Bolero Snort Oak Aged Longhop

Recently I met up with my friend Bob at the Copper Mine Pub in North Arlington, NJ, which I highly recommend by the way, and started discussing craft beer. It turns out that Bob is an aspiring craft brewer and founder of Bolero Snort Brewery established last year in Bergen County. He was kind enough to give me a few beers to sample, so I figured I would review them and see how they turned out.

Appearance: Crisp clear dark amber color with a ton of head, plenty of carbonation rising from the bottom, very good lacing and long lasting with the head.

Smell: The smell definitely lives up to its oak aged name as a very oaky scent greets the nose. There is also a great fruity scent that smells like some kind of berry/pineapple/grapefruit mix, definitely a contrast to the sweet oak scent before.

Taste: Wow, huge fruit flavor at the front and finishes with the oak smoothness. It has a little bit too much fruit for my liking, but I can guarantee you that you haven't had a beer that tasted like this before.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, a little thin, a little watery, perfectly carbonated, no alcoholic aftertaste which is a huge plus.

Drinkability: This is definitely a delicious session beer that I wouldn't mind having a few more of tonight. At 6.6% abv, I don't have to worry about suddenly getting hit by the alcohol content. In fact, if it didn't say 6.6% on the bottle, I wouldn't have guessed it. One thing I like about the beers from Bolero Snort is that they are not afraid to take risks and make different beers that you won't find anywhere else. I give the Oak Aged Longhop a solid 7.5/10, and it might have been higher if I was more of a fan of the fruit involved.

Glass type: DFH bullet glass
Serving type: Bottle, 12 oz.

Bell's Two Hearted Ale

This is another beer from the Shangy's run. I think I've liked every single beer I have ever tried from Bell's, so I was happy to split a case of this with Jimmy without having one before.

Appearance: A light orange color, clear just like the Celebration Ale, and about a finger of head that sticks around for a little longer and with some lacing.

Smell: A nice strong citrus and fruit scent, and not much else.

Taste: The flavor is a lot more complex than the smell suggests, as there is a combination of orange citrus, pine, and resin hops that provide some bitterness. The finish is a nice sweet maltiness that really balances the fading bitter bite.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body, oily from the resin hops, low carbonation, almost no alcohol aftertaste, very smooth.

Drinkability: I guess another definition of drinkability is that the more I drink it, the more I like it. Every time I've cracked one open, I'll find something I didn't notice before. After drinking the Celebration and Two Hearted back to back, it really shows you how even though they are both IPAs, they are completely different brews for different occassions. The Celebration is the winter warmer style while the Two Hearted is lighter, refreshing, and can be enjoyed pretty much any time. 7% abv but you would think it had less alcohol than the Celebration because of the finish and aftertaste. 9.5/10

Serving type: Bottle
Glass type: DFH bullet glass

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale (2009)

It has been a REALLY long time since my last review. I've been stockpiling a whole bunch of brews primed for reviewing, but life has gotten in the way. I'm hoping that with the end of the semester and a break from work for the holidays will help me catch up. I'll start with the brews Jimmy and I picked up from our Shangy's trip almost a month ago. The blessing in disguise from PA's case law is that I was able to drink a bunch of the beers while still having some left for reviews. Huzzah!

Appearance: A nice clean amber color, very clear as I can see the DFH logo on the other side of the glass. It pours with about a finger of head that fades pretty quickly.

Smell: Floral and pine hop aromas and a little sweetness from the malts, there are also hints of fruits but I'm rusty and can't pick out the exact scent, maybe some citrus/orange.

Taste: That's a nice malty flavor for a winter ale, definitely toasted malts with some pine and a little bit of spice on the finish. The combination gives you a warm "sit by the fire" winter feel.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, well carbonated, somewhat of a dry finish and a little alcohol bite to let you know it's not a softy.

Drinkability: This beer has been my go-to after work beer for the past month, which I think would qualify as the definition of drinkable. It's not overly complex, but you won't get bored with it, and at 6.8% abv, you'll feel nice and toasty after a couple. This is a great winter IPA, 'nuff said. 9/10

Serving type: Bottle
Glass type: DFH bullet glass

Sierra Nevada Estate

Unstoppable: Eli Manning is. So is his Sierra Nevada Estate Brewers Harvest Ale, fueled by hops and barley, it never needs a recall, just like the people...who drink it.

