(Double Review: Battle of The IPAs) 2014 Heady Topper by Alchemist Brewing VS. 2014 Power Plant Triple IPA by El Segundo Brewing

October 6, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Battle Vixens, best beers in the world, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, El Segundo Brewing, El Segundo California, Heady Topper, ikki Tousen, india pale ale, IPA, Kill-LA-Kill, passion fruit, Pliny the Younger, Power Plant, Ryuko Matoi, Ryuoko Matoi, shiryuu Chou-un, The Alchemist, Tripel India Pale Ale, Triple IPA, tropical fruits, world class beers | 2 Comments

The battle of the best India Pale Ales in the world can only be foreseen by the biggest hop heads and many will always come to disagreements. Others will just drink as fresh as possible while others won’t drink nothing else BUT IPAs and those with an open palate to be a little more considerate will take a step back and try to figure out, which is the best as objective as possible. While not many will come to an agreement, we all have to remember, hops aren’t everything. They are vital to a beers bitterness but as the origination of the IPA would say, it was mainly used as a natural preservative for long voyages in the old days. Today’s hop variety has made it possible to make them super complex and this is why I think a lot of people really love hops. I can’t really hate as a part of me really likes IPAs but I refuse to pour any “unfresh” ones (Barleywine anyone?) nor do I accept that the best beer in the world happens to be an IPA. I agree with my friend Richard on this one since as he put it, “how can an IPA beat centuries of brewing especially from monks in Belgium who have perfected these brewing arts”. That and the fact stands I lean toward heavier beers but enjoy all beer styles. Either way, I bring you forth a challenge review today. The up and coming champion or “Pliny Younger Killer”, El Segundo’s Power Plant Triple IPA and “East Coast’s Response to Pliny a.k.a beer advocates Best Beer in the World”, Alchemy’s Heady Topper. Why did I decide to do it like this? Well, for those that wonder, both beers are very fresh, one bottle released 9/27/2014 and the can 9/22/2014. I really wanted to see what the hype was all about. Don’t get me wrong, both are freaking epic beers and I have reviewed both in the past but a chance like this, you don’t ever really get. That and the fact that I really believe Power Plant can destroy the Younger. That and I would like to see, if this new up and coming favorite can really stand up to the monster that is Heady Topper. So here we go, cheers and hope you enjoy my double review…

Alchemist Heady Topper Review*
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2014 Heady Topper by Alchemist brewing is a an 8% ABV World Class Double India Pale Ale. Now considered the Best Beer In the World By Beer Advocate.

Label:
From the CAN: “DRINK FROM THE CAN! [x3 for added emphasis]“; “Heady Topper is an Ameri[CAN] Double India Pale Ale. This beer is not intended to be the biggest or most bitter. It is meant to give you wave after wave of hoppy goodness on your palate. Tremendous amounts of Ameri[CAN] hops will creep up on you and leave you with a dense hoppy finish in your mouth. So drinkable, it’s scary. Sometimes I wish I could crawl right into the [CAN]. Freshness and control have always been my main concern[s] when it comes to our beer. We are committed to providing you with an unfiltered and unpasteurized hop experience. Why do I recommend that you drink it from the [CAN]? Quite simply, to ensure a delightful, [sic] hop experience. The act of pouring it in a glass smells nice, but it releases the essential hop aromas that we have worked so hard to retain. If you MUST pour it into a glass, you may find that some of the hop resins have settled to the bottom – leave them in the CAN when pouring. This beer is perishable, and at its best when it is young, fresh and hazy. Keep it cold, but not ice cold. Drink this beer immediately, we are always making more. [Undersigned] John Kimmich, The Alchemist, Waterbury, Vermont”; “Don’t be a D-Bag, recycle this [CAN]!”.
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Aromas:
Honey dew melon, biscuit bread, oranges, grassy, piney, citrus, flowers, guava, citrus, oranges, tangerine candy, mango, prickly pear, hazelnut hints, sweet grapes, stone fruit peaches, apricot, guava, dragon fruit, passion fruit, dank hints, vanilla and caramel.

Flavors:
Honey Dew Melon, Cantaloupe, Grassy, piney, citrus, biscuit bread, vanilla, mango, oranges, prickly pear, hazelnut hints, sweet grape, stone fruit peach, apricot, guava, dragon fruit, passion fruit hints, flowers, kiwi, pine apple, sugar cane, biscuit bread, Mandarin candy, apples, herbs, dank garlicky onion hints but subdued by more oranges and honey.

Aftertaste:
Lots of orange, biscuit bread, tangerine, caramel, vanilla, grapefruit hops, piney, grassy and herbal hops. No alcohol in the taste, easy to drink despite the ABV, medium mouthfeel, hazy body, crisp and refreshing.

Overall:
Supremely Perfect IPA. You pretty much get everything in terms of every range of IPA but mainly on the orangey side. A perfect balanced blend of all the IPA ranges in one. Complex range of tropical, hoppy notes and rich oranges go all over the place. The difference in the can and the glass is mainly with the balance. It is way better in the can as the less air does not allow the flavors to dissipate but when poured into a glass, the orangey side tends to be more pronounced for sure. Either way you have it is fine. The best IPA in the world, why wouldn’t I recommend this? Find it and Find it fresh or just find it either way, you can’t go wrong.

Anime Corner:
Shiryuu Chou-un from Ikkitousen/Battle Vixens makes a return from the last time I reviewed Heady Topper. The original premise of using her for heady topper had to do with the silver label, the color and flavors of the beer pairing with Shiryuu’s hair, outfit as well as the bad assery with a sword. For being considered the World Class beer that Heady is, I really had to choose a true bad ass samurai girl from the series I watched long ago. Shiryuy usually keeps her eyes closed but in the sight of an epic bottle, her true beauty is shown and that is what represents the the rarity and awesomeness of the beer.

El Segundo Power Plant Review*
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2014 Power Plant by El Segundo Brewing is an 11.3% 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.
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Aromas:
Tropical fruits off the charts, grapefruit, honey dew melon, kiwi, guava, oranges, dragon fruit, passion fruit, papaya, mango, raspberries, cherries, pineapple, pears, lychee, biscuit bread, lemons, tangerine, apples, stone fruit peaches, apricots, piney, citrus, grapefruit, herbal and floral hops, sweetened condensed milk and flan hints.

Flavors:
Rich tropical fruits, grapefruit, pineapple, kiwi, oranges, mango, guava, honey dew melon, passion fruit, strawberry, papaya, apples, pears peaches, lychee fruit, sweetened condensed milk hints, biscuit bread, vanilla, caramel, lemon, orange gummy bears, tangerines, raspberries, cherries, honey, herbal notes and minor honey oniony dankness.

Aftertaste:
Rich Tropical fruits aftertaste with very nice grapefruit hop resin, biscuit and caramel. No alcohol in the taste. Very smooth, easy to drink, crisp and refreshing despite the high ABV.

