Rating: 5/5
Some Rick and Morty inspired brews Los Angeles Ale Works I had when they were releasing this before the beginning of Season 3 of “Rick and Morty” with my friends Julio and Oscar. These 2 beers are amazing but I think Fleeb Joose was on another super tropic level on that of the Pink Snow we had from the Bruery if that beer was a super juicy Double IPA. I just hope they keep making this one it was super great!!!
Mr Meseeks of DragonfruitZ is done wit yo shit!
Rating: 5/5
Hall Monitor by Offshoot Beer Co. is a 6.7% ABV Vermont/New England India Pale Ale brewed with Nelson, Vic Secret, Motueka and Rakau hops.
Label:
IPA with Nelson, Vic Secret, Motueka and Rakau hops from New Zealand and Australia. Brewed with Two-Row, Marris Otter and Spelt. Fermented with Barbarian yeast. Unfiltered and orderly canned on June 20, 2017.
Nice tropics and more on the citrucy side… love these hazy releases
Rating: 5/5
Gimme Mo by Crux Fermentation Project is a 6.2% ABV India Pale Ale.
Label:
Geez—not another IPA! That’s right, this is not just another IPA. Consider it a next generation IPA. A slightly sweet, lower ABV, IPA providing welcome relief from the onslaught of bitter hop-bombs out there. Its complex aromatic layers—suggest mango, melon, pine and berries—are driven by Mosaic and Citra hops which are then balanced by an acidulated and pilsner malt bill. Finally, its silky smooth mouthfeel will leave you asking for “mo.”
==Introduction==
Special thanks to my good friend and homebrew brother, Richard Avila of Avila Ales for donating this beer to the website. This is the first beer I have ever tried from Crux. The claim is that this is not the same IPA as your typical herbal, tropical or citrucy malty IPA. I always love the challenge to try new awesome beers so the fact that this one is said to be different is quite intriguing. While I can see their use of mosaic and citra can definitely bring some fruity tropics to the table, I am more intrigued to see if it really is true about a berry flavor. Let’s have a look, cheers!
Aromas:
Candied oranges, biscuits, Citrus, grapefruit, herbal, dank, piney and grassy hops, toffee, dark fruits, vanilla, lychee, tropical fruit mild notes, vanilla, starburst notes, honey and cane sugar.
Flavors:
Rich Citrus, grapefruit, herbal, dank, piney and grassy hops, toffee, caramel, chocolate hints, wild flower honey, tropical fruit mango, kiwi, passion fruit, honey dew melon, dark fruit blackberries, raspberries, cherries, cranberries, currant hints, maple hints, sweetened condensed milk, flan hints, tangerine gummies, lychee fruit, biscuit bread, candied oranges, rye bread, lemon grass, starburst candies, vanilla, strawberries and pineapple notes.
Aftertaste:
Finishing with nice notes of honey, vanilla, tropics, dark fruit, citrus and herbal hops and rye. No alcohol in the taste, Honey Amber light body, crisp, clean, refreshing and slightly velvety mouth feel along with an easy to moderate drinkability.
Overall:
A very different IPA indeed. Show casing more of a sweeter fruiter side of things while also including some of the best aspects of IPAs like tropics, citrus and even some herbal dankness. The difference was clear in its sweeter flavor, which was fruitier like actual berries than malty sweetness. In that aspect, yes it was very different. It was not a fruit based IPA but however they got those magical flavors from the hops indicates to me that someday, certain breeds of hops will yield an even greater range of delicious flavors. For now, I highly recommend this perfect IPA!
Anime Corner:
Juri Han from Capcom’s Street Fighter series was used in this pairing mainly to pair with the colors of the can but also the flavors of the brew from what I can gather as well as the crosshair symbol. Essentially, the cross hair arrows on the label looks similar to the way Juri has the glimmer in her eyes. Also, the name of the beer is indicative and innuendoes of Juri wanting more! I will leave what the “more” is up to you!
Sources:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/3d/6f/78/3d6f782ad01398ea1c83d67a1b1a0233.jpg
Rating: 5/5
Space Cake #7 Anniversary Ale by Clown Shoes is a 7.7% ABV India Pale Ale brewed with the following 7 hops (Idaho 7, Mosaic, Citra, Ella, Galaxy, Centennial, and Nelson Sauvin)
Label:
Tasked with bringing cake to our 7th anniversary party, Miracle Mike needed to destroy the laser beam shooting pastries that menace him. He appears to have “borrowed” the birthday surprise from a young wizard who did not die. Dry hopped with seven hops (Idaho 7, Mosaic, Citra, Ella, Galaxy, Centennial, and Nelson Sauvin) this IPA salutes the industry and our customers. Thank you for a wonderful seven years!
==Introduction==
Space Cake is one damn delicious IPA. It has been a while since I tried the original. With this release, they took the base recipe and used 7 different hops to indicate their 7th anniversary. When I saw this was their actual Anniversary Ale, I wanted to bring it to the site. Clown Shoes has been one very amazing brewery making so many awesome beers and improving their spirit-blending portfolio with different brewing and aging techniques. I have been a big fan for the longest time and I am glad to present another awesome beer to the site. Here is to many, many years of brewing awesome brews. Cheers to Clown Shoes and all its fans!
Aromas:
Grapefruit, piney, grassy and garlicky hops, tropical fruits like mango, guava, pineapple, papaya, kiwi, passion fruit, dragon fruit, honey dew melon, stone fruit peach, honey, lemon zest, caramel, oranges, vanilla, biscuit bread and sweetened condensed milk notes.
Flavors:
Super tropics of Guava, Mango, Kiwi, Strawberry, pineapple, citrus, papaya, honey dew melon, cantaloupe, passion fruit, dragon fruit, grapefruit, piney, grassy and garlicky hops, sweetened condensed milk, crème brulee hints, white chocolate cake, cherries, milk shake notes, pomegranates, raspberry hints, blueberries, vanilla, rye notes, biscuit bread, tangerine preserves, lychees, stone fruit peach, honey, waffle cone, orange preserves, caramel notes, lemon zest and fruit cake hints.
Aftertaste:
Finishing up with lots of stone fruit, tropical fruit, vanilla, caramel, toffee, grapefruit, piney, citrus and herbal hops along with vanilla. No alcohol in the taste. Golden light body, creamy, smooth, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel, and easy to moderate drinkability.
Overall:
A perfect IPA indeed. I loved the original Space Cake and this one with the additional hop varieties bring out more sweet tropics to the beer. While the original space cake had this sweetness that was awesome like if it was an actual cake, this one seems to amplify that slightly more while still packing a huge hop punch. Definitely give this one a go, a definite recommendation from me.
Anime Corner:
Princess Allura and the Paladins of Voltron The Legendary Defender were chosen in this pairing to go with the theme of space and the colors of cake but also the label colors. Since this was the 7th Anniversary, I wanted to pair with the paladins, Voltron and Allura. Voltron is a bad ass and having that mech in a pairing is always badass. The new designs for Allura are also amazing as well.
Sources:
http://orig09.deviantart.net/1678/f/2016/160/7/3/voltron_fake_poster_print_jpeg_by_steveahn-da5m2un.jpg
http://orig07.deviantart.net/40e2/f/2016/226/c/d/princess_allura_by_mimibert-dadyj00.jpg
http://klevinkeeni.deviantart.com/art/Princess-Allura-650662499
http://68.media.tumblr.com/87a68989359758ed33b38103c79310bd/tumblr_oemsmxyk5n1ru00pmo1_1280.png
http://img01.deviantart.net/ea9f/i/2016/255/7/1/voltron___allura_by_bisho_s-dahdzkt.jpg
Rating: 5.5/6
Stone Enjoy By 02.14.17 Chocolate & Coffee IPA by Stone Brewing is a 9.4% ABV Double India Pale Ale brewed with Chocolate and Coffee.
Label:
Brewed to Enjoyed Within 37 days
It’s not unusual to see pronouncements of “I Heart Hops,” “I Heart Chocolate” or “I Heart Coffee” throughout #socialmedia, printed on T-shirts and, natch, emblazoned on coffee cups. Over the past couple of decades we have helped add “I Freaking Heart IPAs” to that lexicon. Today, passionate people can’t imagine a world without all of the above. For this special edition, we added chocolate and coffee to make this devastatingly fresh IPA even more seductive to the palate. We humbly suggest that you use this libation to proclaim your love for someone… and we suggest that someone be you. Loving yourself is exactly what this libation is all about. Love now; remember forever.
A Rich Decadent IPA to Fall in Love With Now!
==Introduction==
Originally reviewed 1/19/2017 to meet within the 37 day mark, I brought this limited time beer to the site for the love of the original Mocha IPA. Essentially, I believe this is similar except it is a much fresher version and possibly different ingredients. While the other one says it is made with Cacao Nibs and this one says chocolate, depending on the type of chocolate would actually make the beer overall different. Heck, even the coffee too if they used a different type of coffee. Regardless, the Enjoy By series has been amazing overall for the many beer releases and now with this one, let us see what this is about. In time for Valentine’s day.
Aromas:
Grapefruit, piney, citrus, floral, grassy and garlicky dank hops, coffee, chocolate, caramel, vanilla, tiramisu, mocha, cherry, oranges, rye bream toffee, honey, tropical fruit mango, dragon fruit, tangerine gummies, rye bread, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie hints, and chocolate orange creamsicle notes.
Flavors:
Tiramasu pastry, vanilla, mocha, coffee, java, milk chocolate, chocolate mousse, Yoohoo Chocolate drink, Grapefruit, piney, citrus, floral, grassy and garlicky dank hops, dark cherry, biscuit bread, tropical fruit mango, tangerine gummies,dragon fruit, honey, rocky road ice cream, marshmallows, cookies and cream, Jamoca ice cream, caramel, toffee, rye bread, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, chocolate orange creamsicle, lactose, milk sugar, flan, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate cherry cordial, hopped coffee cake, crème brulee, Irish cream, Danish cream, maple syrup hints and green tea ice cream.
Aftertaste:
Finishing with notes of coffee, mocha, chocolate, vanilla, cherry, green tea ice cream, citrus, earthy and piney hops, tropical notes and cookies and cream. No alcohol in the taste, Golden clear body, smooth, creamy, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel and very easy to drink.
Overall:
Definitely above exceptional. Lots of chocolate and coffee mix very well with the tropical flavors of the already awesome Enjoy By series. Many may think this may not work but I really enjoyed this one. With the brewing method they used to make this one and possibly since its “fresh”, this brew is definitely way above the Mocha IPA. It is more flavorful and as a result, higher ABV. I really hope this one is released again. Regardless, this one I highly recommend. Get it before Valentine’s day.
Anime Corner:
Erza Scarlet from Fairy Tail was chosen in this pairing as I wanted to pair a strong and hoppy beer with a strong character that pairs with the colors of the label and Valentine’s day. While I have mainly used Morrigan in these Enjoy by Beers, this different beer called for a change using a character who is bad as and arrogant like the brews from Stone. Awesome sauce.
Sources:
http://static.zerochan.net/Erza.Scarlet.full.2051049.jpg
http://www.wallpaperup.com/uploads/wallpapers/2015/12/30/866911/big_thumb_2fb4f290648a6984954e353def4373b7.jpg
https://k60.kn3.net/taringa/2/7/4/6/4/3/47/demonslayer77/095.jpg
Rating: 3.75/5
Tropical Torpedo by Sierra Nevada is a 6.7% ABV India Pale Ale brewed with Amarillo, Mosaic, Citra, El Dorado and Comet Hops.
Label:
Inspired by the island life, we created an IPA completely disconnected from the mainland. We used our one-of-a-kind Hop Torpedo to deliver an intense rush of hop flavor and the lush aromas of mango, papaya, and passion fruit with every sip. Enjoy our tropical twist on the American IPA.
==Introduction==
It has been a long time since I brought a Sierra Nevada brew to the site. Many of them like the Celebration, Narwhal and their Ovila series are some of my favorites. When I saw they released a “tropical” version of their torpedo, I definitely wanted to bring it to the site. I have not tried torpedo in years and it will be interesting to see how using whole cone hop versions of these newer and modern hops will have affected the beer’s profile in terms of the aromas and flavors. Let’s have a look, cheers!
Aromas:
Lots of tropical fruit like mango, pineapple, kiwi, passion fruit, guava, stone fruit peaches, mild toasted coconut hints, floral, grassy, dank, grapefruit, pine and garlicky hops.
Flavors:
Floral, grassy, dank, grapefruit, pine and garlicky hops, biscuit bread, vanilla, tropical fruit kiwi, mango, papaya, passion fruit hints, pineapple notes, lemon peel, tangerine gummy hints, stone fruit apricot, peach, honey, citrus peel, candied orange, toffee, sourdough bready hints, crackers and grape hints.
Aftertaste:
Finishing dry with lots of dank garlicky and piney hops along with some tropical fruit hints. No alcohol in the taste. Honey golden clear body, smooth, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel and easy to drink.
Overall:
A pretty good IPA. It does not present the full rush of tropical punch as I have come to love from many IPAs but it sure is hinted. Better than the original torpedo for sure. I think the tropical aspects are represented better in the aromas than they are in the flavors. In the flavors, you definitely get danker west coast hop flavors than malty or tropical flavors. I would recommend giving this one a shot but there are better tropical beers out there.
Anime Corner:
Sona from League of Legends and Vocaloid Hatsune Miku look a lot alike so I used them for this pairing as they pair with the colors of the label mainly but also the theme of this being a tropical beer. Sitting at the beach on a summer’s day relaxing, that is what this beer is about.
Sources:
http://images.battlecomics.co.kr/board/238978/image-boardid_238978-cut_0-w_900-h_803-t_20160220140636.jpg
https://static.acg12.com/uploads/2016/09/dc06b4b316b6d3ed4529c8fa721ebeb7.jpg
Rating: 4.75/5
Mango Sombrero Habanero by El Borracho brewing is a 6.5% ABV India Pale Ale brewing with Mangos and Habanero peppers with Columbus, Cascade, Centennial hops and dry hopped with Amarillo hops.
==Introduction==
A special thanks to my friend Will Carranza who has allowed me to review the next beer in his home brewing adventures. The next homebrew release comes in the form of a Mango IPA. Mango IPAs are always awesome. With this one, he wanted to add a kick to it. So he added habanero. As many know, habaneros are the hottest commonly available peppers. There are hotter ones for sure but this one is definitely hot. This brew was made in an attempt to make his own version of an IPA like Sculpin Habanero. With the Mango however, it would add that spicy mangoneada like flavors. I am hoping that is the case, let’s have a sip, cheers!
Aromas:
Citrus, piney, floral, grassy and garlicky hops, stone fruit peach, biscuit bread, honey, Tropical fruit Mango, honey dew melon, kiwi hints, mild peppery hints, tangerine gummies and guava.
Flavors:
Tropical fruit Mango, pineapple, honey dew melon, passion fruit, dragon fruit, guava hints, honey notes
Citrus, piney, floral, oniony and grassy hops, biscuit bread, caramel, habanero spice hints, peppercorn hints, coriander hints, tangerine gummies, stone fruit peach, vanilla hints, cherries and mild rye hints
Aftertaste:
Finishes with slight habanero pepper spice on the back end, tropical fruit mango, citrus and floral dank hops. No alcohol in the taste, Golden Medium body, crisp, refreshing, and smooth mouthfeel along with easy to moderate drinkability.
Overall:
A very delicious brew. Heat wise, not too spicy although the peppery aspects are there. I mainly enjoyed this one as the tropical fruit flavors and mango shined as the beer warmed up. The mangoneada flavors are super subtle but the mango does shine. While I did bring this up to my friend about getting more mango in the flavors than he did, I think this was true as I do have a tolerance for heat. I did get a bit of spice on the last pour. I think some of the heat settled to the bottom. Overall, this was definitely awesome. My friend said that he would definitely make it spicier next time!
Anime Corner:
Scardelita and Adelita Sánchez from El Libro De La Vida/The Book of Life were chosen to go with the name of the beer and since the ingredients are used in Mexican cuisine. It was easy to see why this pairing would work as the colors in the art of those of the mango oranges, reds and yellows and also the habaneros. The reference to dia de los muertos was also something that worked well too and the sombreros they wear.
Sources:
http://oddmachine.deviantart.com/art/Revolution-492118534
http://www.deviantart.com/art/Adelita-Sanchez-El-Libro-de-la-Vida-490237776
http://www.deviantart.com/art/adelitas-sanchez-528352659
Rating: 5/5
HA! HA! by El Segundo brewing is a 7.4% ABV India Pale Ale brewed and dry hopped with Nelson Sauvin Hops.
Label:
Nelson is quite the “bully” of a hop, always taking center stage. This India Pale Ale showcases the best he has to offer. Now… Stop depriving yourself, and drink up!
==Introduction==
Sometimes breweries make specialty IPAs that are single hopped or single malted. For El Segundo, a pure Nelson Sauvin hopped brew would make sense that they name it after the Simpson’s character, Nelson Muntz and his iconic laugh, HA! HA! It is very catchy and for a beer tribute to the Simpsons, it would only be a matter of time before I would do a review with Simpsons characters on it. Aside from that, Nelson Sauvin hops are a favorite of many hop heads for their aroma and flavors close to Sauvignon Blanc which are the wild green skinned grapes that are grown in many regions for wine, specifically Bordeaux, France. How they got such a cop is amazing. I am a more tropical hop person myself (Citra, Simcoe, Mosaic and Amarillo) but it is always nice to see hops be appreciated for their uniqueness to beers. In fact, I think technically, this would be my first time having a pure Nelson hopped brew. Let’s check it out, cheers!
Aromas:
Stone fruit peaches, apricot, sweetened condensed milk hints, vanilla hints, white wine grapes, Sauvignon Blanc, graham crackers, honey, lemon candy, orange peel, tropical fruit honey dew melon, berries, mango, passion fruit, earthy, floral and grassy hops.
Flavors:
Tropical fruit honey dew melon, pineapple, mango, passion fruit, dragon fruit, gooseberries, raspberries, cherries, strawberries, piney, grassy, earthy, herbal and floral hops, stone fruit peaches, apricot, sweetened condensed milk hints, white wine grapes, Sauvignon Blanc, graham crackers, honey, lemon candy, orange peel, vanilla, caramel hints, guavas and lychees.
Aftertaste:
Finishes dry with tropical fruit, herbal, floral and grassy hops, white grape hints, stone fruits and vanilla hints. No alcohol in the taste, honey colored clear body, smooth, crisp, clean and refreshing mouthfeel and easy to moderate drinkability.
Overall:
Another perfect IPA from El Segundo Brewing. These guys have never stopped amazing me ever since my first visit and the Power Plant Triple IPA that always blows my mind. That beer to this day is still one of my top favorites and in my mind still continues even through the juice haze craze with East Coast beers. However, this beer really shines with tropical fruits as well and the wild green grapes the hops are named for definitely bleed through in this beer. Very delicious and refreshing. If you are a fan of the Simpsons and IPAs, get this one!