Ah yes, the first release of the new Estate Harvest Ale (not to be confused with Chico Estate Wet Hop Harvest), Sierra Nevada's experiment of brewing with completely their own ingredients grown at their brewery in Chico. I've been waiting to get my hands on this ever since I heard of the concept a little while back, since I have been such a huge fan of the other brews in the Harvest lineup. Of course, our friends at State Line Liquors in Elkton, MD pull through and had some available.

Appearance: A deep amber color with alive and kicking carbonation that produces greater than a finger of fluffy head, topping off a crisp, clean beer.

Smell: Tremendous hop scent, a combination of citrus, floral, and juicy (a first for me in describing a scent like that, but it does remind me of a juice box smell, in a good way) hops, along with a hint of sweetness from the malts.

Taste: Fantastic taste, resiny and citrus hops with some light biscuit malts as backup, and finishes with that juiciness and fruit taste, very light on the spice, only subtle hints until it warms up, with the hop bitterness giving way to the malts.

Mouthfeel: Oily and resiny, not too thin, perfectly carbonated, which I was afraid of overcarbonation given the amount of head on the pour, light to medium body, almost no alcoholic aftertaste or bite that you might get from an IPA (which it technically is).

Drinkability: Maybe I'm biased towards Sierra Nevada's brews, specifically the Harvest ales, but for a 1st release (technically the Chico Estate used only its own hops, this went a step further) this is a great beer, albeit a tad overpriced. I've heard prices everywhere from $8-$11 for a 24 oz. bottle, which is a little steep in my opinion. If money is no object, you could easily put back a few at only 6.7% abv and still be game for more. I would give this beer a 9+, but I'll have to ding them a bit for the price. 8.5/10

Serving type: Bottle
Glass type: Sam Adams glass

21st Amendment IPA

Micro beer in a can? Yes sirree! Gone are the days where the only way to drink a can, such as Natty Light, is by shotgunning. My first quality craft bib in a can was from the talented Oskar Blues Brewery in Lyons, Colorado (I have had their Dale's Pale Ale, GORDON!, Ten Fidy & Old Chub). This time, I had my eyes set on trying something new for me: 21st Amendment Brewery - IPA. Picked up a six pack at Whole Foods, Paramus, NJ for $9.99 before tax.

Appearnce: Cloudy peach amber that poured a fat finger of head into my tulip glass. The miniature carbonation bubbles are having quite a party that I am about to crash.

Smell: Knock knock. Whose there? 7. 7 Who? 70 IBUs screaming up your nostrils! Piney hops followed by faint caramel malt breeze.

Taste: Impressive creation that is well balanced between the crisp, bitter piney hops and sweet malt finish.

Mouthfeel: A hair bit over carbonated but it goes down quite smooth with the medium-light body. There is an alcoholic bite bringing up the caboose of the drink.
Drinkability: Strange finding, but I prefer this beer cold, even though I get more flavors and answers as it warms up into proper IPA drinking temperature. It makes love with our liver at 7.0% abv and I would definitely have more than one in a night (or day). 8.5/10 hophead rating for me!

Long Trail Brewmaster Series Double IPA

I was impressed with the Rockart Vermonster last week so I decided to pick up another VT level 4 type beer, once again at the ever so popular Whole Foods in Paramus, NJ. What caught my attention to purchase this bomber were the phrases "A taste of Vermont" and of course "Double IPA" on the label. [Side note: I am on a mission to drink every single Double/Imperial IPA out in the micro USA beer economy].

Appearance: Is this really a double IPA? It literally pours a clear golden yellow stream of Miller Light piss. Lackluster looks, 2 fingers of head after a careful pour and it appears clear upon initial glance, but I can actually see some unfilteration going on.

Smell: Is my nose stuffy or not working? Very faint whiffs of Chardonnay with hints of lemon zest. No malt presence but I am detecting minor floral honeysuckle hops.

Taste: Sweet droplets of fancy grade A type honey and the bitterness definitely comes out from its hiding place. The IBU presence reminds me of biting into the rind or the inner skin of a grapefruit.

Mouthfeel: Looks clear, smells bland but it actually has some chewy body to it; definitely more than meets the bare eye. Kind of a minor unpleasant aftertaste as the ale digests; reminds me in a ways (no where near as bad!) of a warm natty light aftertaste.

Drinkability: Smooth as my skin was when I was a baby. I would say this is more of a mellow India Pale Ale than a Double, even though it is clocking in at 8.6% abv. My heritage lies withing my favorite east coast, but those west coast hop bombs just trump my coast and make them look like the NY Mets!!! 6/10 for me (this was like a government regulated DIPA, but I kind of liked the laid back stoner character to it....)

