Wild Card Month

WILD CARD 

This month we at BOTB decided to throw caution to the wind and bring a favorite (or interesting) beer that we had not yet reviewed. Amazingly they were all IPAs or DIPAs. What a strange coincidence. We ended up with some pretty terrific beers - some new and some old favorites that somehow had slipped through the cracks of our crack team of reviewers. We'll get to the reviews in a bit. But first...

LOCAL BEER TAKES TOP HONORS

Congratulations to Auburn, NY's Prison City Pub and Brewery. Their Mass Riot IPA was named the best IPA in the country by Paste Magazine, an online culture and entertainment emag. Let me repeat that - best in the COUNTRY! It competed in a field of 247 IPAs in a blind taste test. Take a look HERE to view all of the beers in the competition. It's pretty impressive. They also took a silver medal at The Great American Beer Festival for their Belgian Pale Ale earlier this year. 

Unfortunately, it is difficult to find their beer outside of the Auburn area. Hopefully that will change soon. 

In the meantime - send us some beer!

BRECK IPA

BRECKENRIDGE BREWERY

The Beer Facts: STYLE: IPA; BREWER: Breckenridge Brewing, Littleton, CO; ABV: 6.3%; IBUs: 66; MALT: Full Pint

What the Brewer Says: "Finding the right balance of aroma, hoppiness, and fullness of flavor is a mountain worth climbing. that's what we've done with Breck IPA. Scrutiny of ingredients and experimentation with process resulted in this yin and yang - distinctively pleasant floral aroma with crisp hop flavor that's mellowed by Full Pint malt, a relatively new and unique malt variety. Drink up. Breck IPA is available all year long!"

Color: Unfiltered golden

Pour: Decent head

Aroma: Floral hoppy nose

Body: Bit beyond Medium

Taste: Hop bitterness at the front, caramel, fennel grass

Overall Impression: Just shy of "Can't Get Enough!"

Comments: "Solid malt backbone; Good mouthfeel; Not a bad beer; A really nice beer if you ask me; I'm a fan; Complex beer, more so than you would expect from a 6.3%; A decent IPA, might not be my go-to, but I wouldn't turn it down."

EXTROVERT IPA

LEFT HAND BREWING

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Left Hand Brewing, Longmont, CO; STYLE: American IPA; ABV: 7.1%; IBU's: 75; MALT: 2-row, Rye, Wheat, Caramunich III, Acidulated, Carafoam; HOPS: Jarrylo, Cascade, Comet

What the Brewer Says: "A hoppy attitude and a mouthful of dynamic flavors give this IPA a big personality. Assertive, fruit-forward hops with aromas of orange blossom and pineapple mingle with flavors of wet pine and sweet malt with a dry finish."

Color: Unfiltered Golden

Pour: Fairly decent off-white head with nice lacing

Aroma: Yeasty, sweet

Body: A bit beyond medium

Taste: Somewhat sweet for an IPA with deep caramel/malt overtones. Some citrus  bitterness comes through

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This!

Comments: "Heavier, yeasty British taste, No grapefruit taste that I could detect; A sweety; It works; Different hops at work here, kind of earthy taste going on; I prefer a drier finish myself; A little bit of pine there, though surprisingly malty sweet."

SLO MO' IPA

EMPIRE BREWING COMPANY

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Empire Brewing, Syracuse, NY; STYLE: American IPA; ABV: 6.5%; IBUs: 49; HOPS: Falconer's flight, Mosaic

What the Brewer Says: "Slo Mo' is a true American IPA brewed with a blend of Falconer's Flight and Mosaic Hops to convey bright tropical citrus notes for a crisp dry finish."

Color: Unfiltered wildflower honey golden

Pour: Pretty decent head with nice lacing

Aroma: Grassy, earthy, spicy

Body: Medium

Taste: Hints of Caramel/toffee, orange peel with a pleasing spiciness

Overall Impression: Between "I Could Drink This!" and "Can't Get Enough!"

Comments: "An adequate beer, in my opinion; Solid beer; This is one of the best beers I've had of theirs; Unique; I like it; Flavor of some of their other beers, I'm just not a fan; It's just unique enough so that I like it; Seems to lack the bitterness you look for in an IPA at first, but then it comes through with a smooth aftertaste; They only seem to be bottling this, White Aphro, a Stout, an Amber and a Light, I think. But they've got a ton of beers at their brewery; My favorite is their Liv and Let Rye."

RACER 5

BEAR REPUBLIC BREWING CO.

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Bear Republic Brewing Co., Sonoma County, CA; STYLE: American IPA; ABV: 7.5%; IBUs: 75; MALTS: Malted Barley, Wheat, Crystal Malt; HOPS: Columbus, Cascade.

What the Brewer Says: "This hoppy IPA is a full bodied beer brewed with malted barley, wheat, and crystal malts. The malt base is designed to highlight the unique floral qualities Columbus and Cascade hops from the Pacific Northwest. Racer 5 is one of America's most medal winning IPAs. there's a trophy in every glass."

Color: Hazy golden

Pour: Somewhat better than Decent head, off-white.

Aroma: Grassy, some hints of pine

Body: Between Medium and Full

Taste: Complex, full-flavored with solid malt, hints of coffee, piney, grapefruit, solidly West Coast IPA

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "This is their iconic beer; Freaking-A good beer!; Clean aroma; They've never had a reason to change this beer; I can't believe we haven't reviewed this until now; Smooth, balanced; Terrific beer; Tried and true, it's what I expect from an IPA; Generally always in my fridge; It's got that nice citrus/pine you expect with a good solid malt base; Great beer!"

