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!

Long Trail Double Bag

It's been a crazy couple weeks, so I haven't had as many opportunities to sit down and sip a beer lately.  Last night, though, I did take some time out to relax, and I wound up grabbing another Long Trail beer from my stash -- this time, the Double Bag:

Vittles:
Specialty Beer
7.2% abv
39 IBUs

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 22/25
Taste: 38/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 9/10
Overall: 90/100

Impression:
I was a little disappointed with the weak head that poured and fell quickly, though it left a nice pattern of sticky lacing on the glass.  The aroma was initially metallic, and I noticed that same odor crop up a couple more times as the beer warmed.  Beyond the metallic character, there's a nice malty one with some sweet and fruity undertones.  Toffee and caramel are very much at the forefront on the tongue, followed by an earthy malty flavor and a subtle hop presence.  Every now and then, there seems to be just a smidge of diacetyl, but it doesn't last long and it isn't obtrusive.  There's also a slight alcoholic warmth, which I expected, considering the abv.  The full-bodied mouthfeel makes this the perfect beer to enjoy on a chilly evening, and the beer feels creamy, hearty, and warming.  Very little carbonation is present, so there's no sting.  Overall, I'd definitely get this one again.  I've been fairly impressed with all of the Long Trail varieties I've tried so far.  I'll have to look for other seasonal samplers of theirs come the warmer months.

Cheers!

Long Trail Hibernator

Seems like it's been a while since I had a new beer -- or any beer, really -- so I thought I'd indulge a bit.  Last night, I grabbed another bottle of Long Trail out of my keezer.  This time, I went for the Hibernator:

Vittles:

Scottish Export 80/-

5.8% abv

35 IBUs

Score:

Appearance: 8/10

Aroma: 21/25

Taste: 37/40

Mouthfeel: 8/10

Style: 2/5

Drinkability: 8/10

Overall: 84/100

Impression:

I was expecting a clearer, brighter appearance, since I didn't realize this is an unfiltered beer.  The aroma tips toward the malty side and are grainy, toasty, and bready, with some sweet grassy and caramel flavors mixed in.  The taste is much the same, but it has some added complexity with an earthy bitterness, too.  The medium body is well-suited for the season this beer is available.  What I liked best about this beer is how the flavors change and become better balanced as the beer warms.

I really don't know why Long Trail calls this a Scottish Ale.  I'm not sure how I would classify it, but it hits very few of the characteristics of Scottish Ales.  I kind of think it'd be more appropriate as a winter warmer, but even that's a little iffy for me.  Not that it isn't a tasty beer, but it's not what I was expecting out of a Scottish Ale.

Cheers!

Long Trail Ale

A couple weeks ago, I picked up a Long Trail variety box.  I don't think I've had anything by this brewer before, so this should be interesting.  The first one I'm trying is the Long Trail Ale:

Vittles:
Northern German Altbier
4.6% abv
28 IBUs

Score:
Appearance: 9/10
Aroma: 22/25
Taste: 36/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 3/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 86/100

Impression:
This seems to be the first Amber Hybrid Beer category beverage that I've had since I started this blog.  I think I could have just as easily lumped this under Dusseldorf Altbiers, but the NGA label seemed just a little more accurate.  Anyway, this beer looks pretty tasty to me.  The aroma is well-balanced, but not very strong -- I smell wheat notes, along with woody/earthy hints, but a slight whiff of banana surprised me a bit.  It's not an unwelcome surprise.  I get the banana again, very very faintly, right at the front, then a nice mix of hops, malt, and wheat flavors takes over.  None of the flavors really jump out at me, but it's a satisfying beer with a crisp, clean finish.  If the rest of Long Trail's beers are just as good, I might be looking at adding another regular to my rotation.

Cheers!