Anime Corner:
Nelson Muntz, Bart Simpson, Michael D’Amico and Marge Simpson from the Simpsons were used in this pairing as the beer is tribute to the Simpsons. I always wanted to use Marge in a beer pairing but never found the opportunity. She definitely pairs well with the label colors. Ofcourse, I also wanted to bring Nelson himself as he is the star this beer is named for even for a Simpsons inspired brew.
Sources:
http://art.ngfiles.com/images/317000/317129_blisschild1_marge.png
http://orig12.deviantart.net/380c/f/2012/299/d/2/adult_michael_nelson_bart_by_matsuri1128-d5j1hsl.jpg
http://spi3uk.itvnet.lv/upload/articles/23/232315/images/Blue-hair-27.png
http://img10.deviantart.net/dbf7/i/2013/300/3/d/nelson_muntz__the_simpsons__pixel_art_by_matbox99-d6s1oku.png
Rating: 4.5/5
Top Rope IPA by Tallgrass Brewing is a 6% ABV India Pale Ale.
Label:
Let Me Tell You Something Brother…
This beer’s Got Hops!
Commercial Description:
It’s a beer paying homage to the colorful, character-filled arena of 1980s and 1990s professional wrestling, something near and dear to us at Tallgrass. To get in the spirit while working on Top Rope, we watched a fair amount of clips of Ric Flair’s classic rants, Macho Man Randy Savage flying off the turnbuckle and debated whether Sting or Ultimate Warrior had better face paint and finishing moves. We loaded it with Columbus, Chinook, Cascade, Amarillo and Bravo hops to give it some muscle, and at 6.0% ABV, this beer combines power and finesse. Wooo!
==Introduction==
Thanks to my friend Aaron Mendiola of BeerMetalDude.com for sending me this brew. I have never heard of this one but this one was a tribute to Wrestling Entertainment like WWE. Growing up with WWF/WWE was definitely a staple in my childhood days so to bring this one to the table is an honor thanks to my friend Aaron. The days of Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage, Ultimate Warrior maybe in the past but live on through tributes like these. Definitely love the quotes as well. Let’s a look at the beer brother, Cheers!
Aromas:
Citrus, grapefruit, earthy, piney and grassy hops, tropical fruit melon, kiwi hints, mango hints, biscuit bread, vanilla, honey, lemon and stone fruit hints.
Flavors:
Citrus, Tangerine gummies, grapefruit, earthy, piney and grassy hops, grapefruit, cherry, strawberry, caramel, vanilla, honey, stone fruit peach hints, biscuit bread, lemon peel, orange preserves on rye bread, tropical fruit melon, kiwi hints and mild mango.
Aftertaste:
Finishing with very hoppy notes of citrus, piney, earthy and grassy hops, honey, rye bread and stone fruit. No alcohol in the aftertaste, honey colored light to medium body, smooth, crisp, clean and refreshing mouthfeel along with an easy drinkability.
Overall:
A very delicious brew showcasing the more citrusy and tangerine candy like flavors of IPAs. A balance of hop bite and mild malty sweetness blends well making this one very enjoyable and drinkable. I think this one would make for a great intro to craft beer especially to the wrestling fans since it is a tribute beer after all. Definitely worth a try.
Anime Corner:
Rainbow Mika from Street Fighter was chosen to pair with the brew as she a wrestling character like Zangief and was the closest known character I could think of when it comes to a female anime/video game wrestler. The theme of the beer is wrestling so despite the colors of the label, she fits the theme of the beer overall.
Sources:
http://66.media.tumblr.com/d03535e1bf224e9163622228a94b0896/tumblr_ntrl1fij1d1rx7tk6o5_1280.jpg
https://cdna0.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/002/109/872/large/bartosz-danielak-rainbowmika-bdanielak-2000h.jpg?1457384425
http://67.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0igfa788j1qiz9nfo1_1280.png
Rating: 7/7
Phantom Bride collaboration by Belching Beaver and Deftones is a 7.10% India Pale Ale brewed with Amarillo, Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe Hops.
Label:
Named after the ethereal song by the one and only Deftones, Phantom Bride IPA is a blend of Amarillo, Citra, Simcoe, and Mosaic hops delicately balanced for the perfectly drinkable mix of citrus and hoppy goodness.
A truly original Deftones/Belching Beaver Collaboration envisioned by Chino Moreno and skillfully crafted by Thomas Peters. Sit back, put on your headphones and drink away.
Cheers – Nathan
==Introduction==
Released by Belching Beaver on October 2016. The first release was ridiculous outselling right away in many Bevmos across Southern California. While many believed it was the last of its kind, Belching Beaver had more to released a couple weeks later. In fact, if you are lucky (As of November 1st 2016) you can get some online or at a local Bev-mo. Online stores like craftshack.com still have it. I wanted to release this one on Dia De Los Muertos and lucky I was able to snag one just for the occasion. This release comes as a tribute to the song by the same name released by the Deftones in their “GORE” album which features Jerry Cantrell which also comes from the band “Alice in Chains” and many other awesome bands such as Metallica. He lends a special part with his guitar influences which makes for a great album and well, what a better way to commemorate that with this beer. Cheers and Rock ON!!!
Aromas:
Dank, garlicky, floral, piney, herbal and grassy hops, stone peaches, apricots, rich tropical fruits, guava, strawberry, mango, dragon fruit, passion fruit, pineapple juice, kiwi, prickly pears, pomegranates, honey dew melon, papaya, cranberries, cherries, tangerines, lychee, kumquats, orange honey blossom, lemon starburst, orange starburst, lemon candy, grapefruit pulp and juice, tangerine gummies, vanilla and sweetened condensed milk hints.
Flavors:
Rich tropical fruit, passion fruit, dragon fruit, guava, mango, pineapple juice, kiwi, prickly pears, honey dew melon, papaya, pomegranates, dank, garlicky, floral, piney, herbal and grassy hops, basil, lemon grass, vanilla, tangerine gummies, tropical fruit smoothie, grape hints, kumquats, lychees, cherries, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, orange honey blossom, lemon starburst, orange starburst, lemon candy, stone peaches, apricots, sweetened condensed milk hints, Danish cream hints, grapefruit juice, tampico orange juice, lime aide and almond cream hints
Aftertaste:
Finishing with rich fruit cup, tropical and citrus fruit flavors with rich hop dankness, sweetened condensed milk hints, honey, and other juicy fruits. No alcohol in the taste, Pale Golden Honey light to medium body, crisp, clean, smooth, refreshing and velvety mouthfeel with an easy drinkability.
Overall:
No wonder it is a hard beer to get. It is not New England haze but it sure damn tastes like it. Belching Beaver has never disappointed me even with the release of the much loved Peanut butter and Mexican Chocolate Milk stout, this is amazing. Their Here Comes Mango was an amazing beer but this is kicking stuff to a whole new level. This is a supreme bucket listing juice bomb. It still goes to show that even the west coast can still kick ass even if it is not with a super hazy brew like the hyped ones in the east or special can released. Just like the day of the dead, I hope you can get this one before kicking the bucket as well. A supreme juicy bomb that is highly recommended!!
Anime Corner:
Emily from The Corpse Bride and an original character were the closest I could come up for known characters that could be used to pair with the name of the beer. The theme of day of the dead as well and generally, the wandering of the bride as she had spent life maybe never achieving what she wanted due to something she prevented herself from doing or even, loving in general. Pretty deep stuff but it is enough for people to respect the way others live their lives be it good or bad, the important part is to hope they lived it to their means.
Sources:
http://wir.skyrock.net/wir/v1/resize/?c=isi&im=%2F5660%2F83615660%2Fpics%2F3112832533_1_3_iCV3zPUS.jpg&w=566
http://orig10.deviantart.net/b138/f/2013/275/e/8/corpse_bride_by_byam-d6p0qeq.png
http://img0.joyreactor.cc/pics/post/арт-барышня-красивые-картинки-1464347.jpeg
Rating: 5.3/6
Stone Enjoy by 10.31.16 (Halloween Edition) Tangerine IPA by Stone Brewing is a 9.4% ABV Imperial India Pale Ale brewed with Tangerines.
Label:
Our all-important, hop-driven quest to deliver the most devastatingly fresh IPA on the planet facilitated a paradigm shift in 2012 with the launch of Stone Enjoy By IPA. Not only did we brew this beer with more than 10 different hops, we brewed it specifically NOT to last. Acclaimed for its groundbreakingly short shelf life, this intense double IPA brought forth a whole new concept of what constitutes “fresh”—guaranteeing fans the ultimate level of hoppiness. For Stone Enjoy By Tangerine IPA, we added the tangy zeal of a mandarin fruit’s juicy nectar. The result…freshness has never tasted as ripe for the picking as this does right now.
==Introduction==
Since I reviewed this beer earlier this year, I will leave the link to that review here (https://animebeers.com/2016/05/20/stone-enjoy-by-05-30-2016-tangerine-ipa-by-stone-brewing/). The reason I brought the beer back is simply due to the Halloween themed label and the date ofcourse. However, it also gave me a chance to use Morrigan in some Halloween Attire. Cheers!
Anime Corner:
Morrigan Aensland from Dark Stalkers was used in the original Enjoy By pairings long ago since she stands atop a stone gargoyle representing the Stone brewery. For Halloween and the return of the beer I had this May, I chose her in more of a Halloween theme art pairing. I also wanted to have the Tangerine be represented by Morrigan’s Kimono with the flower like in the original Tangerine release of this brew.
Sources:
http://blog-imgs-47.fc2.com/s/e/i/seiroganmania/20110428115250656502.jpg
http://67.media.tumblr.com/cdac728cbf604e821b9a5541e349bdbd/tumblr_ocnfuqeMLo1rnroato1_1280.jpg
http://pre03.deviantart.net/0691/th/pre/f/2012/241/f/9/morrigan_aensland_by_light_rock-d5cvurc.png
Rating: 4.85/5
The Mosaic Pineapple by El Borracho brewing is a 5.25% ABV India Pale Ale brewed with Pineapple Simcoe and Mosaic Hops
Label:
None!
==Introduction==
My friend Will Carranza has shared another homebrew with me for the Fall. Using the Whoa Bundy!!! recipe he had previously made, adding the Mosaic hops and pineapple to the mix, we have this new IPA. The previous Whoa Bundy!!! From what I remember was definitely a delicious beer. This time around with the new ingredients, I hope it has more of a tropical fruit flavor to it. There wasn’t a specific reason for the name of the beer but I do remember he told me he always wanted to make his own pineapple IPA after the inspiration of the Sculpin variants such as the Grapefruit Sculpin and Pineapple Sculpin. Let’s take a dive into this one, Cheers!
Aromas:
Stone fruit peach, apricots, mango, pineapples, citrus, herbal, floral, piney and grassy hops, tropical fruit mango, dragon fruit, passion fruit, papaya, honey dew melon, grapefruit, orange candy, biscuit bread, vanilla, lemon zest, tangerines and guavas.
Flavors:
Rich pineapple, tropical fruit honey dew melon, prickly pear tunas, kumquats, mango, Strawberries, raspberries, guava, Papaya, dragon fruit, passion fruit, citrucy, grapefruit, piney, floral, and dank garlicky hops, lemon candy, tangerines, oranges, lemon grass, cherries, green tea ice cream, stone fruit peach, apricots, lychee fruit, pears, vanilla, sweetened condensed milk hints and biscuit bread.
Aftertaste:
Finishing with rich pine apple, tropical fruits, stone fruits, grapefruit, citrus, lemon candy, herbal hops and tangerine spread on biscuit bread. No alcohol in the aftertaste, golden colored light body, crisp, refreshing, clean, rich and smooth mouthfeel with an easy drinkability.
Overall:
Damn very delicious tropical IPA! Definitely at that level of Pineapple Sculpin but in many ways better. The types of hop do definitely make a world of a difference when it comes to these beers. So much tropical fruit goodness that it is ridiculous. The pine apple pairs very well with the tropical type hops used that it enhances the experience with every sip. Definitely one of the friend William’s best beers! I hope to see more in time.
Anime Corner:
Original character was used in this pairing for the obvious. Essentially, the pineapple and mosaic hops added to this beer are the pairing of the ingredients, the colors and the flavors represented by the artwork. There weren’t any other specific reasons for the choice in pairing other than I think this works very well.
Rating: 7/7
Feeding The Fanatics by Monkish brewing is a 7.1% ABV India Pale Ale brewed with Citra, Simcoe, and Amarillo hops.
Label:
None!
==Introduction==
Released as a taproom exclusive, Monkish has changed its ways for the better good. Since the beginning, they were a brewery exclusive to the Belgian styles of brewing. They even had a sign that used to say NO IPAs! Until recently, they have tested their brewing art and applied to making IPAs. They somehow stumbled upon an east coast secret of hazy New England style IPAs. Essentially, the orange juice and tropical fruit and pulpy hop bombs. I say that because the beers are so hazy and so juicy that they are exactly like if you are drinking juice. Since I tried King JJJuliusss by Tree House a while back, I have an idea of what they are about. Especially since Heady Topper as well. This combined with the fact that Monkish has been releasing IPA cans exclusively at the brewery and creating a very coveted market, their IPAs are extraordinary. Unfortunately, for me, I think I have lost interest in waiting for can releases. You see, it has become very hyped up that people are actually staying overnight on some Fridays before can releases in order to get a chance at a 4 pack of gold. They pretty much sell out really quick. So, when they said they would release one of their IPAs on tap only and growler fill option, I had to see what this “hype” was all about. The name alone describes how big their IPAs have become. They have to feed the masses or “fanatics” like a cult of IPA praise that there really is not enough of these delicious beers to feed the other masses that do not want to camp out for beer releases. Monkish is a gold mine! Essentially, to the degree that they are most likely Pliny and Heady Topper hype killers at this point until other breweries can make such juice bombs just like Tree House or Trillium to name a few. So here I have a pour from a growler fill and I will tell you, what I think of this so called, Gold… cheers!
Aromas:
Tropical fruit guava, mango, dragon fruit, passion fruit, pineapple juice, kiwi, prickly pears, pomegranates, honey dew melon, papaya, cranberries, cherries, tangerines, lychee, kumquats, Danish cream, sweetened condensed milk, lemon starbursts, orange starburst, lemons, limes, orange juice, lemonade, lime aid, tang, tampico orange juice, raspberries, cane sugar, agave nectar, stone peaches, apricots, dank, garlicky, floral, herbal and grassy hops, basil, lemon grass, vanilla and tangerine gummies.
Flavors:
Rich orange juice, lemonade, lime aid, tang, tampico orange juice, raspberries, cane sugar, agave nectar, stone peaches, apricots, dank, garlicky, floral, herbal and grassy hops, basil, lemon grass, vanilla, tangerine gummies, tropical fruit guava, mango, dragon fruit, passion fruit, pineapple juice, kiwi, prickly pears, pomegranates, honey dew melon, papaya, cranberries, cherries, tangerines, lychee, kumquats, orange bang, orange juice pulp, grapefruit pulp, orange blossom honey, almond cream, cashew cream, biscuit bread, Danish cream, sweetened condensed milk, lemon starbursts, orange starburst, lemons, limes, grapes and tropical fruit smoothies.
Aftertaste:
Finishing with rich tropical and citrus fruit flavors that just linger for a very long time with rich hop dankness, honey, sweetened condensed milk hints, honey and more. No alcohol in the taste, Hazy Pale Honey medium body, crisp, clean, smooth, refreshing and velvety mouthfeel with an easy drinkability.
Overall:
Seriously though, what Vatican Deep Vault Scrolls did Monkish unearth to make these grandeur IPAs. Apparently, they somehow brought the magic of the east coast and blended some West Coast mysteries into it because this is damn insane. IF the can releases is making people wait outside on different Friday nights to camp for a Saturday Can release, it must be something that is definitely out there. This must be proof as the fact that this was the first time they released it on tap that soon, there will be enough beer for even distribution to the masses. I will not say this is the best beer in the world, NO, but I will say this type of beer style is definitely up there with my top 10s. Sorry, I love my Belgians to be a hop head but I am a lover of all styles and IPAs are a love of mine as well. Regardless, I honestly think while the beer is supreme and I hope to see more in the future, I would still not camp out to get these beers. Unless you really want to, I say give it some time before this or any other of their IPAs are released to the public or find a way to trade for it. These beers have a low shelf life, even lower than West Coast IPAs so you definitely have to enjoy them fresh. If Monkish still has this beer on tap and you happen to be around the town. GO GET THIS!… This one is a bucket lister… I’m sure their other ones are too.
Anime Corner:
Anime Justice League by artists Wizyakyza (link in the sources) which includes anime characters Kirito from Sword Art Online 2, Naruto from Naruto, Natsu from Fairy Tail, Ryuko Matoi (maiwaifu LOL) from Kill La Kill, Saitama from One Punch Man, Mikasa Ackerman from Attack On Titan, Goku from Dragon Ball/Z/GT/Super, Edward from Full Metal Alchemist and Luffy from One Piece were all used as a statement. The masses seem to be moving forward toward some kind of IPA hop juice Utopia and the name signifies that people will stop at nothing to this brew. Maybe the secret isn’t so secret at all as some home brewers have attempted to mimic some of these beers. However, for being a beer that I damn enjoyed so much (maybe not the way I enjoy my favorite best beers in the world like my Quads and Belgian Dark Strongs or Barrel Aged gold) I still wanted to create a parallel between what people in the craftbeer world are wanting versus what people in the anime world are wanting. A true collision of Beer and Anime awesomeness!!
Sources:
http://wizyakuza.deviantart.com/art/hmmmmmmm-587323705
Rating: 5/5
Aurora Hoppyalis IPA by Karl Strauss brewing is a 7% ABV San Diego Style India Pale Ale.
Label:
Okay fine, we admit it, you can’t see the Northern Lights this far south. But San Diego has its own version of Aurora Borealis, and ours has cast a hoppy spell over this city. What the rest of the world calls an IPA, San Diego locals consider pale in comparison. Aurora Hoppyalis is our San Diego-style IPA brewed with Simcoe, Mosaic, Amarillo, and Citra hops. Robust flavors and aromas of tropical fruit, pine, and tangerine linger through a dry, crisp finish. Tonight’s forecast: clear hoppy skies.
==Introduction==
Released year-round, this is the first time Karl Strauss takes a shot at an east coast style beer with a west coast blend. Or at least it seems like it as this one is a hazy IPA. It has also been a while since I brought a Karl Strauss brew to the website as well. Karl Strauss has been in the business for craft beer since 1989 and as the times have changed, so have they to adjust for certain beer trends. While the West Coast hoppy beers have been the craze for years, it seems the arrival of the East Coast style is definitely having an effect on masses. So as a response they brought this. I have heard great things about this one so when my local shop started to carry it, I was damned if I didn’t bring this one to the site. Let’s take a look, cheers!
Aromas:
Tropical fruit, mango, pineapple, guava, dragon fruit, passion fruit, lychee, strawberry, biscuit bread, green tea ice cream, pears, sweetened condensed milk hints, stone fruit peach, honey, Citrus blossom honey, orange peel, grapefruit, piney, garlicky, oniony, herbal, dank and grassy hops, lemon starbursts, basil, Eucalyptus honey, lemon grass and agave hints.