LATE KNIGHT IPA

MIDDLE AGES BREWING

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Middle Ages Brewing Company, Syracuse, NY; STYLE: Double IPA; ABV: 8.10%; MALT: British Pale, Pilsner; HOPS: Citra, Amarillo, Cascade, Chinook

What the Brewer Says: "This beer has a very light body but is loaded with citrus hop flavor."

Color: Crisp Golden

Pour: Between Decent and Guinness Class off-white head - nice lacing with staying power

Aroma: Piney, citrus, herbal

Body: Between Medium and Full

Taste: Citrus, pine, with bit of banana/clove British vibe one expects from Middle Ages, but not overpowering, creating a nice blend of Brit/US IPA taste.

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough

Comments: "Nicely balanced for a double; Sneaky good, but dangerous because it's so smooth; Really hoppy with a strong British malt backbone; A nice fusion of West Coast American and British IPAs; Clean; Goes down like a session - should come with a warning label; Their ImPaled Ale is more a classic British IPA than American, this is a delicious melding of the two; I like the way Middle Ages expands their inventory of beers to include a variety of styles while staying true to their roots; Terrific beer, I'm so glad to see it bottled now."

CREEKER

ITHACA BEER COMPANY

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Ithaca Beer Company, Ithaca, NY; STYLE: Double IPA; ABV: 8.5%; MALT: 2-Row, Caravienne; HOPS: Citra, Columbus, Simcoe, Centennial, Cascade, Mosaic, Amarillo

What the Brewer Says: "Piney at the nose, Creeker is by no means an ordinary double IPA. Creeker is all hops with little malt body. Enjoy the intense citrus flavor with tropical notes, floral aroma and full body mouthfeel."

Color: Unfiltered wheat

Pour: Decent white foamy head

Aroma: Floral with bit of mustiness, peppery spice and pine

Body: Fairly full-bodied

Taste: Citrus, piney resin, not much malt but hints of toffee/caramel, nice grapefruit tang, good alcohol warmth without overpowering.

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "Heaven in a bottle!; An excellent beer; Well blended; What you'd expect from Ithaca Beer; Don't need a paddle with this Creeker; Can definitely tell it's a higher alcohol; Terrific aftertaste; Real nice East Coast IPA - big on the floral and citrus flavors; Orgasmic experience!"

GREAT BEYOND DOUBLE IPA

BREWERY OMMEGANG

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY; STYLE: Double IPA; ABV: 8.8%; IBUs: 83; MALTS: Pilsner, Munich20; HOPS: Columbus, Cascade, Centennial, Mosaic, Calypso, Mandarina Bavaria; YEAST: American Ale

What the Brewer Says: "Double IPA is a style we were excited to brew - it's a further exploration beyond the Belgian styles we are known for historically. Nirvana received such a great reaction, of course we wanted to see if we could take that to another level."

Color: Hazy wheat

Pour: Big Guinness Class head, thick and white.

Aroma: Spicy, fruity with some pine resin.

Body: Full

Taste: Big, hoppy, citrus taste redolent of grapefruit and tropical fruits

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "Nice beer - a real sipper; I could drink that beer, alright; Not a Belgian at all; I would not have pegged this as an Ommegang beer, totally out of character from what you would expect; You can't beat Ommegang if you're a fan of Belgian style beers, and now they've made a delicious American style IPA, good for them; This beats out Nirvana, and I love Nirvana!; Ommegang has garnered quite a reputation nationally, you go to any self-respecting craft beer store and you're bound to find Ommegang; I really like this beer!'

THE RESULTS

It was a tough call. To be honest the last four - Racer 5, Late Knight, Creeker and Great Beyond all scored unconditional "Can't Get Enough!" Racer 5 is the only straight up IPA of the four with the lowest ABV (7.5%,, not exactly session level)  so that might be a choice if you're going to have more than one.

Of the remaining three, they ranked as follows:

5. Breck IPA - Nearly scored a "Can't Get Enough!" Very good IPA.

6. Slo Mo' IPA - Some of us really liked this Empire Brewing IPA, others were underwhelmed. 

7.  Extrovert IPA - We felt this was certainly a drinkable IPA, but not one we would seek out - a bit sweeter and maltier than the others.

Next Month - American Pale Ales

Sláinte,

The BOTB Guys

Merry HannaChristmas

A Reviewer's Work is Never Done

And that, when it comes to craft beer, is a good thing. There has been such an explosion of craft beers that even some of the more "mainstream" restaurants have begun including craft beers on their menus. I was in Carnegie's, a local restaurant that traditionally has offered only mega-brews. I asked if they had any IPAs, sort of knowing the answer. To my surprise, the waitress said they had Brew

Free or Die IPA from 21st Amendment. Fantastic! Smart restaurateurs are realizing that craft beer is not a fad, and the reason it is not just a fad is that once you develop a taste for good, flavorful beer, the mega-brews just don't measure up anymore. There's no going back.

For the first time, craft beer has outsold Budweiser. Now, lest you fear for Bud's livelihood, understand that it means that it took hundreds of craft beers to outsell one brand. I think Bud will survive. But as American beer drinkers' thirst for real American beers grows, restaurant owners are taking notice. Those that haven't? (I'm talking to you Olive Garden and Red Lobster) it's up to us to "educate" them. Ask if they have any craft beers. If they try to foist Shock Top, Blue Moon, or Stella Artois as a craft beer explain patiently that those are not really craft beers. Don't they have any beers from some of the local craft brewers? If not, order water! Enough people do this, and they'll get the point.  

