#314: Bell's Beer » Hopslam 2015 (DIPA)

(the westy: good for beer; bad for photo lighting)

Bell's Beer » Hopslam 2015 (DIPA) | ABV: 10% | IBUs: 70

Bell's venerable Double India Pale Ale, Hopslam, gleefully permeated far further into Ithaca's beer depths this winter, hitting taps at several locations around town. I grabbed two sixers from Fingerlakes Beverage as last year (Bell's inaugural year distributing to NYS), but needed to experience this lauded brew fresh of the tap.

Hopslam serves up with a deep, translucent amber body, topped with two fingers of fluffy, bright white head. As with bottle pours, it's deeply aromatic, packed with a plethora of citrus rind from Simcoe dry-hopping.

Onto the palate, it's silky hop-heaven. Hot spice of rye and white pepper are deftly balanced with a touch of honey dipped sweetness, making this brew remarkably drinkable. Rich toffee and tropical fruit flavors swirl between citrus rind and pith notes, making this full-bodied brew a growing flavor experience.

Hands down one of my favorite beers, Hopslam was fantastic as always, this draft version boasting a bit sharper bitterness than bottles, making for a slower sipping tasting.

#305: Bandwagon Beer » Tuesday Night Circus (Triple IPA)

Tuesday Night Circus (Triple IPA) | ABV: 13% 
Starting the "What's on Tap?" weekly news posts has gotten a bit dangerous, now that I generally know what's on at all my favorite spots. As soon as I got wind of this hop monster, I knew I'd kick myself if I missed out.

As expected, it's a hop bomb in the nose. Piney and resinous, packed with aromatic notes of passion fruit and blood orange.

It's unexpectedly smooth up front, which deviously turns bitingly bitter with an unabashed booze heat. A hot and earthy brew with strong notes of citrus rind, rye whiskey, and soft caramel.

Timid tasters shouldn't leave just yet, though. Tuesday Night Circus has plenty of bite out of the gate, but it hits it's stride several sips in, becoming deviously drinkable. But, that could just be the 13% talking.

#197: Bell's Brewery » Hopslam Ale (Imperial IPA)

Hop legend hits Ithaca for the first time..

The Brewery: Bell's Brewing (Kalamazoo, MI)
The Brew: Hopslam Ale (Imperial IPA)
Availability: Draft & Bottles (Seasonal)
ABV: 10.0%%
Rating: 9.6/10
Location: Home
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

The Story? After jumping the gun on the release announcement (though the info was on good authority), Hopslam finally made it's way to Ithaca, NY for the first time. The lauded hop-forward, winter seasonal from Bell's is highly sought after, typically selling out in the week or two following release in most areas, occasionally tempting some to spark some controversy, attempting to by, say 400 bottles worth. Expedition Stout defied all expectations, would Bell's hoppy heavy-hitter do the same?

The Beer? Bubbly, transparent amber liquid pours out, forming a fizzy head with mild lacing. Strong tangerine and grapefruit aromas burst from the glass backed by bright, almost gin-like herbal notes, further complimented by soft wafts of vanilla and honey.

On first sip, it's immediately apparent this is an easy-down IPA, surprising, especially for what a big beer this is.

Bitter and biting flavors kick things off with a dry finish packed with potent grapefruit flavors and a mild hop heat. As with any big-hop Bell's, they haven't forgotten the malts. A sweet backbone, expertly balances the west-coast madness, while the whole package keeps the mouthfeel clean and delicious.

The flavor is quite pithy against the most juicy nose. Honey and biscuit appear on the front of each sip and then quickly vanish. It's a nice touch amidst the floral and beastly citrus flavors. There's even mild hibiscus & elderberry notes far in. The body get's a little chewy towards the end, reveling some of it's 10% girth, but never ceases to be bring and highly drinkable.

Overall, a recommended, well-balanced hop-head's dream that lives up to the hype, with some elegant flourishes, without getting uppity. 

#194: Jack's Abby Brewing » Mass Rising (Double IPL)

Jack's packs in the hops, continues to redefine the lager style...