Overall:
Just as extraordinary as the first one I brought home with me. The bottle bottle make version seems more awesome. This beer is really out there and really ridiculous. Balance is insane but tropics are supremely pronounced and super complex. This beer was released for a limited time during the LA craft beer week and they had plenty of bottles. I am unsure if they will have enough for distribution but for a beer that truly took everything I believed about IPAs and took me to another dimension of sweet tropical proportions, there is not damn reason why I would not recommend this to my highest of standards.

Anime Corner:
Ryuoko 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). Ryuoko 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, Ryuoko 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.

Final Judgment:
It would basically be a tie if it wasn’t for the fact that it is almost like comparing apples and oranges. Speaking of apples and oranges, it really is easy to determine why one would prefer one over the other. I once described IPAs falling into 3 categories. Those that are tropical, those that are herbal and grassy and those that are caramel or more orangey like those that can harness all 3 into a perfect balance. Heady topper is a hybrid of all 3 when drinking from the can but more orangey and citrus from the glass while Power Plant is at the extreme end of awesome tropic Nirvana and yet still maintaining the balance of the 3. In this sense, It would only be fair to say that the winner of this battle is Power Plant!!!

This because of my personal preference and opinion on tropical IPAs, I love tropical IPAs. Nevertheless, to those that truly like IPAs to take them for a crazy ride, Heady Topper is no joke and reigns supreme. I can respect and love both beers. While Power Plant caresses the ultimate IPA sweet tooth, Heady Topper is there to remind you of an ultimate form of IPA. I have never tried Pliny the Younger, some day I will. Only then can I truly say if that can really topple these 2 beers. Until then, Both of these beers take the cake easily. Pliny the Younger, you met your match!! HELL YEAH!!

Sources:
http://en.tsundora.com/image/2014/09/ikkitousen_109.jpg
http://digwall.com/wallpaper/2014/09/629402-ryuko-matoi-kill-la-kill.jpg
http://konachan.com/post/show?md5=07600bde13b34835846d710088019553
http://waaaghork.deviantart.com/art/Ryuko-Matoi-408238193

Rating: 5.25/5* El Segundo Power Plant
Rating: 5/5* Alchemist Heady Topper

HopTango by Smog City

August 30, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged dragon fruit, HopTango, HopTonic, india pale ale, IPA, mango, Milla Maxwell, passion fruit, Smog City, Smog City brewing, Tales of Xillia, Torrance California | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

HopTango by Smog City is a 7.3% ABV India Pale Ale brewed with Mango.

Description:
HopTonic in Mango

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Got this beer on tap at the local brewery, Smog City in Torrance California near work. They only have this for a limited amount of time. I almost didn’t get a growler of this until I tried it and while going home I regretted not grabbing a growler. The next day, I went back to get one and left so I can definitely take my time with this one but also sharing this with my friends. Fruit IPAs seem to be something that is typically not released often. Especially for those that taste really awesome. There was something special about this one because it seems to have stuck around with me for a long time. So if you are definitely in town, you should take a visit to Torrance and pass by Smog City this labor day weekend!!

Aromas:
From the moment you take the first whiff is nothing but sweet sweet mango!! It then follows grapefruit, flora, grassy, herbal and piney hops, orange candy, mango candies, pineapple, tropical fruits like honey dew melon, biscuit bread, vanilla, caramel hints, lemon peel, stone fruit peach and apricot hints, honey and dragon fruit.

Flavors:

Rich Mango forward but still balanced with the tropics and hops. Grapefrui, floral, grassy, piney and herbal hops, biscuit bread, lots of passion fruit, dragon fruit, mango candy, dragon fruit, papaya, prickly pears, vanilla, caramel, honey dew melon, stone fruit peach hints. Cherries, raspberries, mango tang, mango tampico juice, garlicky and oniony dankness and slight spiciness.

Aftertaste:

Ending with a linger of mango still, mild tropical fruit, herbal and piney hops and fading with bitter citrus. No alcohol in the taste, easy to drink, light to medium mouth feel, clear body as well as crisp and refreshing.

Overall:

Something about the way this beer is made with the mango makes this one just above perfect. There is a great balance of sweet and bitter and nothing overwhelmingly bitter which will definitely make an IPA lover of some people that don’t like bitter IPAs. This is extremely delicious and it is a damn shame they only have it for a limited time. This is one I think they should definitely continue to make. HopTonic on its own was a very good IPA and I might give a run down one of these days. I highly recommend this one if you are by the tap room this weekend or if they decide to bottle this some day.

Anime Corner:

Milla Maxwell from Tales of Xillia was used in this beer pairing because she is the embodiment of this beer. The colors of different fruits and flavors are what HopTango is all about. Smooth, easy to drink sweet, but still dangerous, is what it is all about. Her long flowing hair with the streaks of green represent the mango skins which run from reds, greens, yellows and oranges. You also get a glimpse of cherries here as well. Overall a great pairing.

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/full/758572

Irie Pirate Ale / IPA by Alesmith

August 30, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Alesmith, alesmith brewing, Captain Harlock, india pale ale, IPA, Irie Pirate Ale, Kei Yuki, San Diego beers, World class, world class beers | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Irie Pirate Ale / IPA by Alesmith is a 7.25% ABV World Class India Pale Ale.

Label:

It’s Pretty Awesome. A San Diego classic, AleSmith IPA showcases the versatility of American hops. Aromas of grapefruit and tangerine lead into an abundance of fresh pine and tropical fruit notes followed by a crisp, resinous bitterness. The complex hop profile is supported by a firm malt presence to create an incredibly flavorful and well-balanced IPA.

The beer’s citrus and pine notes pair well with fresh, aromatic herbs, citrus-based dressings, and Asian-inspired flavors. IPA’s refreezing bitterness and dry finish also help temper the heat of spicy foods and contrast the tangerines of farmhouse cheddars and spicy blues.

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Alesmith IPA used to be called “Irie Pirate Ale” but they had to change the name due to some seize and desist letters. Here at brewerianimelogs.com, we love to pay tribute to the roots of beer and so I leave the title as such. This is also borderlining a double IPA too. It was about damn time I pick this one up. For one of the best breweries in the world and from San Diego, I should have at least had their IPA right? Apparently not. Shame on me for that, especially since they make some of the best beers in the world. Well, I finally got a bottle to bring forth. Wherever you see this one, it is damn highly acclaimed for sure. So, I bring this to the site as it is a classic beer as so said. So here we go, one of San Diego’s finest and their IPA! Cheers!

Aromas:

Grapefruit, citrus, grassy, piney, hops, pineapple, caramel, tropical fruits like mango, honey dew melon, papaya, toffee, biscuit bread, caramel vanilla, cherries, plums, rye bread, brown sugar, kiwi and guava notes.

Flavors:

Citrus, tangerine, gummy bears, citrus, grassy, piney grapefruit hops, biscuit bread, lemon peel, tropical fruit like mango, papaya, honey dew melon, prickly pear, toffee, plums, cherries, vanilla, kiwi, herbal spices, dragon fruit, guava, dank garlicky, oniony notes, herbal notes and orange preserves.