Southern Tier Oak Aged Unearthly IPA

Be not mistaken by the label but this is not just a typical India Pale Ale, it is an IMPERIAL! My favorite style shows up unexpectedly, or should I say unearthly? The shimmer and shine of this bomber caught my attention at Ramsey Liquors here in the dirty Jerz. The price of $8.99 almost deflected my heart away from this ale, but the hop wearing a crown on the label was like love at first site. Let us see what the brewers from Lakewood, NY created in this limited release imperial.

Appearance: Pours a 1/2 pink finger of head that dissipates to a thin cover after it settles for a minute (as if you were skiing/snowboarding down the mountain and you come up to a patch of snow with dusting on top and then you realize it is a major ice spot and panic, leading to a monster yard sale wipe out). That comparison is basically how I feel right now, scared but anxious to try it. You can attempt to see through your glass but you will end up squinting due to the faint hop cloudiness. This goldenrod-brown-orange-yellow-ish ale is secretly alive as you watch the micro carbonation bubbles gasp for air at the top of the glass.

Smell: Intense wafts of vanilla bean from the "[oak aged]-ness" character that masks all else. Hazel-nutty malts and spicy/perfume-y hops (although my hop sense might be off from the overpowering vanilla bourbon tasting barrel. Reminds of smell of an Oak Aged Arrogant Bastard from Stone Brewing.

Taste: Butterscotch candy that has been spiked with alcohol melting in your mouth. Can taste the bitterness of the hops finally...over-ripened pineapple in combination with floral hops. Vanilla sweet malts leading the charge as the smell still, but not as overpowering as in the Smell category.

Mouthfeel: Goes down smooth as velvet, but that alcohol after bite stings as you let the beer mellow in your mouth and even has an unpleasant alcoholic taste minutes after you take a sip. I feel like eating on pretzels and/or beer nuts, or wait GOLDFISH! to act as a palette cleanser. As it warms up to room temperature, the not pleasing aftertaste isn't as dreadful...reminds me of a sweety malty red ale finish.

Drinkability: Overall this beer is diffult to consume for me, as I slayed this bomber in an hour approximately. Not the hopgasm I expected for a DIPA. My experience with the oak aged beers has been borderline kindergarten (my favorite is oak aged yeti from Great Divide), but for me it ruined this beer. I would keep the Oak Aged style to stouts in particular, but then again, I need to gain experience points with this style before I can make that judgement call. It was definitely worth a try buying this for educating my beer brain, but I don't see myself getting it again (fell hophead Ryan had this on tap in Philly I think...how was it?) 6/10 for me. Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of the high octane beer (north of 10%abv), but I don't like when I clearly taste booze as I felt was the case with this ale: vanilla mellow sweet booze.

Founders Double Trouble Imperial IPA

So it is Sunday and you know what that means in my family: BEEEEEEEEEEER. I picked some of these 12oz over at Ramsey Liquors. Lets get this party started for April:

Appearance: Pours an incandescent clear yellow with a surprising 2 fingers of head (I think the northern NJ distributor of Founders must have gone over a couple of bumps because this is the second time I have had a Founders that was overly carbonated. Either that or that is how a typical Founders is). Molten head lacing slowly dissipates and leaves this hieroglyphic writing that says, "Enjoy the 86 IBU's!"

Smell: Ahhhhh!! My favorite grapefruit citrus hops blended well douglas fir baby pine tree tasting hops. Lets get that nose in closer for another AHHHHHH!!!

Taste: Not as orgasmic as the smell. Intense hopsicity more on the piney side. Kind of sweet in a way (could be the salt from my PepFarm Pizza Flavor Blasted Goldfish).

Mouthfeel: Dry bitter smoky aftertaste that would make BudLight drinkers cry home to their mommys. Goes down coarse and not as carbonated as the initial appearance

Drinkability: Another job well done from Founders in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Would like to get the chance to try this off the tap someday. Overall, this 9.4% was a 8.5/10 for me. Up there with my hoppy DIPAs that I just go crazy over. Its strong, but I am stronger so I could have a couple more; hence I would definitely drink another

Boulder Mojo India Pale Ale

In continuing our run-up to House Party '09, a couple of us have had this beer before but were too lazy to write down our thoughts.