The Brewery: Jack's Abby (Farmington, MA)
The Brew: Mass Rising (Double IPL)
Availability: Bottles/Draft (Year-Round)
ABV: 8% | IBUs: 100
Rating: 9.4/10
Location: The Westy

The Story? Jeremy from Remarkable Liquids and Sam from Jack's Abby were in town doing tastings at Fingerlakes Beverage and The Westy on Friday, serving up their lauded Hoponious Union and the freshly released, 2014 edition of Mass Rising.

The 2013 Great American Beer Festival Gold Medal winner is packed with 7 varieties of American hops. Where Hoponious solely rests on Citra & Centennial, Mass Rising packs in Amarillo, Calypso, Mosaic, and others for it's core, then touched with those two former. This batch is incredibly fresh, having come off the line earlier this week. Damn guys...

The Beer? Our star DIPL serves up with a pale, hazy yellow body topped with a thin white head - retaining it's lager looks, while packing a considerable punch. The nose is bright, but not as urgent as their IPL. Strong notes of grapefruit, grass, and even a touch of lime - all incredibly inviting.

Down the hatch, the flavors swirling around are incredible. It's a beautiful bouquet of American hop goodness. It kicks off bright (though a touch darker than Hoponious) and bitter, smoothing out just a touch early in, packed with fruit notes like tangerine, grapefruit, pear and apple. It's strong, but well balanced that's a touch on the acidic end with just a touch of earthiness, all backed by Jack's malt mastery.

It's crisp with a good amount of carbonation and a mild chewiness in the mouthfeel for a robust beer experience. Tons of pine, pith, and rind flavors are present throughout.

Overall, a recommended, hop-forward brew that's refreshing, but still a bit of a sipper. Jack's does it again, crossing styles and knocking it out of the park. Trade in your old DIPA for slammin' DIPL.

#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.

#160: Surly Brewing Company » Furious (American IPA)

Hops & malts get Furious...

The Brewery: Surly Brewing (Brooklyn Center, MN)
The Brew:  Furious (American IPA)
Availability: Cans & draft (Year-Round)
ABV: 6.2% | IBUs: 66
Rating: 9/10
Location: Home

The Story? Twas the night before Big Day In and all through the house, not a creature was stirring. But seriously, this is by far the earliest the evening before that I've had everything together for Ithaca Underground's pending festival. Time to sit back with a meal and a brew.

Furious is the last of the batch of Surly's that made it my way earlier in the fall and is packed with American hops and Scottish malt.

The Beer? Furious kicks off with voluminous off-white head atop dark, amber-red bubble body. The nose is full of fresh hops, tangerine, and a hint of green apple. Down the hatch it's bittersweet hop bliss. Lots of citrus, balanced by sweet toffee and caramel flavors.

Deft balance is what I find I enjoy most about all of Surly's beers. Complex, robust, but throw-back easy drinking thanks in part to Furious' soft carbonation. Further through, roasted notes build with mild hints of tea and herb.

Overall, another slammin' hoppy ale from Surly. Cheers!

#159: Founders Brewing Co. Sweet Repute (Barrel-Aged Wheatwine)

Sweet bliss...

The Brewery: Founders Brewing Co.(Grand Rapids, MI)
The Brew: Sweet Repute (Barrel-Aged Wheatwine)
Availability: Draft and bottles (limited)
ABV: 12.6%
Rating: 9.5/10
Location: Tug Hill (Cabin)
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

The Story? I stopped down to Fingerlakes Beverage Center to pick up something special for our anniversary trek up to the Tug Hill Plateau. I didn't have anything particular in mind, but figured this time of year there's always something limited, outrageous, and boozy to be found. And boy, did I find it.

I always try to grab a bottle of Founders Backstage series whenever it arrives. I missed the Mango Magnifico release, so when I saw their latest, Sweet Repute, staring back, their was no hesitation. This sweet beast is one-hundred percent barrel aged in maple syrup bourbon barrels and bourbon barrels over the course of sixteen months, then blended using carefully calculated ratios for the delivered brew. Wowzah.

The Beer? Sweet Repute opens with a big nose of honey and bourbon. Subtler notes of maple and oak are present as well after a more focus whiff. There's a touch of white head atop it's hazy gold body. Enough talk... time to drink.

This is booze-candy. Straight up. This isn't even beer - angel-tears nectar maybe? Strong flavors of caramel, candy sugar, vanilla, cream soda, toffee and a hefty dose of butterscotch make for a delicious start right out of the gate. It's boozy, as the 12.6% would infer, but with a medium body and gradual mouthcoat. Excellent.