Aftertaste:

No bitterness left over and yet the hoppy flavors flow like no ones business. Caramel, hops, tropical fruits citrus linger but nothing bitter. No alcohol in the taste, smooth easy to drink, clear body, light mouth feel, crisp and very refreshing.

Overall:

Perfect IPA example of awesome! There was no doubt about it but what makes this one a winner is the balance and smoothness right off the bat. Cold or warm (Colder I prefer) it keeps its own. It is insane and while it is just an IPA, it definitely competes with the Double IPAs without the boozyness in there. The crazy thing about this one is this will age but hops will die. So drink it fresh or drink it later, your choice, this one isn’t going anywhere. Highly Recommended!!

Anime Corner:

Kei Yuki from Captain Harlock series was used in this pairing to pretty much sum up everything that has to do with Alesmith IPA in terms of the color of the beer, label, flavors, history, legal issues and the very soul that is, Irie Pirate Ale. Basically, with the label, it is the colors of the pirate flag, the color of the beer is blonde like Kei and the pink suit is the cherry notes and her eyes show a complexity of honey dew while the long flowing hair is everything the IPA is about. The fact that she is a pirate and like all pirates disobey the law, she represents what this IPA used to stand for before the name change. While she is just Alesmith IPA, in heart and in her roots, she will always be the Irie Pirate Ale and those who dare mock the fact that she moves into Double IPA territory will be dealt with swiftly and justly!

Sources:
http://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/captain-harlock-pirate.jpg
http://gallery.minitokyo.net/view/310793

Proprietor’s Reserve Double Jack (New Label) by Firestone Walker

August 27, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Asuka Langley, Asuka Langley Shikinami, Asuka Langley Soryu, Asuka Shikinami Soryu, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, double jack, Evangelion, Firestone Walker, Imperial Pale Ale, IPA, Neon Genesis Evangelion, proprietor's reserve, Rei Ayanami, Triple IPA | Leave a comment

Rating: 5 to 5.2/5* Better Fresher

Proprietor’s Reserve Double Jack (New Label) by Firestone Walker is a 9.5% ABV World Class Triple Dry Hopped Double/Imperial India Pale Ale

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
A dangerously drinkable Double IPA. Double Jack opens up with bright grapefruit and tangerine American hop aromas. Beautifully crafted undertones of stone fruit are revealed upon first sip, followed by the essence of blue basil and pine. A sturdy pale and crystal malt backbone brings balance to high hop intensity. Complex and aggressively hopped, and flawlessly balanced.

REMEMBER: Watch for bottled on dates located on the necks or bottom left corner of the label for each of our beers. Our beer is not pasteurized, so it is best when stored at 44F or below, out of light and within 120 days of the bottled on date…this ensures freshness and ultimately a great Firestone Walker beer!
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A revisit to my beginnings where my first time with a double IPA was when I first had this beer. Back then when it was on tap, I could only compare it to the double IPA gold standard which became ruination. However, unlike ruination, this beer was more tropical so in essence, this would become one of my first Tropical double IPA before I started buying actual bottles. This beer is such a great IPA that I honestly think it belongs with in the Triple or maybe borderline Triple IPA style as it seems to get there similar to El Segundo Power Plant. While it may not be as epic, it is still a gold standard in my book for tropical IPAs. I brought this one back since I wanted to show case the new label but also to just re-review this one. This beer is widely distributed wherever they sell Firestone Walker beers. Cheers!

Aromas:
Citrus, Piney, Grapefruit, grassy and floral hops, blue basil herbs, biscuit bread, tropical fruits like dragon fruit, passion fruit, papaya, mango, tangerine, pineapple, lemon peel, caramel, toffee, vanilla, peach, apricot hints, guava hints and apple.

Flavors:
Grapefruit, Citrus and tangerine forward followed the the complex piney, grassy floral and mildly earthy hops, lemon peel, tropical fruits like dragon fruit, passion fruit, honey dew melon hints, papaya, mango, papaya, caramel, biscuit bread, vanilla hints, toffee hints, peach, plum hints, guava, apricot hints, blue basil herbs, dank lychee fruit.

Aftertaste:
Citrus, grapefruit, tangerine, blue basil, some tropics and dry piney bitterness linger. No alcohol in the taste. A sipping beer despite the light body, medium mouthfeel, crisp and refreshing wins everywhere.

Overall:
A perfect Double IPA! If it wasn’t anymore tropical, it would surely be at that triple IPA level. Even with the perfect rating, I can definitely see the rating go even higher to a 5.2 at it’s freshest. This beer was pretty fresh bottled about 3 weeks ago. So I am pretty stuck deciding on the rating. This beer is one of the best IPAs out there bar none. It can definitely go toe to toe with some of the best the world has to offer, hell even against pliny the elder, this is pretty much Pliny the 3rd. Go get this bottle now!!

Anime Corner:
Asuka Langley Sohryu/Shikinami and Rei Ayanami were the original characters I chose for this beer in my original review. Now that there is a new label, so be it as in Eva 3.0 they got the new plugsuits. Bad Ass. Now the reason I chose them has to do with the fact that Asuka and Rei have been a team forever. They are some of my favorite Anime characters. The Citrus and tangerine aspect as well as tropical comes from Asuka as well as the bitterness as that is her attitude. The Blue Basil, herbs, floral and piney hop aspect of the beer fits great with Rei as she has the blue hair going on. So the combination makes up the Double Jack you see here. That and the label pairs well with them as well.

Sources:
http://konachan.com/post/show?md5=70397813128c0b70a5c2c131a0e4b6b1
http://i.imgur.com/xT8Mndi.jpg

Stone 18th Anniversary IPA by Stone Brewing

August 21, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 18th Anniversary Ale, anniversary ale, arrogant bastard, Brown India Pale Ale, DIPA, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, Golden Brown IPA, Imperial India Pale Ale, Imperial IPA, india pale ale, IPA, lemon candy, Rock Candy, Sengoku Saga, Stone 18th Anniversary, Stone Brewing, tropical flavors, Yoshihime | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

Stone 18th Anniversary IPA by Stone Brewing is an 8.5% ABV Golden Brown Double India Pale Ale.

Label:
The Hoppiest Golden-Brown IPA on Earth
The 18-year milestone is a significant one, affording us a brilliant apex from which to employ crystal clear hindsight. Looking back to who we were when we embarked on this humble yet noble journey to the craft the finest of ales, we see a company that, while much , much smaller, was every bit the sincere, bullish, determined entity it remains today. Since Day one, we’ve fostered grand-scale aspirations while stalwartly maintaining long-sightedness firmly fixed on a bevy of goals. From brews extending the idea and definition of what beer can be through their intensity , outlandishness, decadence and refinement; to venues and facilities harnessing and celebrating Earth’s elemental resources; to helping awaken collective consciousness to the great worth of authentically, consciously well-crafted artisanal items; to playing a major tole in bringing together and cementing the bonds of peers within our industry; we have accomplished a great many objectives. But we’re far from done!