Flavors:
Honey, Citrus blossom honey, orange peel, grapefruit, piney, garlicky, oniony, herbal, dank and grassy hops, lemon starbursts, basil, Eucalyptus honey, lemon grass, tropical fruit pine apple, dragon fruit, passion fruit, guava, lychee, strawberry, mango hints, tangerine gummies, biscuit bread vanilla hints, agave hints, mint, green tea ice cream, pears, sweetened condensed milk hints, stone fruit peach and apricot.
Aftertaste:
Finishing dry with honey, green tea, grassy, citrus and tropical hops. No alcohol in the taste, pale golden clear to hazy body, crisp, clean and refreshing mouthfeel along with an easy drinkability.
Overall:
A perfect IPA resembling an east coast style with the massive tropics but still giving it the old heave-ho garlicky dankness found in the west coast style. They somehow got all the flavors to meld well and then this honey and citrus taste that’s very unique. It does seem a lot like an East Coast in some aspects especially with the haze. While I haven’t had some good Karl Strauss beers in a while, this one was super damn impressive. Definitely another pickup from me and I recommend you pick this one up online or local.
Anime Corner:
Ragyō Kiryūin from Kill LA Kill is the antagonist of the series. I won’t spoil who she really is if you have not seen the show but the reason I chose her for this beer pairing is because I wanted to pair the play on the name of the bear. Aurora Hoppyalis is a play on Aurora Borealis or the Northern lights. The lights they are created by sun’s particles that collide with the Earth’s atmosphere in the north creating these very beautiful and colorful lights. Since Ragyō’s hair is a rainbow of colors and she is always surrounded by immense light, it makes sense to use her in a beer that centers around the colorful variety and complex flavors that come from the hops which mimic the different fruits, citrus, sweets and herbs. She maybe evil in term of who she is but her light is as casting as that of a god!
Sources:
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GKVD8sSuCD0/maxresdefault.jpg
http://img1.joyreactor.cc/pics/post/Anime-Kill-la-Kill-Kiryuuin-Ragyou-yand-1181849.jpeg
Rating: 6.25/7
N10 Anniversary by Ninkasi brewing is a 10% ABV American Strong Barrel Aged Hybrid Cuvee / Blend Ale.
Label:
Please See Image Below
==Introduction==
It has been quite some time since I tried a Ninkasi brew. When I first heard that they wanted to release a beer that was essentially a Cuvee of other beers in their profile, I was all for it. I figure this would be a great opportunity to see how it compares to other great Cuvees like Firestone Walker’s Anniversary ales. Essentially, they do the same process, blending different beers to create a special hybrid of a brew that can exceed expectations. This one uses 2 IPAs 2 Stouts and a Barleywine. Almost reminds me of some of the Bruery Melange beers too. So for me, that is awesome enough to bring it to the website. Let’s take a look at this monstrosity of a beer, cheers!
Aromas:
Dark fruit currants, raisins, prunes, blackberries, raspberries, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, German Chocolate, Chocolate milk shake, bourbon, oak, vanilla, caramel, smokey campfire, marshmallow smores, chocolate mousse, bananas, clove spice, almonds, rocky road ice cream honey, rye bread, leather, tobacco, tropical fruit mango, dragon fruit, passion fruit, strawberries, kiwis, papaya hints, guava, anise and brown sugar.
Flavors:
Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, German Chocolate, Chocolate milk shake, bourbon, oak, vanilla, caramel, smokey campfire, marshmallow smores, chocolate mousse, cookies and cream, oatmeal cookies, citrus, grapefruit, herbal, super dank piney, grassy and earthy hops, dark fruit currants, raisins, prunes, blackberries, raspberries, mild toasted coconut, tropical fruit mango, dragon fruit, passion fruit, strawberries, kiwis, papaya hints, guava, anise, molasses, rock candy, candy sugar, Stone fruit apricot, peaches, plums, red velvet cake, chocolate oranges, coffee cake, Irish cream, port wine, bananas, clove spice, almonds, rocky road ice cream honey, rye bread, leather and tobacco.
Aftertaste:
Finishes with lots of hoppy and malt forward flavors such as chocolate, caramel, earthy, citrus, dank grassy hops, dark fruit, tropical fruit, stone fruit, bourbon, marshmallows. Grapefruits, caramel and vanilla. No alcohol in the taste despite the ABV, Dark full body, creamy, silky crisp, refreshing and velvety mouthfeel along with a sipping drinkability.
Overall:
Above exceptional! Granted, I do love certain versions of the FW beers, this one deserves to be up there as well. There was so much complexity in this one where you know it has stout and IPA characters blend so well. Some aspects remind me of the Jewbelation brews from Schmaltz brewing which uses several different types of malts and hops. It seems some American Strong beers do use that method but the blending of different beers is altogether very different and if you love American Strong ales, you will find the difference in this one. It’s awesome! I highly recommend it.
Anime Corner:
The 5 Sailor Scouts, Serena/Usagi Tsukino, Amy/Ami Mizuno, Raye/Rei Hino, Lita/Makoto Kito, Mina/Minako Aino from Sailor Moon were used in this pairing to go with the different colors of the ingredients, flavors holographic labels and the 5 beers that were used to blend this brew. Rei is the Stout, Mina is the Barrel Aged stout, Lita the Total Domination IPA, Amy the Maiden the Shade and Serena the Critical Hit. All the colors and complexity were what I was going for when I decided to go with team Sailor Moon.
Sources:
http://i.imgbox.com/FKN2Dzst.jpg
http://i99.beon.ru/static.zerochan.net/Bishoujo.Senshi.Sailor.Moon.full.1746357.jpg
Rating: 5/5
Stone 20th Anniversary Citracado IPA by Stone brewing is a 9% ABV Double India Pale Ale brewed with Citra hops and Avocado Flower Honey.
Label:
Fortune Favors The Bold
For 20 years our passion for brewing and our obsession with hops have challenged traditional styles and expectations for beer. So it’s only fitting we commemorate this momentous occasion by crafting a liquid ode to bold brewing that satisfies your hop thirst and pays homage to our flagship San Diego brewery, located on Citracado Parkway (which itself pays homage to the citrus and avocado agricultural history of the region).
“Citracado” also teases the two key ingredients of this beer. “Citra” refers both to the juicy gem of a hop and its citrusy (and tropical) aromas and flavors. “Cado” inspired us to utilize wonderful, native avocado flower honey. Combine the two and the result pours like silk and abounds with enough hops to match our excitement for reaching this 20-year milestone. We thank you sincerely for the years of support and pledge that we will, as always, strive to live up to the reasons for your loyalty!
It seems like we started just yesterday, and at the same time, our early days feel like some distant, surreal parallel universe. Still fresh in our memories are the countless hours of intense work to get things started in a near vacuum of popular acceptance. Plus the camaraderie of early supporters and fellow craft brewers in those nascent days. While being told countless times in the late ’90s and early 2000s that our beer was too bitter, too strange, and that “this microbrew thing was just a fad, kid, and sorry to be the one to tell you, but it’s over now” has largely faded from memory.
While we’re remembering all the good times and accomplishments along the way and celebrating those who stood with us, we welcome the past skeptics to join us as well. After all, the detractors often gave us as much energy as our die-hard supporters, although it’s gratitude. THANYOU from the bottom of our hearts for believing along with us in this thing we call Stone Brewing. It is with true joy, humilty and appreciation that we present to you this special celebratory beer.
Greg Koch
CEO & co-founder
Steve Wagner
President & co-founder
==Introduction==
It is finally here, stone turns 20. Since the year 2010 and the introduction of Arrogant Bastard, stone has been one of my favorite breweries aside from The Bruery, Lost Abbey and many others when I first started tasting many beers. Arrogant Bastard was the first time I tried a beer that was so damn bitter, that I eventually fell for it. As the many years went by, many more awesome beers came and they have really been showcasing some great beers. Today, Stone is known worldwide and even has beers in Europe thanks to the new Brewery in Germany. With the release of this IPA, they mark what will a representation of what they have worked to be and what they will become in the future. Here’s to 20 more, Cheers!
Aromas:
Herbal, citrus, grapefruit, floral, piney, grassy, garlicky, oniony and earthy hops, tropical fruit mango, prickly pear, guava, lychee, papaya notes, dragon fruit, passion fruit, honey, oregano, basil, citrus blossom honey, stone fruit peach, tangerine gummies, sweetened condensed milk hints, lemon starburst and vanilla.
Flavors:
Italian Basil, Oregano, Avocado, honey, wild flower honey, biscuit bread, citrus, grapefruit, floral, piney, grassy, garlicky, oniony and earthy hops, caramel, vanilla, brown sugar, peppercorn, cherries, tropical fruit mango, prickly pear, guava, lychee, papaya notes, dragon fruit, passion fruit, cane sugar, lemon starburst, rye bread hints, stone fruit peach, tangerine gummies, sweetened condensed milk hints and citrus blossom honey.
Aftertaste:
Finishes dry with rich citrus, grassy and herbal hops, oregano, avocado, honey, tropical fruit hints and starburst. No alcohol in the taste, Amber Honey clear body, crisp, smooth, refreshing and slightly creamy mouthfeel along with an easy to moderate drinkability.
Overall:
Perfect IPA showcasing many great flavors of tropical fruit with honey which the herbal notes taste somewhat like avocado. There are still the dank resinous flavors of a great IPA as always from the palate ruining hops that made many people’s dreams come true. As I sip the beer it still crazy that in only a few years since Arrogant Bastard, that Stone is still coming out with great recipes. Definitely worth a try and highly recommended.
Anime Corner:
Flootier and Cyda from Summon Night were used in this pairing to go along with the gargoyle mascot that has been around since the beginning of Stone brewing. Flootier from the picture is synonymous with the story of stone. In the beginning, the gargoyle was summoned and graced the people (Cyda) with such magical liquid arrogance that soon the masses fell head over heels for the brewery which has redefined what the true king of beers really means. After that, people could not get over the great beers and for many years, may the gargoyle keep giving more and more to the people. Stone (Flootier) works really hard to make people happy :).
Sources:
http://img.moeimg.net/wp-content/uploads/archives6/6283/30_1bjyzewe76.jpg
https://lolibooru.moe/image/fc4691c7ea3301f9f26349fbea97772f/lolibooru%2043469%20amachi_(ageha0214)%20black_sclera%20cyda_afrarn%20demon_horns%20detached_sleeves%20multiple_girls%20purple_hair%20summon_night%20summon_night_5%20very_long_hair.png
http://kurge1m.web.fc2.com/illust/samon2.jpg
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGlaHAVUAAEJMzZ.jpg
Rating: 5.4/6
Stone Enjoy by 09.05.2016 Unfiltered IPA by Stone brewing is a 9.4% ABV Imperial India Pale Ale brewed.
Label:
Our all-important, hop-driven quest to deliver the most devastatingly fresh IPA on the planet facilitated a paradigm shift in 2012 with the launch of Stone Enjoy By IPA. Not only did we brew this beer with more than 10 different hops, we brewed it specifically NOT to last. For this version of Stone Enjoy By IPA, we thought: “We don’t always have to filter, so why should our beer?” By Skipping a step and letting this devastatingly fresh, golden-hued double IPA go unfiltered, the beer takes on a haze appearance and its peach and tropical fruit hop aromas are intensified. So though it may sound like it, this missed step was no misstep.
Acclaimed for its ground breakingly short shelf life, this intense double IPA brought forth a whole new concept of what constitutes “fresh”—guaranteeing fans the ultimate level of hoppiness. For Stone Enjoy By Tangerine IPA, we added the tangy zeal of a mandarin fruit’s juicy nectar. The result…freshness has never tasted as ripe for the picking as this does right now.
==Introduction==
The review is late than when I first tried the beer which was back in August 6th 2016. Typically, I take notes on the beer as I try them and then compose my overall presentation at a later time. So as fresh as this beer was back when I tried it, it no longer is today according to Stone Freshness standards. Don’t worry though, there will be more releases of this one in the future. This release comes with the rise of an interesting trend in the East Coast where the “New England” or “Unfiltered” IPAs are setting a trend. Essentially those are the ones that are more tropical fruit forward than their west coast garlicky piney cousins. With the use of more modern hops and brewing processes, these beers have been like drinking juice. Let’s see how this one is, cheers!
Aromas:
Tropical fruits like papaya, mango, honey dew melon, dragon fruit, passion fruit, lychee, kiwi, citrus, grapefruit, floral, garlicky, oniony, herbal, piney and grassy hops biscuit bread, orange juice, honey, strawberry, cherry notes, oregano, stone fruit peaches, apricot, plums, kumquats, tangerines, citrus peels, grapefruit peels, lemon peel, starburst candy and sweetened condensed milk hints.
Flavors:
Rich dank hop flavors or citrus, grapefruit, floral, garlicky, oniony, herbal, piney and grassy hops, Rich tropical fruits like papaya, mango, honey dew melon, dragon fruit, passion fruit, lychee, coconut hints, stone fruit peaches, apricot, plums, kumquats, tangerines, citrus peels, grapefruit peels, lemon peel, starburst candy, sweetened condensed milk notes, honey, strawberry, cherry notes, oregano, basil, Italian herbs, orange juice, Mango tang, biscuit bread and kiwi hints.
Aftertaste:
Finishes with the dank oniony, floral, and garlicky hop notes tropical notes, stone fruits, honey, citrus and grapefruit peels linger. No alcohol in the taste, easy to drink despite the ABV, Golden hazy medium body, silky, crisp, clean and refreshing mouth feel.
Overall:
An exceptional brew. I am not sure if the appearance adds to the experience, but the flavors are definitely enhanced from the regular version. It seems more of the hop resins would appear keeping the beer more fulfilling than if it was filtered. This is true in homebrews as filtering processes for homebrew is difficult unless you are kegging but that yeast sediment will stay at the bottom of the bottle to carbonate. Professional brewers leaving the sediment to leave the beer cloud I feel actually makes it way better which in this case, it is what makes it damn delicious. Definitely pick it up when it comes out again.
Anime Corner:
Morrigan Aensland from Dark Stalkers Cosplaying as Cammy White from Street Fighter was used in this pairing as I have used Morrigan for past “Enjoy Bys.” However, this being a variant in terms of being unfiltered, I wanted to go with Morrigan being uncensored. Well, I need to keep it somewhat moderate so her being dressed up as Cammy exposes just a little more.
Sources:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/2f/ff/f9/2ffff948e57dbfd98c4cfafa8968cc0b.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cnk59iVVMAI5CYN.jpg
http://img09.deviantart.net/10c1/i/2010/110/a/4/morrigan_as_cammy__blue_sky__by_ziconviene.jpg
http://pds12.egloos.com/pmf/200808/31/45/f0000745_48bab16a1aa13.jpg
Rating: 5/5 
Rating: 5/5
Stone Mocha IPA by Stone brewing is a 9% ABV Double India Pale Ale brewed with Cacao nibs and Coffee.
Label:
A Style-Defying Double India Pale Ale with Cacao & Coffee
An Inexplicably Delicious Creation Born at our small Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station brewery, this beer was an instant hit. The tantalizing combination of fresh golden-roasted coffee and pure dark chocolate is undeniably amazing, yet it’s perhaps surprising to find them paired with a hoppy blend of Cascade, Amarillo and Citra. Clearly, style lines have been crossed. Is it half-IPA, half-stout? Not quite. It’s definitely all IPA, but it’s also the best of both styles, making this love child of a beer simply just a pleasure-seeking meld of Imperial IPA and mocha indulgence. How much exceptional, downright awesomeness came to be doesn’t really matter, though. What matters is that it exists and that it’s here for you now, thanks to our deliberate disregard for brewing norms. Some things are not meant to be known, just enjoyed … thoroughly.
==Introduction==
Obtained this one at one of my local shops that sells Stone beers. Sold in a pack, this was damn awesome especially for a beer that is 9% ABV. When I first heard of the Coffee IPA from stone, it reminded me of the Dayman Coffee IPA they brewed in collaboration with Aleman and Two Brothers a couple of years back. This release, however uses Cacao and Lactose. I do not remember if the other had lactose in it but this beer I would think would be probably be closer to coffee. It would be difficult to tell since IPAs don’t age well so I can’t compare. Anyways, let’s see how this one goes. Cheers!
Aromas:
Grapefruit, piney, citrus, floral, grassy and garlicky dank hops, Lactose Milk sugar, coffee, vanilla, biscuit bread, honey, green tea ice cream, tropical fruit mango, dragon fruit, tangerine gummies, pecan pie, sweetened condensed milk, crème brulee, maple, Danish cream and milk chocolate.
Flavors:
Vanilla, Lactose Milk sugar, Mocha, coffee, Java, milk chocolate, Yohoo Chocolate drink, Grapefruit, piney, citrus, floral, grassy and garlicky dank hops, green tea ice cream, biscuit bread, honey, tropical fruit mango, dragon fruit, tangerine gummies, dulce de leche caramel, flan, sweetened condensed milk, crème brulee, maple, Danish cream, cookies and cream, Jamoca ice cream, rocky road ice cream, pecan pie, rye bread and hazelnut.
Aftertaste:
Finishes with notes of chocolate, vanilla, coffee, lactose milk sugar, citrus and earthy notes. No alcohol in the taste, Honey amber clear body, smooth, creamy, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel and very easy to drink.
Overall:
Phenomenal beer. It is interesting how the combination of a normally hoppy, citrucy and bitter aspects of an IPA can actually work very well with the flavors of coffee and vanilla sweetness. It creates something that is very unique and delicious. It is almost like a coffee pale gold stout but mixed with an IPA which is definitely mind blowing. I would definitely recommend this one for those that love Coffee and vanilla stouts but also love IPAs. High recommendation.
Anime Corner:
C.C. from Code Geasse was used in this brew to not only pair with the colors of the label but also it is a tribute to when I first reviewed the Dayman IPA back then. So seeing as this one take the place of the older beer, it was fitting to bring her back to represent this beer.
Rating: 4.75/5
Tangerine Soul Style IPA by Green Flash is a 6.5% ABV India Pale Ale brewed with Tangerines, Citra and Cascade hops.
Label:
Enjoy a SoCal summer year-round with Tangerine Soul Style IPA. This delectable brew is a one-way ticket to taste bud paradise. Relax and take in the brilliant, golden color and fresh aroma of effervescent tangerine. Tangerine zest carries throughout, accented by bright, floral, tropical flavors and a juicy finish. Brewed with American malts and a blend of Citra and Cascade hops, this is a beautiful brew to behold.
==Introduction==
Obtained this brew thanks to my friend Neal Lemons. I had not heard of this one before and I had not had a chance to try much of Green Flash beers aside from Silva Stout. This one looks very promising especially since it was recommended by my friend. This brew was released for the summer in many places where the Green Flash beers are sold. Let’s have a chug at this shall we? Cheers!
Aromas:
Citrus, Grapefruit, floral, herbal, piney and dank grassy hop notes, tangerines gummies, tangerine zest, tropical fruit mango, kiwi, strawberry, honey dew melon, passion fruit, dragon fruit, pineapple, starburst candy and biscuit bread.