Further through, roasted toffee notes emerge in the finish and the maple and bourbon flavors build, giving it more of a bite. This is no shy beer and more full bodied than more wheatwines I've encountered. There's even a bit of spruce and herbal notes on the front end of the second glass.

Overall, a truly expert crafted beer. It won't be for everyone, but for those it's for, it's luscious euphoria. A sweet/strong benchmark.

#148: Stone Brewing » Old Guardian Barley Wine (2012)

Stone's Old Guardian from last year emerges from the cellar...

The Brewery: Stone Brewing Co. (Escondido, CA)
The Brew:  Old Guardian Barley Wine (2012)
Availability:  Draft, 22 oz bottles (Classic, seasonal)
ABV: 11.6% | IBUs: 80
Rating: 9/10
Location: Home
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

The Story? After getting a chance to see the Doctor Who' 50th Anniversary Spectacular in the theater on Monday and finally having a warm house to come home to, my partner and I were in a bit of a celebratory mood.

While I'm not as much of a fan of winter commutes as I used to be, I do look forward to one of my favorite seasonal styles - Barleywines. I grabbed this one from the cellar, let it cool a bit further and cracked into this delicious year-in-waiting brew.

The Beer? Old Guardian pours out a hazy, murky amber color with just a bit more than a ring of lacy head. Already, there's plenty of boozy raisin notes backed by big malts, an inviting earthiness, and hints of coco. This should be a great ride.

Flavor-wise, there is a straight-up honey finish, which is quite enjoyable. Smooth and chewy mouthfeel and despite the aging, has still retained pleasant hop character.

I prefer my barleywines on the English-style, less bitter side of things, which is why I aimed to age this one, that started out at an IBU of 80. And I'm glad I did.

In addition to the distinct honey notes on the finish, Old Guardian is a complex journey through golden and purple raisins, agave candy, and sugared grapefruit. Undeterred by the 11.6% ABV, the ester and booze notes are well hidden and isn't as much of a sipper as I'd imagined.

All in all, a sweet, smooth, and creamy experience all around. A creamy, malt-wallop with mild, balanced bitterness. Looking forward to the 2013 Smoked version that remains cellared.

#140: Green Flash Brewing Co. » Green Bullet (Triple IPA)

Green Flash 9th Anniversary offering hits seasonal rotation...

The Brewery: Green Flash Brewing Co. (San Diego, CA)
The Brew: Green Bullet (Triple IPA)
Availability: 12 oz. & 650 mL Bottles
ABV:  10.1
Rating: 9.3/10
Location: Home
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

The Story? Back in 2011, Green Bullet was Green Flash's celebratory, 9th anniversary beer, which was met with fan acclaim and a bit of cult status. For 2013, this Triple IPA is available throughout the U.S., having been bottled for the first time.

The beer takes it's moniker from its namesake, one of two New Zealand hop varieties used in the brew. If you like single and double IPAs, why not keep going, right?

The Beer? I poured Green Bullet into my favorite wide-mouth wine glass (I really need to get a tulip glass) to a hazy, translucent caramel appearance and as slim amount of white head.

Bright citrus, candy sugars, lemon, and grapefruit are notable in the nose, which is more earthy than bitter. Alternatively, the taste is highly bitter. Tart, lemony, grass bitterness dominates with a parching finish.

Pungent, piney, and spicy - this triple delivers along with plenty of boozy esters that don't hide the 10.1%. All that said, it's highly enjoyable the whole way through the glass and never tiresome.

Overall, a solid hop-bomb that's worth checking out.

#130: Cigar City Brewing » Jai Alai (IPA)

Look what found its way up from Florida...

The Brewery: Cigar City Brewing (Tampa, FL)
The Brew: Jai Alai (IPA)
Availability: Cans, Draft, Bottle (year-round)
ABV: 7.5% | IBUs: 70
Rating: 9.5/10
Location: Home

The Story? It's good to have friends in southern places. Since starting this blog over the summer, I've been more apt to express my enthusiasm of beer in public and it's paid off. Back in the fall, a lovely box of Surly cans showed up on my doorstep and just last week, a sixer of Cigar City Brewing's Jai Alai made it's way up from Florida thanks to my friend Ryan. Many thanks!