Appearance: An aggressive pour brings about a finger of head with a light orange color, seemsa little too light compared to other IPAs, the head doesn't have the best lacing, but it's there, good amount of carbonation rising.

Smell: A good floral hop aroma with hints of citrus, maybe even some grapefruit?, sweet malts dance around in the background, very good combination of smells makes it inviting to drink.

Taste: Well balanced hop and malt flavor combo where the hops are a little more spicey than the smell gives off, then transititon to a rich sweet malt taste, then back to a hoppy aftertaste, the switching back and forth makes it enjoyable, unique, and memorable.

Mouthfeel: Perfect carbonation, light but not watery, smooth, decent body, coats the mouth on the way down.

Drinkability: This brew is very easy to drink, especially compared to other IPAs and beers in general that lie within its abv range of 6.8%. You can easily have more than a couple in a night, hell, maybe even a six pack. If you like your IPAs to really kick you in the face with a strong hop presence (like Hophead Jimmy), you might not be as high on this beer as I am. However, I really enjoyed this well balanced beer, and am giving it an 8/10.

Glass type: Sam Adams glass
Serving type: bottle

Brooklyn East India Pale Ale

I haven't reviewed in quite some time, so in preparation of Higgity Piggity '09 (if you don't know, don't ask) I'll review a few I've been meaning to over the next week. I'm pretty sure I had this brew at the brewery on my adventure to Brooklyn with Alex and his twin Tim, but don't remember for sure.

Appearance: Pours with a somewhat cloudy golden color with barely a finger of head, alive with bubbles rising to the top, and the little bit of head that exists is surprisingly lacey.

Smell: I don't know if its my allergies acting up, but the smell isn't very strong, it does have some hints of floral hops with some fruitiness and a dash of spice.

Taste: The taste has a much stronger hop presence than the smell, starting with that floral fruity bit and leaving with the spiciness, a tiny bit of sweetness that could be coming from the malts, but it could just be playing tricks with me.

Mouthfeel: Well carbonated but not overly so, a little watery, but not too light.

Drinkability: The spiciness and other interesting flavors that come at you make it a nice beer to try, but it can wear you down and make you tired of it by the end of beer #1. It's not that the 6.9% abv is too strong, as is obvious from our other reviews we can drink higher abv beers in more quantity, but the unique flavors are not conducive to drinking more than one or two in a row before you want something else. Not my favorite from Brooklyn Brewery, but still worth a tasting. It gets a 7/10 from me.

*NOTE: I freakin hate using "Drinkability" ever since Bud Light decided that would be its new excuse to drink its hog sweat they call beer. However, I think we contest that our definitions are different: we say drinkability is about repeatability based on taste, quality, alcoholic strength, and overall satisfaction; their definition is not dying upon instant consumption, although that is debatable. /End rant

Glass type: Sam Adams glass
Serving type: bottle

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA Ale

There have been lots of hype about this ale recently from fellow hopheads Ryan and Alex, as well as some high school friends of whom I thought do not drink craft beer. It must be the hot new thing in town, even more so than WWF wrestling was back in the days of the Macho Man Randy Savage (snap into a slim jim ooooooo yeaaaaa). Alright, lets see if this ale can match my strong expectations.

Appearance: One finger of head pale pour with shimmers of St. Patrick's day green flashing in and out.

Smell: Fresh piney hop aromas. Reminds me of some belgian IPAs that are a bit perfumy.

Taste: The balancing act of the nutty malts blends well with the piney hoppiness.

Mouthfeel: Refreshing. Appears watery but goes down with more substance than expected.

Drinkability: I have never experienced whole-cone American hops before (from what my poor memory can recollect) so this ale was a new for me, which comes as a shocker as IPAs are my favorite style (and Imperial IPAs too!!) It was pretty damn good for an IPA (I don't know if the "Extra" means Imperial/Double or just more hops like a Fresh Hop Ale). I need to drink this again and review as my beer senses are out of wack. This 7.2% abv'er is going to get a 8/10 from me for now.

Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA (2003)

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring except two giganormous humans (Yea, that so doesn't rhyme). We just got back from Christmas Eve church and my dad busted out this rare bomber bottle (1 pint 9.6 ounces) with a cork in it of 2003 Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA (The Imperial India Pale Ale). This bottle literally did not see any light while aging in the cellar from when I graduated high school in 2003 and hated beer till present day Xmas eve 2008.

Note: I did not review this because it was still a week after my deviated septum surgery and my nose was not functioning properly as well as looking like a cross between Rudolph the red-nose reindeer and Pinocchio. So I apologize in advance for my lame review.

