Long Trail IPA

The beer du jour is Long Trail IPA.  I found this one tucked way far back in my keezer -- I didn't know I had any Long Trail beers left, so that was a nice surprise.

Vittles:
English IPA
6% abv
48 IBU

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 21/25
Taste: 35/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 4/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 84/100

Impression:
The head poured out alright, and it settled out with decent lacing.  The aroma smells of pine and grapefruit, but the scents are more subtle than I was expecting.  The flavors are largely of pine and grapefruit, as well, but they don't obscure the malt profile, which is nice.  It's got a little stickiness to it, but finished mostly clean and crisp, with a refreshing, citrusy aftertaste.  This is a good, solid, by-the-book English IPA, and I'd readily drink it again in the future.

Cheers!

Goose Island IPA

I can't believe how stocked my keezer is with varieties I haven't tried yet.  I'm not even sure how I got some of these beers, since I don't recognize their labels.  Since I wasn't looking for anything too different or new this time around, I opted for a Goose Island IPA, which I thought would go nicely with the chicken dish I made for dinner:

Vittles:
English IPA
5.9% abv
55 IBUs

Score:
Appearance: 9/10
Aroma: 21/25
Taste: 36/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 87/100

Impression:
I tend to prefer English IPAs to American ones because they usually have a better balance between malt and hops flavors (the ones I've tried, at least).  This one has a nice aroma -- a bit of grapefruit, a little pine, a smidge floral, and a wee bit malty.  The aromas aren't overblown, but nicely balanced, and the flavors follow suit.  I taste a wider range of citrus flavors than I picked up on in the aroma, and it's both creamy and crisp, making this a very refreshing beer.  It seems like it's a fairly versatile beer, too, like I could enjoy this with a wide variety of foods without the flavors of the beer being masked (or vice versa).  I would definitely have this one again.

Cheers!

Stone IPA

My husband and I went out for dinner the other night, and we wound up at a local bar that makes really good sandwiches.  Unfortunately, most of their taps are usually light BMC stuff that doesn't usually appeal to me.  They did, however, have two decent IPAs on tap, which is a rarity for them, so I got Stone IPA, which I haven't had in years (and I don't think I've ever had it on tap before, only bottled):

Vittles:

American IPA

6.9% abv

77 IBU

Score:

Appearance: 10/10

Aroma: 23/25

Taste: 38/40

Mouthfeel: 8/10

Style: 5/5

Drinkability: 8/10

Overall: 92/100

Impression:

It's actually better than I remember it being, but maybe I didn't have it all that fresh years ago, or maybe my memory isn't all that swell these days.  Regardless, I very much enjoyed it this time around.  The head persisted decently well and left a fair amount of lacing as it fell.  Pine and citrus rule the aroma, though I do smell some caramel and toasty malt/bread in the background.  As far as flavor goes, I was kind of bowled over -- citrus, floral, fruity, and pine flavors kept my taste buds guessing, while the malt backbone played counterpart quite nicely.  The mouthfeel is medium-full, and it finishes crisp and clean.  Very enjoyable overall, and I will certainly be looking for this one on tap again.

Cheers!

Great Divide Hercules Double IPA

Another of the IPAs I picked out for my husband and I to share was Great Divide Hercules Double IPA.  While he loves IPAs, especially American and Imperial IPAs, they're not my favorite style.  However, I do seem to have more IPAs than anything else, and the style is continuing to grow on me:

Vittles:
Imperial IPA
10% abv

Score:
Appearance: 9/10
Aroma: 22/25
Taste: 37/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 89/100

Impression:
It poured nicely with a decent head, but the head did not persist long.  It did leave a fair bit of lacing, though.  The aroma is sweet, like bread and honey, with some grapefruit, floral, fruity, woody, and slightly spicy notes.  I like the maltiness in the background; the toastiness is a great complement to the hops.  I also liked that I tasted some hints of dark fruits and nuttiness.  The creamy smoothness of the mouthfeel just makes this beer stand out even more.  I would love to try this one on tap sometime -- I bet it would be fantastic.


Cheers!