This is my first taste of Cigar City Brewing, since distribution is extremely limited outside of their home state.

What's behind the name? Jai Alai, a game native to the Basque region of Spain, is played on a court called a fronton. Jai Alai players attempt to catch a ball using a curved mitt whilst the ball travels at speeds up to 188mph. Proving they have a sense of humor the Spanish dubbed this game “the merry game.” Tampa was once home to a bustling Jai Alai fronton, but sadly all that remains of Jai Alai in the Tampa Bay area is this India Pale Ale that Cigar City brew in tribute to the merry game.

The Beer? Jai Alai pours out translucent, almost opaque amber with lots of lacy head and a juicy nose that's full of bright citrus, especially grapefruit, with a slight sweet hint of mango.

Down the hatch, it's nice and wet up front with a full body and plenty of hop-tastic bitterness. Flavors of pine, resin, tropical fruits, and caramel swirl around, leading to a hot hop finish.

I absolutely love how wet this one, being so bitter, and the hot & spicy finish is superb. There's a bit of citrus rind and tropical fruits up front as well that darken slowly into earthier flavors.

A truly wonderful hop experience and highly recommended where you can get your hands on it.

#128: De Struise Brouwers / 3 Floyds » Shark Pants (Belgian IPA)

De Struise Brouwers & 3 Floyds collaborate on hop insanity...

The Brewery: De Struise Brouwers (Belgium) / 3 Floyds (IN, U.S.A.)
The Brew: Shark Pants (Belgian IPA)
Availability: Draft, Bottle
ABV: 9.0% | IBUs: 260
Rating: 9/10
Location: Monk's Cafe (Philadelphia, PA)

The Story? Knowing I had to limit myself was a tough call with all the amazing brews on Monk's menu. However, De Struise offering on the menu caught my eye, due to my recent bushes with their Black Domination and Weltmerz. Looking further at Three Floyds involvement and a ludicrous 260 IBU, my decision became far easier.

This brew came into existence from De Struise's Urbain visiting Three Floyds Indiana brewery with their house yeast and is brewed in memory of 3F's friend and employee Rich Sheppard who passed in 2011.

The Beer? This, my first introduction to Three Floyds, collaboration or otherwise, sits with an almost opaque, amber-red body with zero head. The aroma is packed with hops as expected, with a touch of funkiness.

I'm far too excited to spend too much time on the nose of this one, so it's head-first into tons of hop power with a distinct, but mild sourness and plentiful boozy esters. Shark Pants is busting with a strong, full body, but despite the 200+ IBU, it's not a palate killer.

This beer is somewhat reminiscent of a heavy-hopped barleywine, but with much more going on. Belgian yeasts dance with hop citrus aside sugars, chocolate, alcohol heat and inferred bourbon flavors, that all tie together into a dry, earthy finish.

Overall, it's a hell of a beer. Recommended for anyone looking for a big, complex beer. Not one I'd hope to have on say, a weekly basis, but I'd never turn down an opportunity if it were presented. Solid, unique, full-flavored beer.

#100: The Alchemist » Heady Topper (DIPA) Visit & Review

I saved review #100 for something special...

(pics by Mel Casano)

The Brewery: The Alchemist (Waterbury, VT)
The Brew:  Heady Topper (DIPA)
Availability: Cans, draft
ABV: 8.0% // IBUs: 120
Rating: 10/10
Location: The Alchemist Cannery / Home

The Story? If you've been reading of late, you've seen the slathering of posts around my Vermont beer trip - Hill Farmstead, Rock Art, Prohibition Pig, Farmhouse Bar & Grill, Fiddlehead, and so on. This final post is what launched the whole trip in the first place.

I was introduced to Heady Topper by a musician friend in Ithaca who grew up and is now back in Vermont. He generously gifted me three cans of HT early this year after a show. It had been on my radar with all the hype around the sought after Double IPA, so I was more than obliged .

Even on first sip back in February, I was completely hooked. Can #1 I split with my partner - poured into a glass to see all its rustic, unfiltered glory. The second I traded to my friend Maciej in exchange for a sixer of homebrews, so he could experience Heady Topper before moving back to Poland. The final can I shared with my partner's sister and brother-in-law, who took us on our first Vermont excursion with several years back.

