December 8 - Smuttynose Brewing Bouncy House IPA

I was shopping in Danville a few weeks back when I decided to stop at the Weis bottle shop over there to see if there was anything that I hadn't seen before to add to the 25 Brews of Christmas blog.  My daughter was tagging along for the day and after a Daddy-Daughter-Dunkin' Donuts Date, we made the stop here.  

I'm not sure if it's kosher or not, but she frequently helps me pick out bottles based on names and labels.  I'll never forget when she was 3, and Weis just put their bottle shop in over in Sunbury.  She was riding in the cart with my wife and I.  She spotted a bottle and audibly noted, "hey daddy, look it's Dogfish," just as the cashier walked by and chuckled.

Needless to say, this beer was her pick of the day.  From Smuttynose Brewing, this India Session Ale (Session IPA) clocks in at a scant 4.3%.  Bouncy House IPA is definitely a strange name for a beer, but according to the brewer's notes, my "taste buds will spring with delight."

I'm down!  Let's do it!

This beer poured a hazy, golden orange color with a nice white head at the top that left some very nice lacing in my IPA glass.  There was an abundance of citrus in the nose.  Sweet, yet subtle tropical fruits filled the bouquet of this beer.

If I'm honest...this came to mind when gathering the aroma notes tonight...no joke...

This ISA was surprisingly very hop-forward.  The first taste I got was a bitter mouthful that quickly faded, but was prevalent with each sip.  The bitterness faded, but was still potent throughout, from start to finish.  The hop profile, for me, had a slightly resinous flavor to it, but it was definitely dominated by citrus and tropical notes.

The finish, again, was a nice, crisp hop bite.  The only thing that I wish were different was the level of carbonation.  It seemed to me like the carbonation was slightly too high, so much so that it seemed to hide some of the flavor of this beer.  Don't get me wrong, it was pretty darn good, but I have a feeling that if the CO2 level was altered, it could be a home run!

Overall, this beer is not a Christmas beer at all, however, next time I am in need of a nice lawnmower beer in the summertime, this mild session beer will be what I reach for.  No doubt about it!

4 Katy Perry's in a Fruit Dress out of a possible 5!
...don't ask...I was looking for fruit bowls on a head and this popped up in my Google Images search.  I couldn't resist!