Deschutes Brewery-Hop Henge (Experimental) IPA…
First off, I gotta start off by sayin that I just finished eating one of the best steaks I’ve ever cooked. I don’t eat red meat all that often anymore, or not compared to a few years ago, so this was a treat. To top it off, it turned out fantabulous. And what better precursor to a fancy new IPA than a great dinner. So here we go:
Wow…that’s different. Not a bad different, but I was not expecting what hit my palate. I guess with the word ‘experimental’ in the title I should have seen it coming…hehehe. This is not your typical India Pale Ale. There is almost a smokey flavor that kind of masks the hop flavor. It’s bitter, and the aftertaste seems to evaporate through the nostrils. It’s smooth, but that smokey bitterness is definitely the most notable characteristic to me. This one packs 8.75% alcohol by volume and I’d say that it comes through a bit in the taste. This tastes like a high alcohol content brew. This isn’t necessarily bad, it’s just that this brew seems like a sipper. I’d recommend one 22oz. per sitting. More than that and I think I’d get kinda sick of it. BUT this is still something that I’d recommend to friends. It’s totally different and stands out as a one-of-a-kind ale. This one is from Deschutes Brewery which is located in Oregon. With the amount of rain and cold they get up there, this brew would be perfect for keepin the insides nice and warm during chilly months. Here’s some info from the Deschutes site: “Inspired by the original Deschutes Brewery & Public House on Bond Street in downtown Bend, the Bond Street Series highlights a handful of our hop-forward beers that began at “the pub.” These local favorites, both old & new, truely display Deschutes Brewery’s diversity and creativity. Available in 22 oz botles and draft only.”
*By the way…I paid: $4.69 for the 22oz.
peace,
zOnk.oNe Read more
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Maharaja Imperial India Pale Ale From Avery Brewing Co. (2009)…
Well folks, it’s already been a year since I last wrote and recommended Avery Brewing Companies’ Maharaja Imperial India Pale Ale. If you don’t remember, or missed it somehow, check it out here: Avery Brewing Maharaja Imperial Pale Ale (2008). Anyway, I just got back from the liquer store and was told that the Maharaja just came in, so I got myself one. Here’s what happened:
Fist off, the smell is phenomenal. It smells like a hop party and I’m invited. This one is definitely heavy on the hoppiness that IPA’s are known for, but it brings something a little different with it. Instead of, what I would call, the straight ahead India Pale Ale characteristics, this one has a hint of maybe a barleywine strength and flavor mixed in. Not strong or overpowering, but definitely there. With a 10.27% Alcohol by volume, it’s no wonder it’s got that noticeable kick to it. My bottle says ‘batch 9′ on it, but I’m not sure exactly what that means since my bottle last year was ‘batch 7′. Anyway, I do like this beer. It’s heavy and packs a punch. From looking at last years review, I don’t think that I like this years as much, but I would never turn one of these down. If you’re near any half decent liquor store, they should have these. Grab one, enjoy it, then write a comment and let me know what you thought. I realize a lotta peeps don’t like to leave comments, but think of it as a way to let the world know what you’re thinkin….from the safety of your home.
For more info on this and other Avery Brewing stuff: Avery Brewing Maharaja IPA
peace,
zOnk.oNe
Beer: Ballast Point Brewing- Sculpin India Pale Ale…
Well…it seems like it’s been a while since my last beer review. I guesss I been busy drinking it without writing about it. Or, maybe it’s that I have been drinkin the same stuff over and over lately. Anyway, I just poured myself a pint of this brand new Ballast Point Brewing Company “Sculpin India Pale Ale”. The smell before I got to my actual first sip was a pleasant meeting. Taste: ‘This is pretty delicious’. It’s definitely an IPA and it definitely delivers that big hop-heavy flavor that I dig so much. It’s a yellow-golden color and although it might look a bit like a ‘light beer’, it most definitely is not. It goes down very smooth and the aftertaste is a mellow hop and bitter carbonation tingle. This weighs in at 7% Alcohol by Volume so there’s a nice helping of ‘buzz’ in each bottle.