This was only the second time ever that I had 120 minute. My first was on tap at some random bar in Washington D.C. that I went to with fellow hopheads Alex & Mike. The taste was rich and not as super sweet as I remembered. It took 2 hours to finish and savor this beauty, which comes in at a whopping 18% abv I think. Reminded me of sipping on a fine port wine and appreciating the delicacy of this god-like nectar.

Addition (1/5/09): Review from King Adubahbi who helped slay this beast: "characteristics of a Belgian tripel, complex, HUGE. The original residual sugars have dried out nicely."

Urthel Hop-It Belgian IPA

Some fleeting thoughts on this beer:

I brought a nice big bottle of Urthel's Hop-It along with me for some delicious sushi at a restaurant that happens to be BYOB.

Appearance was pale, living up to the moniker I'm paraphrasing off the bottle "hoppy blonde ale."

The style "Belgian IPA" is no joke, though I would place it on the more Belgian end of the flavor spectrum. There was some bitter hop smack to the finish, but to my nose and taste buds (however distracted by sushi they may have been), the trademark Belgian sourness was up front and center.

Mouthfeel was light and bubbly. Good texture to go with my sushi.

I almost let the light feel fool me, until halfway through the bomber bottle I remembered this was a 9.5% Belgian. Maybe limit yourself to one bottle a night?

Overall it was a very interesting beer to drink. I don't get Belgians very often, as I'm usually drawn to the punch-you-in-the-face-with-hops offerings our American brewing brethren have to offer. Hence my purchase of the one called "Hop-It." I liked what I tasted though, and would recommend to any IPA drinker wanting a stepping stone over into the land of Belgians.

Urthel Hop-It Page
Thanks to Jimbo for the photo of his bottle of Hop-It. FYI, the bottle I got had a new, different label.

Victory Hop Wallop

This "very hoppy" ale has been sitting in my fridge for too long. Time to crack it open and experience the ride.

Appearance: Dirty school bus yellow with a 2.5 finger head (I poured it like a waterfall). As it gradually settles, there is just a vague covering of head up top while tiny bits of carbonation slowly creep.

Smell: Sweetie malts but the dank hops straight up trump that. They don't call it HOP WALLOP for nothing.

Taste: Sweet taste that is quite refreshing to my palette. The hops are more herb-ey now.

Mouthfeel: Bitter aftertaste that tapers off just waiting for you to take another sip. Such a beautiful seasonal cycle [sip - swirl and dance in mouth - bitter aftertaste - give me more].

Drinkability: I would definitely have another. One of my first DIPAs that I ever had back at school. A reliable one for me out on the east coast, even though I like to venture out to other areas. {side note - this was really good on tap at the Victory brewpub}. Chillin' at 8.5% abv with my rating of 8/10

Bell's Two Hearted Ale

I popped my cherry with this brew a couple of months ago out of a mini keg can (kind of like the Heineken one). This one was from a 12 fl oz bottle however. Some stats I found out about my brew (taken from the website) are as follows:

• Batch # 8330
• Package 2/18/08
• Original Gravity: 1.058
• Alc. by Vol: 7.0%

Appearance: Golden honey with shimmers of red cavernous sparkles as the humidity forms on the outside. 2 fingers of head during pour that quickly evaporated to 1/4 finger (I served this one in a snifter).

Smell: Shockingly metallic with hints of mold. It doesn't smell like beer to me. A wild floral hop aroma from a scene in Harry Potter comes to my mind

Taste: The metallic smell resides in the taste. Sweet hops with a floral presence. Vague maltiness coming from the deep pines of Comstock, MI.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light thickness to it without too much carbonation. The longer you leave it in your mouth the more drastic the aftertaste is.

Overall: My comments above may seem mostly derogatory but there is something that makes me wanting more of this fine brew. That something is HOPS!!! Unique hoppiness for an IPA that is crisp and refreshing on this 80 degree day. 7.5/10 for me.

Southern Tier: Un-Earthly

On a recent trip to the Crawford compound in Long Island, I came bearing gifts in the form of 22 oz. bombers. One of which was the Southern Tier: Un-Earthly. I had made a trip earlier in the week to The Foodery on 2nd & Poplar (which I will talk about on a later post for sure), and this beer came highly recommended by the guy that worked there. Unfortunately for me, this bomber was not opened on either of the two late nights on the island, including the night that "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" was danced to and the Maharaja was slain.