Which brings us to December's Beer Club meeting at the beautifully decorated Riley home. It was originally Dan's intention for everyone to just bring a favorite seasonal beer to enjoy and not actually review them. In other words this would be a "drink the brew and eschew the review" meeting, so to speak. However, fate (and Shmalz Brewery) intervened. Dan made a recent visit to Shmalz Brewing Jewbelation, Hop Manna IPA, Messiah Nut Brown Ale, Genesis Dry Hopped Session Ale - you get the idea (see last month's post for some of my favorite beer names). Head on over to the Shmalz Brewing web site, it's one of those that's just a lot of fun to peruse. Anyway, we do have three of their

beers which we diligently reviewed for this month.
in Clifton Park, NY recently and after much schmoozing and a fair amount of drinking, the brewers decided to send us some beer to review. Shmalz brews the He'brew line of beers (He'brew - The Chosen Beer). They are one of those breweries that not only brews terrific beer, but has some fun naming the beers, playing off the He'brew name:

Beyond that, we have reviewed Christmas/Winter seasonal beers in the past, but because of the plethora of possible potent potables out there, it was no problem coming up with some new ones. We didn't have a whole lot of spiced beers this year - not that there's anything wrong with spiced beers!! So we'll kick off with a quick rundown of the seasonals we tried and give you our brief down and dirty impression of each. Then we'll get to the business at hand and we'll give you the in-depth scoop on the three He'brew beers we tried.

This year's Holiday Brews basics:

• Christmas Ale - Bell's Brewery, Kalamazoo, MI. 5.5% ABV. Winter Seasonal ale. We found this to be creamy and smooth. Quite malty with hints of toffee. A very pleasant, easy-drinking beer.

• Blizzard of Hops - Troegs Brewing, Hersey, PA. 6.4% ABV; 80 IBUs; Winter IPA. Citurs and piney hop aroma and flavor. An interesting and complex IPA, but not overpowering despite the 80 IBUs. It was nice to find an seasonal ale that was an IPA.

• Slope Style Winter Ale IPA - Boulder Beer, Boulder, CO. ABV: 6.4%. Red IPA. Another seasonal IPA, this one was well balanced up front, with the hop kick on the back end. A satisfying piney hop finish with just a hint of lemon citrus.

• Mastermind Double IPA - Fiddlehead Brewing, Shelburne, VT. ABV: 8.1%; Double IPA. This is a big beer with a big hoppy flavor. Unfiltered and brimming with grapefruit-hops taste combined with nice biscuit-malt and caramel underpinnings. The Guys were pleased, indeed. Alas, they are sold out for this year and won't have more until next Christmas.

• Hibernation Ale - Great Divide Brewing Co., Denver, CO. ABV: 8.7; Old Ale style. Sweet aroma with a big malt backbone. The taste is nicely balanced with spicy hops and a lingering alcohol aftertaste.

• Embrrr Rye Porter - Ithaca Beer Co., Ithaca, NY. 6.6% ABV; 80 IBUs; Rye Porter. A rich, creamy, full-bodied Porter redolent of roasted malts, dark chocolate with rye spiciness.

• Fireside Chat - 21st Amendment Brewery, San Francisco, CA. 7.9%; 45 IBUs; English-style Ale; A bit spicy with perhaps subtle notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove at the finish. Spices don't overpower, but nicely supplement the beer. Easy drinking for a 7.9%.

• Winter Warmer - Harpoon Brewing, Boston MA and Windsor, VT. 5.9% ABV; 23 IBUs. Spiced Ale. Cinnamon and nutmeg - pumpkin pie flavor. Medium bodied formed from caramel and pale malts. No real hop presence.

A FEW HE'BREW BREWS

He'brew Hop Manna

The Beer Facts: BREWERY: Shmaltz Brewing, Clifton Park, NY; STYLE: IPA; ABV: 6.8%; 65 IBUs; MALTS: Specialty 2-Row, Wheat, Munich, Vienna, CaraMunich 40; HOPS: Centennial, Cascade, Citra. 

What The Brewer Says: "Craft Beer worshippers, wander no more! Witness Hop Manna IPA - our beloved single IPA from He'brew Beer and a gift from our new Promised Land in upstate New York. Hop Manna is the answer to hop heads' prayers for a delicious IPA bearing floral and citrus goodness...Hop Manna IPA  is crafted to provide session after session of hop nourishment, from our Tribe to yours."

Color: Liquid Gold

Pour: Decent head that receded fairly quickly

Aroma: Citrus hops

Body: Leaning toward full bodied

Taste: Hop bitterness with notes of pine, citrus, lemon and grapefruit

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "You can taste the Citra hop right away; This is going to find its way to my fridge; It's a damn good IPA; How can we get this in Central New York?; YES!!!; One of the best IPAs I've ever had, and may I turn to a pillar of salt if I'm lying; There's a great and lingering aftertaste; It just cries out for another sip; There's lots of hops taste; It's an exceptional IPA; And it has a nice bitter, dry finish."

HE'BREW MESSIAH

The Beer Facts: BREWERY: Shmatz Brewing; STYLE: Nut Brown Ale; ABV: 5.2%; MALTS: Specialty 2-Row; Carapils; Dark Crystal, Chocolate, CaraMunich 60, Kiln Amber; HOPS: Warrior, Cascade, Liberty; AWARDS: Silver Medal - World Beer Championships.

What The Brewer Says: "A complex yet smooth blend of bold dark malts revealing hints of chocolate, coffee and toffee paired with a lovely hop character."

Color: Appears brown at first pour, but is a reddish color when held up to the light.

Pour: Decent short-lived head

Aroma: A little malty, but not a big nose

Body: Pretty full bodied

Taste: Toward the sweet side with tastes of malt and nuts, with hints of toffee and chocolate.

