December 15 - Great Divide Titan IPA

A few Valentine's Days ago, my wife and I went out with a group of friends to a restaurant in Bloomsburg that doesn't even exist anymore.  While there, I found a couple new beers that I'd never seen before. There was a Rogue XS something or other and another beer that I couldn't forget. Fast forward to this past weekend, where I finally found it again.

This was the Rogue...only because I recall the label colors.  Didn't realize it was an Imperial until later on... 

Enter, Great Divide Titan IPA.  With a name like this it was unforgettable. With a brewery located in Colorado it's obvious that they don't ship to many local retailers in my area.  Definitely a shame.

To say that I'm excited to try this beer again would be an understatement.  When I found it, there was no turning back.  I almost felt it my duty to pick it up and pay for it and drink it immediately, however, I had to drive home from Lancaster and I knew that if I had one, I would have another, and then get a pizza, and another one of these, and then they'd be all sold out and I'd be sad and then I would have to drown my sorrows in another beer, potentially finding out that I liked something else just as much and well...the cycle continues.  

Sorry if you're a grammar nazi, but I was just excited a few seconds ago.

OK, enough back story...

The beer poured a hazy, yet clear golden color with a thin bead of beige head at the top of my IPA glass.

The aroma of this beer definitely sets it apart from other IPAs I've had before. There was a complex, fruity hop bouquet here ranging from a very vague tropical fruit to a specific cherry and tangerine orange.  From a nondescript woodsy aroma to a distinct mild pine. There were definitely other aromas I could have pulled, but I got too anxious and wanted to try this to see if it was just as desirable as I recall.

yep...definitely was...

The sip started with a very in your face, hop forward bite of orange and grapefruit and ended with a very mild smoothness, lacking much of a bite.  Describing the finish in one word...tangy.

This is the second best IPA that I recall in recent memory, right up there with DFH 120, Heady Topper, and Lawson's Sip of Sunshine. Those are all double or imperial IPAs, with Titan, just a single, at 7.1%.  Sadly, none of these are very accessible to me unless you have friends who visit Vermont or Delaware on a frequent basis.  It just so happens I do :)

I don't think I need to tell you how much I really enjoyed this beer.  If you get a chance to try it, you should skip it and bring me the entire stock you find so that others won't be disappointed.  I'll take one for the team on this one.  

4.5 out of 5 hops from this hop loving blogger!

All kidding aside, try it.  You won't be disappointed!  Also, I was serious about bringing some back for your ol' blogging buddy.  I'd be appreciative for sure!

Adding to my ugly Christmas sweater/shirt collection to boot!  Just can't wear this to school!

December 12 - New Belgium Acculmulation

Got to play Santa Claus today and after a long day of shopping and stopping at a new sushi joint for dinner, sans children.  Don't worry, the wife and I found a new bottle shop that we will be hitting up in Lancaster next time we're around too.  We made a pit stop at The Fridge, a craft beer and pizza joint that had some hard to find brews on tap, did growler fills, and individual bottle purchase.  You could sit and enjoy your cold brew and food, or grab a few for the road instead.  Since we were pressed for time, a sit down review will have to potentially wait until the 2016 version of the SUM Brew Tour!  We had to opt for the latter option today.

Small, but spacious, The Fridge will be a stop on the way next time around for sure!

Tonight, after sitting down and unwinding after a long day, I decided to grab something wintery, just because.  I popped open Accumulation from New Belgium.  Just recently, NB has broken their way into our region, offering a lot of their line of brews to be distributed here in central PA.  Not just staples like Fat Tire, but also, Ranger IPA, Snapshot and many more, including this winter seasonal brew.  This 6.2% white IPA is something different from most winter seasonal brews in that it's light, not dark and heavy, just what the head brewer was going for!

As I got ready to log this beer into Untappd tonight, I noticed that I had already logged it before, back in 2014 while we were on vacation in Florida visiting Walt Disney World.  I got to spend a decent amount of time at the house since my kiddo wasn't too keen on the sweltering summer heat in the south.  So, as he napped, I imbibed in some new brews poolside.  I remember it like it was yesterday...