Founders Centennial IPA

My husband is a fan of American IPAs, especially if they have Centennial hops in them.  So, when I mix myself a 6, I usually try to add a couple beers he'd like as well, and we enjoy them together.  One of the IPAs I picked out for him this time was Founders Centennial IPA:

Vittles:
American IPA
7.2% abv
65 IBUs

Score:
Appearance: 9/10
Aroma: 23/25
Taste: 37/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 90/100

Impression:
Nice clarity and decent head when poured, but the head fell fairly quickly, leaving decent lacing behind.  The malt is present but subdued in the nose, leaving the grapefruit/citrus and pine characteristics to dominate the forefront.  The malt backbone does a great job of supporting the rich and intense hops flavors without taking too much attention away from the grapefruit/citrus and pine.  There're also some floral, herbal, and spicy notes in the background, too.  The flavors themselves are clean and crisp, surprisingly refreshing considering the fuller-bodied but very smooth mouthfeel.  I've said before that IPAs aren't my favorite style, but I found this one to be particularly enjoyable.

Cheers! 

Otto's Arthur's IPA

I might sound like a bit of a homer here, but Otto's really is a great place to grab a meal and a couple beers.  I have yet to be disappointed by any of the beers that I get there.  I was there with some friends the other night, and I got myself some Arthur's IPA to go with my Reuben (which was awesomely delicious, might I add).  Unfortunately, I was enjoying myself so much I once again forgot to snag a pic until my glass was practically empty.  I don't like that that's starting to become a pattern, but then again, I'm sure my dinner companions aren't always thrilled with me snapping pics of my beers.  In fact, I'm pretty sure they get a little embarrassed.  But they're also very indulgent, wonderfully awesome and understanding as they are.

Vittles:

American IPA

6.3% abv

Score:

Appearance: 8/10

Aroma: 20/25

Taste: 36/40

Mouthfeel: 8/10

Style: 5/5

Drinkability: 8/10

Overall: 85/100

Impression:

Otto's makes solid beers in general, and this one's no slouch.  I was a little disappointed that the head had already settled by the time it got to my table, but it was a fairly busy time of day, and I was once a waitress at a bar -- I know what the crush can feel like, so it really doesn't bother me that much.  I liked the combination of toffee, caramel, and toasty malt, which served as a backdrop to the largely citrus-grapefruit flavors.  There's also a tasty earthy/herbal undertone that I like quite a bit.  The aftertaste clings a bit, but not too much.  And like I sort of covered before, anything that pairs well with a Reuben is A-OK in my book.

Cheers!

Sam Adam's Third Voyage

I finally got to the last of the IPAs I had sitting untried in my keezer, Sam Adam's Third Voyage:

Vittles:

Imperial IPA

8% abv

85 IBUs

24 SRM

278 cal.

Score:

Appearance: 9/10

Aroma: 21/25

Taste: 36/40

Mouthfeel: 8/10

Style: 5/5

Drinkability: 7/10

Overall: 86/100

Impression:

It's bold, and it's a all kindsa grapefruit deliciousness, with a bit of earthy/herbal hiding in the background and a moderate level of spiciness pervading.  There's more of a malt footprint in this beer than I was expecting -- that kind of malt backbone could support more assertive hopping.  Then again, hops characters do drop off as the bottle ages, but I thought this was still a pretty damn good DIPA, despite having several weeks on it.  My only real complaint is that it had a syrupy thickness to it that took away from my enjoyment a bit (but not by much).  I'd like to try this one again sometime, fresh and on-tap, but I don't think I'd go too far out of my way to buy it aside from that.  It's a good, solid IPA, but there are just SOOOO many others out there to try!

Cheers!

Saranac Rye IPA

Ok, down to the last two bottles of IPAs I haven't tasted yet.  I went with the Saranac Rye IPA:

Vittles:

Specialty Beer (Rye IPA)

5.95% abv

Score:

Appearance: 9/10

Aroma: 18/25

Taste: 31/10

Mouthfeel: 8/10

Style: 4/5

Drinkability: 7/10

Overall: 78/100

Impression:

It's brilliantly clear with sufficient effervescence, but it does have that Saranac taste.  With the exception of the White IPA that I tried recently, almost all of Saranac's beers have the same basic flavor profile, so it's hard to be surprised, impressed, or disappointed when trying a different Saranac beer.  This one falls right in line with the rest -- mild aroma, moderate flavors, color and abv all in the same range as the rest of the pack.  It's just another very average beer.  It's a good thing I find Saranac beers fairly enjoyable, if relatively mediocre.