I was so curious and intrigued by the brew (because of the great recommendation, that I made a trip back to the Foodery to purchase myself a bomber of it:

Appearance: If it was a Crayola Crayon, it's name would be "Foggy Gold". It was a very nice gold, bordering (but not quite) on amber.

Smell: The hops filled my nostrils on first whiff. Although, it was not as strong as I would have anticipated. The hops smell was very sweet and flowery, very pleasant.

Taste: Much to say about the taste. Being an Imperial IPA, the hops were clearly apparent on the first taste. Contrary to the name, the hops were very earthly, tasting both sweet and flowery, just like the smell. There was a very sharp and refreshing taste at the start of the gulp, but on the finish, Un-Earthly was very smooth. As I continued tasting, there was a very subtle malt taste coming through, but I'm assuming that it is the result of getting used to the hops.

Mouthfeel: The carbonation tickles and tingles the mouth more than it kicks you in the face. It is carbonated perfectly to compliment the taste. Leaves a very slight bitter (although pleasant) aftertaste (very, very brief).

Drinkability: "Deceptive" was the one word that came to mind. On the surface it's both sweet-tasting and refreshing, but at 11% ABV, it has as much punch as Rocky Balboa. Seems like a perfect summer night-capper. Would definitely purchase again.

Stone IPA

So my family officially spends so much damn money on beer. Chicks:clothes::Dudes:BEER!!! My brother picked this one up at our local favorite Ramsey Liquors in Ramsey, NJ. Just as a side note, I picked up a case of this at the Beer Barn back at school out in Lewisburg, PA. It was my first official case that I bought as a 21 year old.

Appearance: Yellow-orange typical beer color with some golden reflections in the light. Light in nature. I poured it in fast to get 2 fingers of head because the beer was still cold and wanted it to warm up a bit.

Smell: Hops, hops & hops oh my! Piney in nature and a sudden sweet malt sense as you swirl the beer in your glass.

Taste: Bitterness at the hops stands out like the Smuttynose IPA and I just LOVE it. It makes the Natty/Miller/Bud/etc. Light lovers just scream ewwwwwww. I really love it. So crisp and refreshing.

Mouthfeel: No bitter aftertaste for me; but that may due to my hot sauce laden tasted buds that love hot sauce and hops. Leaves you wanting more and more. Goes down light and smooth.

Drinkability: One of my favorite IPAs. 9/10 rating and at a whopping 6.9% abv (kind of high for an IPA?) I wonder what the IBUs are?

Lagunitas IPA

Thanks to my brother for picking this bomber bottle up at Ramsey Liquors in NJ. 45.6 IBUs and 1.059 OG.

Smell: This California brew blows you away with a citrusy gummy/pastey hop aroma. About a finger of head.

Appearance: You can see through this golden brownish color hue that is quite inviting.

Taste: Malts definitely overpower the west coast hops in this brew.

Mouthfeel: On the watery side and leaves a dry hoppy resinesque taste in the back of your mouth.

Drinkability: My comments above may seem on the negative side, but this beer is pretty damn good for an IPA. Lagunitas has the correct formula for this india pale ale. 7/10

Port Brewing Wipe Out IPA

Thanks to my pops for this one...

Appearance: Orange-yellowish copper tone with 3 full fingers of head in my tulip glass

Smell: GOOD MORNING to the 78 IBUs waking up my stuffy nose. The 5+ varieties of hops produce an ever so inviting fragrance.

Taste: First thing that came to my mind was that it didn't hit my taste buds like it did to my nose. Kind of dry aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Carbonation tickles your tongue as it goes down smooth like water.

Drinkability: Very easy to consume, but you need beer nuts or pretzels with the dryness present. I hope allergy season isn't ruining my beer senses. Would definitely drink this again.

Bear Republic Racer 5 India Pale Ale

Appearance: You can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel through this yellow copperish hue.

Smell: West coast hops that smells like a beauty. Sweet malt touch in the nose with herbal piney hops.

Taste: Hops are definitely sitting in the drivers seat but balances out smoothly as it goes down your throat. What a marvelous taste that doesn't go away.

Mouthfeel: Very smooth like a babies' butt (damn I hate reviewing beers; I just like drinking them) with the perfect amount of carbonation. Keep it coming down my throat.

Drinkability: Want to taste this off the tap. Overall great example of what an IPA should be. Definitely would drink it again and again and again. 7% abv