a taste, there's a long finish on this one.  Easy cake-taker for our growler fill of the day! 

#199: Ithaca Beer Co. » Box of Belgians

Earlier this month, Ithaca Beer launched their second, limited 12-pack - Box of Belgians, packed with (mostly) hop-centric takes on the Belgian style.

Fleur de Belgique – IPA w/ Trappist yeast) ABV 7.5% | 9/10
Kicks off with a bright, fruity, citrus nose - like a citra hop party. The body is pale, hazy, light caramel color with a thin lace of white head. It's undoubtedly an IPA with big tropical and citrus flavors, with some esters in the second sip. Dry, semi-sweet with a champagne-like mouthfeel and hot hops in the finish. Great start.

Hopbloem (IPA w/ Belgian yeast) ABV 8% | 9.2/10
The hop nose has a bit more pine and earth than Fleur with a pale yellow body and lacy white head. The flavor is delicious and the finish is amazing - smooth and bitter with tons of complexity. Soft hops, spices along with hints of lime, clove, yeast, and esters make this a highly enjoyable beer. Big ups on this one.

Laissez Faire (Belgian-Style Tripel Ale) ABV 10% | 9/10
A clear, pale straw body pours out with minimal head. The nose is beautiful - tropical fruit, muscate grape, green apple, minterals; all akin to a Resling. Down the hatch, it's a pleasant brew. It's wet and smooth up front with a dry, spiced finish. Juicy fruit up front quickly snaps shut with sweet, prickly light cinnamon. Solid.

Obscurite (Belgian-Style Stout) ABV 10.1% | 8.8/10
Black body and leggy, mocha head set this stout up right. There's light spice to the mildly roasty nose. Dry, roasted and scorched flavors supported by a light body and lively carbonation. Robust flavor with a short finish.

Overall, a great box. Hopbloem and Laissez Faire easily took the cake for me personally. I'd grab any of these on draft if presented with the opportunity. Kudos to Ithaca Beer for stepping it up a notch over the last year. Looking forward to the next one...!

Coming Soon... (Florida Haul)

#198: Ithaca Beer Co. » The Keymaster, The Sesh, & Golden Road (5-Barrel Series)

After a game-filled day at the Enchanted Badger, it was time for good food and more new releases from Ithaca Beer's 5-Barrel Series.

The Keymaster (Saison) 5.9% ABV | Rating: 9/10
An inviting, fruity Belgian nose starts things off - banana, yeast, citrus, and an inference of coriander. The flavor is malty, but relatively crisp and refreshing with a smooth spice and earthiness throughout. There's a slight wild tart and funk tucked in the back as well. Wonderfully complex with a subtle touch of fresh berries dancing around the other more prominent flavors.

The Sesh (IPA) 3.5% ABV | Rating: 9.2/10
Instant hit. High recommendation for limited or seasonal bottling here. Sesh starts off with a pungent nose of bright hops, but goes down nice and easy while being beautifully packed with hops. A whirlwind of tropical and citrus flavors and mild mineral notes, balanced and backed by crisp malts and fleeting notes of honey. I'd put this up against any of the day-IPAs trending at the moment.

Golden Road (Amber) 7.5% ABV | Rating: 8.5
Roasted and dry, with a light body. Full flavored with well-balanced toasty winter spices. Drinkable, warming, and refreshing, and that 7.5% is utterly well-hidden. A solid winter warmer and a nice addition to the limited series.

#176: Left Hand Brewing » Twin Sisters (DIPA)

Left Hand's subtle double...

The Brewery: Left Hand Brewing Co. (Longmount, CO)
The Brew: Twin Sisters (DIPA)
Availability: Draft & Bottles (22oz.)
ABV: 9.6% | IBU: 77
Rating: 8/10
Location: Felicia's Atomic Lounge

The Story? I popped down to Felicia's over the weekend to meet up with the Artistic Director of the Ithaca International Fantastic Film Festival to discuss next fall's event. When I arrived, my partner was getting off of work early and relayed Left Hand's Twin Sisters had just been tapped two days prior.

The Beer? Served up in a half-pint glass because of the high ABV, Twin Sisters has a transparent brass body capped with a tuft of fluffy, white head.

For a Double IPA, this one treads softly and unassumingly. Smooth citrus flavors backed by well-balanced blend of sturdy hops and malt are preceded by a mostly transparent, but fresh nose. Cracked wheat; mild, ripe tropical fruit sweetness, and a touch of rind appear further in. The over 9% ABV is completely hidden. The whole thing has a bit of an old-school vibe to it; quality over flash.

Overall, not the most memorable of beers, but worth a go for anyone seeking balance over monstrous flavor. An interesting DIPA offering in the midst of the heavy hop wars.