Flavors:
Lots of tangerines, tangerine peels, tangerine gummies, oranges, orange peel, lemon peel, lemon candy, herbal, piney, grapefruit and floral hops, tangerine preserves on biscuit bread, mild cane sugar notes, coriander, stone fruit peach hints, tropical fruit kiwi, honey dew melon, passion fruit hints, dragon fruit, mild mango notes, strawberries, pineapple notes, papaya hints, cherry hints, starburst candies and wheat bread.
Aftertaste:
Finishes dry with lots tangerine notes, hoppy citrus, and tropical flavors but mainly herbal and grassy hops. No alcohol in the taste, gold pale yellow clear body, crisp, refreshing and clean mouthfeel as well as very easy to drink!
Overall:
A very delicious beer whose flavors of citrus are definitely amplified by the tangerine addition. Tangerines are sweet citrucy fruits so I think with the addition of the tangerines, citra and cascade makes for one ridiculously citrucy and tropical IPA. This one did not have a lot of malt back bone which many people may love in their IPA. A definite recommendation.
Anime Corner:
Yang Xiao Long from the RWBY series was used in this pairing as I wanted to pair with the color of the label, ingredients such as the tangerines, body and even the palate bite in the form of her strong punches. The name Tangerine soul also applies to her as her power resonates with that of the colors presented in this beer. Her soul burns with passion like the tangerines forward in this beer. The more you drink the sweeter she seems but the palate ruining will ensue like the fires of hell. You’ll be back for more.
Sources:
http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11112/111127451/4348449-yang_xiao_long.jpg
http://pm1.narvii.com/5821/b05b9f8b7305c851dba3c4bc73e430ffa1b04ed1_hq.jpg
Rating: 5/5
Here Comes Mango by Belching Beaver is a 6.6% ABV India Pale Ale brewed with mango and pineapple.
Label:
Back story here is we hired a local brewery to contract brew for us. We were having a real problem producing enough of the Great Lei coconut pineapple IPA so we started making it there. We had planned to phase it out for the winter. I let out distributors know. In a brewers meeting it came up that the orders had stopped. Troy said, ‘but i have 160 barrels at the contract brew house!” I said, ‘aren’t you looking at the order sheets?’ Troy said, ‘no I never look at those! My bad’ That’s our Troy. He came up with the idea of turning them into a mango IPA, the beer took off! Here comes Mango!
==Introduction==
Since the released of the Great Lei, I thought that would be the best tropical IPA for the series at Belching Beaver. Ever since I found that they combined the pineapple one with Mango I definitely had to bring it here to the site. Belching Beaver has been making some very delicious beers. This version seems very promising. So without further ado, on with the review, cheers!
Aromas:
Strawberry, mango, pineapple, prickly pear, honey dew melon, papaya, guava, kiwi, stone fruit peaches, lychee, lemon candy, grapefruit, piney, floral, grassy and mild herbal hops, starburst candy, banana, biscuit bread and bubble gum hints.
Flavors:
Tropical fruit Mango, pineapple, papaya, guava, kiwi, strawberries, honey dew melon, passion fruit, dragon fruit, prickly pears, biscuit bread, cherries, grapefruit, piney, floral, grassy and mild herbal hops, starburst candy, lemon candy, tangerine gummies, stone fruit peach, apricot, lychee, sweetened condensed milk, cocada Mexican coconut candy hints, bananas, bubble gum hints, and green tea ice cream.
Aftertaste:
Finishing with mango, pineapple, kiwi, strawberry, tropical fruits, stone fruits, biscuit bread, floral and piney notes, wheat notes and dank herbal hops. No alcohol in the taste. Clear golden body, smooth, crisp, clean and refreshing mouth feel with an easy drinkability.
Overall:
I definitely thought this was a perfect beer. Blending the Great Lei, an already loved beer with the pineapple, and now with mango, it takes the beer to an awesome level of deliciousness. It is just as fruity if not fruitier than the Great Lei. Overall though, such a refreshing beer for the summer and one I highly recommend. Belching Beaver makes some of the best beers out there.
Anime Corner:
Annie Leonhardt from Attack on Titan was used in this pairing as I wanted to pair the military clothing the beaver wears with a character that wears similar and in this case, Annie. Especially since her blonde hair goes well with the color of the beer and its ingredients of Mango and Pineapple.
Sources:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RXadKzwfMkc/UbNbTCbj91I/AAAAAAABHBo/Jse2fiaIcEc/w900-h900/36234305.jpg
https://k40.kn3.net/taringa/2/5/2/0/4/4/44/loli-kisser/937.jpg?3146
http://cdn2.wallpapersok.com/uploads/picture/103/18103/art-mizore-devushka-annie.jpg?width=2657&height=1753&crop=true
Rating: 4.65/5
Lil Citra by Pipeworks Brewing is a 4.9% ABV Session India Pale Ale brewed with Citra Hops
Label:
None.
==Introduction==
When I first saw this can, I definitely wanted to bring it to the site. Pipeworks brewing has been brewing lots of awesome beers but have also been doing lots of great art work with their beers. So whenever I see something that catches my eye, I definitely want to bring it to the site. This brew while light, it packed full of citra hops. Let’s see what it has to offer.
Aromas:
Grapefruit, citrus, floral and grassy hops, Stone fruit peach, apricot, tropical fruit mango, prickly pear, papaya, dragon fruit, kiwi, passion fruit, lychee, kumquats, biscuit bread, tangerine gummies, orange peel, orange zest, lemon candy and starburst hints.
Flavors:
Lots of Oranges, orange zest, orange peel, tangerine, Grapefruit, floral and grassy hops, lychee, kumquats, tangerines, tropical fruit mango, prickly pear, papaya, dragon fruit, kiwi, passion fruit, biscuit bread, Stone fruit peach, apricot, crab apples, honey dew melon, starburst candy, tangerine gummies, lemon candy, strawberries, green tea ice cream and honey.
Aftertaste:
Finishing dry with lots of citrus and tropical fruit notes, herbal hops and stone fruit. No alcohol in the taste, Clear golden honey body, smooth, rich, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel along with being ridiculously easy to drink.
Overall:
A very delicious session IPA. Pungent Citrus juices with a mix of tropical medley from the Citra hop awesomeness. Not a lot of malt but as you drink a great deal of it, the hops and fruit flavors just seem to gush out but with the dry finish leaves you wanting more. It is definitely on the light side and people for a light beer palettes may like. A recommend if you can get this one.
Anime Corner:
Pururun/Polly Esther from Samurai Pizza Cats and Starfire/Koriand’r from Teen Titans were chosen in this beer pairing since I wanted to pair with the cat and the colors of the beer. The orange and greens pair with the flavors of the beer but also Starfire. Polly Esther, although a Samurai, she is still knowledgeable of the ninja arts and can pair well with the cat in the label.
Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/euR6nYY.jpg
http://img07.deviantart.net/3db4/i/2016/143/a/6/starfire_by_alex_malveda-da3i7xp.jpg
Rating: 5.5/6
Ninja VS. Unicorn by Pipeworks Brewing is an 8% ABV Double India Pale Ale.
CommercialDescription:
Ninja vs. Unicorn celebrates the epic battle between two of the biggest hop-heads of lore. Brewed with over five pounds of hops per barrel, this unfiltered double IPA is sure to please the most discerning hop lover. Whether you’re rooting for the mythical horned horse or the deadly assassin of the east, we hope you’ll enjoy Ninja vs. Unicorn. Bottle Art by Jason Burke ink & lead Designs.
___
Introduction:
================
It has been a long time since I have reviewed this one. I got this one at thebottleshop.net. I last had this one back in 2014 and this one was bottled 4/12/2016 and my review was made 5/1/2016 so hopefully accuracy of the review does it justice to the freshies and hop heads. This is nowhere in California but is a common in Chicago. What they say about this beer is true, it is damn delicious and the artwork is amazing. This time it is different than the last time I tried it but yeah, it should be the same beer. Let’s see how it is at its freshest, Cheers!
Aromas:
Every damn tropical fruit I love from IPAs, Grapefruit, citrus, oranges, tangerines, lychees, dragon fruit, passion fruit, kiwis, strawberry, mango, passion fruit, papaya, Stone fruit peaches, apricots, apples, floral, grassy, herbal, piney and garlicky hops, caramel, toffee, biscuit bread, mild rye, pine resin and lemon peel.
Flavors:
Rich tropical fruit overlaps the hoppy dankness just like it did in the previous iteration but being fresh, damn, this is just wonderful. Hops ranging from floral, grapefruit, herbal, piney, grassy and garlicky dankness, But the forward flavors come from the tropical fruits such as dragon fruit, passion fruit, kiwi, lychee, strawberries, prickly pear, guava, coconut, papaya, apples, orange marmalade, tangerine gummies, rye bread, toffee, honey, sweetened condensed milk, flan, Stone fruit peaches, apricots, tangerines, lemon peel and toffee.
Aftertaste:
Lots of tropical fruits linger, caramel, dank garlicky, oniony flavors and grapefruit. No alcohol in the taste. While being an IPA, something is very smooth about this beer even while it seems like it has moderate to sipping drinkability. Moderately clear but has a crisp and refreshing medium mouth feel.
Overall:
The Gods smile as always. I think my previous explanation did it justice. The canned version and that being even fresher do wonders. A Tropical gold standard just like power plant triple IPA from El Segundo, one of my favorite IPAs. In fact, all the IPAs from Pipeworks brewings have definitely been above and beyond the typical IPAs and I would definitely love to see them around California. You got it good Chicago, keep making great beers!
Anime Corner:
Yoruichi Shihouin from Bleach and Rainbow Dash from MLP were used in the previous beer pairing. I made a good description in my past review so here is a rehash:
It was mainly because I wanted to do something that related to the whole Ninja Vs. Unicorn aspect. Being as the colors of the label best represent Rainbow Dash, it was quite fitting since many of the bronies make her seem like a bad ass. So here is a tribute to you bronies and pegasisters. I am mainly an Anime Otaku dude, but can appreciate a great pairing despite where it comes from. Yoruichi is the of the baddest Flash step ninjas ever and Dash can hit Mach speeds, so I figured even more rightfully so this pairing would work. Also the, rainbow in the aspect of flavor best pairs because of the variety of fruit tropics that this beer seems to unleash making it, well, damn epic. I am surprised this beer is not world class and not at the level of the Pliny the Younger or the Heady Topper.
Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/4QX5PC4.jpg
Rating: 5.3/6
Stone Enjoy by 05.30.2016 Tangerine IPA by Stone Brewing is a 9.4% ABV Imperial India Pale Ale brewed with Tangerines.
Label:
Our all-important, hop-driven quest to deliver the most devastatingly fresh IPA on the planet facilitated a paradigm shift in 2012 with the launch of Stone Enjoy By IPA. Not only did we brew this beer with more than 10 different hops, we brewed it specifically NOT to last. Acclaimed for its groundbreakingly short shelf life, this intense double IPA brought forth a whole new concept of what constitutes “fresh”—guaranteeing fans the ultimate level of hoppiness. For Stone Enjoy By Tangerine IPA, we added the tangy zeal of a mandarin fruit’s juicy nectar. The result…freshness has never tasted as ripe for the picking as this does right now.
==Introduction==
Obtained this one at the local Bevmo. It has been years since I have tried the Enjoy by series as it has been released very frequently. Aside from the Black IPA, this is the first time I have seen another variant of this beer. For the sakes of trying the different one, especially since the original is very delicious, I want to see the differences. Stone has made so many different IPAs and this one is made with the super fresh mind set and it does not disappoint. Now with the tangerines, let’s see how this one will be.
Aromas:
Tangerine peel, Tangerine gummy bears, tropical fruit papaya, mango, honey dew melon, dragon fruit, passion fruit, lychee, pineapple, strawberry, coconut hints, citrus, grapefruit, floral, herbal, grassy, piney, oniony and garlicky hops, lemon peel, biscuit bread, stone fruit peach, apricot, mango, oregano, basil, Italian herbs, mint and honey.
Flavors:
Dank citrus, grapefruit, floral, herbal, grassy, piney, oniony and garlicky hops, Tangerine peel, Tangerine gummy bears, tropical fruit papaya, mango, honey dew melon, dragon fruit, passion fruit, lychee, coconut hints, stone fruit peach, apricot, mango, oregano, basil, Italian herbs, mint, yerba buena, lemon peel, biscuit bread, sweetened condensed milk, honey notes, oranges, caramel, starburst, kumquats, pineapple hints and strawberry.
Aftertaste:
Lots if citrus and tangerine in the aftertaste followed by dank grapefruit, citrus, oniony and piney hops which linger but also the notes of honey and tropical fruits linger as well. No alcohol in the taste, clear honey colored body, silky, crisp, refreshing and smooth mouhfeel and easy to drink despite the ABV.
Overall:
An Exceptional IPA as always but with the Tangerines it definitely adds a mark more of flavor. Nothing to increase it too drastically from an already perfect and exceptional IPA but something that is a little more delicious than the original. Depending on how people like citrus or Tangerines for this matter would determine if they will like this brew. Either way, I think it is definitely worth trying and a high recommend.
Anime Corner:
Morrigan Aensland from Dark Stalkers was used in the original Enjoy By pairings long ago since she stands atop a stone gargoyle representing the Stone brewery. In this iteration, I wanted to have the Tangerine be represented by Morrigan’s Kimono with the flower. A very different look for a different beer I figure.
Sources:
http://pre03.deviantart.net/0691/th/pre/f/2012/241/f/9/morrigan_aensland_by_light_rock-d5cvurc.png
Rating: 4.75/5
Steve Austin’s Broken Skull IPA by El Segundo brewing is a 6.7% ABV American India Pale Ale.
Label:
A bad-ass 6.7% IPA designed by Steve Austin and ESBC for the working man & woman. It features Citra, Cascade, and Chinook hops to deliver big flavor with an easy finish. Now stop reading and start enjoying this awesome beer! Cheers! Steve.
==Introduction==
So, Steve Austin from WWE got together with one of my local breweries to brew a beer… I nearly lost my shit! This was some freaking bad ass news! I know the theme of different celebrities and bands getting together to brew beer such as Will Wheaton on W00tStout or Iron Maiden’s Trooper beer. Hell, even Cyanide & Happiness had a beer. So in the spirit of collaborations with other popular entities other than other breweries, I say keep them coming! Heck I hope one day I get to collaborate with an actual Anime or Manga artist that likes beer. I already make actual Anime themed homebrews and labels. Ofcourse I can’t sell them but my good friends and family seem to love them. Anyways, On with the show and let’s see if this brew is a Stone Cold Stunner!
Aromas:
Super dankness, grapefruit, herbal, floral, piney and grassy hops, tropical notes of mango, passion fruit, honey dew melon, dragon fruit, kiwi, raspberry, prickly pear tunas and biscuit bread.
Flavors:
Dank, herbal, grapefruit, floral, grassy and piney hops, Orange peel, lemon candy, lemon peel, starburst candy, honey dew melon, some tropical notes like dragon fruit, passion fruit, prickly pear tuna, raspberry, kiwi notes, biscuit bread, tangerines, mango hints, strawberry hints and caramel hints.
Aftertaste:
Finishes dry with some lingering herbal and grassy hop notes, tropical fruit hints and grapefruit peel. No alcohol in the taste. Light Straw Body, crisp, clean and refreshing mouthfeel with an easy to moderate drinkability.
Overall:
A very good IPA, and that’s the bottom line! Very refreshing and pretty close to easy to drink. Since Stone Cold helped with this creation, he definitely has good taste and has definitely moved on from the cheap cans he used to guzzle down in wrestling. Certainly a change for the better and definitely something that many IPA lovers will enjoy. This brew was limited to select markets so if you are able to find it before too long, give it a shot. Go find this brew! Cuz, Stone Cold said so!
Anime Corner:
Original characters were used in this pairing to go with the aspect of the Broken Skull from Steve Austin. Back in the WWF/WWE days of late 90’s and early 2000’s, it was the “Attitude” era and the black and red were pretty influential colors in wrestling. With that being said, I was looking for art would that would basically show a skull but was also bad ass. I think with this I was able to find a good pairing for the beer.
Sources:
http://images3.alphacoders.com/649/649990.jpg
https://files.yande.re/sample/9cae7cebe292c86bf221f6a37477a73b/yande.re%20334156%20sample%20halloween%20kagehana_%28artist%29.jpg
Rating: 4.75/5
Sorry Not Sorry IPA collaboration by Stone brewing, 4 Hands brewing and Bale Breaker brewing is a 9.3% ABV Imperial India Pale Ale brewed with Peaches.
Label:
Unbashedly Unashamed of our obsession with hops
The idea for this bright and bitter beer was born during Stone Brewmaster Mitch Steele’s annual hop-selection pilgrimage to Yakima, Washington. While touring Loftus Ranches (a farm owned and operated by the same family for generations which recently expanded to Include on-property craft brewery Bale Breaker Brewing Co.), Steele felt inspired…while power-huffing hops no doubt…to suggest a brewing collaboration with Stone and our good friends from St. Louis.4 Hands Brewing Co. A powerhouse within the midwest brewing sect, 4 Hands has been on our official “awesome brewers we gotta collaborate with” list for some time. When considering the direction they’d take, it was decided that since Loftus Ranches was the first hop farm to commercially grow beloved Simcoe variety, leading with that piney, stone fruit-like hop was a must. But collaborations are about uncharted territory. Thus, the trio decided that pureed peaches hold be added to ‘up’ the fruit factor, while experimental HBC 342 and HBC 344 hops were selected to introduce notes of berries, citrus, tropical fruit and grassiness to this IPA. Yes, we made another IPA. We’ll concede that it’s not surprising. Our love of hoppy beers runs like a deeply entrenched mutherlode (yes, we meant to spell it that way) of humulus lupulus coursing through our veins. Ditto 4 Hands and Bale Breaker. So for those who’d have preferred to see us craft a milk stout, ancient ale or barrel-aged offering, that’s okay…we’ve made all of those in the past few months too. But we are who we are: an unapologetic band of hopheads psyched to explore the ever-expanding network of nooks and crannies within the IPA universe. So happy to have you join us!
“This project has been an amazing experience and we are truly grateful. Both Stone and the Bale Breaker team share our passion for the hops as well as experimentation.”
Kevin Lemp// Founder & President, 4 hands brewing co.
“We are honored to collaborate with the extremely talented and creative brewers at Stone and 4 Hands. ¡Viva la IPA!”
Kevin Smith//Head Brewer & Co-Owner, Bale Breaker Brewing Co.
“We are thrilled to join with the of the most exciting new hop-loving breweries in the country to make this unique and delicious IPA.”
Mitch Steele//Brewmaster, Stone Brewing Co.
==Introduction==
Obtained this one at my local store. Yet another IPA from Stone which is not that surprising as IPAs are a favorite of mine but also Stone brewing’s staple style. With that being said, I need to see how different this beer is in comparison to the many, many, many, MANY IPAs I have tried in the past. So with another beer out there, let’s see if they truly did mean to release another IPA variety. Cheers!
