December 19

 December 19 - Founder's Harvest Ale

 

After last night's choice, I figured that this was bound to trump that mess...and dear Lord did it ever!

 

Out of Michigan, this brewery has yet to disappoint me with any of their beer styles, especially the IPAs.  I enjoy their Breakfast Stout, Imperial Stout, and the various IPAs they make.  This American IPA is a 7.6% ABV beer and is wet-hopped.  The wet-hopping uses fresh hops instead of those lighter, dry ones.  The use of fresh hops in this process add a wonderful hop profile to the beer.

 

This beer pours a hazy yellow with a light, white head at the top.  The aroma is slightly hoppy with some fruity tones to it.  The taste is outstanding!  The hops resonate throughout this beer, yet they are not too bitter.  I get pine, citrus (especially orange), and earthy flavors from the hops here.  The finish of this beer is very smooth and not overly hoppy.  However, as a hop-connoisseur who loves the hop bite, the mixture and abundance of flavors are enough to keep me happy even without being too hoppy.

 

Worst part about this beer is that I drank it like a session ale (sub 5% ABV).  It's not even close.  Yet it went down smooth like one.  Wait...that's not a bad thing.  On the other hand it is...it was gone too fast.

 

4.5 out of 5 hops tonight!