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This

Comments: "This tastes like a great holiday beer to me, what I would expect from a holiday beer with the chocolate and the toffee and the nuts; There is a deep roast flavor, like a Porter; It's an easy-drinking beer; Tastes like more than 5.2%; I like it better than most of the Brown Ales I've had; There's a nutty aftertaste; A very pleasant tasting beer; This really works well for a winter beer."

HE'BREW BITTERSWEET LENNY'S RIPA

The Beer Facts: BREWERY: Shmalz Brewing; STYLE: Double Rye IPA; ABV: 10%; MALTS and HOPS: See Brewer Comment Below; AWARDS: Best in Show - Saratoga Beer Festival; Best International Ale - Calgary Int'l Beer Festival.

What The Brewer Says: "Brewed with an obscene amount of malts and hops."

Color: Copper

Pour: Decent head

Aroma: Toffee/Caramel

Body: Full

Taste: Initially a big malt flavor, then a nice hops/alcohol taste follows with notes of spice, nuts, toffee..

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough - but be careful.

Comments: "This is loaded with hops; It's a beauty!; Your first impression is that it's sweet, then the hops hit you; Full taste; It's definitely a complex beer; You can definitely taste the alcohol presence; It's a real winter warmer; There's a spicy rye taste - the rye kind of mellows out the alcohol; A 'sit back and sip on it' beer; you need to drink it like a nice glass of wine; They've made some great beer for a long time - since BC?; It's got me looking for my helmet!"

L'chaim,
The BOTB Guys

A Two-fer

TWO-FER?

BOTB Guy Note: Last month I was on the road and somehow Ron's email with his invaluable notes on our March meeting vanished into the cyber Twilight Zone. Since Ron had rotator cuff surgery in March, I assumed (incorrectly) that he just hadn't gotten them to me. Anyway, at the April meeting we got things straightened out and he re-sent the notes, so we'll run March and April together. Ergo, a two-fer.

SHERMAN ON THE MOUNT

ITHACA TAKEOVER AT WOB

Stopped in at World of Beers in Destiny the other day and happened to hit on "Ithaca Takeover" where Ithaca Brewery had 10 of WOB's taps. On tap were: Flower Power, Ground Break, Apricot, Cascazilla, Fleur de Belgique, Obscurite, Hopbloem, Sixteen, White Gold, and Laissez-Faire. I sampled Ground Break, Hopbloem and Fleur de Belgique. Ended up getting Fleur de Belgique, a Belgian IPA. Yes, a Belgian! But what a terrific Belgian. The typical Belgian yeast flavor is understated and blends nicely with this West Coast style IPA. 

We also had a Reuben and fries. Good food, good beer. And a wait staff knowledgeable of craft beers. Awesome.

Having traveled around the country a fair amount, I'd have to say that the Syracuse, NY area stacks up pretty well when it comes to the availability of craft beers. More and more restaurants are adding good craft beers to there taps. Of course, places like The Blue Tusk and J.Ryan's were ahead of the curve, but Copper Top has become a popular stop for craft beer lovers, and now its sister restaurant, Tully's  has begun adding craft beers as well. What surprises me now is that more places don't follow suit. I noticed the new place in East Syracuse, Mixers, now includes three Central New York craft beers on tap: Syracuse Pale Ale, Empire IPA, and  Saranac Pale Ale. But the chain restaurants (Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Smokey Bones etc.) still aren't on board. I believe I speak for a lot of potential customers out there when I say that if I have a choice of eating at a place that serves only mega-brews vs. one with an IPA or two (or Stout, or Belgian other than Shock Top or Blue Moon), there's no contest.

FLORIDA BILL COULD STICK IT TO CRAFT BREWERS

Perhaps this is an indication of the success of the Craft Beer Industry in that whenever something becomes popular suddenly everybody has their hands out looking for a piece of the action. In a move that sounds like it came from the mind of Catch 22's Milo Minderbinder ("What's good for M and M Enterprises is good for the country") Florida is considering a bill that would require craft brewers who sell their beer in in-house facilities to first sell it to a distributor, then buy it back from that distributor at a significant increase in price before they could sell it to the consumer at their own brewery. This, of course would make the beer more expensive for the consumer. Check out THIS ARTICLE for the details. 

Just wonder who's behind this bill. Who benefits? Well, two groups that I can see right off: 1. The beer distributors, of course; 2. The multi-national Beer companies such as InBev and Miller/Coors. It just seems like another obstacle to inhibit the growth of craft beers. The bill is so potentially detrimental to craft brewers that Cigar City Brewing in Tampa said they would look into opening a brewery outside the state of Florida. Hey, I've had their beers - come to New York!

You might want to head to change.org.  You'll find a petition there asking to vote no on the proposal.

BONE-HEAD BILLS NOT LIMITED TO FLORIDA

Brewers and farmers have had a rather nice, symbiotic relationship for some time now. The spent grain from the breweries makes excellent feed for livestock, therefore brewers have been giving the spent grain to farmers, benefiting both. The brewer does not have to pay to have the grain removed and farmers get free feed. What a great idea. Who could possibly have a problem with this? Check out THIS ARTICLE to see. Again, one has to wonder: who benefits from this proposed rule? Just saying. Certainly not the farmers, and certainly not the brewers, and, by extension, certainly not the consumers.