Cheers!

Sam Adams Grumpy Monk

Down to the last few untried IPAs in my stock:

Vittles:

Specialty Beer (Belgian IPA)

6.5% abv

55 IBUs

13 SRM

188 cal.

Score:

Appearance: 9/10

Aroma: 22/25

Taste: 36/40

Mouthfeel: 8/10

Style: 5/5

Drinkability: 7/10

Overall: 87/100

Impression:

It's zesty!  The aroma and the flavor both have a refreshing combination of sweet roasty maltiness, citrus/grapefruit, piney, herbal, earthy, peppery, and clove notes that nicely complement the palpable yeast characteristics, while the effervescence helps give this beer a more satisfying mouthfeel.  I felt the first sip on my tongue almost like licking the terminals on a 9-volt, but each sip after that was a little less... lively... on the tongue.  It's well-balanced, too, unlike some of the other Belgian IPA attempts I've tried in the past.  I want to be able to taste the yeast, the hops, and the malt, and I can taste all three in this beer.  The only real negative I have here is that I taste something a little funny on the back end, like a detergent kind of flavor in the lingering bitter aftertaste.  I know there's no detergent or soap in my glass, since I wash my beer-only glassware with only scalding hot water, since I don't want soap residue left in the glass to destroy the head on my next beer.  But I can get past the detergent-like taste, since it isn't all that strong, and it doesn't linger very long.

Cheers!

Sam Adams Longshot Magnificent Seven (Zack Adams)

Sam Adams Longshot Magnificent Seven (by Zack Adams) was the second I tried from the Longshot 6er.  I just can't seem to get away from IPAs, can I?

Vittles:

Imperial IPA

7.8% abv

Score:

Appearance: 9/10

Aroma: 21/25

Taste: 35/40

Mouthfeel: 8/10

Style: 5/5

Drinkability: 7/10

Overall: 85/100

Impression:

It's unmistakably an Imperial IPA, from the bronze color to the piney, resiny, earthy, and grapefruit aromas and flavors.  However, it does have that homebrew quality, that bland flatness of taste where the flavors just don't jump on your tongue like they should (not flat as in lacking carbonation, as this beer was sufficiently bubbly).  I taste that homebrew quality in only a few professionally brewed beers, but it's noticeable (to me, at least) in most of the homebrews I try.  It's not a negative, just an observation.  Just seems a little less polished than it could be.

Cheers!

Sierra Nevada Torpedo

I've been waiting to try Sierra Nevada Torpedo for some time now, but with the wealth of IPAs currently in my stock, I kept putting it off.  I've heard it's very good, so I wanted to save the best for last, since I'm fairly sure I'll like it better than the Saranac and Sam Adams beers I still have sitting in my keezer.  But, my curiosity got the better of me, so I finally cracked open the Torpedo:

Vittles:

American IPA

7.2% abv

Score:

Appearance: 9/10

Aroma: 23/25

Taste: 37/40

Mouthfeel: 8/10

Style: 5/5

Drinkability: 8/10

Overall: 90/100

Impression:

The picture above is a little misleading -- the beer's more of a coppery-amber color, and it's brilliantly clear, with plenty of the bubbly.  The aroma has most of the characteristics you usually find in assertive American IPAs -- pine, resin, and grapefruit, with a bit of a herbal character, too.  I like the balance between hops and malt in the flavor, and this is one of the better IPAs I've had recently in that department.  It's all kinds of tasty with a good level of complexity, and it showcases some of the more pungent west coast hops flavors, especially the pine and grapefruit.  I'm not always in the mood for an IPA, but this is one I could enjoy whenever.

Cheers!