As we compose the text for this celebratory beer—a golden-brown India pale ale dry-hopped exclusively and abundantly with El Dorado hops—we stand ready to leap from the precipice of all we know into a new era for our company, our beers and, most importantly, our fans. It’s one that will see us exploring new territory, both geographically and creatively, as we evolve from pacesetters for the American craft brewing movement to cross-planetary champions of the worldwide cause of craft, hoisting our banner to proclaim artisanal beers’ vast superiority over stripped-down, business-driven, industrialized, fizzy, yellow mediocrity. We thank you for shadowing us for the first 18 years of our journey, and welcome you to join us for next leg and all that follows.
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Congratulations to Stone on their 18 year success making a difference and sticking it to the man (tasteless macro beers) and just basically making some really great beers over the years. While some beers have been more unique than others, Stone has bee one of those breweries that is a favorite of mine. Arrogant bastard was one of my first strong gate way ales that lead me to try stronger and stronger beers. While other craft beers like Fat Tire form New Belgium were my gateway, Stone showed me what true beers can really taste like when they are truly potent. Nevertheless, thanks for making the craft community a powerful force that it is today. You along with many others have paved the way to the Beerevolution and the consistent drive to find more rare, lost treasures of taste and experience. Cheers!!

Aromas:
Peaches in pilloncillo sugar cone, Tangerine candy, Cotton candy, mandarin herbal spices, flan hints, dulce de leche caramel, citrus, grassy, piney, floral, herbal and earthy hops, lemon peel, lemon heads,pecan pie, tropical fruits like dragon fruit, mango, stone fruits like apricots, chocolate hints, rock candy, mint, coffee notes, brown sugar and toffee hints.

Flavors:
Peaches in pilloncillo sugar cone, Citrus, grapefruit, grassy, floral, herbal, piney and mild earthy hops, dulce de leche caramel hints, cotton candy, pecan pie, hazelnut hints, Tangerine candy, mandarin herbal spice, orange, strawberry, rock candy, tropical fruits like mango, dragon fruit, passion fruit, honey dew melon, hints of papaya, pineapple, stone fruits like plum, apricot, clove spice, garlic, onion, lemon, rye bread, mint, flan hints, chocolate notes, lemon heads, honey, coffee, butterscotch hints, brown sugar hints and toffee hints.

Aftertaste:
Cotton candy, Tangerine and lemon candy, strawberry,hazelnut, citrus, grapefruit and lots of herbal dank notes linger. No alcohol in the aftertaste, easy to drink, crisp and refreshing, and light to medium golden-brown to amber body.

Overall:
A perfectly delicious and unique IPA. Seems like stone keeps pushing the way toward IPA and hop monsters that truly can be unique in many aspects aside from just being bitter and Arrogant. This is still an IPA while still introducing some sweet unique flavors that are not just tropical or citrus caramel but more nutty, chocolatey, coffee and other fruity varieties. You definitively cannot age this and recommend getting this one for sure. I highly recommend it!

Anime Corner:
Yoshihime from Sengoku Saga by Yamada Rokkaku was used for the Stone 18th Anniversary since I wanted to show several aspects of stone. Let’s start with the label. You have the blue and grey colors that pair well with the the artwork. Second, the gargoyle has always been represented by either a devil like creature or demon but in this case not evil but mainly used to ward off bad flavors of beer. The third is the shogun/general attire. While I have shown Arrogant bastard as being a bushido code samurai and the fact that Stone is a revolutionary, I have given the general attire to many pictures in the past. If you look closely, Asmodeus and Astoroth have similar general attire. While although revealing, the sexyness is only a distraction because what lies within the sweetness is pretty deadly but awesome while taken responsibly of course. This Iron Maiden can be a formidable ally to fighting the war of great flavors but she can also be a double edge sword if taken lightly and not responsibly. Remember that….

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/mohWL.jpg

Grapefruit Sculpin by Ballast Point

August 20, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Bakuretsu Tenshi, Ballast Point, Burst Angel, grapefruit, Grapefruit Sculpin, india pale ale, IPA, JO, World class, world class beers | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

Grapefruit Sculpin by Ballast Point is a 7% ABV World Class India Pale Ale brewed with Grapefruit.

Commercial Description: (BallastPoint.com)
Our Award-winning IPA, with a citrus twist.
Our Grapefruit Sculpin is the latest take on our signature IPA. Some may say there are few ways to improve Sculpin’s unique flavor, but the tart freshness of grapefruit perfectly complements our IPA’s citrusy hop character. Grapefruit’s a winter fruit, but this easy-drinking ale tastes like summer.
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Picked this one up at the www.craftshack.com website. This is the next variant to the Sculpin IPA. I have tried the other variants such as the Habanero Sculpin and the regular one. This time, Ballast Point brings the sweet grapefruit infusion to the mix. I am not sure if this has been done locally at their brewery before but this is rather intriguing for being a world class beer. Let us see if it is just as good as the regular or if it is amped up just a notch. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich Grapefruit, Grapefruit peel, grapefruit hops, floral, piney, grassy and herbal hops, mango, dragon fruit, orange preserves on rye bread, cucumber, biscuit bread, caramel, vanilla, honey, pineapple, stone fruits like apricots and peaches.

Flavors:
Lots of rich grapefruit, grapefruit peel, grapefruit hops, grassy, piney, floral and herbal hops, citrus, apricot, mango peach, orange preserves on rye bread, cucumber, biscuit bread, caramel hints, tangerine, honey, pineapple, dragon fruit, papaya, passion fruit, prickly pear and vanilla hints.

Aftertaste:
Grapefruit still lingers sweet along with the tropical flavors, floral, grassy and herbal hops at the finish. No alcohol in the taste, easy to drink, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel along with a light gold to orange body.

Overall:
Debating on which one I like better will definitely depend on the day and the situation. I love this one just as much as the regular sculpin but I find this one a tad more appealing because of the sweet tropics it provides. It is a winning beer and even if others have taken its title of the best in the world, It won’t change my mind about the fact that this is should be a staple standard for IPAs. Well at least the regular Sculpin. This one is just an awesome bonus. I really enjoy the grapefruit forward that this version of the gold winning sculpin has to offer. You should definitely pick up a 6 pack of this for sure, I highly recommend it.

Anime Corner:
Jo from Bakuretsu Tenshi/Burst Angel was paired with this beer because I wanted to go with the whole white shirt hair bad ass look as I showed with the previous sculpins. While Sculpin fish are supposed to be venomous, Habanero was plain evil while Sculpin was somewhat evil, Jo is quite the opposite. While understanding where she comes from, she has surpassed the previous Sculpins in the sense that she is not evil. She is a better person and wants to protect her friends. While her past shows that she was made for other purposes, the fact that she was able to establish herself as an awesome individual makes for one hell of a beer here. The colors of her pair well with the unleashing of tropical fruit flavors and the unleashing of a grapefruit barrage. Jo is a bad ass femme fatale and that is just about all you need to know about her. So check her out in her series and go get this beer now. Also, the bitterness she represents sometimes only shows her cold side. She is a very sweet person once she opens up though.