MARCH

BEERS FROM THE MIDDLE

We at BOTB are located in the great Northeast so many of our reviewed beers are Northeastern brews. Either that or brews from the larger West Coast breweries with wide-ranging distributorship (think Sierra Nevada, Stones, Pyramid). This is in part because we certainly like to promote locally as much as we can and in part due simply to the availability of these beers. However, lately craft beer has exploded across the nation and more and more breweries are finding ways to get their beers over borders and around the country. We decided this month to focus our taste buds on some brews from "The Middle." Our definition of middle was broad - from the Rockies to the Appalachians. No coasts unless it's one of the Great Lakes. Style wasn't stipulated, but, surprisingly, all were IPA's except one. And that one was a Double IPA (have I mentioned that we tend to obsess on IPA's?). We were still a man down with Herb doing a little recon work in warmer climes so only six beers were up for review.

We reviewed the beers in order of their alcohol content - lowest to highest. When we finished, we rated them according to drink-ability, taste, and a willingness on our part to go out and buy more. 

The Line Up:

-LUCKY U IPA - Breckenridge Brewery in Denver, Colorado

-HOP STRIKE - Tommyknocker Brewery in Idaho Springs,Colorado

-TWO HEARTED ALE - Bell's Brewery, Comstock, Michigan

-TITAN IPA - The Great Divide Brewery Company, Denver, Colorado

-HOP NOSH IPA - (Formerly Hop Notch. More on that later) Uintas Brewery in Salt Lake City, Utah

-CONNIPTION FIT DOUBLE IPA - Atwater Brewery, Detroit, Michigan

LUCKY U IPA

BRECKENRIDGE BREWERY, DENVER, COLORADO

The Beer Facts: STYLE: India Pale Ale; ABV: 6.2%; IBUs: 68; MALTS: Two Row Pale, Munich, Carmel, Torrified Wheat, Carapils; HOPS: Amarillo, Magnum, Perle, Cascade, Apollo, Fuggle, Goldings; YEAST: Top fermented ale yeast

What the Brewer Says: "Nice forefront, hop bitterness with underlying malt character. ...a well-balanced, soulful IPA with just the right amount of hoppiness. An even keeled ale that goes down clean and refreshing, but still lets you know it's been doted on by the Brewmaster. It's true to it's IPA heritage, but also highly drinkable."

Color: Unfiltered apricot/golden honey (the brewery describes it as "spun gold")

Pour: Sparse tan head

Aroma: hoppy/grassy

Body: Toward the thin/light

Taste: Balanced, with notes of toffee and coffee

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This

Comments: "This has more hops aroma than taste; Nice taste; It tastes like a session beer; It would be a good drink on a nice hot summer day; It's pleasant; It's not a West Coast IPA; It plays more toward the malt than you would expect from an IPA; It tastes to me like a liquid Heath Bar; I don't know if I would run right out and get a 6-pack of this, but I wouldn't feel bad if a friend offered me one from his refrigerator."

HOP STRIKE BLACK IPA

TOMMYKNOCKER BREWERY, IDAHO SPRINGS, CO

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Black IPA (or perhaps an IBA); ABV: 6.5%; IBUs: 78; MALT: Dark Rye; HOPS: Chinook, Summit, Willamette

What the Brewer Says: "Hop Strike is a dry hopped black IPA. The beer is characterized by an intermingling of spicy citrus hops and chocolate malt. Hop Strike's substantial 78 IBUs are balanced by roasted rye resulting in a nice depth of malt character and deep color.

Color: Near black

Pour: A bit below "decent head" that is near milk chocolate in color.

Aroma: Burnt, dark roasted malt

Body: Between medium and full

Taste: Notes of coffee and chocolate

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This

Comments: "This tastes like a porter; The hops clean up the finish; It's not heavy or syrupy; I'd say it's tasty; It has a nice chocolate and coffee taste that finishes nicely; If you have a malty beer you can throw a lot of hops in it before you get a hoppy taste; You would think an IPA would be more toward the bitter; I'm not believing this beer I'm drinking is 78 IBUs."

TWO HEARTED ALE

BELL'S BREWERY, COMSTOCK, MICHIGAN

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American India Pale Ale; ABV: 7.0%; IBU: 55; HOPS: Centennial

What the Brewer Says: "Bell's Two Hearted Ale is defined by  its intense hop aroma and malt balance. Hopped exclusively with the Centennial hop varietal from the Pacific Northwest, massive additions in the kettle and again in the fermenter lend their characteristic grapefruit and pine resin aromas. A significant malt body balances this hop presence; together with the signature fruity aromas of Bell's house yeast, this leads to a remarkably drinkable American-style India Pale Ale."

Color: Unfiltered orange

Pour: Decent, near white head 

Aroma: Grassy/hoppy with a bit of pine

Body: Medium

Taste: Tending toward the hoppy bitter end of the spectrum with floral and citrus notes

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "This beer has a nice nose; That's a GOOD beer; And mighty tasty; It has a nice, citrusy taste; I could just sit and drink this - just pour me another; Terrific; It's right in my wheelhouse for the way an IPA should taste; To me, it has the taste of Flower Power; Yeah, a nice floral taste; This tastes like another."

TITAN IPA

GREAT DIVIDE BREWING COMPANY, DENVER, CO

The Beer Facts: STYLE: India Pale Ale; ABV: 7.1%; IBUs: 65; MALT AND HOPS: NA

What the Brewer Says: "Titan IPA is a big, aggressively hopped India Pale Ale brewed for hop disciples. It starts out with piney hop aromas and citrus hop flavors, and finishes with a nice rich, malty sweetness that is balanced with crisp hop bitterness."