These are a limited release, so they won’t be around forever. If you’re interested in tasting one of these, I suggest motivating soon to do it. Luckily I got to them right after delivery, so the ‘heads up’ is nice and early for ya. Be prepared for the price though; I paid $6.99 for the 22oz. What is kinda weird about this brew is that the actual Ballast Point Brewing website doesn’t make a mention of it. So, I guess the best way to get more info on this is to go out, buy one (or several), and drink it. Like they say, there’s no better way to learn than from first hand experience.
peace,
zOnk.oNe
What Did You Drink For Superbowl?…
Well folks, I was lucky enough to have a bigass growler of fresh Ruination IPA on hand for the big game. I can say from experience, that having 67 ounces of this great brew on tap made for a much happier buzz and experience than my usual “game beer aka Bud Light” ever provides. The only drawback was that I was fuller than normal too. Drinking this thicker, better, healthier beer definitely feels heavier in the guts. But….it’s soooo worth it. What did you drink?
Russian River Brewing: Pliny The Elder…
Plain and simple: This is good beer. This is how I like my brew to taste, look, and pack a punch. Just the smell alone, once I cracked the cap off, was almost enough to convince me that this was a quality brew. Sadly, I’ve had this in my fridge for way too long. And although this label warns repeatedly about how this is not a beer that should be ‘aged’ and that drinking it ‘fresh’ is key, I managed to overlook it more than a few times while looking for my next drink to review. I blame it mostly on the fact that this little guy comes in a ‘smaller than usual’ bottle that is just a tiny bit over a pint. When placed next to any 22oz. bottle, it’s easy to overlook. I have to admit though, what this ale lacks in stature, it more than makes up for in flavor and overall booyow. This is something that any hop-head should rush out and taste. Also, with a hefty 8% alcohol content, this shizzle will keep that belly warm during the cold Winters. Overall, I have to say that this is just delicious, and is exactly what I was hoping for when I reached for it. Hoppy as hell, and smooth as silk. Represent.
For more info: CLICK
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No commentsBeer Valley Brewing: Leafer Madness Imperial Pale Ale…
Woo! Another beer to add to the review/drank list. This one comes from Beer Valley Brewing in Ontario, Oregon and has the great name of “Leafer Madness: Imperial Pale Ale”. Weighing in with a hefty 9% alcohol content, this one screamed from the shelf to ‘Buy Me!’. …which…of course, I did. I had it in the fridge for a couple of days because I wanted to make sure to be of clear mind and palette before sipping this bad bwoy. And since happy hour at the Goat happened on Friday, and Saturday was happy hour at Tatalum’s, basically today is the first day to get to this.
Upon first sappin on this thing, I notice a pretty distinct flavor. It’s good, but not exactly the spot-on IPA flavor that I look for. Not to discourage anyone from drinking it though, because it’s definitely worth drinking and trying it. It’s just a tad bit different from what I’m used to. There are definitely some serious flavor explosions once this stuff hits your tongue, and it is a thick drink (for an IPA). With such a high alcohol content though, it is surprisingly mellow and I wouldn’t guess it was 9% by the flavor.
This stuff was released in very limited quantities, so go out and grab yours soon. This is from their website: This edition of Leafer Madness Imperial Pale Ale was brewed with 200 pounds of fresh Chinook hop flowers. Only 2400 bottles of these special beers were packaged. Leafer Madness Imperial Pale Ale as created during the great hop shortage of 2008, but there is no shortage of hops in this beer. Read more
Stone Brewing Co: IPA (India Pale Ale)…
First of all, I’d like to say that this is not the first round I’ve gone with this specific ale. This is a personal favorite of mine and I can easily recommend this to any beer enthusiast. Also, since this one isn’t too expensive, it’s a great beer to buy when you don’t want to break the bank, but you want a really good microbrew. Price I usually pay is between $3.50-$4.00.
The flavor on this bad boy is great. In my opinion, this is a good IPA to gauge other IPA’s by. Meaning, that the flavor on this is pretty much what I’d call “a traditional IPA blueprint”. It’s smooth, strong (alc. content), and brings plenty of hops to the tastebuds. Also, unlike a lot of the specialty or seasonal IPA’s that many breweries produce, this one is pretty mild….which isn’t a bad thing. I actually like both, but most of the time, I’d have to go for a stronger IPA. Seeing as how I just ate a short time ago though, this goes down nicely and doesn’t give too much of the ‘heavy’ gut feeling that make enjoying one’s beer difficult.
With an alcohol content of 6.9%, this is not your average beer.
To check out more info, check out the Stone Brew site: CLICK
*although my photography is obviously top-notch, the image at their site is a bit better than mine..hehehe.
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