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/1712610#full

MechaHopzilla by Nola brewing

August 17, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Akane Yashiro, Citra Hops, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, Godzilla, Hop Monster, Imperial India Pale Ale, IPA, Kaiju, Mecha Godzilla, MechaHopzilla, Nola Brewing, Titanosaurus, Toho | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.5/5

MechaHopzilla by Nola brewing is an 8.8% ABV Imperial India Pale Ale.

Label:
This “Hop Monster” is an American Imperial IPA boasting Bravo, Columbus, Centennial and Citra Hops. Beware of MechaHopzilla’s powerful flavor and it’s attack of half pound per barrel dry-hop aroma. Not for the faint of heart or palate. Hop heads, this one’s for you! Brewed with love, brewed in New Orleans.
___

I love Godzilla and all the other Kaiju monsters! This one is probably my favorite label from the beers I have received thus far in this package from my friend Aaron Mendiola of www.beermetaldude.com. I have heard of a Hopzilla beer and even tried the Dogzilla beer long ago. However, a MechaHopzilla beer, this is freaking awesome! I have no idea what to expect from this beer but since it is an IPA, I can only hope it is a monster of a hoppy beer. Thanks again Aaron and cheers brother!

Aromas:
Grassy, Piney, floral and grapefruit hops, caramel, biscuit bread, tangerine, oranges, lemon peel, tropical fruit hints like mango, papaya, prickly pears, dragon fruit, brown sugar, toffee, orange gummy bears and rye bread.

Flavors:
Grassy, piney, grapefruit, floral and citrus hops, caramel, tangerine, orange preserves on biscuit bread, tropical fruits like guava, papaya, dragon fruit, prickly pear, mango, brown sugar, toffee, orange gummy bears, bubble gum hints, lemon peel, rye bread, peach, apricot and butterscotch hints.

Aftertaste:
Caramel, grassy, pine, grapefruit and tropical hops linger. No alcohol in the taste, a moderate to sipping drinkability, medium body, medium mouth feel as well as crisp and refreshing.

Overall:
This IPA is very good. Aside from the Godzilla and Mecha Godzilla reference, this one truly does work with the caramel and malty aspect of IPAs. The balance of this works while still maintaining a caramel sweetness, the hop complexities definitely make for one really good and hoppy IPA. If you do not like malty and hoppy IPAs, then this one may not be for you. Personally, I enjoy these myself so I recommend it.

Anime Corner:
Akane Yashiro, Titanosaurus and Mecha Godzilla were used in this pairing for the obvious Mecha Godzilla reference. I tried to find something that also pairs with MechaHopzilla’s colors and in this case, it was the Mecha Gozilla III’s shoulder cannons. The fact that it comes in can also helps the pairing out so well. The bitterness is definitely represented by Mecha Gozilla’s onslaught.

Speaking of which, it turns out that Toho had sued Nola over this beer. I hope they can still use the reference because honestly, this is one bad ass monster of a beer!
http://www.fox8live.com/story/23392839/toho-sues-nola-brewing-over-mechahopzilla-beer

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/CLTMzsY.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/bVrKySg.jpg

Hopitoulas IPA by Nola brewing

August 17, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Hatsune Miku, Hopitoulas, Hopzilla, india pale ale, IPA, Nola Brewing, vocaloid | Leave a comment

Rating: 4/5

Hopitoulas IPA by Nola brewing is a 6.5% ABV India Pale Ale.

Label:
Houpitoulas is the product of our Brewmaster Peter ‘Hopzilla’ Caddoo’ 30 plus years of brewing experience and overall love for IPA’s. Created at our Tchoupitoulas Street brewery, our dry-hopped India Pale Ale was hand crafted with six malts and six hops to accentuate aromas of citrus and pine. We think you’ll taste the passion and dedication that has gone into this brew. Brewed with love, brewed in New Orleans.
___

A sweet an awesome offering from my friend Aaron at www.beermetaldude.com. This beer is the first I try from Nola brewing. I was was honored with this one and the MechaHopzilla which I will review at a later time. I wanted to start early with this one since I had not had a regular IPA since I received the awesome goods from Aaron. This is a basic IPA and from the many IPAs I have always had, I always try to put them in a category of more tropical, caramel maltiness, grassy dank or just floral and herbal. Let us see where this one goes to. Cheers!

Aromas:
Floral, grassy, pine, and grapefruit hops, sweet caramel, vanilla, honey, biscuit bread, apples, toffee, tangerine, rye bread, toffee, caramel, gummy bears, mango and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Floral, grassy, piney and grapefruit hops, caramel, tropical fruit mango, rye bread, honey, vanilla, citrus, tangerine, toffee, biscuit bread, mango, pecans and mandarin spread.

Aftertaste:
Tropical fruits, caramel, mango, rye bread, grassy and grapefruit hop lingers. No alcohol in the taste, light to medium body, easy to medium drinkability, crisp and refreshing.

Overall:
A very good IPA. This one goes along the more maltier side of IPAs. In terms of the caramel maltiness is stronger with this one than the hops yet the hoppy goodness is still there. If you love stronger dank hoppy IPAs, this may not be yours but there may be a level of appreciation if you are a not a comple hop head. Hops aren’t everything and hence the reason I love to be open minded about beers.

Anime Corner:
Vocaloid Hatsune Miku was used to pair with the label and the name of the beer. The beer almost sounds like the name of a city. In pairing with the label, I chose this one as it pairs with the city on her helmet like the bridge on the label and the name. The oval shapes and colors basically. You can also say that some of the brews tropical hints are represented in the colors of her little red friend there. Her eyes also pair well with the colors of the label too.

Sources:
http://www.wallpaperup.com/uploads/wallpapers/2014/07/01/383234/9819a15fd51da96f55cc8378eb8cc509.jpg

Devil Dancer by Founders brewing

August 9, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Devil Dancer, Founders Brewing, india pale ale, IPA, Panty & Stocking, PSG, Scanty, Scanty and Kneesocks, Tripel India Pale Ale, Triple IPA | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

Devil Dancer by Founders brewing is a 12% ABV Triple India Pale Ale.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Founders most complex, most innovative, most feared and yet most revered ale produced. Massive in complexity the huge malt character balances the insane amount of alpha’s used to create this monster. More IBU’s than any brewery has documented, more than you would believe and dry-hopped for twenty-six days straight with a combination of 10 hop varieties. Dangerously drinkable and deliciously evil. We dare you to dance with the Devil. 112 IBUs.
___

There is no way we here at California can get Founders beers regularly as well as the central states in the U.S. They pop up very far few and between. Thanks to Aaron Mendiola at www.beermetaldude.com, we bring you a doozey of an IPA. This one from Founder brewing is probably their arsenal at the plinys and headys of the world. At a really heavy, 12% ABV, this is probably the strongest IPAs I have had right next to the 18% 120 Minute IPA from Dogfish Head. Well, without further ado, here is the review, cheers!

Aromas:
Dark cherries, grapefruit, piney, herbal and floral hops, caramel, toffee, dark fruit hints, some tropics such as passion fruit, dragon fruit, papaya, peach, biscuit bread, rye bread, vanilla, lemon zest, blood oranges, dank hop oils and maple syrup.