Color: Dark Amber

Pour: Decent white head

Aroma: Hoppy - grassy/fresh hay aroma, herbal and floral

Body: A little more than medium

Taste: On the bitter side of balanced, with citrus notes

Overall Impression: Very close to "Can't Get Enough"

Comments: "Some (a little) nose; Tastes a little like Lucky U to me but with a bit more flavor; I'm not getting a strong IPA flavor - more of a Pale Ale flavor; it's a nice beer, I like it; Maybe a bit of pine at the finish; It looks like a winter brew, but finishes a little hoppier than it looks; I have nothing bad to say about this beer."

HOP NOSH (formally Hop Notch)

UINTAS BREWERY, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

The Backstory:  Originally this beer was called Hop Notch but there arose a copyright issue. Here's how the brewer explains it: "Uinta Brewing has agreed to change the name of Hop Notch, the brewery's flagship beer and one of the fastest-growing IPAs in the country, following a request from Massachusetts-based Notch Brewing, which owns the trademark for the word 'Notch' as it relates to beer and breweries. Notch Brewing clained that Hop Notch was creating marketplace confusion. 'We came to an amicable agreement,' said Chris Lohring, the founder of Notch Brewing. According to a press statement from Uinta Brewing, the Hop Notch brand will be changed to Hop Nosh, but the brewery said the label imagery and recipe will remain unaltered."

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American India Pale Ale; ABV: 7.3%; IBUs: 82; SRM: 15; MALT and HOPS: NA

What the Brewer Says: "Bold and refreshing, this IPA combines an abundance of hops with a smooth malt profile. Embracing our inner foodie, Hop Nosh is so big in hop character that it is literally a hoppy snack."

Color: Golden

Pour: Decent off-white head

Aroma: Pine and grass

Body: Medium

Taste: It strikes a level of balance initially with a terrific finish. There were notes of pine, grapefruit, and even nuts were detected.

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!!

Comments: "There's a nice little bite on the back end; A West Coast IPA taste; This is why I drink beer; This is one of my regular rotation beers; It is relatively new to the area; It is always a part of my 'mixed six' pack; I could drink this - every day; Because of the hops taste on the tail end - it's not my favorite; That's exactly what I like about it; It makes your tongue do a dance; It hits all the notes; It's a damn good beer."

CONNIPTION FIT DOUBLE IPA

ATWATER BREWERY, DETROIT, MICHIGAN

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Double American IPA; ABV: 8.0%; IBU: 92; MALT and HOPS: NA

What the Brewer Says: "This tasty American Double Imperial IPA is 8.0% and 92 IBU."

Color: Unfiltered honey yellow

Pour: Decent frothy off-white head

Aroma: Late season, second cut hay or dried grass

Body: Toward the full/thick

Taste: Sweet malty on the front end before there is a bit of hops. There are notes of butterscotch and horehound.

Overall Impression: A little better than "I Could Drink This"

Comments: "It doesn't taste like a double; It doesn't bite like you'd think a double would; Lots of light roasted malt; I would like one, but wouldn't want a bunch of them; Nice bitter middle with a butterscotch sweet beginning; It doesn't hide the alcohol; There is something there all the way through - the bitter is pleasant; Maybe, but I'm not getting it; I'm not tasting the alcohol."

AND THE WINNER IS...

Using our usual rating system, we each rated the beers separately 1-6 then added the scores with the low score winning. As usual, we were not unanimous in our choices for our favorite, but combined here were the results:

#1 - Hop Nosh - Uinitas Brewery - A really wonderful IPA at a very affordable price - making it a regular in my fridge.

#2 - Two Hearted Ale - Bell's Brewery - A close second. This and Hop Nosh were the top two for all. Classic IPA taste. 

#3 - Titan IPA - The Great Divide Brewery - A nice beer, some of us felt it was more Pale Ale than IPA, but a real tasty brew that would be a welcome sight at any restaurant.

#4 - Conniption Fit Double IPA - Atwater Brewery - As is true so often with bigger beers like Double IPAs, one is enjoyable, but definitely not a session. This was one of those "split decision" beers with The Guys - some were fans, others not so much.

#5 - Hop Strike Black IPA - Tommyknocker Brewery - An enjoyable beer. It tended toward the malty with chocolate and coffee vibes that made it reminiscent of a Porter. 

#6 - Lucky U IPA - Breckenridge Brewery - We felt the hops were more aromatic than present in the taste. Much more malty than one would expect from an IPA. We found it enjoyable but not one we would actively seek.

APRIL

SARANAC SPECIAL

12 BEERS A SPRINGING AND CAN DO

Mixed 12-packs can be a decidedly mixed blessing. On the one hand, variety is the spice of life and it's nice to have a variety of brews to try. With the right mixed-12 you can have four (or three) different beers ready  for whatever brew mood might move you. Or you can match a beer to a particular meal if you are so inclined. However the down side is that if there is a beer that you consider a loser - one that you absolutely have no interest in consuming - you are stuck with two or three of them taking up valuable space in your fridge. I remember bottles of Cherry Wheat that took up residence in my basement "beer fridge" for so long I started claiming them as dependents on my income tax forms. They stayed there until a guest happened to see them and say without a hint of irony, "Wow! Cherry Wheat! I love Cherry Wheat!"
But sometimes you can hit on mixed-12s that have a "weak sister" that isn't that bad. Something you can certainly live with. Of course we at BOTB like those mixed IPA packs (think Sam Adams'  IPA Hopology or Sierra Nevada's 4-Way IPA variety packs) but we decided to check out a couple of Saranac's currently available Mixed 12s: 12 Beers a Springing and their newest addition Can Do.
With each beer we added a question following our comments: "Would you buy a 6-pack of this beer?"