For those out of the loop, the only way to obtain a significant amount of glorious Heady Topper, is to get it direct from the cannery. They can on Monday and Wednesday and are typically sell out in a day or two. So, we planned our vacation around being at The Alchemist in time for their 11:00AM opening on Monday.

There was a line when we arrived at 10:40 as expected, but they opened early and moved patrons through very effectively. Their retail shop is set up conveniently where you enter, check out their merch and the story of Heady Topper, enjoy a sample of Heady Topper right off the line, check out their modest canning/brewing operation, and buy up to 1 case of HT cans per person - all cold and ready to be enjoyed. The Alchemist is likely the cleanest, most effectively run, small craft beer operation on the patron side that I've encountered so far. We were in and out in about 15 minutes with everything we'd hoped for.

(behind the scenes)

The Beer? At the cannery, I had my first draft experience of the beer. Incredible, dank, fresh hop power with fluffy head and beautiful unfiltered gold color.

When not on tap, I would recommending heading the instruction to "Drink from the can!" as this baby is unfiltered and you can stir things up pouring it.

Popping open a can, it's big, bright, and fresh, with a supreme balance of velvety smooth mouthfeel, sweet start, and dense hop bitterness and hop hotness that is truly unmatched. Orange, grapefruit, pine, and resin flavors swirl around in glorious harmony. The hops are BIG, but don't destroy your palate in the way some 100+ IBU brews do.

The 8% ABV peaks through with a slight touch of booze on the finish along with a delicious hop spice. This is full, hop-head glory that isn't the most bitter, the most brutal, but... it is one of the best. This is close to my 10th can and each time is as good as the first. The fact that The Alchemist found success on balance being the key in their ultra-hopped version of one of the biggest big-beer styles out there is impressive. Believe the hype.

#084: Surly Brewing » Wet (IPA)

Fresh hop IPA from Surly...

The Brewery: Surly Brewing (Brooklyn Center, MN)
The Brew: Wet (India Pale Ale)
Availability: Cans & draft
ABV: 7.5% | IBUs: 90
Rating: 9/10
Location: Home

The Story? Wet is Surly's fresh hopped IPA. Each year, different hops are used depending on what's available. This year focused on Cascade and Centennial hops - 10lbs per barrel. The key with this one is to drink it. Soon.

The Beer? Wet starts out of the gate with a sweet, hoppy nose and very lacy, staying head. The taste is bright and bitter with a touch of sweetness and a far lighter mouthfeel and body than I was expecting. A hot, spicy hop presence builds along with a complimenting drying finish. That hot hop flavor is what really takes the cake for me.

The ABV of Wet is impressively well hidden and even coming in at 90 IBU, this one is still incredibly crisp and drinkable thanks to the light body, ultra fresh hops, a sturdy malt backbone. A refreshing and fresh, fresh, fresh.

#060: Evil Twin Brewing » Molotov Cocktail (Imperial IPA)

Hop bomb and total annihilation of the senses...

The Brewery: Evil Twin Brewing (Denmark)

The Brew: Molotov Cocktail (Imperial IPA)

Availability: Draft and bottles 

ABV: 13.0%, IBU: (100+?)

Rating: 8/10

Location: J. Ryan's Pub (Syracuse)

The Story? It was that time of year again for my day-job's bi-annual meetings, but this time around, the whole week was moved to Syracuse. I like a change of pace, sign me up. Oh, and the first full night we're going to Dinosaur BBQ afterwords? Say no more.

After a day's worth of learning, reconnecting, and powerpoints; I unreluctantly devoured some of my favorite slabs of charred flesh, washed down with an Empire Brewing Amber and Syracuse Pale Ale from Middle Ages. Good food, drink, company, and conversation.

On the way to Dinosaur BBQ, I'd realized that my (so far) favorite pub in Syracuse, J. Ryan's Pub was only an 8 minute walk from DBBQ. I can swing that. I bet I could persuade a few others to enjoy one more round. On the walk back to the hotel from DBBQ, I realize we're going to pass within one block of JR's 69 glorious taps. Now it's just a sign. A few willing compatriots and I bolt in and begin to take in their encyclopedia of offerings when my eyes see two irresistible words - EVIL TWIN. 