#175: Founders Brewing Co. » Devil Dancer 2012 & 2013 (Triple IPA)

The Brewery: Founders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, MI)
The Brew: Devil Dancer (Triple IPA)
Availability: Draft and bottles (Limited)
ABV: 12% | 112 IBUs

The Story? At the end of 2012, I'd realized I'd dragged my heals on picking up one of Founders boldest releases, Devil Dancer. But, low and behold, one lonely bottle remained at Ithaca Coffee Company. The neck label had somehow slipped off and adhered itself right over the barcode, which made the transaction a bit interesting. Arriving home, I felt there was something special about this bottle and decided to cellar it until the following year. Normally, I wouldn't age an IPA, but with such a high ABV and hop content, I figured it was worth a shot.

Flash forward to this past holiday season and my good friends at The Westy have a bottle of 2013 waiting for me. Time for a comparison to see how things change.

2012 | Rating: 9.4/10
The Beer: This Devil wastes no time kicking the gate down with a huge, pungent nose full of sweet raisin and fruitcake... and booze, of course. A ring of ivory head caps the deep, murky copper body.

Massive mouthfeel, dense body with plentiful flavors of dates and hot hops. Even with over a year of aging, firm hop bitterness is still present throughout. Awesomely boozy, silky, and sticky, heading into barleywine territory, but drier and more burly. All that wrapped up with a nice dry finish. Wonderful.

2013 | 9/10
The Beer: This year's Devil is similarly represented, but the ring of head is white and the body more of a murky light brown, neither having darkened with age yet. The nose is similar, but with more of the dry hop shining through and not nearly as pungent and boozy. Sweet raisin aromas are still quite present.

Flavor-wise, 2013 bursts out much brighter with a pine and resin finish. There's still distinct raisin notes and high malt and booze presence, but with more bitter and bright and less spice and depth.

Overall, fresh or aged, Devil Dancer is in the top of Founder's 12 oz. offerings, but in this bloggers opinion the aromas, spice, and sweeping complexity is worth the wait.

#167: Galaxy Brewing Company » Andromeda IPA

New, awesome local brewery alert...

The Brewery: Galaxy Brewing Company (Binghamton, NY)
The Brew: Andromeda IPA
Availability: Draft Only (rotating)
ABV: 6.2%
Rating: 9.2/10
Location: The Westy

The Story? Galaxy Brewing opened their doors this summer just downstate in Binghamton, having founded in 2011. They're a father-son gastropub, dedicated to bringing quality beer and food and being a part of revitalizing the downtown area. From the looks of it, they're well on their way, already offering adventurous brews like Mint Chocolate Stout, Galaxy NY Harvest Ale, Solar Flare (Belgian-style w/ Citra hops), Honey Lemon Mate Ale, and more, Galaxy have future plans for spontaneous fermentation and barrel aging. Needless to say, I am elated.

After finishing up T"The Desolation of Smaug", my partner headed down to draft night at The Westy. Making my way through a round of Hop Sun (coming next) and one of my new go-to's, Pantius Dropus from Ellicottville, Galaxy Brewing's Andromeda IPA came on tap. Tim, my partner, the gang and I all took a sample taste. I immediately ordered a pint and started feverishly taking notes.

The Beer? Incredibly fragrant. The nose is aggressively pungent, like huffing hop cones - grapefruit, dry pine, and lemon aromas all fight for attention.

Surprisingly, Andromeda light bodied, dispute it's fearsome aroma. It goes down smooth, but it's bite is just as big as it's bark. Huge plumes of bitter hop heavy bursts through each sip. Grapefruit rind and pith, blood orange, lemon, pine flavors are all mightily present... while still walking the line of powerful, but well-balanced and any-time enjoyable. I pretty much need a growler of this. West-coast, your move.

An incredible offering for such a new brewery. Way to knock it out of the park.

Quicky!: Otter Creek Brewing / Wolaver's » Kind Ryed IPA

I picked up a mix 12-pack from Otter Creek Brewing over the weekend to clear our our living room for some renovations. They're one of my favorite hangout mix packs, I always like everything in the box and this time was no different.

The seasonal included is their new Kind Ryed IPA - big, bold spicy rye flavor packed with plenty of citrus and bitterness all wrapped up with a touch of roasted earthiness. My favorite in the box. Cheers!

#164: Matt Brewing Company » Saranac: Legacy IPA

New beer from a classic recipe....

Brewery: Matt Brewing Company (Utica)
The Brew: Saranac: Legacy IPA
Availability: 4-Pack Cans
ABV: 6.5%
Rating: 7/10
Location: Home

The Story? Originally available only on draft or in limited edition packs of Pale, White IPA, or Trail Mix, Legacy is now in four-pack tall boys. This classic IPA was born out of a recently rediscovered recipe by founder, F.X. Matt and issued as part of their 125th celebration.

The Beer? This IPA pours out a dark brass color with mildly lacy, off-white head - reasonable carbonation for a can. Not overly foamy. The nose follows up with soft, bright citrus aromas.

The taste is full of mild hops with some mineral characteristics. There's an earthy bitterness to it, somewhat reminiscent to an English IPA. Light bodied and unfortunately not too much depth or complexity to this one. It's crisp and refreshing, but a bit too mild and straightforward for my tastes.

Overall, a mild, just above session, easy drinking, tallboy IPA.