12 Beers a Springing

Matt Brewing Company out of Utica, New York has been producing their Saranac "12 Beers a...(or of)" variety packs for several years now. They like to give you six different beers - two each - in their mixed 12s. Each season has its own mix, usually combining their standards with some seasonal beers and/or new beers they might want to test market. For example, this years 12 Beers of Winter had their flagship Pale Ale combined with a Belgian Pale and 4059 Porter  plus three new beers: Moonshadow, Decoction Concoction, and Spiced Christmas Ale.

12 Beers a Springing has an interesting mix:

Forbidden IPA
Red IPA
Prism White Ale
Dry Hop Lager
Irish Stout
Pale Ale (The Pale Ale is in the Can Do mix as well, so we'll look at that when we do that mix)

FORBIDDEN IPA

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American India Pale Ale; ABV: 5.2%; IBUs; 50

What the Brewer Says: "This citrusy IPA has a distinctive fruity flavor complemented by a playful bitterness. We'd tell you how we brew it, but then we'd have to kill you."

Color: Honey

Pour: Well past Decent head

Aroma: Grassy, herbal

Body: Medium

Taste: Nice hoppy/grapefruity flavor 

Overall Impression: Well toward "Can't Get Enough"

Comments: "Nice little hop finish to it; They have enough IPAs to make a variety pack of IPAs; You know I really like this; Make a good session IPA; It's kind of nice to see some IPAs with lower ABVs so you can kick back and have a few without getting plastered."

Would You Buy a 6-Pack of This Beer?: Yes.

RED IPA

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Red India Pale Ale; ABV: 6%; IBU: 60; MALT: European Dark Caramel Malt; HOPS: Calypso, Palisade, Chinook.

What the Brewer Says: "Our Red IPA is a twist on a traditional West Coast IPA featuring a deep red color form European dark caramel malts. We brew with generous amount of American hops including Calypso, Palisade and Chinook to give this IPA a distinctive hop aroma. You'll notice a strong hoppy flavor with caramel malt undertones and a unique color that gives this IPA a whole new personality"

Color: Mahogony

Pour: Decent Head

Aroma: Hay, grass, herbal

Body: Medium

Taste: Nice bitter bite with a balance of Malty and Grapefruit hop flavors

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "I really like this; Kinda' like the color; Nice bitter finish, malty start, hoppy finish; I prefer it to their regular IPA; I'd put it between  their Pale and Legacy; Ought to make a Can-Can 12-pack with this, Legacy and their IPA or maybe their Imperial IPA; I really like this beer, smooth with lots of flavor."

Would You Buy a 6-Pack of This Beer?: Absolutely!

PRISM WHITE ALE

  

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Belgian White Ale; ABV: 5.2%; IBUs: 40

What the Brewer Says: "This light colored wheat ale might have a hazy appearance but one thing's crystal clear: it practically sparkles with bright, citrusy flavor. Enjoy!"

Color: Unfiltered wheat

Pour: Decent white head

Aroma: Peach, citrusy

Body: Between Light and Medium

Taste: Kind of a sweet lemon, fruity taste with hints of coriander and apricot

Overall Impression: For us it was a "Leave it on the Shelf"

Comments: "Tastes like the bastard child of Ithaca Apricot Wheat and Magic Hat #9; Not my favorite - I'd say my least favorite; I wasn't thrilled at first, but the taste kind of grows on me a little bit; It's that Belgian vibe that a lot of people really like, I'm just not a fan; I definitely like their White IPA better; Like to see White IPA, Red IPA, Forbidden IPA and Legacy in a mix - I'd buy that in a heartbeat."

Would You Buy a 6-Pack of This Beer?: NO.

DRY HOP LAGER

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Lager; ABV: 6.0%; IBUs: 30; MALT: North American and German malt; HOPS: Mittlefrau, Saphir, Opal, Taurus.

What the Brewer Says: "...we dry hop with Opal, a new variety known for its citrus and herbal characteristics, and Taurus, a unique new variety with wonderful aromatic qualities. Lagers aren't typically dry hopped, but we wanted to showcase a lager blooming with hop flavor and aroma. You'll experience a medium body with subtle malt notes to round out this uniquely hopped brew. Cheers!"

Color: Golden lightly filtered

Pour: Better than Decent head

Aroma: Metallic

Body: Between Light and Medium

Taste: Tending toward sweet, malty

Overall Impression: We'd "Leave it on the Shelf"

Comments: "Not great, I much prefer the Wild Pils; I don't know, tastes like a Lager to me; Stick with ales!; Much better than Bud, Miller etc., maybe a good 'intro to craft beer' type beer; I much prefer many of Saranac's other beers."

Would You Buy a 6-Pack of This Beer?: No.

IRISH STOUT

The Beer Facts: STYLE: Dry Stout; ABV: 5.5%; IBUs: 30

What the Brewer Says: "Deep within the heart of the Irish lies an uncanny passion for what they call 'leann dubh' or black ale. Saranac Irish Stout is a lavish beer blended with dark malts to create a coffee-like taste. Look for a roasted character that is surprisingly smooth and refreshing, pint after pint. Cheers!" 

Color: Black

Pour: Impressive Guinness class head

Aroma: Molasses, sweet, sorghum

Body: Up in the Full range

Taste: Tending toward sweet with hints of malt, bread, nut and coffee

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This!

Comments: "If I were to purchase a Stout - this is it; This is better than some of the Irish Stouts I've had; Id order this for my wife - she really likes Stouts and Porters, and not so much IPAs; It's one fo those nice, pleasant drinkable Stouts; Not heavy, but full-bodied and good flavor."