Poolside during a rainstorm, with a Cigar City Florida Cracker

Enjoying a 90 with the guys

...moments before my son stuck his hand in Mickey's mouth...you see him eyeing it up right here...

Where the Mohr men spent most of their time

I even got me some disc golf in at Bill Frederick Park...not that you care, but I wanted to use that picture for something

I remembered this beer as I tasted it and also recalled that it didn't seem much like a winter beer to me.  I found it odd that it was available in June, being a winter seasonal, but since it was new, I picked it up.  This time around, I still feel the same way, including my initial 3.5 rating out of 5.  This beer is definitely more of a spring or summer beer for sure.

OK, enough nostalgia, back to the review...

This beer poured a hazy golden color with a handful of yeasties floating around in the glass.  The off-white head was rather thick and left a small bit of lacing in the glass.  As for an aroma, this brew gave me a citrusy and earthy hop bouquet.  The taste did the same, with citrus flavor dominating along with a slight bitter finish.  Honestly, a pretty simple flavor profile, albeit a good one!  I stand with my initial rating.

I still also feel that this would be a decent summer beer, but I'm all for brewers trying new and bold things.  I picture myself grabbing one of these after mowing the lawn and in need of something a little stronger than a session beer.  This will definitely do the trick, but only if I can find it during the summer months, which will probably not be the case.

This isn't the first white IPA that I've reviewed, so if this post wasn't enough for you, check out my Bell's White Winter Ale review from 2014.  Forgive the broken pictures...my bad.  

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!

December 9 - Troegs - Blizzard of Hops

Troegs Brewing Company - Blizzard of Hops

This time of year the weather person becomes the go-to for misinformation when it comes to all things precipitation.  It just so happens that tonight into tomorrow they are calling for that stupid white stuff that falls from the sky that makes everyone crazy.  We got a 2 hour delay today and we'll see what happens tomorrow.  Until then...

Courtesy of Mike Solt (AKA Mr. DiscGolf)

So in anticipation of the potential for 1-21" of snow tonight into tomorrow, it's only fitting to bust out the local brew with a name that may (or may not) be appropriate for the forecast.  Enter Troegs Brewing Company's Blizzard of Hops Winter IPA.  A local brewing company from Hershey, PA, these guys make some pretty sweet and well-known beers (Mad Elf anyone?).  If you've not been able to visit their tasting room, just past Hersheypark, you need to do that ASAP.  It's a pretty cool biergarten setting with long tables for visiting with other beer connoisseurs and making new friends.  They fill growlers, but also have many of their scratch beers that are only available at their tasting room.  Each scratch beer is different so you never know what you're going to get yourself into!

View of the tasting room from above.  You can see the long tables that give the place a biergarten style.

From the bottle:

"Weighing in at 6.4% ABV and 80 IBUs, Blizzard of Hops features a blend of malted barley and wheat with Centennial, Chinook and El Dorado hops in the boil and Chinook and Galaxy dry hops."

This beer scared me at first because when I poured it, my first thought was of a Miller Lite.  It looked exactly like that in the color.  Thank goodness there was a better head on it and it definitely tasted much better.  Crisis averted...

The beer did indeed pour a transparent, golden color with a creamy white head.  The aroma was exactly as the bottle described it, with citrus and pine notes.  I actually got a hint of grapefruit in it as well.  There was some slight lacing on the glass throughout drinking as well.  

The taste gave me an initial hop bite that mellowed out in due time.  The malty flavors came through right after the hop bite with slight notes of caramel.  The citrus hops dominated for me, hinting towards grapefruit and lemon.  Along with the citrus there was an earthy tone to the hop profile.  The beer finished bitter, yet smooth, while lingering on the palate for quite a while.  

For an IPA, this is a solid choice.  I would definitely enjoy this brew again.  Even though it's not a session beer (5% ABV or below), it sure drinks like one.  I'm always up for supporting this local brewer!  I may get a chance to do so again this coming Friday...

Another 3.5 / 5 rating for this brew

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!

 

 

December 17

 December 17 - Heavy Seas Loose Cannon

 

Skipping the Christmas theme for the evening to get my IPA fix for the next couple of days...sorry if you're disappointed.  I also decided to use my fancy Dogfish Head/Sierra Nevada collaboration IPA glass for the occasion (a nice gift for any hophead out there, by the way!).