Saranac White IPA

When I got home from work last night, I happily returned to my task of whittling down the list of beers in my keezer that I haven't tried yet.  I went for a Saranac White IPA since it seemed like it might be a little less bitter than the rest of them, what with being a Saranac and all -- not hating on Saranac, but a lot of their beers tend to taste fairly similar, and they tend not to be as strong or assertive as, say, Sam Adams IPAs.  So White IPA it was:

Vittles:

Specialty Beer

6% abv

Score:

Appearance: 9/10

Aroma: 21/25

Taste: 36/40

Mouthfeel: 8/10

Style: 5/5

Drinkability: 8/10

Overall: 87/100

Impression:

I like the hazy, nearly opaque straw color of the body.  The aroma is fairly appealing, and I can smell lemon and orange, a bit of pine, a healthy yeastiness, and a moderate wheat backdrop.  The flavors are very well balanced, with the delicous citrus of the hops blending nicely with the wheat and yeast flavors, and I think I taste some coriander as well.  What I like best about this beer is that it showcases the hops without being overbearing.  The yeast and wheat qualities, which seem to get pushed into the background in the other Belgian IPAs I've tried, aren't hidden here, much to my joy.  I think people often fixate on bold and assertive hops and overlook or ignore the complexities in yeast and grain profiles.  As I've mentioned before, I tend to prefer maltier beers, and I love yeasty beers like hefes, so when I beer can bring those aspects together with with a good hops addition and keep all three in balance, I consider that a job well done.  This is probably my favorite Belgian IPA so far, and I would definitely have it again.

Cheers!

Sam Adams Red Tasman

Of the myriad beers in my keezer, there are only about half a dozen I haven't tried yet, and somehow they're all IPAs.  So when I came home from work last night, I thought I'd pare my selection back a bit.  Sam Adams Red Tasman, a Red IPA, seemed interesting enough:

Vittles:

American IPA

6.5% abv

50 IBUs

45 SRM

223 cal.

Score:

Appearance: 9/10

Aroma: 23/25

Taste: 37/40

Mouthfeel: 8/10

Style: 4/5

Drinkability: 8/10

Overall: 89/100

Impression:

The grapefruit, pine, and earthy scent of the hops are obvious on the nose, but there's also a caramel and toffee-like malt quality in the background that nicely rounds out the aroma.  The pine is a bit more prominent than the grapefruit on the tongue, but not by much, while the earthiness drops off a bit.  As the beer warmed, the grapefruit gained strength, and the bitterness rose as well.  This IPA has a bunch of linger -- the bitter grapefruit and pine aftertaste stays with you for a long time.  That kind of lingering aftertaste is one of the aspects of IPAs that my husband loves, but I'm not too fond of it.  In fact, it's one of the reasons I really didn't enjoy IPAs at first.  I think I would enjoy IPAs much more if the aftertaste lingered half as long.  Different strokes.

Five more IPAs to try.  This should be interesting!

Cheers!

Sam Adams Dark Depths

Yesterday was kind of chilly and grey, so a dark and robust beer seemed appropriate.  I grabbed a Sam Adams Dark Depths, which is a Baltic IPA according to the label:

Vittles:
Baltic Porter
7.6% abv
55 IBUs
60 SRM
254 cal.

Score:
Appearance: 9/10
Aroma: 21/25
Taste: 33/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 4/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 83/100

Impression:
It's surprisingly malty and tasty.  It seemed much more like a Baltic Porter than an IPA, if a wee bit on the hoppy side.  The beer itself, though it looks fairly opaque in the picture, is actually a crystal clear mahogany with ruby highlights.  This beer also had a substantial head, which settled slowly into a thin disk.  The aroma is dominated by roasty, toasty malt notes, and the hops take a back seat.  I could smell citrus, floral, and pine notes in the nose, but more hops flavors were apparent on the tongue.  The citrus became more like grapefruit, and in addition to the floral and pine notes, I could also taste a sweet, earthy, peppery flavor that was delicate and mild.  High levels of carbonation gave this beer a rich, creamy, medium-bodied mouthfeel, and the aftertaste was in interesting combination of roast malt and grapefruit, but it wasn't overpowering.

I'm not sure that calling this beer a "Baltic IPA" doesn't do it a bit of a disservice.  First, I was expecting something hoppier, with a grain bill that doesn't take center stage -- enough maltiness to support a wicked hop punch, but not so malty as to tip the scale away from the hops.  I didn't find much in this beer that would encourage me to see it as an IPA, and I think folks who see "IPA" on the label might be a little disappointed.  This is a very good beer, but it doesn't scream hops.  The malt profile of a Baltic Porter is certainly up to the task of supporting a richer, more assertive hop presence than this beer has.  As a porter, it's delicious.  As an IPA, it lacks.  Sam Adams should just call it a Baltic Porter and not try to force the melding of BP and IPA.