Aromas:
Stone fruit peaches, apricots, mango, lychee, kumquats, Floral, grassy, herbal, citrucy, oniony, dank grapefruit and earthy hop notes, Blue Basil, Italian herbs, oregano, weed, mint greens, yerba Buena, coriander spice, mint, tropical fruit notes of kiwi, papaya, pineapple, honey and biscuit bread.
Flavors:
Herbal, floral, citrus, grapefruit, garlicky, oniony, dank, earthy notes and a grassy hops, Rich Stone fruits like apricots, peaches, mango, lychee tart kumquats, orange peel, grapefruit peel, lemon peel, Blue Basil, Italian herbs, oregano, weed, mint greens, yerba buena, chamomile, coriander, tropical fruit pineapple, kiwi, dragon fruit, strawberry, honey, biscuit bread and gummy bears.
Aftertaste:
Finishes with a stone fruit sweetness, honey, with a variety herbal and spicy hop goodness. No alcohol in the taste, Golden honey clear color, crisp, refreshing and smooth mouth feel with an easy to moderate drinkability.
Overall:
A very good IPA that focuses on the more herbal and dank side of hops rather than the tropical. It is still a massive hop bite and punch for those that are hop head purist. While the peaches are apparent more as the beer warms up, the hop varieties are certainly a bit different giving a more of a various type of complex herbal hop aspect and it is what really drives the beer.
Anime Corner:
Yang Xiao Long from RWBY was used in this pairing as I wanted to pair with the colors of the beer but also the whole theme of not giving a damn about ones actions. A real thug. Essentially, this paired perfectly to me since in Episode 6 or RWBY Volume 3, she was attacked by her opponent after a match she had in a tournament. She ended up breaking the dude’s leg but in her defense it was self-defense. What the audience saw though was that she attacked the guy for no reason. So she was kicked out. The truth is it was all an illusion in her mind from the guy’s partner which manipulates the senses. Either way, while she may be sorry for what happened, she is not sorry since she knows the dude attacked her but the audience was manipulated to see her attacking for no reason. Bad Ass!
Sources:
http://i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/facebook/000/801/012/3ab.jpg
http://konachan.com/sample/7e7fe3cffc094920a21659e99b596762/Konachan.com%20-%20187341%20sample.jpg
Rating: 4.75/5
Delicious IPA by Stone Brewing is a 7.7% ABV India Pale Ale brewed with Lemondrop and El Dorado hops.
Label: (Not from this picture but from the actual bottle)
From the beginning, Stone has been obsessed with the mission of providing people access to high-quality craft beer. After all, great beer is for everyone and anyone with the good taste to recognize it, not just a niche group like us uber beer geeks. So, when we developed this pleasantly bitter, deliciously citrusy, hop-driven IPA, we took it as an opportunity to go a step further and do something we’d spent over a year researching and perfecting: creating a beer that makes it possible for nearly everyone to experience our aggressive, no-holds-barred approach to craft brewing. It’s a flavorful, cutting-edge, modern-day IPA for everyone. Lemondrop and El Dorado hops provide plenty of fruit citrus character and a burst of hop zing that sings on the palate. We’re proud to present it to those who already know us for our IPA prowess and to those who, so far, have only heard legends.
==Introduction==
So this is one of those Stone beers that has been out for a while and while I have neglected to bring this one for a review as I overlooked it (it happens when you are busy homebrewing) I decided to get a growler of this beer and give a shot. The first time I tried this beer as at the Bruery Cooperversary and I can say it was a tasty brew. Now that I have a whole growler, I will take my time to analyze it and see what it has to offer. Come join me and see. This beer is readily available at many of the stores that sell Stone beers. Cheers!
Aromas:
Lemon drop candies, grapefruit, citrus, lemon peel, peppercorn, minty hints, Stone fruit peaches, mango hints, tangerines, lychee fruit hints, floral lavender hints, lemon verbana, Citrus, lemon, grapefruit, herbal, piney, grassy, floral and tropical hops, Oranges, tangerine, Tropical fruits like guava, passion fruit, dragon fruit, guava, prickly pear tuna, peppery notes and strawberries.
Flavors:
Citrus, lemon, grapefruit, herbal, piney, grassy, floral and tropical hops. There are many tropical but special herbally aspects to this one. Lots of lemon candy, Oranges, tangerine, guava, passion fruit, dragon fruit, guava, prickly pear tuna, peppery notes, strawberries, raspberries, toffee, caramel, vanilla hints, mint notes, sweetened condensed milk, Stone fruit peaches, mango hints, tangerines, lychee fruit hints, floral lavender hints, lemon verbana and blackberries.
Aftertaste:
Leaving some dank resonance of the herbal and tropical fruit notes while some other fruits like the strawberry, raspberry, lemon candy, starburst, sweetened condensed milk and dank hop dryness remains. No alcohol in the taste, clear golden body, rich, refreshing and crisp mouthfeel with an easy to moderate drinkability
Overall:
Well, what can be said about this beer that isn’t already on the label. It is very good and delicious. Not to the extreme complexity of their Enjoy By but these new flavors you don’t find typically in some of their other IPAs makes this very good. I consider this one a more moderate palate IPA. Especially for those that may not typically like hoppy grassy IPAs, this one is more on the tropical side so it helps out for sure. A definite try for IPA lovers and Hop Heads alike.
Anime Corner:
Leona Heidern from the King of Fighters Series was used in this pairing mainly since I have not used Leona in a long time, I haven’t paired her with a Stone beer and yet, she belongs for many different reasons. The colors she wears complement the colors of the normal green label but the camo she wears represents the hidden alcohol and the rich tropical flavors are that of the tropical scenes and jungles she can fit in. Her Blue Ocean teal surge of hair represents the berries and extravagant other sweet flavors that come from this beer. A sweet yet still strong beer for sure.
Sources:
http://orig09.deviantart.net/6b91/f/2011/162/c/f/hb_to_my_cousin_by_gh18-d3incrz.jpg
Rating: 4.75/5
Stone 19th Anniversary Thunderstruck IPA by Stone Brewing is an 8.7% ABV Double India Pale Ale brewed with 100% Australian Hops.
Label:
Ella, Galaxy, Topaz, Vic Secret-no, these aren’t the names of the performers at your local “gentleman club” (at least as far as we know). Rather, these exotic, and admittedly rather sexy, Australian hop varietals that have been dancing on the minds and pallets of the craft brewing intelligentsia around the world of late. We’ve been openly flirting with them via test batches, and they become popular around or brewhouse thanks to their sensual flavors and aromas. So in developing our celebratory anniversary beer, we decided it was time to seal the deal and take these down under wonder beauties to the main stage at Stone. And what better way than allowing them to strut their stuff in the spotlight as the sole focus for the luscious tropical, peachy, citrus like flavors and slightly residence, aromatically dank earthiness of the special, all Aussie consummation! Also invited to the stage as a special guest performer is Fairview malt which we had shipped in from Australia especially for this brew.
As you’ll discover, this beer brings the boom, delivering it to the pallet in a volume is thunderclap back by the power of our 19 years of brewing and passion and intensity. All told, a great kick off to the veritable beer storm that will be our 20th year of brewing. We have many special beers plan for release to celebrate, so let this serve as the first course to what will be in undoubtedly epic feast for craft beer enthusiasts, with particular thanks to those who’ve been with us from the long haul and helped us obtain such longevity. Consider this the first of many thank you’s for years to come!
==Introduction==
The AC/DC tribute beer, maybe not the actual endorsed one but tribute none the less. This is awesome as many bands are endorsing their own beer like Iron Maiden. As stone celebrates their 19th Anniversary, it is an honor to bring their anniversary ale to the site and see how this Australian hopped IPA really “strikes” the flavor palate. This one you can pick up at any retail that sells stone beers or atleast the majority retails that sell stone beers. Cheers to Stone and many more years to come as they release many good beers.
Aromas:
Rich tropics like dragon fruit, passion fruit, papaya, pineapple, tangerine, strawberry, raspberry, Citrus, Grapefruit, herbal, garlicky, oniony, flowery, earthy, piney, grassy and dank hops, sweetened condensed milk hints, prickly pears, honey dew melon, peppercorn notes, biscuit bread, banana notes and Stone fruit apricots hints.
Flavors:
Rich Citrus, Grapefruit, herbal, garlicky, oniony, flowery, earthy, piney, grassy and dank hops, stone fruit apricots, peaches, lychee fruit, cherries, raspberries, lemons, dragon fruit, passion fruit, papaya, pineapple, tangerine, strawberry, raspberry, sweetened condensed milk, prickly pears, honey dew melon, peppercorn notes, biscuit bread, banana notes and honey hints.
Aftertaste:
Finishing semi dry with nice tropical fruit, stone fruit notes and distinct garlicky and dank bitterness. No alcohol in the taste, Clear Golden Orange body, Crisp, refreshing, Easy to drink despite the ABV.
Overall:
Well, for making a delicious Tropical IPA they deserve the merit. It is not like some of my favorite tropical beers out there but it has some nice character especially since these are all Aussie ingredients. Especially with a name like thunderstruck, it strikes the palate as I thought with tropical notes but also very much so some dank dank bitterness. A hop heads love for sure and a recommend. Why not, its Stone’s Anniversary after all, cheers!
Anime Corner:
Tayuya from the Naruto series was used in this pairing as I wanted to show case the gargoyle using a demon girl. While Tayuya is not a demon normally but turns into a demon using a level 2 curse technique, she mesmerizes like the way this mesmerizes with the sweet flavors. The way she jumps backward is almost like the sense of the name. She is getting out of the way of the thunder strike as it crashes onto the glass and then splashes into the palate to really electrify the senses with hoppy greatness! Oh and the colors definitely complement the beer and its closer to berry flavors too!
Rating: 4.75/5
Esa Negra Linda by El Borracho Homebrewing is a 6.7% ABV Black IPA brewed with extra Magnum Cenntenial and Chinook hops.
==Introduction==
Esa Negra Linda or “That Black Beauty” was the name given by my friend Will Carranza to his first ever, Black IPA. This one was made with extra Magnum for bittering and the centennial and Chinook hops were for aroma.. I gladly assisted will on brewing day as brother help each other out when it comes to the home brew stuff like my other brother and homebrewer Richard of Avila Ales. While the original recipe and ideas were all Will’s you can almost say this was a collaboration in terms of me helping him out. So I bring forth, another awesome home brew and possibly the last for summer 2015 (what can we say, it’s too damn hot to make beer on a budget!) Hell, I still gotta review my 2 other homebrews I barely finished before the temperatures skyrocketed and we could no longer brew. Anyways, it is always a pleasure when Will donates to the site his awesome creations and always loving each as it comes by. Cheers!!
Aromas:
Rich citrus, pineapple, lychee, honey dew melon, grapefruit, floral, piney, grassy, herbal and earthy hops, minty notes, anise, coffee hints possibly from the roasted malt, licorice hints, anise and caramel.
Flavors:
Citrus, piney, grassy, herbal, grapefruit, earthy, and floral hops, pine apple hints, honey dew melon, lychee, Caramel, dark chocolate hints, anise, licorice, roasted malts, molasses, dark fruit prune hints, mango hints, brown sugar, clove spice, kumquat hints, coffee notes, lemon and mint.
Aftertaste:
Earthy hop notes, coffee, anise, tropical notes, citrus, dark chocolate hints and lots of nice bitter hops linger for a little bit. No alcohol in the taste, dark as the ether of space full body, smooth, creamy and crisp mouthfeel with an easy to moderate drinkability.
Overall:
A deliciously good Black IPA. This IPA is on that level where the hops shine through to let you know you really are drinking an IPA, it just a dark IPA at that and the maltiness adds enough character to make it interesting. The balance is decent and for hop heads this means that the best flavors from Black IPA are delivered here. I hope my friend makes this one again or a variant using different hops as it was very delicious and would love to get some more. Cheers!
Anime Corner:
Yoruichi Shihouin from Bleach was used in this pairing to represent the name and the feel of the beer. Esa Negra Linda represented by the beautiful Yoruichi who is a ninja fits this beer perfectly. Like the night she strikes without warning. She is the fastest being in the world of Bleach and like this beer, it goes down very smooth and quick. It flows right through like the way a ninja attacks swift and firm for the kill and no ones the wiser. Her strength is in the complex flavors the extra hops provide but combine with the dark beer to make it shine like a light in a dark room. An elegant lady, a beauty, but deadly… If looks could kill well, fortunately, this will be the only time you see her before she strikes!
Sources:
http://static.zerochan.net/Shihouin.Yoruichi.full.1878848.jpg
Rating: 5/5
Cyanide & Hoppiness by Flat Tail brewing is a 7.5% ABV American IPA brewed with Apricots.
Label:
*Does Not Include Actual Cyanide
You hold in your hands the perfect fusion between a beer and an internet cartoon. One half hops, barley, and a stainless steel, the other half digital comedy transmitted across the world via electric cables. As you take your first sip, you’ll be transported to a world of offensive stick figures and puns, hop cones, and golden waves of grain. Tasty beer meets tasteless comics, Hops meet Cyanide, Cyanide & Hoppiness.
Get it?
==Introduction==
Originally brewed for the San Diego Comic, this beer was a collaboration with Cyanide and Happiness Comics and Flat Tail Brewing. I was introduced to the comics when I first started my new job about a year ago. My fellow coworkers Anthony and Luna showed me these hilarious stick figure comics that reminded me so much of the Oatmeal. Who knew they would ever come out with an IPA? Which is really awesome because as different genres of entertainment and hobbies start to mix with the craftbeer, we get to see more and more pairings. I for one take stand at introducing the genre of anime and beers with my reviews, pairings and even my home brews. Hopefully one day I can bring about the genre close to those that really love both! Cheers!
Aromas:
Rich stone fruit apricot and peach aromas, pears, mango, pears, kiwi, apples, exotic dragon fruit, passion fruit, lychee fruit, grapefruit, citrus, tangerine, sweetened condensed milk hints, guava, tropical papaya, pineapple, tres leches/3 milks cream hints, vanilla, coconut hints, strawberry, raspberries, prickly pears, gummy bears, toffee, vanilla, biscuit bread, grassy, herbal, dank, floral and piney hops
Flavors:
Rich citrus, stone fruit peaches, apricots, pears, apple hints, mango, kiwi, guava, tropical papaya, pineapple, exotic dragon fruit, passion fruit, lychee fruit, grapefruit, citrus, tangerine, sweetened condensed milk hints, vanilla, biscuit bread, grassy, herbal, dank, floral and piney hops, strawberry notes, tres leches/3 milks cream hints, vanilla, coconut hints, raspberries, prickly pears, gummy bears, toffee and wild flowers.
Aftertaste:
Rich apricot, tropical notes, mango, grapefruit, grassy, piney and floral hops, gummy bears and oranges. No alcohol in the taste, hazy tang colored light to medium body, silky, syrupy, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel and a moderate drinkability.
Overall:
Hot Diggity damn, such a damn great IPA! So much of the tropical fruits that I love from an IPA are pushed more forward into the flavors than absolute hop bitterness but actually balances out. For a 7.5% ABV, it is not overpowering in some aspects. I feel even the most novice of craft beer enthusiast will have a special place for this one. You should definitely look for this one if you can find it.
Anime Corner:
Tenshi Hinanawi Touhou project was used in this beer pairing as I wanted to pair with the colors of the label but just the crazy amount of fruit flavors and freshness that are in this one. The summer is almost over but this one has been one of the top for the summer for sure. As a bonus, I wanted to through in a little tribute and do a pairing with Cyanide and Happiness and their anime comic they did. Perfect pairings!
Sources:
http://orig06.deviantart.net/9e25/f/2014/189/4/e/tensi______________by_peonymochi-d7pqrsg.jpg
http://explosm.net/comics/1355/
Rating: 4.95/5
Great Lei by Belching Beaver is a 6.6% ABV Pineapple Colada India Pale Ale
Label:
Ivan made a cask called Pineapple Colada IPA. I could not believe how great it was. So Troy came up with a commercial recipe and brewed it . I thought, “Wow!” Lets call this the “Aloha Beaver” and we came up with this cool Hawaiian label. Well Thomas didn’t like that name so I had to change it. (Brewers can be a real pain) Mark had put a really cool lei on the beaver and I thought, “That’s a Great Lei!”. We’re not that imaginative so “Great Lei IPA!” it is. Thomas wanted “Good Lei” but he is not allowed to name beer anymore.
Cheers,
Tom
Ingredients: Water, Malt Natural Flavors Hops and Yeast
==Introduction==
I first had this one when visiting Belching Beaver while visiting San Diego. Having first enjoyed the peanut butter milk stout, I was sold on them to try much much more. They had the Horchata on tap as well as the Coconut Milk stout and the awesome Me So Honey beer. When trying the Great Lei, it seemed pretty good on tap but I did not really analyze it as I was most likely drunk and sold from the other beers there. Now that they released it to the market, all bets are off and it is time to review this and see just how this beer stands when I take my time with it. An honor to bring their beers to the table here at animebeers.com Cheers!
Aromas:
Good amount of tropics like Pineapple, toasted coconut, rum hints, dragon fruit, passion fruit, lychee, citrus, mango, guava, papaya, honey dew melon, mandarin oranges, vanilla, grapefruit, piney, grassy and citrus hops, tangerine gummi bears, prickly pears, Sweetened condensed milk, toffee, flan, Cocada Mexican Coconut candy, Strawberries, cherries, raspberries and biscuit bread.
Flavors:
Rich Pineapple, Malibu rum hints, toasted coconut, Sweetened condensed milk, toffee, flan, Cocada Mexican Coconut candy, Strawberries, cherries, raspberries, exotic dragon fruit, passion fruit, lychee, citrus, mango, guava, papaya, honey dew melon, mandarin oranges, tangerine gummi bears, prickly pears, vanilla, grapefruit, piney, grassy and citrus hops, biscuit bread, sangria and blue curacao hints.
Aftertaste:
Pineapple, grapefruit, grassy hops, vanilla, sweetened condensed milk, coconut, exotic fruits and toffee. No alcohol in the taste, Gold light to medium body, creamy, crisp, refreshing and chewy mouthfeel and easy to drink.
Overall:
The best beer of the summer! Or at least way better than I have ever had if from the tap. That begs the question, is it better because I took my time to analyze it or was I just too buzzed at the brewery to realize its greatness? Either way, a second time or even third times a charm. This beer is definitely worth having many many times and is an extremely well made IPA. I need to find this again!
Anime Corner:
Vocaloid Hatsune Miku was used in this pairing as I liked her tropical design in this with the whole pineapple and being at the beach. The colors paired nice and the fruit cocktail on a summer vacation getaway was definitely what triggered the feels in this pairing. Such a great pairing for such a refreshing and tropical IPA.
Sources:
http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2010-09-16-324704.jpeg
Rating: 5/5
Mach 10 (マッハ – テン) by Bear Republic brewing is a 9.2% ABV Double India Pale Ale (インヂイア ペ-ル エ-ル 2)
Label:
Pass through the event horizon with this IPA². American Cascades meld a citrus blast with spicy English First Golds. Savor an intense hoppiness, smooth bitterness and subtle malt character. Prepare to go hypersonic!