Flavors:
Dark Cherries, dark fruit raisins, figs, rye bread, grapefruit, floral and earthy hops, toffee, caramel, vanilla, biscuit bread, honey, blood oranges, old mango, passion fruit, dragon fruit, papaya, peach hints, lemons, maple syrup and hop oils.

Aftertaste:
Caramel, dark cherries, citrus, honeygrapefruit, piney and earthy hops. No alcohol in the taste. Sipping drinkability but yet smooth and easy at the same time. Syrupy mouth feel, full body, crisp and refreshing.

Overall:
One of the strongest Triple IPAs I have ever tried for sure. This one is mainly on the malty and yet hoppy side showing a good amount of uncommon fruity complexities which make this one pretty unique. The potency of the beer makes it like you are drinking tropical hop and caramel oils. I really enjoyed this one and I do think this takes its place well up there with the plinys and Headys for sure. I definitely recommend this one for sure. Thanks Again Aaron.

Anime Corner:
Scanty from Panty & Stocking was used in this pairing because I wanted to pair with the colors and the devil dancer name. Scanty is a demon that fights with her sister Kneesocks against the angels Panty and Stocking. During their transformation sequence from formal attire, they pretty much strip like exotic dancers. Therefore, the name and the pairing stuck. Also, the fact that Scanty is obviously awesome.

Sources:
http://chitanime.3bb.ru/uploads/0000/0a/4a/33891-3-f.jpg

NightTime by Lagunitas

July 28, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Black India, black ipa, DayTime, Fear of The Dark, Fear The Dark, IPA, Lagunitas, Lagunitas Brewing, NightTime, tropical IPA | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.05/5

NightTime by Lagunitas is an 8.2% ABV Black India Pale Ale.

Label:
Fear The Dark

There are two kinds. There is the DayTime kind, which is bright and welcoming and then there is the NightTime kind, which should never be confused with the DayTime. NightTime is dark and deep and may take you to unexpected places, places that the DayTime cannot. But then, the NightTime is not suited for ordinary life and ordinary tasks. In fact, NightTime may be the answer for that sort of thing, meaning that those sorts of things may never get done. Things take time in the NightTime, things slow down and you can pause (you have to, actually) and investigate carefully to find that level of objective detachment that is only possible under the spell of the NightTime. Seek the Day, but fear not the Night.
___

Got this one at craftshack.com at a very low price. I have heard many people talking about how great his beer was and how it was unlike usual Black IPAs because it was more like a regular IPA than most. I have had similar beers that changed perceptions in the past, mainly Black Racer from Bear Republic. So I figured I give this one a go and see what was up with the commotion. This one should be readily available where ever they sell Lagunitas beers. Cheers!!

Aromas:
Lots of Tropical fruits, guava, papaya, prickly pear, dragon fruit, peach, pineapple, mango, chocolate, piney grassy, rich grapefruit and earthy hops, anise, molasses hints, citrus, dank garlic and onion notes, brown sugar, citrus, lemon peel, hints of vanilla, tangerine, gummy bears and passion fruit.

Flavors:
Very much tropical fruits for a Black IPA. Mango,papaya, pineapple, passion fruit, guava, peaches, cherries, strawberries, dragon fruit, dark chocolate, caramel, biscuit bread, brown sugar, citrus, hints of anise, molasses hints, hints of vanilla, cola notes, floral notes, hints of smoke, dank garlic and onion notes, tangerine, gummy bears and lemon peel.

Aftertaste:
Earthy hops, chocolate, smokey hints, rich tropical fruits like pineapple, papaya, and guava hints .No alcohol in the taste, black as night appearance, easy to moderate drinkability, crisp and refreshing despite the appearance with a full mouth feel.

Overall:
This beer does not drink like Black IPA, it drinks like a very delicious double IPA with Black appearances. This beer is freaking amazing. Lagunitas really knows their stuff in the IPA department. Tropical beers are my thing and like Black Racer, this one was just like that one but this one had a lot of tropics to it despite being a dark IPA. If you were to smother a bit of chocolate sweetness unto a plentiful tropical punch with ofcourse the IPA grassy bitterness, you would be close to what this beer has to offer. NightTime is freaking insane. Appearances can be deceiving but in this case they are doing it in a great way.

Anime Corner:
Original Character by dj.adonis was used in this pairing for several reasons. I paired this beer with the character because I wanted to show the aspect of NightTime and the colors of the label partially. As you can see, many sleep in the night (closed eyes), but this character with the night time background and the crimson bloody moon represent that fruit punch tropical aspect you get this this beer. Her weapons shown only make that more dangerous. As I have said before, about looks being deceiving, you should definitely “Fear The Dark” as stated in this bottle because you will be mesmerized by her beauty only to be deceived but experience bliss before your downfall…

Sources:
http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2014-07-13-660632.jpeg

DUDE by Oceanside Ale Works

July 28, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged DIPA, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, DUDE, Dude IPA, Hope, IPA, Oceanside Ale Works, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, The Big LAbowski, Yoko Littner, Yoko Ritona | 2 Comments

Rating: 3.75/5

DUDE by Oceanside Ale Works is a 9.4% ABV Double India Pale Ale.

Label:
Dude – a slang expression of emphasis, amazement, and wave. Through the intense aromas , strong and complex hop flavor , this double IPA will unconsciously make you bellow out a thunderous “dude”. Enjoy!
___

Got this one at the local shop down the street where I live. I have not seen this brewery or this beer so I am definitely thinking this is new stuff. I am always up for trying new beers so I figured let’s give it a chance. Besides, the dude on the label almost looks like the big labowski, the dude!

Aromas:
Very herbal, grassy, piney, floral and grapefruit hops notes, citrus, vanilla hints, biscuit bread, very bitter grains, caramel, tangerine hints and gummy bear hints.

Flavors:
More on the herbal and dank side of an IPA. Citrus, grapefruit, grassy, piney, herbal and floral hops, dark onion and garlicky notes, caramel biscuit bread, vanilla hints, bitter grains, tangerine, gummy bear hints and tiny hints peach.

Aftertaste:
Herbal, grassy and grapefruit hops linger with a good amount of dark piney and garlic notes. No alcohol in the taste and has a moderate drinkability with close to medium mouth feel and appearance. It is quite crisp and refreshing though.

Overall:
A good beer overall. Kick ass label for sure but if you like herbal and bitter IPAs then this one is good. Not a lot of complexity but just enough to keep stuff interesting. Not the supreme best double IPA I have had, but in terms of double IPAs I would at least give this one a try. You may actually like this one. This one is definitely for the super hop heads.

Anime Corner:
Yoko Littner from Tengen Toppa Gurren Laggan was used in this pairing mainly to pair with the beer label. I wanted to get something that would go with the whole sunglasses and the colors of the dude looking bad ass! Yoko definitely looks like a bad ass in these pictures.