Cheers!

Sam Adams Whitewater IPA

IPAs were never my favorite style, but I think I might be changing my tune a bit.  I've had quite a few IPAs over the last several months, and I find myself liking a wider range of hop characteristics.  My least favorite hop flavors used to be grapefruit and pine, because they were so much bolder and more assertive than I was used to, and my favorite flavors, the malt profiles, usually take a backseat to the hops in most IPAs.  Now that my palate is becoming a bit more educated and I can distinguish different flavors more easily, I'm finding IPAs a good challenge for practicing picking out specific tastes.

TL;DR: I'm starting to like IPAs more.  

So when I got home from work last night, I was looking forward to grabbing a Sam Adams Whitewater IPA out of my keezer:

Vittles:

American IPA

5.8% abv

61 IBUs

7.5 SRM

197 cal.

Score:

Appearance: 9/10

Aroma: 21/25

Taste: 34/40

Mouthfeel: 8/10

Style: 5/5

Drinkability: 8/10

Overall: 85/100

Impression:

Very bold and assertive with plenty of lemony-citrus goodness.  Whitewater IPA is highly effervescent and medium-bodied.  It smells grassy, fruity, floral, herbal, piney, citrusy, and spicy.  The grapefruit and the pine come out more in the flavor than in the nose.  The lemon and grassy flavors are also more prominent, and I think I taste coriander, too, which is always a welcome note.  I also enjoyed the wheat qualities in the background quite a bit.

I would definitely get the Whitewater IPA again.  Very tasty brew, nice and refreshing, good level of hop complexity.

Cheers!

Sam Adams Latitude 48 IPA

Ok, I lied.  The anti-histamines did the trick, and the poison ivy is quickly disappearing, so I can go back to my beer-hounding ways sooner than I thought.

A buddy of mine, oh heck, my best friend aside from my husband, came to visit us last weekend, and he came bearing gifts.  For my birthday, he and his wife got me my very own sampler flight (awesome!!!) and a Sam Adams IPA variety box (also awesome!!!).  Unfortunately, I was suffering from that insidious poison ivy and was on some meds for it, so I couldn't partake of his very thoughtful gift.  Until last night.  When I came home from work last night, I cracked open a Sam Adams Latitude 48 IPA, and the evening got all kinds of mellow:

Vittles:

American IPA

6% abv

60 IBUs

20 SRM

206 calories

Score:

Appearance: 9/10

Aroma: 22/25

Taste: 37/40

Mouthfeel: 8/10

Style: 5/5

Drinkability: 8/10

Overall: 89/100

Impression:

This is the 2013 Latitude 48 with Mosaic hops -- not a distinction I would normally write out, but I think this is the first time I've tried a beer with Mosaic (at least as far as I know).

Solidly hoppy but not overly bitter, this beer has a mild, earthy, spicy, herbal, and floral aroma.  I can smell a bit of a malt backbone, but the main aromas are decidedly hoppy, and they smell delicious.  They also smell pretty balanced, and that balance carries over into the flavor nicely.  There are a few flavors I didn't detect in the aroma, but none of them are overpowering.  The citrus/grapefruit hits you a bit on the back end, and there's a hint of pine and a slight peppery flavor, too.  The longer I let it sit in my mouth, the more prominent the grapefruit notes become, and the more everything else fades into the background.  The flavors are interesting, and they keep me guessing, especially as the beer warms to room temp. and more of the complexities come out to play.  It started out highly effervescent with a large head (I had to sip it down quite a bit so it wouldn't spill over the sides of the glass while I took my picture).  The head settled into a thin disk, which remained throughout.  It also left significant lacing, which I just love.  The medium body and creamy mouthfeel really add to my enjoyment, as well.  Maybe it's because I haven't had a beer for a few days now, or maybe it's because this is a more balanced and well-rounded IPA, but it's really hitting the spot.

Can't wait to try another SA IPA tomorrow night!  Cheers!