For anyone unfamiliar, Evil Twin is based out of Denmark and is one of the largest gypsy brewing companies in the world. 

The Beer? I take a long sip and prepare myself for a mouthful of huge hop juice... "I've made a huge mistake."  Kidding, but in all seriousness, this is the hop equivalent of a hot-sauce drinking contest. Molotov Cocktail is an ultra, brutal IPA and the extreme of hop-head-only territory.

Dry, intense grapefruit and citrus rind dominate alongside piney resin, caramel and fleeting wisps of biscuit. This Evil Twin caries a heavy and full mouthfeel, giving way to a sweetness that almost peeks though, due in part to the high ABV, but is rather quickly slapped back into place by the immense hops.  

Curiously, this pure bitter nectar without a lot of hop heat. Instead, we have a slow sipping, palate wrecker of a brew with hints of tropic and citrus, buried in pine and pith which leaves a dessert velvet tongue in it's wake. 

While this one is obviously brewed to show the extremes of hop potential, there are some subtle complexities just out of reach. I'd be quite interested if Evil Twin ever oaked or barrel aged this one. A few additional subtlties could really fill this one out. It's a estimate to craft beer severity, but seems to lie just south of it's full potential.

Must-try for devoted hop disciples...

#058: Stone Brewing » Enjoy By 09.13.13 (Double IPA - draft & bottle)

Next batch of fresh hop power hits the streets...

(Good beer pics vs. Dark places to drink: Round 168)

The Brewery: Stone Brewing Co. (Escondido, CA)
The Brew:  Enjoy By 09.13.13 (Double IPA)
Availability:  Draft, 22 oz botttles
ABV: 9.4%
Rating: 9.5/10 (draft) // 8/10 (bottle)
Location: Ithaca Ale House / Home

The Story? Stone has always been one for intense taste and innovation and in this humble blogger's opinion, their "Enjoy By" follows in that tradition. From a lesser company, it could be a gimmick - "oh, you need to buy this now and drink it now." But, it's the truth. Once an IPA is ready, it's far better to drink now. Leave your Imperial Stouts and Barleywines in the basement, but put your IPAs in your gut now. 

I was able to enjoy a glass of their 04.01.13 and was impressed. I heard some mixed reviews about the draft vs. bottle versions, so this time around, I bought both. 

The Beer? 
Draft: Incredibly fragrant with a pungent hop nose. Not that you'd expect anything less from Stone. It's a hop-dream bouquet of sweet flowers, orange, lemon, and tropical fruits. Golden color with a white, lacy head. 

The taste - bold, grassy, hot hop flavor, though not as extreme as the nose might infer. Full, robust mouthfeel with tons of sticky, piney hops packed in, ending in a long, steady hop finish. I'm intrigued to know of any food parings recommendations for this. The finish was so hardy, I had to take water between beer and food in order to taste my meal!

The freshness is the king here - wildly aromatic nose, smooth mouthfeel with a bit of hop oil, and that bold, everlasting finish. A west-coast style, hop-head must have.

Bottle: Out of the bottle, the nose isn't quite as pungent compared to the draft version. There's a strong grapefruit presence on this less-dank nose.

Wow! The taste vastly differs on this one. Starkly crisp, with an immense amount of grapefruit and citrus rind. Sharp flavors and a lighter body and mouthfeel, which finishes far quicker and cleaner. Still bitter, but without the lingering dryness.

It's still a tasty brew, but a complexly different beast. The bottle version of 09.13.13 doesn't nearly have that DIPA dank, stickiness to it that the draft version held. Instead, we're met with a very pithy, crisp, sharp, but still unique IPA.

Give both a try for yourself, but this blogger would suggest jumping for the draft if you get the chance. 

#035: Green Flash Brewing Co. - Palate Wrecker (Double IPA) #IPAday

In honer of IPA Day, time to wreck some palates...

(amazing how photo editing on a different comp can change pic settings...)

The Brewery: Green Flash Brewing Co. (San Diego, CA)
The Brew: Palate Wrecker (Double IPA)
Availability: 12 oz. & 650 mL Bottles
ABV:  9.5% | IBUs: 100+
Rating: 9.5/10
Location: Home

The Story? It's IPA Day! Let's play with some heavy hitters.