Sources:
http://www.zerochan.net/657475
http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/075/d/5/yoko_littner_hd_wallpaper_1440x900_by_labotaze-d5y86qe.jpg

Tree Shaker by Odell Brewing

July 1, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Colorado beer, Hinanawi Tenshi, india pale ale, IPA, Odell Brewing, Peach, Touhou, Tree Shaker | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Tree Shaker by Odell Brewing is a 10.1% ABV Imperial Peach India Pale Ale.

Label:
Colorado…we really love your peaches, wanna shake your tree! Tree Shaker Imperial IPA was brewed with 3000 pounds of pureed Colorado peaches. The bright citrus hop character and subtle fruity sweetness will get your feet tapping and your taste buds dancing. 9.7% to 10.1%.
___

Another special shout to my good friend Aaron in Texas, beer connoisseur at www.beermetaldude.com, for hooking me up with another awesome beer. This time it is a Double IPA brewed with peaches. I would believe the peach flavors would be something seen in like a Belgian style. I have had many IPAs but I think this the very first time I had one with peaches. Let’s check it out!

Aromas:
Rich Peach aromas, flowers, grassy, floral, and piney hops are subtled by the tropical fruits of apricot, mango, pineapple, plums, tangerines, grapefruits, oranges, coriander, biscuit bread, strawberries, blueberries, honey, hints of peppercorns, honeydew melon, waffle cone, vanilla and caramel.

Flavors:
Rich peaches, apricots, plums, stone fruits, flowers, grapefruits, citrus, grassy, piney and floral hops, tropical fruits like pineapple, tangerines, mango, honeydew melons, strawberries, blueberries, vanilla, caramel, honey, coriander spice, peppercorn hints, honey, waffle cone, grapes, apples and dank herbal hops hints as well.

Aftertaste:
Peach, stone fruit, citrus, tropics, grapefruit hops and vanilla linger in the finish. No alcohol in the taste despite the ABV. A sipping yet smooth, refreshing and crisp beer with like an almost syrupy mouth feel.

Overall:
Hot damn! What a great beer. This beer drinks more to the Belgian Pale Ale than an IPA. However, there are many aspects especially the middle of the mouth hop presence that keeps reminding you, it is an IPA. I guess in terms of a Belgian IPA, it is not full bodied so it wouldn’t count there. I like fruit beers and this one was freaking amazing. Odell is a rarity here in California and there is no way in hell I would have known about this awesome beer’s existence. Thanks again Aaron, you really come through for me brother, cheers!

Anime Corner:
Hinanawi Tenshi from the Touhou series was used in this pairing to represent the tree shaker. She carries peaches on head which probably fell from the tree. She represents the peach and berry tropics that this beer brings to the table.

Sources:
http://anime-pictures.net/pictures/get_image/335403-1144×1600-touhou-hinanawi+tenshi-rayxray-long+hair-single-tall+image.jpg
http://www.zerochan.net/468447

Death By Hops by Smog City brewing

June 16, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged city of torrance california, Death by Hops, DIPA, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, india pale ale, IPA, passion fruit, Ranma 1/2, Shampoo, Smog City, Smog City brewing, Torrance, Xian pu | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.8/5

Death By Hops by Smog City brewing is a 9.3% ABV Double India Pale Ale.

Released recently at the brewery exclusively, I wanted to pick up this beer to give it a review but mainly to get a growler as well. This is Smog City’s first Double IPA. I have reviewed El Segundo’s Tripple IPA from a growler before so I figured I give Smog’s DIPA a shot too as a lot of Smog City’s beers are awesome.

Aromas:
Dank grassy, floral, piney and grapefruit hops, citrus, dank garlicky, oniony, oily hop scents, biscuit bread, some tropical notes like, tangerine preserves, caramel, toffee, passion fruit, kiwi, prickly pear and berry notes.

Flavors:
Grassy, Grapefruit, floral, pine and herbal hop dankness, citrus, tangerine preserves, tropical notes like mango, kiwi, prickly pear, passion fruit, biscuit bread, garlic and onion dankness, caramel, toffee, berries and honey.

Aftertaste:
Lingering citrus with lots of piney hop goodness and dank hop resin. No alcohol in the taste. A sipping beer but very crisp and refreshing.

Overall:
A very good beer if you like your Double IPAs grassy and herbal with not overpowering tropics. Personally I enjoy more tropical IPAs but this one has enough to keep me interested so the flavors work really well here. It is also very damn fresh so the freshness really helps. The hops really resonate in all aspects of the beer. Worth stopping by again for another growler fill of this!

Anime Corner:
Shampoo from Ranma½ was used in this pairing since I got the crazy idea of linking Death by Hops to Death by Snu-Snu from the Futurama episode “Amazon Woman in the Mood”. In that episode, the main characters travel to a planet where it is ruled by Amazonian women and when they have men around, they kill them by snu-snu which is essentially having their pelvic regions crushed while having sex with these womanly giants. Shampoo, according to the Ranma show is actually an Amazonian woman herself. In the picture we see her almost looking like a giant looking down at the beer and the drinker. Meaning she will kill you!! Also, along with the second picture, when I meant to say she is a killer, well yes!! So if death by snu snu is related to Shampoo, then Shampoo killing is Death by Shampoo or Death by Hops!

Sources:
https://1-media-cdn.foolz.us/ffuuka/board/a/image/1335/86/1335864780033.jpg
http://www.zerochan.net/289079

Collective Distortion IPA collaboration by Kyle Hollingsworth, Keri Kelli & Stone Brewing

June 5, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Collaboration Beer, Collective Ditstortion, Coriander, Double India Pale Ale, Elderberries, Hatsune Miku, india pale ale, IPA, Kagamine Rin \ Len, Keri Kelli, Kyle Hollingsworth, Luka Megurine, Stone Brewing, vocaloid | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.75/5

Collective Distortion IPA collaboration by Kyle Hollingsworth, Keri Kelli & Stone Brewing is a 9.3% ABV Double India Pale Ale brewed with Elderberries and Coriander.

Label:
In bringing together artisans from disparate aural planes, one might expect an offbeat, feedback-warped cacophony, shrill to the point of unlistenable. Yet, by inviting Kyle Hollingsworth, keyboardist for eclectic, jam-prone sextet, The String Cheese Incident, and Keri Kelli, wailing rock guitarist of Alice Cooper fame, we were able to make truly beautiful music. Turns out, these musicians have a great deal in common, both with each other and with Stone. We all enjoy turning things up to 11, and that is represented in this collaborative offering, an imperial India pale ale ably backed by Nugget, Comet and Calypso hops, and amplified care of a healthy dry-hopping with Vic’s Secret, a new Australian hop, adding citrus and tropical fruit oomph. To give this modern masterpiece some soulful, classic character, we traced the roots of brewing to the days when Old World herbs were used to spice beers, adding in coriander and, a first for us, elderberries. To stand up to that sumptuous spice and blaring bitterness, we added golden naked oats, which are lightly roasted and add body and enhanced mouthfeel to the brew like a steady, unbreakable backbeat to an incendiary jam solo. Sit back, crank the volume and get lost in this operatic incarnation of genres combined in the name of invention.