==Introduction==
Bear Republic has released another awesome IPA. This one, along with the different Racer beers, in relation to anime, have been some of the beers IPAs I have tried. This time, releasing one using the Japanese Katakana writing system confirms their passion for anime too. As such, I had to bring this one on board for the review as well. Cheers!
Aromas:
Stone fruit peach, apricot, pineapple notes, honey, lots of berry hints, passion fruit,tangerine candy, gummi bears, biscuit bread, toffee, pears, banana notes, orange marmalade, rye bread, currants, brown sugar, floral, lemon grapefruit, citrus and piney hop hints.
Flavors:
Citrus, Grapefruit, earthy, piney, floral and lemon hops, honey, passion fruit, tangerine candy, gummi bears, biscuit bread, toffee, pears, banana notes, strawberries, prickly pears, dragon fruit, coriander, caramel, mint, stone fruit peach, apricot, pineapple notes, cilantro, basil, lavender, green tea, hints of sweetened condensed milk, orange marmalade, rye bread, blueberry and currant notes.
Aftertaste:
Honey, strawberry hints, caramel, stone fruit hints, minor tropical hints oranges, gummi bears and floral hops. No alcohol in the taste, Gold light body, creamy, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel and easy drinkability despite this being high ABV.
Overall:
A perfect candy IPA. Just to be fair, be warned as this beer is on the fruitier and sweeter side than the hop forward side. Not in the tropical region much but the citrus and malty side. I really like this one so I think to me it hits many levels that I enjoy off sweet beers. So if you are hop herbal centric, this may not be for you. If you love sweeter IPAs then this one might be your beer. Kanpai!
Anime Corner:
Rei Ayanami from Neon Genesis Evangelion was used in this pairing as to go with the whole aspect of the racing uniform suit. Although, many of the characters I have chosen for the Racing series of Bear Republic IPAs, this one is more of a jet fighter one. Well, Rei pilots an Evangelion, a robotic/biological suit. As she is in this picture piloting, she looks like she is on a fighter plane and the colors just adds to the greatness that compliments the beer label.
Sources:
http://anime.oohapp.com/_data/i/upload/2013/07/04/20130704121538-b8818b9e-la.jpg
Rating: 5.25/5
Points Unknown IPA collaboration by Stone, Ecliptic and Wicked Weed brewing companies is a 9.5% ABV Double India Pale Ale blended with a Belgian Tripel that was aged in barrels that had wine and then had tequila in them for 4 months.
Label:
In creating our latest collaboration beer, It wasn’t easy deciding how best to pool the resources of brewers from three spatially distant points within the brewing universe: Portland, Oregon brewing legend and Ecliptic Brewing founder John Danis, and Luke and Walt Dickinson, the hop-and-funk brewmaster duo behind Asheville, North Carolina’s Wicked Weed Brewing. It seemed no single beer could adequately convey all that they and Stone Brewmaster Mitch Steele bring to the brewhouse. So, this veritable triad of power opted to brew TWO beers: a traditional Belgian-style tripel and a West Coast imperial IPA. Doing so allowed them to work within the parameters of all styles while taking things in interesting directions, adding a touch of Southern Califomia style and petting into the spirit! The tripel was transferred into barrels that originally housed red wine before finding a second life as vessels for aging tequila. Four months later,that beer was excavated, then blended at a one-fifth to four-fifths ratio with the freshly brewed double IPA to create the beer you now hold: a hind of the traditional and the new, presenting a variety of diverse flavors that coalesce into something more unique than any one beer our trio could have conceived. Its eventual flavors were a mystery to even the group of master brewers who created it, but now they await the palates of those thirsting to venture to points unknown within the rapidly expanding craft beer galaxy. In other words: You.
“It’s been sweet to work with these fine brewers and take this beer out of sight!”
John Harris // Founder & Brewmaster, Ecliptic Brewing Co.
“Creativity is at the core of how my brother and I approach craft beer John and Mitch have been laying this foundation for years, and getting the chance to work with them has been truly inspirational.”
Walt Dickinson // Co-Founder & Brewer, Wicked Weed Brewing
“What a great experience, combining two of my favorite beer styles while brewing with two of my favorite breweries!”
Mitch Steele // Brewmaster, Stone Brewing Co.
==Introduction==
Another interesting release that will see national distribution. Based on the information given, this is probably some IPA that came by to visit this reality from like the 9th dimension of craft beer existence. It really intrigued me especially since it is a Belgian Tripel IPA but also aged in wine and Tequila. Go figure the complexity. Either way, Lets hope we can make it back to this reality at hand as it seems this buzz trip is headed where no palates have gone before. It’s On! Cheers!
Aromas:
Citrus, phenolic, Belgian candi sugar, grapefruit, herbal, grassy and floral hops, Peppercorns, wine, tequila, mezcal hints, stone fruits like peaches, apricots, mango hints, exotic fruits like passion and dragon, oak , vanilla, caramel, strawberries, caramel, vanilla, lemon peel, pear, honey dew and Danish cream.
Flavors:
Citrus, grapefruit, herbal, grassy and floral hops, Peppercorns, Wine grapes, tequila mezcal hints, oak, Belgian Candi sugar, Stone fruit peaches, apricots, mango hints, dragon fruit, passion fruit, apples, starburst candy, caramel, vanilla, lemon peel, pear, peaches, banana notes, pineapple, honey dew melon, biscuit bread, honey, raspberries, strawberries, white grapes, Danish cream, bubble gum, rum hints, clove spice and tangerines.
Aftertaste:
Tequila mezcal, sangria hints, wine hints, citrus, stone fruit peaches, herbal and floral hops peppercorns and candi sugar linger. No alcohol in the taste, golden brown clear body, moderate to sipping drinkability, crisp, refreshing smooth yet creamy.
Overall:
An exceptional IPA that pretty much takes what you believe an IPA should be (Hoppy) and turns it into so many different flavors that it is all over the and yet supremely enjoyable and reminding you that the hops it does have are different for sure. It seems to be more of a tripel than it is an IPA but still an IPA and the Tequila and Wine…. damn it was a mission to cover this beer. Very enjoyable and something beyond a regular IPA. Find this one!
Anime Corner:
Hikoujouki, Senkanseiki and Wo-Class from Kancolle/ Kantai Collection were used in this pairing as the points unknown as not only represent three freaky creatures but also the colors work with the beer artwork. First, the girl on the left is Ecliptic as her hair curves with the phases of the moon. Stone in the back with the girl having horns is synonymous of Stone’s gargoyle and finally, Wicked Weed on the right having a big bug. Bugs live in weeds. Anyways, they are wicked (As in Awesome). Yeah they totally look like they aren’t of this world, complimenting the beer perfectly.
Rating: 5/5
Ruination 2.0 by Stone Brewing is an 8.5% ABV World Class Double India Pale Ale.
Label:
When this double IPA first hit the scene in 2002, the hoppy beer landscape was far different than it is today. Ales offering an onslaught of resinous humulus lupulus were virtually unknown. Thankfully, that is no longer the case. Terms such as “lupulin” and “IBU” are well established in the craft beer lexicon. And with the knowledge of all that hops have to offer comes the desire to go beyond bracing bitterness. Fortunately, Stone Ruination IPA has always been crafted to celebrate all facets of the hop—its beauty and poetry, its boldness and might. As craft beer has evolved, so too have techniques for extracting the best and the most out of hops. So we modernized Stone Ruination IPA, coaxing every last drop of piney, citrusy, tropical essence from the Centennial, Citra, Simcoe and Azacca hops that give this beer its incredible character. Join us in cheering this, the second stanza in our “Liquid Poem to the Glory of the Hop.”
==Introduction==
An update to the Golden Standard of IPAs. I haven’t reviewed the original Ruination in years and now they went ahead and upgraded to a more “hop” modern type of double IPA. A more tropical rounded updated based on the Citra and Simcoe used in this beer. Ruination was and most likely still is one of the best Golden Standards, but now that the recipe is different, can it stand up not only to the it’s own standards but the best IPAs in the world of today? Only a few sips and taking notes will tell the truth. Follow me as we investigate. Cheers!
Aromas:
Tropical aromas like mango, citrus, kiwi, papaya, pineapple, guava, strawberry hints, caramel, orange peel, herbal, citrus, grapefruit, Piney, grassy, herbal, oniony, blue basil, garlicky dank and earthy hops, orange zest, lemon drops, lychee, biscuit bread and kumquats.
Flavors:
Herbal, Citrus, grapefruit, Piney, grassy, herbal, oniony, blue basil, garlicky dank and earthy hops, hop oils, passion fruit, tropical fruit like kiwi, mango hint, dragon fruit, papaya, pineapple, guava, strawberry hints, caramel, biscuit bread, vanilla, stone fruit peach, apricot, toffee hints, orange zest, lemon drops, lychee, kumquats and honey dew melon.
Aftertaste:
Citrus, Piney, grassy, herbal, grape fruit, tropical, dank, oniony, garlicky and spicy hops linger along with caramel and vanilla hints finishing with some tropical hop burn vs. herbal of the original.
No alcohol in the taste, clear gold body, crisp, refreshing moderate, easy to drink despite the ABV unless you are not used to palate wrecking IPAs then definitely a sipper for you.
Overall:
Still a perfect beer as before but this time really balancing the tropical elements of the hops which was not previously there in the original. The update version may not please the pure herbal and grassy enthusiast/hope head but instead introduces a side of the ruination hop burn that it could not do before from the original recipe. I am going to miss the older recipe even though I love more tropical IPAs but this is still very well made and still a good representative of the golden standard that West Coast IPAs are known for.
Anime Corner:
Zabel/Lord Raptor from Darkstalkers/Vampire Saviour was used in this pairing since I used her in the original Ruination. Back then, Ruination not only stood for the palate wrecking machine but also ruining the someones character with different aspects, such as smoking or any other inhibitor that may be deemed a ruin in societies eyes. Not to say beer in general is the ruination but the way society sees the ruination of some people with substance abuse is the ruination that your palate sees. Unless you have a tolerant palate like mine, then let people do what they want and screw societies idea of what is normal. Whether it be their idea of how people should be or what people should drink (craft vs. macro). Live your life as you please!
Sources:
http://sbff08.deviantart.com/art/zabel-blissed-again-209579896
Rating: 4.25/5
The Gentle Way IPA by El Borracho Homebrewing is a 4.5% ABV Session India Pale Ale.
==Introduction==
My friend Will Carranza hooked me up with another awesome homebrew project. This time, he brewed a session IPA. This IPA was brewed with trying to get as much of the IPA hop goodness in it as possible while maintaining its low ABV. Let’s see how this one turns out.
Aromas:
Mango, pineapple, guava, honey dew melon, prickly pear, kiwi, starburst, citrus, piney, grassy herbal and floral hop hints, biscuit bread, vanilla, toffee, caramel hints and gummy bear hints.
Flavors:
Citrus, piney, grapefruit, herbal, floral and grassy hops, lavender, mango, kiwi, tropical notes of honey dew melon, prickly pear, biscuit bread, tangerines, vanilla, toffee, caramel hints, guava, gummy bears and starburst hints.
Aftertaste:
Citrus, tropical notes, herbal, piney, floral and grapefruit hops to the finish. No alcohol in the taste, clear golden body, crisp, smooth and refreshing and very easy to drink.
Overall:
A very good session IPA with a good balance of herbal and tropical sides of the hops emphasizing on good flavors with a low ABV. I could find myself drinking this one all day. It is very good. William advised that he wanted more hop flavor in there for sure but even as it is, it is was very awesome. I prefer more tropical IPAs and this one has enough of that tropical aspect that I really like.
Anime Corner:
Makoto from Street Fighter was used in this beer pairing as I wanted to us something that went with Judo or in this case, The Gentle Way. My friend is into Jujitsu and I think this was the perfect pairing to represent that. In jujitsu, you use a karate gi which Makoto uses and judo and karate are part of her fighting style. So overall, I could see how this is definitely a martial arts beer. It is also goes well as a nice drink after training!
Sources:
http://static.zerochan.net/Makoto.%28Street.Fighter%29.full.168311.jpg
Rating: 5/5
Hammerland by El Segundo brewing is an 8.6% ABV Double India Pale Ale.
Label:
Bright, Clean Crisp, Blueberry dankness… exactly what you expect with a hop bill of Mosaic and Simcoe. Get your nose in the glass and the aromatics will overwhelm you like the double-overhead closeouts down at Hammerland.
==Introduction==
Obtained this guy from El Segundo brewing recently as I wanted to see what this one was all about. A double IPA with a lot of talk behind it. From the makers of power plant triple IPA, I did not expect anything less than awesome, or so I hope. While I would love to compare this one to the already awesome Power Plant, they are different categories of IPA. So let’s see how this one goes. Cheers!
Aromas:
Lots of grassy, citrus, herbal, piney, grapefruit, floral, and dank garlicky hops, biscuit bread, honey, gummy bear hints, peach hints, blueberry and cherry hints, tropical fruit notes like dragon fruit, mango, guava, prickly pear, kiwi, honey dew melon, passion fruit, cantaloupe, lychee fruit and tangerines.
Flavors:
Piney, citrusy, grapefruit, floral, herbal, grassy and danky garlicky hops along with honey, rich tropics such as pineapple, strawberry, blueberry, cherries, dragon fruit, passion fruit, mango, guava, prickly pear, kiwi, honey dew melon, orange peel, biscuit bread, cantaloupe melon, lychee fruit, tangerines, gummi bears and peach notes.
Aftertaste:
Dank piney, herbal, citrus and garlicky hops linger, tropical fruits, biscuit bread, gummi bear notes, strawberry and blueberry hints and peach hints. No alcohol in the taste, easy to moderate drinkability, crisp and refreshing mouth feel as well as a clear golden body.
Overall:
A perfect IPA indeed. This reminds me of some of the hybrid IPAs where it does not lean toward one direction or the other but certain balanced of bitter herbal hops with tropical fruit and malty citrus notes. I can kinda see why this one turned out to be a fan favorite for many. It is is not as complex as Power Plant nor is it it at that Sure Bet IPA level but for being of the best reps for the west coast style, it is surprisingly delicious and well deserving of that gold medal. Get this one where you can find El Segundo stuff like Ramirez Liquor in Boyle Heights for example.
Anime Corner:
Gunner version of Yuna from Final Fantasy X-2 and just for the heck of it, Lucy (Wyldstyle) from the Lego movie were used in this pairing to represent several aspects of the beer. To show case the tropical aspects of the beer, Yuna’s dress shows a patter that almost looks like waves as they approach an island. In this case, her and the aspect of Hammerland goes with respect to the barrel and hammer of her dual guns (Double IPA). The background represents the face of the hammer as it faces the bullet with what seems to be a never ending tunnel as the bullet travels down the barrel. The colors do work with the berry aspects of the beer which reminded me of Wyldstyles highlights and gold body representing the IPA in general. She is getting ready for the beach and with these two girls, they make up the double IPA.
Sources:
http://static.minitokyo.net/downloads/13/04/12713.jpg?1625883245
http://40.media.tumblr.com/9031a91fe550eaa58841468f90f9220b/tumblr_ncd1lydC7O1r3gwo9o1_1280.jpg
Rating: 5/5
Seek & Destroy by Black Market Brewing is a 12.7% ABV Smoked Quadruple India Pale Ale.
Label:
Our Black Market brewers were in need of an amazing and unique brew to break up the winter doldrums. We think that this quadruple, smoked IPA is just the ticket to do the job. The smokey flavor and aromatics are from American hardwood smoked malts, adding just the right qualities to stand up to our piney and resinous experimental hops. Try pouring into a brandy snifter and slowly enjoying it as it warms.
==Introduction==
A Quadruple IPA?!?! Yes, it happened and a smoked one at that. Not to mention the fact that it has the song from Metallica, Seek and Destroy. Released by Black Market brewing which is making a lot of great beers. So far, almost everything I have had from them is delicious and amazing. Now they were able to break the boundaries of the Triple IPA and went into the Quadruple IPA. Which technically I could say Dogfish Head 120 or the BrewDog Sink The Bismarck are more quadruple IPAs than anything. This one is smoked so from there, it changes the path that the typical citrucy, herbal and tropical IPAs take. It is not a black IPA so that makes this one much more interesting. Let us see what this one is all about.
Aromas:
Citrus, Italian herbal, floral, piney, grapefruit, grassy and dank oniony hops, smoked oak, campfire notes, BBQ notes, dark fruit raisins, plum sauce, teriyaki sauce, molasses, rich dark cherries, black berries, toffee, biscuit bread, mango, pineapple, dragon fruit, honey dew melon, prickly pears, mild sweetened condensed milk, marshmallow, graham crackers, blood oranges, butterscotch, cinnamon and brown sugar
Flavors:
Grapefruit, citrus, piney and grassy hops, Smoked bacon, smoked jerky, BBQ sauce, chocolate, teriyaki sauce, honey, caramel, vanilla, dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, rich dark cherries, black berries, toffee, biscuit bread, mango, pineapple, dragon fruit, honey dew melon, prickly pears, mild sweetened condensed milk, smoked oak, campfire, marshmallow, graham crackers, blood oranges, butterscotch, molasses hints, Italian herbs and spices, dank oniony and garlicky hop notes.
Aftertaste:
Smokey notes, caramel, BBQ, smoked jerky, Honey, tropical notes, toffee, dark cherries, Italian herbs, piney, grassy, grapefruit, dank onion, garlicky and earthy hops notes. Slight alcohol in the taste but not detracting from the flavors, mildly syrupy mouthfeel, sipping drinkability, crimson light to moderate body.
Overall:
The merit of being its own smoked IPA style, this one is probably the best in that class. Judging it as a regular IPA it is great as well, but the merit is given on it being a smoked IPA is more. Quite the unique style as it does not seem to fall into the black IPA or regular IPA category but regardless is damn delicious. It is its own perfect style. I really enjoyed this one but if you do not like smokey beers or IPAS, maybe this will not be a beer for you. If you like IPAs but not smokey beers, maybe it will be to much too. I base my rating on its uniqueness overall.
Anime Corner:
Kagami Sumika from Muv-Luv alternative was used in this pairing as I wanted to do something with the label and seek and destroy. Kagami in this picture looks hurt like her vehicle was taken down as someone was seeking to destroy her. She isn’t done yet; she can get up and fight as the look on her face states that she’s ready for that counter attack. She also reminds me of Megaman in the sense that the song, Seek & Destroy was used in the Flash Man Theme or at least inspired by it. So there is the other connection there. Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTNpKZs_Sao
Sources:
http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2011-03-12-383061.jpeg
Rating: 6/5
2015 Power Plant by El Segundo brewing is an 11.1% ABV Triple India Pale Ale.
Label:
This behemoth of a “Triple” India Pale Ale gets a dose of Mosaic, Citra, Simcoe, and Amarillo in the kettle and in the dry hop. Up front on the nose is straight fruit cocktail with such a complexity it is impossible to distinguish just one note. Monstrous, yet deceptive in the same breath. Don’t let this one sneak up on you, lest you’ll be #PowerPlanted.