Elysian The Immortal IPA

We went a-visitin' for Memorial Day weekend, and my husband was in the mood for a good IPA, so he asked me to pick one out for him.  The store we stopped at had Elysian's The Immortal IPA, so I snagged it.  I hadn't had it before, and I hadn't really heard much about it, but the carton said it uses Centennial hops, and my husband seems to like them quite a bit.

Vittles:
American IPA
6.3% abv
54 IBUs

Score:
Appearance: 10/10
Aroma: 23/25
Taste: 37/40
Mouthfeel: 9/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 92/100

Impressions:
This is a solid, bold IPA.  You can smell a decent malt backbone, which supports the citrus/grapefruit, pine, resin, floral, and herbal characteristics of the hops.  What surprised me the most about this beer is that the aftertaste isn't overwhelming, as it can be in some IPAs.  I thoroughly enjoyed this beer, and the medium body, plentiful carbonation, and slightly dry finish all added to my enjoyment.  It's oddly enough a beer that I don't hear much about (compared to, say Sierra Nevada Torpedo or Hoptimum, Heady Topper, SUCKS, or Palate Wrecker, which I hear about constantly), but it is an amazingly good American IPA.  It's very well balanced and displays the complexities and assertive flavor profile of a good west coast IPA.

I'll keep my eye out for other Elysian beers in the future, since I was so pleased with this one -- and I'm not a hop head like my husband is!  I do enjoy a good hop bomb from time to time, but I typically enjoy the maltier beers best.  This one's a very nice exception, though, and if I could find more IPAs like this one, that'd be gravy.

Cheers!

Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA

I like Flying Dog beers, especially their Raging Bitch.  And especially the label art (love Steadman's work in general!).  So when I saw a beer of theirs I hadn't tried yet, I couldn't resist:

Vittles:

American IPA

7.1% abv

60 IBU

Appearance: 10/10

Golden-amber is one of my favorite colors of beer.  This one's topped by over an inch of pale yellow foam (I actually had to sip some of it down so it wouldn't spill over the rim).  Plenty of effervescence makes this almost mouthwatering.  The head retained very well and left significant lacing when it eventually thinned.  A small disk of foam remained until I finished the beer.

Aroma: 21/25

The aroma isn't very strong unless I swirl the glass and get the foam out of the way.  What I do smell has a lot of citrusy/grapefruit notes and a more subtle pine/resin character.  I barely smell any malt.

Taste: 33/40

Grapefruit really dominates here, but woody, floral, earthy, pine, and resin characters also come into play a bit.  The bitterness lingers quite a bit in the back of the mouth.  Subtle malt flavors become more apparent as the beer warms, but the very bold citrus-grapefruit flavor doesn't fade.

Mouthfeel: 8/10

A little dry, medium-bodied, and decently carbonated.  It kind of leaves an odd, almost minty-fresh feeling.

Style: 5/5

It's clearly an American IPA -- it socks you good with the hoppiness and the typical American hop characteristics -- citrus, pine, resin, etc.

Drinkability: 7/10

I don't really want a second one after I've had the first, but it is a very good beer nonetheless.  But at 7.1% abv, it's not really the kind of beer that I want to drink back-to-back -- I prefer maltier beers to have one after the other.

Overall: 84/100

Snake Dog IPA is definitely going on my list for getting again in the future.  It's a good, solid American IPA with plenty of flavor, classically American hop characteristics, and interestingly complex.  I don't usually hear people talking about Snake Dog as one of the better American IPAs out there, but I think it can hold its own in this category pretty well.

Cheers!

Magic Hat Ticket to Rye

I like rye beers, and with the warmer months, I'm starting to crave hoppier beers instead of maltier ones.  The Magic Hat sampler I picked up a little while back had a rye IPA, so I figured it was time to give it a shot:

Vittles:

Rye IPA (Specialty Beer)

7.1% abv

80 IBUs

15 SRM

dry-hopped

Appearance: 9/10

Amber is a good color for beer.  Especially when it's topped by a little over an inch of creamy, off-white foam.  Moderate bubbles, decent head retention, and mild lacing all make this beer look appealing.