Would You Buy a 6-Pack of This Beer?: Possibly, on St. Patrick's Day; Sure, if I was feeling like a Stout.

CAN DO VARIETY PACK

-Wild Hop Pils

-Saranac Pale Ale

-Legacy IPA

WILD HOP PILS

The Beer Facts:STYLE: Pilsener; ABV: 5.2%; IBU: 28; HOPS: Belma 

What the Brewer Says: "This unique pilsener features Belma hops, found growing wild on a hop farm in Washington State, for a clean, tropical taste. Pair it with marinated pork tenderloin, chicken wings, prosciutto, bacon and chevre or Havarti cheeses."

Color: Pale yellow

Pour: Decent white head

Aroma: Grassy with typical Pilsener herbal aroma

Body: Medium

Taste: Somewhat balanced with a nice bready, nutty undertone. A bit of hop bitterness and pine. A Pilsener with a subtle hop presence.

Overall Impression: I Would Drink This. 

Comments: "Not a bad golf beer. Why the purple can?; Not a big fan of Pils - but this is better than most; Easy drinking beer; Aroma has a little more than average Pilsener; Session beer; A faint bitter undertone at the end; Not a 'must have' beer, but not bad; A better 'weak sister' than many variety packs have; Not bad."

Would You Buy a 6-Pack of This Beer?: No, but a mixed 12 to try it or as a change of pace beer.

SARANAC PALE ALE

The Beer Facts: STYLE: English Pale Ale; ABV: 5.5%; IBUs: 32; MALTS: six specialty malts; HOPS: English Kent Goldings, Fruggles

What the Brewer Says: "Saranac Pale Ale is a classic English Pale Ale brewed with six specialty malts and aggressively hopped with hand-selected English Kent Goldings and Fruggles hops. Look for a rich fruity hop bouquet. A copper amber color and a smooth, full-flavored taste with a crisp finish that only comes from a genuine top fermented ale. Enjoy!"

Color: Amber

Pour: Decent off white head

Aroma: Grassy, herbal, floral

Body: Medium

Taste: Balanced with nice malty, nutty, bready base and pleasant blend of English hops

Overall Impression: I Do Drink This!

Comments: "I think it's one of the best straight-up Pale Ales out there; Good standard, great stand-by; Backbone of many of their mixed 12s; Their flagship beer for good reason; Good boat beer, golf course beer; One of the better beers in a can out there; Such a nice, smooth beer."

Would You Buy a 6-Pack of This Beer?: Yes. Already do, on a regular basis.

 LEGACY IPA

The Beer Facts: STYLE: American India Pale Ale; ABV: 6.5%; IBUs: 60; MALTS: North American Two-Row and Munich; HOPS: A blend of historic, traditional, and innovative hops.

What the Brewer Says: "Our founder passed down his legacy of great beer. Inspired by his recipe, this heavenly IPA's aroma and depth of flavor is our gift to you."

Color: Golden

Pour: Better than Decent head

Aroma: Bready yeast and grass

Body: Medium

Taste: Balanced with a nice bitter bent

Overall Impression: Well toward "Can't Get Enough!"

Comments: "Nice sustainability; I think this should just replace their regular IPA; I like the way this opens better than the Pale - but I like the way the Pale finishes better; Very tasty; I was buying their White IPA 12 packs last summer (rather than 6-packs) in part because of the bonus pint can of Legacy IPA; I'm glad they're continuing with the beer - I was afraid they would follow the same route as Guinness with their 250 a few years ago where they stopped producing it after a period of time; Good beer."

Would You Buy a 6-Pack of This Beer?: Absolutely, yes.

THE BOTTOM LINE

So we took a look at a couple of variety packs by Saranac and afterward we batted around our opinions on each. After some interesting give and take, we put it to a vote. The question: Would you buy this particular variety pack? The results were as follows:

12 BEERS A SPRINGING - With seven members this one came as close as you can to a split decision. By a vote of 4-3 we said (as a group) we would not buy this. The four nays sited the fact that they couldn't get past the Prism White Ale and Dry Hop Lager enough to purchase the 12 pack. The 3 dissenting votes felt that those two brews were not weak enough to keep them from buying the 12 pack. They didn't mind those two beers and enjoyed the others enough to take the plunge.

Can Do Variety Pack - This one was unanimous. All of us said we would buy this 12-pack. We felt that Legacy and Pale Ale were terrific beers and Wild Hops Pils made for a decent boat/golf beer. In fact, I purchased a Can Do pack to take to a family Easter dinner. Twelve beers traveled with me to the dinner. None returned. To quote Stan Lee: "'Nuff said."

SOME HEADY STUFF

I had a can of Heady Topper which was generously donated to me by my buddy Dave Grant and I shared it with a couple of early arrivals. We had reviewed this back in March of 2012 and loved the beer, but it is a tough brew to hunt down. It's one of those beers that has become almost legendary. We certainly enjoyed it.

I also brought back from Springfield, Illinois a growler of Engrained IPA from Engrained Brewing, a small brew pub in Springfield. We had lunch there and, after I had one of their IPAs, I ran out and grabbed a couple of growlers I had brought and filled them right up. Terrific beer. If you ever happen to be in Springfield, I highly recommend looking this place up. Besides the IPA, they had an American Pale Ale that was very good as well as a Kolsch, a wheat, an Irish Red and an Oatmeal Stout.

BOTB BASH

Check your calender and clear June 1st. That's the date for this year's annual BOTB blast. Golf, food, music and, of course, good beer. Who's invited? Anyone who reads this blog. Details will be forthcoming. Let us know if you're in by RSVPing to battleofthebeers@gmail.com.

Sláinte,

The BOTB Guys