Description:
We know it’s not exactly something new to brew big giant IPA’s, but we really love this opportunity to be able to compete with the likes of Pliny the Younger, Green Bullet, Hopocalypse Black Label, etc from the best breweries in the game. And what a challenge! To brew a beer so big (it fermented all the way to 11.1%), but have it drink light and easy. We are busting out all the big guns for this monster, a hop punch of Mosaic, Simcoe, Citra, Nelson, and friends will all be making an appearance in at least one of the several rounds of dry hopping.
==Introduction==
The 2015 version is here and in limited quantities. This time, they are selling it to the public so definitely get this one while it last. While I was unable to get a growler fill like I did the first time I tried it, I settled for the bottle. This is the first Triple IPA I had ever tried, or I mean second, as Dogfish Head 120 at 18% ABV is considered much more, however, that is another beast all together. So in terms of the Triple IPAs that can compete with the best beers in the world, this one grew with its satisfying and rich tropical flavors that are so rich that it is literally a dessert of an IPA. I would definitely recommend this one but let us see how the 2015 version is.
Aromas:
Rich bouquet of tropical fruits like mango, pineapple, prickly pear, passion fruit, dragon fruit, tuna fruit, papaya, honeydew melon, apples, pears, stone fruits like peaches apricot, raspberry cream, whipped cream, Danish cookies, strawberry shortcake, strawberry cheesecake, lychee fruit, raspberries, cherries, piney, grassy, floral, herbal, oniony and citrus hops, wild flower honey, coconut, almond milk and sweetened condensed milk.
Flavors:
Sweetened condensed milk, biscuit bread, Rich tropical fruits of mango, prickly pear, honey dew melon, grapefruit, papaya, kiwi, oranges, tangerines, passion fruit, dragon fruit, apples, pears, stone fruit peaches, apricot, raspberry cream, whipped cream, Danish cookies, strawberry short cake, strawberry cheese cake, lychee fruit, biscuit bread, vanilla, caramel, lemon drop, orange gummy bears, tangerines, cherries raspberries, herbal, floral, grassy, piney and dank oniony hops, honey, coconut, almonds, macadamia nuts and three milks cake hints.
Aftertaste:
Rich tropical fruit cocktail lingers with grapefruit, floral, piney and herbal hops, vanilla, sweetened condensed milk and rich stone fruits. No alcohol in the taste, silky, refreshing and smooth mouthfeel, easy to moderate drinkability despite the ABV.
Overall:
Not sure if the recipe was done way better than before, but the sweetness of this hits tropical atmospheres of taste that not many IPAs can ever see. The crazy part is that unlike Surebet which uses Mango and Honey, this beer somehow hits tropical nirvana without any added ingredients which is totally insane. The rightful name of Pliny the Younger Killer is well deserved and I think for that it deserves the highest rating and a super high recommendation.
Anime Corner:
Ryuko Matoi from Kill La Kill was the right pairing for this beer because I wanted to show that the height of power plant smokestacks (in this case a tower) represents the height of evil corporations (hype in the craft beer community) as well as how power plants pollute the earth and cause acid rain to fall (Beer Snobery). Ryuko is there to represent this Triple IPA and to show that even at the height of all the IPA hype out there (Pliny the Younger, I am looking at you), one will stand up to it to bring it down. Like in Final Fantasy VII where Cloud Strife helped to take down the Mako power plants, Ryuko would do the same and bring the level of “IPA Hype” away from the overly hyped brews and back into the roots of the local community microbreweries. YES! And this is why I chose this one.
Sources:
http://waaaghork.deviantart.com/art/Ryuko-Matoi-408238193
http://i.imgur.com/bwYViCj.jpg
Rating: 5/5
Space Cake by Clown Shoes brewing is a 9% ABV Double India Pale Ale.
Label:
Why are Miracle Mike and his dog, Bionic, being chased by many evil laser beam shooting cupcakes and two giant layer cake mother ships? Because we’re straight lunatic fools? Well, maybe, but with a few brains cells remaining we managed to craft Space Cake double IPA, utilizing citrusy Mosaic hops and an immaculate West Coast style malt backbone. Dude… Chill out. Enjoy some Space Cake.
==Introduction==
I finally got around to bringing this one for a review. I had tried this one on draft last year but did not get a chance to get a bottle of this one until recently. From what I can remember, this IPA was very good introducing fair amounts of tropics. Later this year, they will be released a California exclusive one of this which will be like a session (lower alcohol) version. There is also the Lemon one but that is unfortunately out of my reach. Maybe in a future released. So why space cake? Maybe it is due to the fruity flavors that made it like a dessert. It is hard to remember as I did not get a chance to analyze this one all the way, until today. Cheers!
Aromas:
Rich citrus, grapefruit, piney, grassy, floral, herbal hops, tropical fruits like mango,pine apple, papaya, oranges, lemon peel, honey dew melon, dragon fruit, passion fruit, cherries, citrus and tangerine preserves on rye.
Flavors:
Grapefruit, citrus, piney, grassy, floral and mild herbal hops, old mango, pineapple, papaya, dragonfruit, passion fruit, honey dew melon, oranges, cocoa nib hints, cherries, Strawberries, raspberries, Sweetened condensed milk, biscuit bread, toffee, caramel, vanilla, Tangerine preserves on toasted buttery rye bread, orange gummy bears, stone fruit apricots, peaches, lychees and faint hint of cherry chocolate cake?
Aftertaste:
Citrus, tropical fruits, stone fruits, vanilla, caramel biscuit bread, toffee, cocoa nib hints, hoppy, grapefruit and herbal hops. No alcohol in the taste, creamy, smooth, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel, orange amber light to medium body and easy to moderate drinkability.
Overall:
There is some crazy malty component to this beer that reminds me of a dessert for some reason. After trying over and over, I can only conclude so much but still wonder if the name Space Cake wasn’t just a pun and they managed to make an IPA who’s sweetness starts to transcend into a dessert like chocolate cherry cake…nah! Well… maybe. I really don’t know. Maybe it is up to you to decide this one but I can definitely agree, this one is kind of unique and definitely recommend it.
Anime Corner:
Samus Aran from Nintendo’s Metroid series was used in this pairing to pair with the label of space and the space cake aspect. Samus is with the metroid hatchling which is the one from Super Metroid that considered her a mother. Maybe the bond they had is similar to the dude on the label and his dog. Either way, I tried to get it as close to space related as possible. Samus strength is represented by the ABV and hop character but the sweetness of cake is who she is inside the suit and as a person. Very sweet and caring but when it comes to hunting evil aliens trying to eradicate civilizations, well someone has to be the word of justice in the universe.
Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/full/309859
http://luigiix.deviantart.com/art/Zero-Suit-Samus-505527148
Rating: 5/5
5th Anniversary Celebration Populist XL by Eagle Rock Brewery is an 11% ABV Triple India Pale Ale.
Label:
Populist XL commemorates our 5-year anniversary and is brewed in homage to our incredible supporters. These supporters first asked us many years ago to make a delicious local IPA, helped us come up with the name “Populist”, and then helped turn it into our best-selling beer! Beyond sharing the name of our regular IPA, Populist XL takes it to the next level with huge hop aromas of citrus peel, pine needles, and subtle undertones of sweet, biscuit-y malt. Cheers to 5 years and many more to come!
==Introduction==
I obtained this one while visiting my friend Carlos in Whittier at the Liquor Mart in Whittier California. I have tried the original Populist long ago and have not had it since. Knowing that they made a triple IPA from the original, I had to bring this one to the site and see how it compares to the other Double and Triple IPAs I have tried before. While I enjoy more citrus and tropical IPA ones, I enjoy the herbal and grassy hop forward ones from time to time. This one is pricey but it may be worth it. Let’s see how this one is, cheers!
Aromas:
Herbs, spices, flowers, piney, grassy citrusy and grapefruit hops, Italian herbs, onion and garlic dankness, caramel, vanilla, biscuit bread, yerbabuena, green tea, black tea, toffee, lemon grass, lemon zest, grapefruit peel, old mangoes, tangerine, marzipan, sweetened condensed milk hints, hibiscus and lavender hints and mint icecream.
Flavors:
Herbal, floral, piney, citrusy, grassy, earthy and grapefruit hops, blue basil, Italian herbs, oniony, garlicky and oily hop dankness, orange notes, caramel, biscuit, rye, yerbabuena, black tea, green tea, mint icecream hints, caramel, vanilla, toffee, lemon grass, lemon zest, grapefruit peel, sugar cane, hibiscus flower hints, rose petal hints, old mango, sweetened condensed milk hints, lychee and tangerine marzipan.
Aftertaste:
Dank oniony and oily hop resin lingers for a bit is balances out by this sugary and minty tea icecream like notes that eventually finishes dry. No alcohol in the taste despite the ABV, crimson and Gold clear body, syrup, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel and a sipping Drinkability.
Overall:
Of the few Triple IPAs that I have tried, this one is one damn herbal dank perfection. I lean more towards the more tropical or citrus malty IPAs but this one awesome and pleasantly surprising providing an alcoholic sugary sweetness. The flavor leans toward the Pliny Elder/Younger area in dankness and is very enjoyable for sure. If you do find this one, it is worth getting it for sure.
Anime Corner:
Terra/Tina Branford from Final Fantasy VI was used in this pairing since I paired her with the original Populist. In her return, I wanted to emphasize her colors as being that of hop strength, herbal and like a magician, damn mysterious and botanical. Terra is my favorite character from that game and to me works well with this pairing.
Sources:
http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2012-07-04-512088.jpeg
http://www.zerochan.net/full/109860
Rating: 6/5
Sure Bet by Pipeworks brewing is a 9.5% ABV World Class Double India Pale Ale brewed with honey and mango puree.
Label:
Just the mere thought of the talk of a Citra and Mosaic hopped IIIPA brewed with honey and mango fills the Unicorn with too much joy and happiness for one horn to handle. The closest The Unicorn has come to this level of joy was when once, while skipping over rainbows, he encountered a cloud shaped like a rainbow! The Unicorns #1 favorite food is sunlight, but his #2 and #3 are honey and mangos respectively, and this brew has ’em both! The only thing that The Unicorn loves more than keeing something for himself, is sharing! So pour yourself a glass, because this beer’s a SURE BET!
==Introduction==
I obtained this beer through my online resources. I was unable to find this at any online shop. Seeing as this was a rarity and a highly rated beer, I really wanted to try it and bring it to the site. This is an IPA that can compare with some of the best IPAs out there and the fact that it has mango puree and honey. Well that just speaks tropical heaven to me. Let us see what this beer has to offer and see if this one is worth the buzz. Cheers!
Aromas:
A bouquet of rich tropical fruit fills the nose reminiscent of Power Plant and other awesome Tropical IPAs I have had before. Mango, Guava, Passion Fruit, Dragon Fruit Lychee, Papaya, Pineapples, Apricots, Strawberries, Prickly pears, raspberries, cherries, tangerines, tuna fruit, peaches, creamy vanilla, agave nectar, piney grassy, grapefruit, floral, herbal and dank garlicky hops, Sweetened condensed milk, tres leches cake, flan, caramel, gummy bears, citrus, orange and mango preserves, coconut hints and marshmallows.
Flavors:
Ridiculous amount of tropical fruits from all over the spectrum such as oranges, grapefruit, lychee, apricots, mangos, guava, papaya, dragon fruit, passion fruit, honey dew melon, strawberries, prickly pear, tuna fruit, raspberries, cherries tangerines, apples, peaches and cream, agave nectar, piney, grassy, herbal, floral, earthy, dank oniony, garlicky and grapefruit hops, sweetened condensed milk, tres leches cake, mango flan, caramel, gummy bears, citrus and mango preserves and orange preserves on rye bread, toffee, butterscotch, blue basil, peppercorn hints, lemon candy, coconut hints and marshmallows.
Aftertaste:
Very rich tropical fruits, variety of citrus fruit, rich mango, honey, dank piney, garlicky oniony, grassy, floral, earthy and herbal hops linger. No alcohol in the taste, golden medium body, creamy, crips, refreshing and silky mouthfeel and an easy to drink beer despite the ABV.
Overall:
Talk about rare GEMS no one knows about. Supremely righteous of tropical gods! This Double IPA blew me away into the stratosphere. I have to agree that addition of mango and honey dynamically changes the beer from its highest potential on its own. This is why Power Plant by El Segundo brewing can be the best triple IPA in the world to me, but this one is beyond that with the addition of the ingredients that take it to the next level. Holy Shit! This beer is like the absolute Trifecta of the IPAs. Meaning, you get a huge balance of the herbal, the orange malty and the rich tropical aspect found in many IPAs. If I find the right recipe for this, I will have to make this one for sure! For now, you better make DAMN SURE BET that I will recommend this to the masses! The Pliny and Heady killer of the midwest.
Anime Corner:
Twighlight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash from MLP were used in this pairing to pair two of the best sides of an IPA. The malty sweet side represented by Twilight sparkle and the citrus and tropical fruit flavors represented by Rainbow Dash. Since this beer has a unicorn and has so many colors representing the flavor spectrum of the delights that is this beer, the ponies were the right choice to compliment the beer and label. That and this is the most bad ass I could find these characters.
Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/EW4mNmZ.jpg
http://nyuuchandiannepie.deviantart.com/art/Rainbow-Auditore-da-Firenze-303474835
http://nyuuchandiannepie.deviantart.com/art/Diablo-3-Twilight-304708395
Rating: 4.95/5
077XX by Carton brewing is a 7.8% ABV East Coast Double India Pale Ale.
Label:
Like all things truly Jersey, 077XX makes the most in balancing through its accentuation of extremes. Inspired by the west coast IPA’s we love, we added a thump of hops to a dynamic malt profile and chose a yeast to drive these two further than they wanted to go. Throw our water into this mix and you will find dank green resinous hops popping over orange, mango and papaya aromas, with just enough sweetness of body to make the long finish a pleasure to have around. A double IPA perfect for adding fuel to the fire of a dinner, a game, or an idea, drink it when your night matters.
==Introduction==
Another beer that would be very difficult to find here in California, this one is from New Jersey. This beer comes to us from my good friend Aaron Mendiola at www.beermetaldude.com . A special thanks for the donation. An east coast style IPA. The best thing in terms that I have had in IPA standards was Heady Topper, but I definitely want to see what this one is about. How do east coast and west coast styles differ? Well, I think it mainly falls in the hoppier versus more complex or in some cases malty. While all IPAs strive for balance, it is some that can be more complex and tropical are the ones that I like. Let us see where this one fits. Cheers!
Aromas:
Tropical fruit notes like pineapple, papaya, mango, prickly pear, apricot, honey dew melon, citrus, grapefruit, floral, piney and herbal hops, honey, oranges, lemon peel, coriander apples, stone fruit hints like peaches and apricot.
Flavors:
Citrus, floral, grapefruit, piney and herbal hops, Honey, Oranges, Dragon fruit, biscuit bread, apple, apricot, prickly pear, honey dew melon, passion fruit, caramel, vanilla, caramel, coriander spice, papaya, peaches, subtle sweetened condensed milk, mild coconut hints, sugar cane, caramel, rye hints, orange gummy bears and tangerines.
Aftertaste:
Honey, vanilla, citrus, floral and citrus hops, honey dew melon, passion fruit, dragon fruit, stone fruit and pickly pear. No alcohol in the taste, honey gold hazy medium body, creamy, crisp, and refreshing mouthfeel and moderate drinkability.
Overall:
Definitely a very good Double IPA. Their use of different yeast definitely helps with bringing about some of those extra complex flavors. The beer ends with a good amount of honey and tropical fruit notes balancing with the hops. I enjoyed this one a lot too and would pick it up again if I could find it in the west coast. Definite recommendation.
Anime Corner:
This original character was used in this beer pairing to pair with the colors of the beer as well as the use of the ZIP code in the name. It reminds me of the mail which this character and her colors pairs well with. It is nice to receive beer in the mail and nicer one that beer happens to be from somewhere in the country where they take pride where they are from.
Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/49BwMh6.jpg
Rating: 4.95/5
Deviant Dale’s India Pale Ale by Oskar Blues is an 8% ABV India Pale Ale.
Label:
Sippin’ On A Tall Boy
Pack it in, Pack it out
COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
This beer is intended to be a sensory assault for hop lovers. At 8.0% ABV, four hop additions during the brew process, and a final wallop of excessive Columbus dry-hopping, this beer is meant to say one thing: MORE HOPS! Perfect for these cool winter nights, The Deviant is a returning favorite from the little brewery in Lyons, Colorado that started the Canned Revolution!
==Introduction==
First tried at my friend Richard’s house, I had not tried this one since then. Oskar Blues makes some really great beers and this one was one that was definitely awesome so I had to pick it up for a review. I may include their Dale’s Pale Ale here as well but we will see when. For the meantime, you can find this one just about anywhere they sell craft beer and Oskar Blues products. Let’s see where this IPA category this one falls under. Cheers!
Aromas:
Dank and garlicky notes, piney, grapefruit, floral, herbal, citrus and grassy hops, caramel, biscuit bread, tangerine preserves, mango hints, strawberry hints, rye bread, tangerine candy, orange peel, dragon fruit, toffee, biscuit bread and sweetened condensed milk hints.
Flavors:
Citrus, grapefruit, piney, grassy, herbal and floral hops, caramel, biscuit bread, tangerine preserves, oranges, orange peel, butterscotch, rye bread, tangerine candy, orange preserves, dragon fruit, mango hints, dank and garlicky notes, strawberry hints, toffee, hop oils, lemon candy, sweetened condensed milk hints and pineapple.
Aftertaste:
Rye, tangerine candy, caramel, biscuit bread, orange peel, grapefruit, piney, grassy and herbal hops.
No alcohol in the aftertaste, Crimson Gold light body, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel an easy to moderate drinkability.
Overall:
A very good example of an India Pale Ale with it’s strongest characteristics on being balanced with malt versus grassy and piney hops. This one falls under the malty, citrusy and fruity aspects of IPA and less into the herbal but still carrying its weight in hop complexity. I would recommend this one if the citrusy IPAs are your favorite.
Anime Corner:
Battleship Symbiotic Hime from Kantai Collection/ KanColle was used in this pairing as I wanted to bring about the name of the beer being Deviant Dale. Essentially not only does this character look like she’s up to no good, she looks like a little devil. To summarize the colors of the beer as well as the colors of the label from the can, this art compliments these items well. She is one smooth criminal that steals at your taste buds and emotions with a hoppy burn but pleasurable sweet bliss!
Sources:
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2014/280/6/d/battleship_princess_by_asuka111-d81yehg.jpg
Rating: 5.2/5
Japanese Green Tea IPA collaboration by Baird, Stone and Ishii brewing is a 10.1% Double India Pale Ale brewed with Green Tea.
