December 11th - Anchorage Brewing Company Patterns DIPA

They're so hot right now.  It's those hazy New England style beers that everyone keeps brewing and talking about.  They're everywhere.  Hazy.  Citrus.  Flaked oats.  Juicy.  All the local brewers are following the trend, and you can't blame them.  However, it appears there is a newer trend coming soon too.  Brut IPAs will be soon taking over things when it comes to the newest thing on the market.  Stone has one.  Old Forge in Danville just released one.  They're coming...I even have one to review later this month...

But for tonight, it's back to those New England style beers that everyone keeps brewing and talking about.  They're everywhere.  Hazy.  Citrus.  Flaked oats.  Juicy.  The adjectives are usually the same.  After copious amounts of dry hopping, you get what is the NEIPA.  

After last night's let down, I figured I'd reach for a beer that is definitely my style tonight in hopes of rebounding.  A double IPA all the way from one of the US's non-contiguous states.  Straight from  Anchorage Brewing Company, by way of Tavour is Patterns.  I forgot it was another Hazy DIPA.

Don't get me wrong, I like some of them, while some others are too bitter or acidic for me to really enjoy.

I'll stop saying it...I've said it before...

Onward with the trending category then!  

As always, a hazy pour that looks like orange juice with a milky white head at the top.  

Another tropical citrus aroma with just a slight bit of earthy hops.

Tonight, however, this particular beer bucked the norm for my taste.  There is a definite juiciness present like I expected, but the flavor doesn't even come close to the aroma.  I expected another OJ-esque flavor with some acid bite, but I was way off here.  There is a definitely more pronounced malty backbone that coupled with the hops used give this a VERY bitter grapefruit rind flavor.  By far my least favorite of the hop flavors in a beer.  There is also a slight resinous taste to this bitterness.  The bitterness sticks around for a while and a dryer finish adds to the confused and disappointed state my palate is in right now.

I enjoy a bitter beer and definitely a bitter IPA, but when bitterness reminds me of grapefruit, I just can't get past it.  I finished it, but it's nearly almost too harsh for my palate tonight.  Time for good news, bad news again.  You unfortunately/fortunately won't run across this unless you're Tavour-ing.  So, if you're interested, I'm sorry.  If you're turned off, you're welcome.