Aroma: 21/25

Mild rye spiciness and a moderately strong hop spiciness combine quite nicely.  I think I'm also getting something slightly herbal and maybe nutty, but it's a little hard to pick out against the stronger spicy aromas.

Taste: 32/40
Spiciness, both rye and hop, dominate the flavor profile.  Pepper and resin are clear in the flavor, though I didn't pick up on them in the nose.  It's not overly bitter for an IPA, and the grain bill supports the hop characteristics pretty well.  Aside from spiciness, and again a touch of herbal and nutty character, I also taste something mildly sweet, like caramel, and maybe a little roastiness, possibly chocolate notes.  The aftertaste is bitter/spicy and has decent linger.

Mouthfeel: 7/10

The medium-light body and very slight astringency were a bit unexpected, but not necessarily bad.  It was a little more carbonated than I thought it should have been.

Style: 5/5
It's hard to lose points in the Specialty Beer category, which is where a rye-based IPA would land.  I found this beer to be fairly well done -- maybe a little off balance with the spiciness to sweet malt, and the bitterness could have been more forward, but those are personal preferences, not deviations from the style.

Drinkability: 8/10
I could probably have a couple of these back-to-back, since it's not an overly bitter beer, nor does the aftertaste really coat the palate all that much.  It does, a little, especially with that resin character, but not nearly as much as some other IPAs do.  I think this would also pair well with a good steak on the grill.

Overall: 82/100
I'll be looking for this beer again.  I've always enjoyed Magic Hat beers, and I'm glad this one didn't disappoint.  I've only had a small handful of other rye IPAs to compare it to, but it's better than most of the others that I've tried so far.  (The Zeno's-Otto's Rye IPA is still my favorite, I think.)

And I can't pick up this beer without getting the Beatles stuck in my head.  That's just a bonus.

Cheers!

Green Flash West Coast IPA

I've been hearing good things about Green Flash's West Coast IPA for quite some time now, so when I got the chance to try it on tap, I jumped at the opportunity.  My husband, who loves IPAs, was with me, so he got a chance to try it, too.  We've enjoyed Green Flash's Le Freak and Palate Wrecker, and I think it's safe to say we'll be buying a case of West Coast IPA in the near future:

Vittles:
American IPA
7.3% abv
95 IBUs

Appearance: 8/10
It's a lovely burnt-orange/amber color.  It was served with a thin off-white head that fell quickly, so that was a little disappointing.

Aroma: 24/25
This is a very aromatic beer, and what I smell bold and assertive resinous, piney, citrusy (grapefruit?), floral, and fruity notes.  And did I mention pine?  Cause there's a lot of that delicious pine aroma -- it's probably the most prominent of the hop scents.  There is also a subtle malt backbone that is unobtrusive but nicely balances the hoppiness.  I can only imagine what this IPA would smell like as fresh as it can get.  Yum!

Taste: 37/40
The hops flavors mirror the aromas very nicely, but there's more complexity in the taste than there was in the nose.  The hop characteristics are very prominent and strong, especially the pine and resin flavors.  It's a good thing I was in the mood for a solid hop bomb!  The malt background matches well with the hops flavors but doesn't get in the way.  What kind of surprised me is that for all the strong and pungent hops, it really isn't a very bitter brew.  The aftertaste is moderately bitter, mainly piney, and has good linger.

Mouthfeel: 8/10
Medium-bodied, slightly syrupy, with a dry finish.  The moderate levels of carbonation add a bit of texture on the tongue but don't bring any sting.

Style: 5/5
It's a damn good example of the kinds of flavors and aromas you should expect from an American IPA.  I really wish I could taste this stuff fresh.  Maybe I'll add that to my bucket list.

Drinkability: 8/10
At 7.3% abv, it's hard to have more than 1-2 of these at a time, but the flavors are so strong that it coats your palate for quite a long time afterwards.  It certainly doesn't taste like a 7.3% beer, since the flavor focus is on the hops, not the alcohol, and that makes it a bit more drinkable.

Overall: 90/100
This is a great beer, and I'm glad I got a chance to try it on tap.  I think if I had gotten it in a bottle, it might've sat around longer than it should, resulting in a weaker hop presence when I finally cracked it open.  Fresh is really the way to go for a top-notch IPA.

Cheers!