Label:
Our style of brewing has always been about taking chances. It’s an extension of our “what-if” mentality, wherein we ask ourselves what would happen if we did things di¬fferently in the brewhouse, such as fermenting with a di¬fferent strain of yeast or, in the case of this beer, incorporating whole-leaf green tea imported from Japan. The answer, embodied in this IPA when we first released it in 2011, was something truly magnificent, delicious and as proven by the reissued edition you hold in your hand in 2015, well worth brewing again. But what if we changed it up a bit? Yes, it’s riskier to change something most people thought to be liquid perfection, including out two-time collaborators Bryan Baird of Japan’s Baird Brewing Company and Toshi Ishiii, a former Stone brewer and the founder of Guam’s Ishii Brewing Co., but we’ve found that, when approached with cautious curiosity and logic-driven creativity, reward often follows such risk. So, in bringing this IPA back to life, we followed the same recipe developed four years ago, but exchanged Pacifica hops from New Zealand,a hop-growing region that was becoming quite popular in 2011, for Helga hops from Australia, an area with burgeoning botanical scene right now. The result is an IPA that’s as bright, herbaceous and bitingly hoppy as the one that’s had our fans requesting its return ever since its depletion from store shelves, but with a modern, hop-driven twist that makes this second draft unique and tasty in its own right.
==Introduction==
Oh My God It’s Back!! The Green Tea IPA is back! The one beer that actually managed to nail the green tea flavors. The original brew was made in support of the Japanese Tsunami from March 2011. I had received my first sample from my friend Julio who got me a bottle of this and had traded for a St. Bernardus back in 2011. This beer was very special and as I remember it was very delicious. It’s return and especially in a bigger quantity is baffling. I am hoping and praying and a return of the Chocolate Cherry Stout collab. That beer was damn out of this world and even aged well too. Well, let us take a look at the re-release, Cheers!
Aromas:
Green Tea, caramel, vanilla, grassy, piney, herbal, floral and mild grapefruit hops, stone fruit like lychee, apricot, pears, apple, guava, dragon fruit, green tea ice cream, mango, purple sweet potato ice cream, sweetened condenced milk, vanilla, oranges, tangerines, prickly pears, lemon grass and brown sugar.
Flavors:
Rich Green Tea Ice cream, vanilla, biscuit bread, grassy, piney, herbal, floral and mild grapefruit hops, garlic and oniony notes, citrus, pineapple, rich Green tea leaves, spearmint/yerba buena, sweetened condensed milk, strawberry notes, flan, dragon fruit, lychee, pears, apples, stone fruit hints, purple sweet potato ice cream, guava, tangerines, oranges, coriander spice, lemon peel, lemon grass, mango, pineapple hints and prickly pear.
Aftertaste:
Green tea, rich vanilla, caramel, sweetened condensed milk hints, rich hoppy, grassy notes, citrus and honey. No alcohol in the taste, clear golden body, creamy, crisp, refreshing and smooth mouthfeel, easy to drink. 10% really ain’t nothing for this beer.
Overall:
Damn perfect IPA. Just as good as what I can remember from when I first had it in 2011 but maybe better. It is like a fusion between an IPA and a Green Tea Ice cream. So far, it is showing me it is the best Double IPA in 2015 and very damn unique. The variety and change slightly in the recipe is showing me some stuff I have not seen before. I would highly recommend this one as it has become one of my favorite IPAs.
Anime Corner:
Fuu Kasami from Samurai Champloo was used in the original review way back in 2011. I chose her for the review in this pairing since I wanted to pair with the aspect of Japanese Culture and Green Tea. Fuu has a back up of Samurais by the names of Mugen and Jin so if she is in trouble they are there to protect. The overall aspect of Japanese influence in this beer is insane so the perfect pairing back then was just the one for this one too. Definitely even at 10%, it has Samurai Champloo all over it.
Sources:
http://genzoman.deviantart.com/art/Fuu-Samurai-Champloo-165865071
http://denoro.deviantart.com/art/Fuu-78135233
Rating: 5/5
Tricerahops by Ninkasi brewing is an 8% ABV Double Indial Pale Ale.
Label:
Tricerahops is double everything you already love in an IPA. More hops, more malt body and a higher gravity define this Double India Pale Ale. Fiercely flavorful, guaranteed to satisfy.
==Introduction==
A beer I have seen for a number of times but didn’t pick up until one day I said, meh, what the hell. Ninkasi brewing makes some awesome beers and so far I have been fortunate to try their Maiden the Shade and Vanilla Oatis. Today I bring their Double IPA to the site. Ninkasi has been a recent find here in California and was not the case in the past. People have asked me about this beer advising that it was really awesome. So I figured I put it to the test. Let’s take a peek, cheers!
Aromas:
Oranges, caramel, honey, floral, grapefruit, grassy, piney and herbal hops, toffee, butterscotch, stone fruits like peach and apricot, brown sugar, pineapple, dragon fruit, honey dew melon, lots of citrus, lemon peel, dank oniony and garlic notes and flowers.
Flavors:
Caramel, honey, Grapefruit, grassy, piney, floral and herbal hops, peach, apricot, tangerine, dragon fruit, mango, rye bread, lychee, pineapple, butterscotch, biscuit bread, garlic and oniony notes, sweet flan hints, orange marmalade, toffee, herbal notes, flowers, lemon peel, guava hints, vanilla hints, oregano, yerba buena/spearmint and good amount of brown sugar.
Aftertaste:
Caramel, citrus, rye bread, mango, piney herbal and grapefruit hops linger. No alcohol in the taste, crisp, refreshing and almost creamy mouthfeel, clear golden amber body and easy to moderate drinkability.
Overall:
A very delicious and perfect DIPA in the category of more malty and caramel like with enough hops to balance everything out. It is almost like the east coast style but not as citrusy. Unlike the tropical IPAs I really enjoy, this one I enjoyed since it was pretty balanced. This is almost at the realm of Hop Stoopid as it is super balanced with hops and malty sweetness. Despite those that are to the more extreme hop side and me who enjoys more tropical IPAs, I really liked what this one had to offer and therefore highly recommended.
Anime Corner:
Queen Chrysalis from MLP was used in this pairing mainly to pair with the colors of the label but also the invigorating power of the hops. You can see how the teals and greens kind of meld together in this beer making for one super strong Double IPA. I do not know much about the character but I figured she worked well with this pairing as I am sure being the antagonist comes with supreme power (Hops and ABV) even if she looks damn innocent (Sweet malt yet hoppy balance). Also She looks like a damn dragon and dragons are cool so there! She also has that whole Maleficent thing going on.
Sources:
http://bakki.deviantart.com/art/Chrysalis-404431680
Rating: 5/5
Union Jack by Firestone Walker is a 7.5% ABV World Class India Pale Ale.
Box Description:
An aggressively hopped West Coast-style IPA. Union Jack showcases exceptional dry hop character with stunning pineapple, citrus, and pine aromas on the nose accompanies by honey-like malt aromatics. Double dry hopping brings bold grapefruit, tangerine and citrus flavors.
==Introduction==
It really has been a couple of years since I tried this beer. One of the first IPAs during the time that I started doing beer reviews but unfortunately never got the chance to bring forth. When I bought this as part of the Firestone Winter Variety pack, I finally had the chance. I have mainly tried this one on tap which was epic and great but I have not gone back to it since developing a taste for a variety of IPAs. The fact that I am bringing this here to the site is an honor as I will finally take my time to dissect what many have called one of the finest in the west coast-style of IPAs. Cheers.
Aromas:
Citrus, floral grassy piney, grapefruit hops, tropical fruit mango, papaya, guava, kiwi, dragon fruit, honey dew melon, strawberry, honey on biscuit bread, tangerines, lemon peel, Stone fruit apricots, lychee, apples, caramel and vanilla.
Flavors:
Citrus, floral, grassy piney and grapefruit hops, tropical fruits like pineapple, mango, dragon fruit, strawberry, papaya, passion fruit, honey dew melon, biscuit bread, honey, tangerines, guava, lemon peel, Stone fruit apricot, peach, lychee, apples, kiwi, floral notes, mild dank garlicky flavors, and gummy bears.
Aftertaste:
Lots of tropics, citrus, tangerine, grapefruit, vanilla, honey, caramel, biscuit bread and grassy hops linger. No alcohol in the taste, easy to drink, somewhat creamy, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel and a Clear Golden body.
Overall:
One of the finest and perfect examples of IPAs out there. The step below to the Double Jack still standing strong in the front of the many West coast IPAs that come close to it. The tropics in this are strong and is really one of the reason I really loved this beer. It isn’t all about tropical though as you do get some caramel notes and lots of that super hoppy west coast dankness. This is pretty much a commoners gold and if you haven’t tried this one, you are missing out because this one is very underrated and extremely awesome of IPAs
Anime Corner:
Saber from Fate/Stay night and an OC character by genzoman and zander-d from deviant art were brought forth in this pairing to bring forth a bit of what the Union Jack and what the UK is all about. Being inventors of the India Pale Ale style to make beer last through the travels as they were preserve with hops as a natural preservative for soldiers in their journeys. This was the best pairing to represent that about the origins of the IPA.
Sources:
http://genzoman.deviantart.com/art/Saber-Who-Dares-Wins-349352556
Rating: 5.2/5
Judge Jury & Executioner IIIPA by Ironfire brewing is an 11.2% ABV Triple India Pale Ale.
Label:
The verdict is in. Normal IPA’s have been found, wanting.
Enter the palate wrecking goodness of
Judge, Jury & Executioner Triple IPA!
Continuous hopping from mash tun to fermenter with 7 high alpha hop varieties from 3 different continents. Only extreme hop heads need apply, for this IPA judges you, not the other way around. Make sure your hop snobbery is on top of it’s game for if not, the weak will be found guilty for their hop hating foolishness. The noose will be strung…the order will be given…and your palate will be swinging from the gallows.”
Brewed once a year so enjoyit cold, fresh and while it lasts!
==Introduction==
The moment I saw this one, my IPA senses (which aren’t as strong as my Belgian or Barrel Aged beer side but still damn strong) were going off the radar. The last time I had a triple IPA was when I had the Power Plant from El Segundo. Since IronFire is from Temecula California, I simply could not wait. I had to try this massive IPA. I was able to get this one online at www.craftshack.com and was glad when I got it. Now, on to the trial, will this beer be judged or will my beer experienced taste buds be at the mercy of death row. I won’t say I will have it easy even if I had some of the best IPAs in the world, but this beer makes me be cautious for sure. Slowly, into the the doors of the court room we walk and you, are my jury… cheers!
Aromas:
Citrus, herbal, grapefruit, piney, grassy and floral hops, yerba buena/spearmint, vanilla, caramel, oranges, blue basil, garlic notes, dank onions, hints of tropical fruit like dragon fruit, honey dew melon, lemon peel, pineapple, mango, lemon grass, oregano, biscuit bread, Italian herbs, toffee and orange juice.
Flavors:
Rich Herbal, citrus, grapefruit, piney, grassy and floral hops, caramel, vanilla, oranges, blue basil, dank oniony, garlicky flavors, minor hints or tropics like pineapple, dragon fruit, prickly pear, lemon peel, mango, honey dew melon, stone fruit apricot, sour apple, biscuit bread, Italian herbs, orange juice, oregano, tangerine candy, strawberry hints, yerbabuena/spearmint, honey and wasabi hints without the burning.
Aftertaste:
Dank, oniony, grassy, garlicky, hoppy, palate drying, grapefruit, orange and vanilla hop flavors linger after the rest dry off. Slight alcohol in the taste but not detracting from the flavors. Clear as daylight and deadly as sin gold body, sipping drinkability and almost creamy mouthfeel.
Overall:
While this is a perfect hoppy IPA, it is not exceeding like El Segundo’s Power Plant. I only say this because of my more tropical palate preference when it comes to IPAs. It is still a great IPA and one I would definitely try again and again. It’s hop variety surely focuses on the more grassy, herbal and super dank qualities of IPAs. Basically, of the 3 ranges I categorize IPAs (Tropical, Herbal and Malty) this one lies in the herbal strength but also balances the other flavors well. This beer ends so damn dank and dry it almost burns in a hop sense of greatness. It’s painfully delicious reminding me of the time I drank ruination for the first time. This truly is not for those that can’t handle their hops. At a triple verse, I can only imagine that this monster is literally knocking at Pliny the Younger’s door with a death warrant. While I was able to survive this one, it did surely take it’s toll but this is one for you to experience too reader, take my word on this one, I highly recommended!
Anime Corner:
Donne Anonime, Franco il Nero and Lily Salvatana from Tre Donne Crudeli/Outlaw Django are used in this pairing to represent the Judge Jury & Executioner respectively. In the label, you can see 3 women looking for a convicted cowboy ready bring on mortal punishment. While the label makes a great explanation as to how the flavors unleash these beauties onto your taste buds, I can elaborate on who these cowgirls are. In the pictures, you see the act of the executioner Lily trying to execute Franco while Donna Anonime come sup behind and says… not today. A Jury as Franco is can only determine so much before before the Judge Donne passes judgment and Executioner Lily looks for your head! A great pairing here for sure.
Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/full/891881
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/Opphiucus/066.jpg~original
Rating: 5.2/5
Enjoy by 12.05.14 by Stone brewing is a 9.4% ABV World Class Imperial India Pale Ale.
Label:
Devastatingly fresh
You have in your hands a devastatingly fresh double IPA. Freshness is a key component of many beers- especially big, hoppy IPAs – but we’ve taken it further, a lot further, within this one. We brewed this IPA specifically NOT to last. We’ve not only gone to extensive lengths to ensure that you get your hands on this beer within an extraordinarily short window, and we’ve sent a very clear message in the name of the beer itself that there is no better time than right NOW to enjoy this IPA!
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Haven’t tried this beer in ages. Mainly since it was coming out so frequently I always tried to pass it up for other beers. I guess I decided screw it, I am doing another review of this one. Each release is the same I would think but the idea is to drink this one as fresh as possible without sacrificing the hop head theology of as fresh as possible. While me personally, I could care less about what hop heads think of freshness, but even a moderately fresh one, I will give it a round to see what flavors I can get from this. I think even at 9.4% ABV, freshness would get thrown out the window, but that is none of my business. Now let’s drink some of this tea. Cheers!
Aromas:
Citrus, grapefruit, floral, herbal, piney and grassy hops, Rich tropical fruits like mango, dragon fruit, papaya, guava, passion fruit, lychee, honey dew melon,blue basil, oregano, lemon peel, garlicky, oniony, dankness, stone fruit peaches, apricots, plums, honey dew melon, tangerines, oranges, hints of sweetened condensed milk and milk coconut.
Flavors:
Rich hop flavors or citrus, grapefruit, floral, herbal, piney and grassy hops, biscuit bread, lemon peel, tangerine, oranges, caramel hints, super dank oniony and garlicky notes, oregano, basil, Italian herbs, Rich tropical fruits like papaya, mango, honey dew melon, dragon fruit, passion fruit, lychee, coconut hints, stone fruit apricots, peaches, plums, sweetened condensed milk and honey.
Aftertaste:
Sweet tropical notes, honey, herbs, citrus and grapefruit hops, dank oniony and garlic notes linger
No alcohol in the taste, easy to drink despite the ABV, clear body, silky mouthfeel, crisp and refreshing.
Overall:
In comparison to when I had this over 2 years ago, they really perfected the freshness in this beer. This is super well balanced giving those tropical fruits I really love along with the hoppy, herbal and dank notes. So as to coming close to what I would think would be some of the best IPAs in the world like Pliny the Elder, Heady Topper and the new Power Plant, I would like to say, YES!! Ofcourse it is a player in the best IPAs. It is closer to Pliny in the herbal hoppy department but since it is balanced with tropical notes, It comes close to Power Plant too. Either way, maybe there is a reason they tell you to drink it fresh. Either way, great beer and a must have. Don’t worry, if you miss this one, they release it almost year round.
Anime Corner:
Morrigan Aensland from Dark Stalkers was used in this pairing long ago since she stands atop a stone gargoyle representing the Stone brewery. Her hair colors pair well with the label and those melons, I mean…. umm colors of the artwork represent the herbal and tropical complexities of of the beer flavors. Yes this beer is damn sexy and taste great!
Sources:
http://img1.ak.crunchyroll.com/i/spire4/1f1100e5ab84c8a3e2e8d7acb1bba84a1396195257_full.jpg
https://brewerianimelogs.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/4bc03-jmorriganaensland.jpg
Rating: 4.45/5
Sprung by Five Stones brewing of Cibolo Texas is a 6.2% ABV India Pale Ale Hancrafted with heather tips, dried Elderflowers and Wild Flower honey.
Label:
Spring has “Sprung” in South Central Texas many years before the official change on the calendar. Often times it is a very short season but welcomed nonetheless. Some of the most beautiful landscape in our great nation is during Spring in Texas when all the wild flowers are in bloom. In honor if this time of year, we brewed Sprung with heather tips, dried elderflowers and wildflower honey keeping a balance of natural floral flavors in mind. We hope you enjoy it while the season is here…Cheers!
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Another Five Stones has made it to the site thanks to the donation of Aaron at www.beermetaldude.com. This beer is an IPA brewed with Elderflowers and Wildflower honey so I really think it is a best representative for the season. Well, while we are no longer in Spring and IPAs usually tend to give more of a malty flavor with age, I think the bitterness of the flowers may help here. We will have to see for sure, but so far, everything I have tried from Five Stones of Cibolo Texas has been, Amazing!
Aromas:
Very floral, citrus, grapefruit, piney and grassy hops, pineapple, stone fruit apricot hints, caramel, biscuit bread, toffee hints, hibiscus, flowery spices, herbs, cantaloupe, honey dew melon, rye, hazelnut hints and dragon fruit.
Flavors:
Citrus, floral, piney and grassy hops, caramel, toffee, biscuit bread, coriander, pineapple, peppercorns, sage, basil, honey, hazelnut hints, mild rye, honeydew melon, mild guava, kiwi, dragon fruit hints, herbs, hibiscus flowers, lavender and cantaloupe.
Aftertaste:
Citrus, honey, flowers, biscuit bread and piney hops linger. No alcohol in the taste, medium honey body, easy to medium drinkability, creamy mouthfeel, crisp and refreshing.
Overall:
Very good IPA focusing more on the floral and mild stone fruit component than the super hoppy aspects of the beer. While the taste is more malty, it was just as I thought, some of the flowers, spices and tropical hints were more pronounced than hops of other beers. While I cannot say how this beer would have been while it was fresh, at this point in time, it still taste very good and has maintained itself. So if you had tried this one when it was fresh, you won’t be disappointed now. Unless you are a true hop only hop head then I cannot speak for you as I have not tried this fresher. Either way, awesome beer from Five Stones.
Anime Corner:
This original artwork of a bunny girl rocking out was something that seemed to stand out and pair with the label. While I had tried this beer later in the year, the night time rock is what comes to mind when trying a beer that is in the fall vs. the spring. I really think this is the darker side of the bunny and when Spring passes and is Sprung loose it Falls into the night.
Sources:
http://37.media.tumblr.com/38f9e7852c129fb1c9679486958b85df/tumblr_n7desrkGU81qlodbjo1_500.jpg
Brewerianimelogs (Anime and Beer Lore) 
