Tag Archives: IPA

New Belgium Accumulation

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It’s bitterly cold here in Charlotte (read, below freezing) and so what better time to try a winter seasonal White IPA from New Belgium Brewing? Accumulation is crisp and cold, and pretty spot on for what I expect of a white IPA. It’s very hop forward since there’s not a lot of maltiness from the wheat base to balance it out. The nose has pine and orange, the middle has more pine and lemon, and there’s a smooth breadiness to the finish with some strong citrus and herbal notes that remind me of thyme and rosemary. The body is fairly light, and the alcohol level is a fairly-standard-for-an-IPA 6.2% ABV. This is definitely hoppier and lighter than your average winter fare, but it’s a nice change of pace for those of us starting to go into hop withdrawal this time of year, and it’s quite well executed.

I give it a 3.9 out of 5.

 

Samuel Adams Juniper IPA

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A new winter seasonal for this year, Juniper IPA is exactly as it sounds: An American IPA with the addition of Juniper berries to give some additional flavor. I like IPAs, and I like juniper, (well, I like gin anyway, which is the same thing as liking juniper) so what could go wrong? Not much, it turns out. This is a nice, classic IPA, and juniper gives it a bit of a west-coast piney twist and a bit of pepper. It’s pretty highly carbonated, which comes off as refreshing. The tasting notes on the bottle claim that the juniper adds “a slightly sweet, piney character” but I really don’t find any sweetness here at all, just pine and spice. To me, that’s not a bad thing, but this is definitely a hop forward beer, so it’s going to be closer to the wheelhouse for IPA fans than for those looking for a sweeter winter treat. There’s also a bit of citrus in the middle, some lemon and some oraange, as you’d expect from an IPA. It has a medium to heavy body, but it’s pretty light on the alcohol at 5.8% ABV, so it’s an easy drinker. I’m really quite impressed with this brew. I think the folks at the Boston Beer Company have a hit with this one.

I give it a 4.3 out of 5.

Avery duganA Double IPA

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duganA is an American Double (or Imperial) IPA released annually in September by the Avery Brewing Company of Boulder, Colorado. It’s in the more traditional style of American IPAs without the heavy pine of the west-coast IPAs. The nose is super citrusy, with lots of grapefruit and lemon. The middle has some lemon rind, some spiciness, and is quite buttery, which lends well to Avery’s food pairing suggestion, which is to match this ale with creamy, cheesy dishes. The finish has a bit of vanilla, more butter, and is quite dry. The body is medium to heavy and the ABV is a reasonable 8.5%. This is a good effort by Avery and overall it’s quite decent, but there’s too much butter in here for me.

I give it a 3.5 out of 5.

Green Flash Green Bullet

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If I’ve been noticeably absent this past couple of weeks, it’s because I’ve been moving. Which is a huge pain in the rump, I might add. However, things are settling down and this is the first review from the new house, so enjoy. Green Bullet is a winter seasonal Triple IPA from Green Flash Brewing in San Diego. It’s a super hoppy IPA in the West Coast style that Green Flash does so well, with extra helpings of body and alcohol. There is pine and lemon in the nose, pine and grapefruit in the middle, and pine and just a hint of sweet orange in the finish. The 10.1% ABV and the additional dosage of hops means that this is a beer that should keep well if you want to pick up a few extra while it’s in stock (through December 2013.) This is a West Coast IPA at heart, with nothing particular unusual in the flavors, but the imperial nature really does make it a nice winter treat when a thinner beer just won’t do. It’s a nice, simple idea, well executed, and a fine treat.

I give it a 4.6 out of 5.

New Belgium Ranger IPA

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Ranger IPA is New Belgium Brewing’s year-round IPA offering. It’s a fairly classic interpretation of the American IPA, floral and hoppy. The nose is predominantly floral with a hint of lemon. The middle and finish have grapefruit notes and a slight, slight undercurrent of pine. It’s light in color, and fairly light in body, and really nice rendition of an American IPA.

I give it a 4.0 out of 5.

NoDa Hop Drop ‘n Roll

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Hop Drop ‘n Roll is an American IPA from the NoDa Brewing Company, right here in Charlotte, North Carolina. Hop Drop ‘n Roll is actually the beer that got NoDa started, way back in 2011. (I believe, anyway. I couldn’t find a definitive date.) The nose is remarkably heavy with pine. It’s strong enough to bring up scent memories of my childhood in the evergreen forests of the Pacific Northwest. The body is remarkably heavy for a non-Imperial style, and it offers massive flavor, leading with more pine and orange. As you move towards the finish, the texture changes to butter and the first sweet notes come into play with some sugary citrus. There’s a tiny hint of alcohol right at the end, which befits this 7.2% ABV brew. This is definitely a hop-forward concoction, and a masterful one at that. This is a fantastic example of an IPA.

I give it a 4.5 out of 5.

Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA

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75 Minute IPA is an occasionally brewed mixture of Dogfish Head’s famous 60 Minute and 90 Minute IPAs, with some maple syrup thrown in for uniqueness, and bottle conditioned. The head is creamy and hangs around for quite a long time. The nose is deliciously Dogfish Head IPA, with notes of pine and orange. The middle is silky smooth on the tongue and very well balanced between a piney hop bite and the sugary sweet maple syrup. The finish is smooth and mellow, with orange the predominant flavor. This is a really outstanding beer that will likely appeal to both IPA fans, and to those who don’t appreciate the bitterness of a standard IPA. Really, really nice.

I give it a 4.7 out of 5.

Southern Tier 2xRye

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2xRye by New York’s Southern Tier Brewing Company is an autumn seasonal Double Rye India Pale Ale. Decoded, that’s an Imperial IPA made with rye. Now, I love IPAs, and I love Imperial IPAs, and I love rye-based ales, so this was bound to appeal, and it doesn’t disappoint. The nose is citrusy and floral. It has a medium to heavy body that is thick on the tongue. The middle is bursting with orange and pine. The rye becomes clearly evident in the finish, along with lemon and huge amounts of pine. This is a relatively big beer at 8.1% ABV, but there’s really not any booziness to speak of. It’s just a big, rich, flavorful Double IPA with loads of rye. Very, very good, this one.

I give it a 4.5 out of 5.

New Holland Oak Aged Hatter

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Oak Aged Hatter, one on New Holland Brewing’s Mad Hatter series is Mad Hatter IPA aged in Kentucky oak. It’s a medium bodied, medium alcohol level (7.12% ABV for the 2013 offering) brew, so it probably isn’t going to stand up to cellaring like a bigger aged beer would. That said, you still get a lot of flavor from the oak here. There isn’t much of a head or carbonation to speak of. The nose has molasses and licorice. The middle is woody, with more licorice, orange, and parsley. The finish is just a bit boozy with the signature vanilla flavor of fading oak and a bit more orange. There’s a lot going on here, but even so, it seems like it isn’t quite well rounded. It just comes of…A bit flat. There’s really nothing not to like here, but to me it’s a good beer, not a great one.

I give it a 4 out of 5.

Sierra Nevada Flipside Red IPA

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Flipside Red IPA is a new seasonal super hoppy west-coast style IPA from the folks at Sierra Nevada in Chico, California. It’s deep dark red in color, and the nose is floral and grassy, with a bit of honeysuckle. The middle has lemon, grapefruit, and a bit of pine, and the pine gets stronger and stronger through the finish. It’s mid-weight in body, and comes in at 6.2% ABV for a nice dose of alcohol but not too much. If you like the bitter, hoppy west-coast IPAs as I do, this is a great beer.

I give it a 4.5 out of 5.