The Beer? I can already smell the hops from a foot away taking the picture on this one! Pours translucent copper with a bit of lacy head. Do they make air fresheners of this?

Beautiful, refreshing hop goodness. Hints of sweet on the first sip, but bitters quickly.

A hop lovers dream in a bottle right here. Puckery grapefruit, with a solid malt spine, providing robust support. Definitey on the brighter, acidic side of things and it works in its favor.

A bit of boozy tang in the background which grows throughout the glass... not sticky sweet like a barelywine, but does become more and more prevalent. Nice.

Funny thing is, I like this one better in the bottle. I've had it on draft twice of late and cold, out of the bottle I'm able to pull a far broader spectrum of flavor.

I've seen some remarks that this beer is overwhelming and unbalanced (even taking in the nature and purpose of it), but I find it, while still Palate Wrecking, to still be well crafted, balanced, while packing a huge hop punch and letting it shine.

It's never abrasive. Dry, bright, and bold, but I can still sit and hang out with it knowing it's a beer and not some while liquor or herbal disastor.

#036: Six Point Brewery - Resin (Double IPA) #IPAday

IPA day calls for one of my double favorites...

The Brewery: Six Point Brewery (Brooklyn, NY)
The Brew: RESIN (Double IPA)
Availability: 12 oz can - 4-packs & draft (year-round)
ABV: 9.1% | 103 IBUs
Rating: 9.5/10
Location: Home

The Story? A celebration of the essence of a hop cone - the resin. I hotly anticipated this beer last spring when it was released, first picking up a 4-pack at Nathaniel Square Corner Store in Rochester, just before it landed in Ithaca. I picked up this can from Finger Lakes Beverage Center earlier this summer to share with a hop-head friend who was moving to Poland, but we didn't quite get around to it. My gain!

For more background on the concept behind the beer itself, check out more info here and this wonderful video.

The Beer? Nice, staying head and shimmering caramel color. Lighter than some Double IPAs.

Delicious and resiny, as the name would suggest. Packs a bitter punch in celebration of the glorious hop. Strong pine, citrus rind, and even a bit of toasted flavors sneak in the back door along with herbal elements. Resin starts of on the creamier side of a beer this intense, followed by a strong, lingering hop finish. The ABV never comes off as boozy as you may expect. At first guest, I would not have put this one just over 9% in my first taste last year. Excellent carbonation staying power for a high ABV beer too.

There's a dark, dank nature creeping around the thunderous IBUs that really helps take the cake with this one for me. Happy IPA Day!

#025: Avery - duganA (Double IPA)

Avery's once a year Double IPA...

The Brewery: Avery Brewing (Boulder, CO)
The Brew: duganA (Double IPA)
Availability: Bottles (Ltd. release in Sept.)
ABV:  8.5% | IBUs: 93
Rating: 9/10
Location: Home

The Story? Avery (similar to the Left Hand story) is another Colorado brewery that, for whatever reason, isn't readily available in Upstate NY, despite having distribution to Downstate. For months, I eyed such gems as Samael's, The Beast, Hog Heaven, and Maharaja... only to find my gun-shy had cost me my shot at these wonderful brews. Fast forward and our favorite local beverage center pulled a haul up from the City - glory be! Six packs of White Rascal, IPA, Ellies Brown, and Joe's Pils make it into my basket along with Hog Heaven. On the return home, I couldn't help thinking about the beautiful looking IPA I'd passed up - it wasn't the Maharaja I'd been looking for, but why did I pass?

A bit of reading later, finding the duganA I'd passed by is in fact their September-only release with Chinook, Centennial and Columbus hops and Two-row barley, dark aromatic and caramel malt... next trip I was quite thankful to find a bottle sitting in wait.

I passed on my good fortune to my partner Mel and the one and only Cameron Wisch (drummer extraordinaire and soon-to-be guitarist tourmate).

The Beer? Smooth, sticky, and hoppy right off the bat. A beautiful hop experience of pine and resin. The brew beings relatively smooth, but the IBUs really start to creep up on this one, gradually building to a tongue drying finish while brightening a bit as well. 8.5% feels perfect as it never gets too boozy, but instead gives this IPA some serious heft behind it and a nice sweetness.

Overall an excellent big IPA with a high-medium hop bitterness. Recommended.