 

Tonight we'll take a look at an American IPA from Heavy Seas (Clipper Brewing Company), out of Baltimore, MD.  With IPAs, for me, they're either really aromatically hoppy, really bitter hoppy, or a tender balance of the two.  Ladies and gentlemen, we have a very balanced IPA on our hands here.

 

It's definitely an IPA, but the aroma threw me for a loop, so I had to cheat a little tonight to figure out what the heck I was smelling.  It was a little different than I was used to for an IPA.  I decided to fire up my Rate Beer app, and see what others were saying about this.  As I read some of the reviews, some of them are way off and I completely disagree, but one review unlocked the aroma, at least for my nose.  The aroma was definitely hop-filled (not overpowering), but there was a sweet, apple-like aroma here too.

 

The body of the beer was very smooth with some caramel maltiness throughout.  The hop flavor lingered on the palate for a while, but it wasn't a hop bitterness.  There is almost a fruity finish with this beer too.  A smooth drinking IPA through and through.  At 7.25% ABV, I'm really liking this beer.  It's not your normal run of the mill IPA for sure.  I'd venture to say that if you're not an IPA fan, this may be something to try because you're possibly going to be surprised.  Maybe, just maybe, you'll venture into the world of flowery goodness...probably not, but it's worth a shot anyway!

 

 

There's your Christmas theme for this evening!

 

 

December 14

December 14 - Sierra Nevada's DevESTATEtion

Devastation outside!  Snow everywhere!  I don't know exactly how the people at Sierra Nevada felt when they lost their barley crop this past year and named this beer in honor/remembrance of that, but I can imagine.  OK, really I can't, but that's besides the point.

Anyway, starting things off with this beer...getting into this beer was a different challenge.  I guess the folks at Sierra Nevada were mad that their crop got ruined, so they didn't want the same thing to happen to the beer too.  The top of the bottle, including bottle cap, was sealed in a black wax.  Carefully using a knife, I whittled down the wax in order to expose the cap.  Don't worry, all 5 of my fingers are intact.

 

When pouring this beer, the head on this thing was really thick.  I thought it was my poor pour, but each glass after that did the same thing (I got 2.5 glasses out of this bomber!).  The head stayed with this beer the entire time too.  It got thin, but never completely disappeared.

 

As for the aroma, there was some roasted chocolate and earthy aroma with hints of citrus.  Taste-wise, there were no surprises here.  This brew tasted exactly how it smelled.  There wasn't a ton of hop-bite at the end either.  A very smooth drinking IPA (6.7% ABV) for sure.  My wife tried it (who hates IPAs by the way), and was actually pleased with it.    

Take that drought!  4.5/5 for this Black IPA!



December 9th

December 9th - Sierra Nevada Celebration (2013)

 

Today marks the 7th anniversary of my wedding day to my wonderful and beautiful wife.  In honor of this, I figured I should stick with the themed beers at least for another day.  Not sure what tomorrow will hold just yet, but we'll figure that out later on.

 

According to Sierra Nevada, this IPA is brewed with the first hops of the growing season.  The beer pours a beautiful copper color with a very creamy, white head.  The aroma is very mild for an IPA... not very overpowering whatsoever.  These hops give the beer a very piney and citrusy taste, which is a great combination.  Due to the complexity of ingredients from Sierra Nevada in this beer, there isn't anything that really stands out flavor-wise (in case you were wondering, it does measure at 6.8% ABV).  Just a melding of flavors that make the beer very unique.  The hop bitterness lingers on the palate for a little while as well. 

 

This beer seems very fitting for my own personal "winter warmer" category.  I enjoy the IPA category as we all know already, but loathe the winter warmer (see December 3rd and December 4th posts).  The piney flavors remind me of the winter season, in a cabin, with snow on the ground (or maybe that's just the label...), while the beer itself (like most all IPAs) warms the entire throat as it is consumed.

 

 

Since it's a celebration, 4/5 party hats for this beer!  Hip Hip Hooray (Beer)!