“Both in music and in brewing one has to take risks to reap great rewards, and with this beer w brought both worlds together to create a tour de force”
Kyle Hollingsworth // Keyboardist & Homebrewer

“When people try this beer, I want them to really get that hop hit and have it be something powerful for them.”
Keri Kelli // Lead Guitarist & Publican

“This beer rocks, just like Kyle and Keri. Great music and great beer-it doesn’t get any better than this!”
Mitch Steele // Rhythm Guitarist & Stone Brewmaster
___

Got this one at Total Wine in Redondo Beach. Following Suede, this is the next up in the list of many collaboration beers. I really did not plan to pick this one up but while I was at the store, I said to myself, oh well. Let us see what this brings forth. So I said fuck it, let’s get a review going. Let’s see how this one fairs. There is a lot of rock inspiration that went into this one for sure.

Aromas:
Grassy, Piney, grapefruit hops, along with grapes, citrus, elderberries, mango, pineapple, kiwi, lychee, apricot, dragon fruit, toffee, caramel, lemon zest, coriander spice, tangerine and biscuit bread.

Flavors:
Grapefruit, grassy, floral, herbal and citrus hops, dank garlic, onion notes, grape, elderberries, cranberries, caramel, biscuit bread, toffee, tangerine, coriander spice, cherries, flowers, pineapple, mango, kiwi, lychee, dragon fruit, honey, apricot, toasted rye bread, flowers and oatmeal notes.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with a berry, herbal and dank bitter aftertaste. No alcohol in the taste, a sipping beer with a medium mouth feel. Refreshing and crisp.

Overall:
This beer is very delicious. The IPA herbal hops shine at the colder temperatures while sweet berry nectar and tropical punch flavors come out as it warms up. Definitely a beer with great transition of flavors as it goes along. I like berry beers and IPAs. This balance of flavors works together well. If it was up to me, I would add more berries but that is just me and my sweet tooth beer talk lol!

Anime Corner:
Using the Hatsune Miku crew(vocaloids Rin Kagamine, Hatsune Miku, Len Kagamine and Megurine Luka) was definitely good to show case a musical collaborative between rock stars and home brewers and basically something that pairs well with the whole rock aspect. This beer is also fruity so I wanted to show some of the colors of the fruit flavors from the beer. This is what I got and plainly, it was awesome! What do you guys think of this one?

Sources:
http://e-shuushuu.net/images/2013-10-04-610123.jpeg

Habanero Sculpin by Ballast Point

June 5, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Ballast Point, Chile beer, Habanero Peppers, Habanero Sculpin, india pale ale, IPA, Kill-LA-Kill, Kushina, Naruto, Ragyo Kyurin, Red Hot-Blooded Habanero, Sculpin, Sculpin fish, Sculpin IPA, World class | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.75/5

Habanero Sculpin by Ballast Point is a 7% ABV World Class India Pale Ale brewed with Habanero Peppers

Description: (http://www.ballastpoint.com/beer/sculpin-with-habanero/)
Our popular IPA, with a punch of heat.
Our Sculpin IPA is a great example of what got us into brewing in the first place. After years of experimenting, we knew hopping an ale at five separate stages would produce something special. The result ended up being this gold-medal winning IPA, whose inspired use of hops creates hints of apricot, peach, mango and lemon flavors, but still packs a bit of a sting, just like a Sculpin fish.
___

Ballast Point finally decided to get this beer out to the masses. I have had this beer plenty of times before and let me put it this way, I can already tell you that this one is HOT!! So basically, if you don’t like heat driven beers, or chile in general, there is a high chance you will not like this. So yes, this is a chili head type of beer basically. However, it is not just a pure heat beer, it definitely has a great amount of complexity provided by the original sculpin.

Aromas:
Grapefruit, grassy, floral and piney hops with habanero chile pepper in the aromas. Yes, that means this ones hot, A warning. The aromas follow up with mango, papaya, dragon fruit, citrus, apricot, peach, caramel, biscuit bread, cucumber, hibiscus, tangerine, bell pepper, pineapple and honey.

Flavors:
Forward Habanero heat but the flavors of the sculpin IPA pull through. Caramel, biscuit bread, honey, cantaloupe, cucumber, flowers, grapefruit, pine resin, grassy hops, tangerine, mango, citrus, papaya, dragon fruit, apricot, peach , passion fruit, candied mandarin orange and mild rye.

Aftertaste:
He searing heat keeps on burning but dissipates unlike crime and punishment from stone. Caramel, pineapple, grassy and grapefruit hops linger. No alcohol in the taste but while this is crisp and refreshing, it is a highly sipping beer.

Overall:
Great Beer if you love IPAs and chile beers. The heat varies in each bottle and in this case, these are fucking HOT!!. I really had to take my time with this one. The heat dissipates as the beer gets warmer since I believe the sweet tropical fruits kind of mellow some of the heat. Highly recommended if you love chile beers or chile in general. This is best paired with something to eat as drinking this on an empty stomach….well… lets just say I warned you. If you like regular Sculpin, this is good to try but like I said, stick to regular sculpin if you don’t like the heat.

Anime Corner:
This one’s one mother of a beer. Like the previous Sculpin which I did with Terese Rose, it represents a delicate flower like the fish. But test it out, you will find that this flower is deadly!! Ragyo Kyuruin from Kill La Kill and Kushina “Bloody Habaneo” Uzumaki from Naruto are the mothers of the main characters, Ryuko Matoi and Satsuki Kyuruin and Naruto Uzumaki respectively but different series. Ragyo’s colors represent the tropics and beauty that is brought forth in this tropical IPA but she also brings death and destruction which is represented by the heat. Kushina is very kind and sweet but when she gets mad, she unleashes all hell, hence why they gave her the nickname, “Bloody Habanero”. I can’t stress how awesome, beautiful but deadly this beer is. Patience is key!

Sources:
http://cs618417.vk.me/v618417231/4b17/8QEd1B3jW_w.jpg
http://31.media.tumblr.com/844e72c621c85d99eecc19a625b2becb/tumblr_n21s1uKGtm1rxojvro2_1280.jpg
http://static.tumblr.com/5896fa2eabf96eadc51f04bf373d8ef1/qgfktsz/YrTn1sh3u/tumblr_static_c45290ab1faddebe43e90c5ac766676b.pnghttp://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/223/5/9/kushina_uzumaki__childhood__by_shinoharaa-d5as14l.png

The Devil Within DIPA by Iron Fire

June 4, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Double Imperial Pale Ale, Double IPA, dragon fruit, IPA, Iron Fire, passion fruit, stone fruit, stone fruit flavors, The Devil Within DIPA, tropical fruits | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

The Devil Within DIPA by Iron Fire is a 9.5% ABV Double India Pale Ale.

Label:
ALES FOR OUTLAWS
Upon first quaff, Devilish amounts of hops assault you with citrus and stone fruit flavors and aroma. Add in just the right amount of malt to bring this beast of a DIPA to 9.5% alcohol by volume and what you get is an ale that is sure to bring out the demon in any outlaw. Be sure to call your exorcist before imbibing, for the devil within will soon become the devil without.
___

My friend Aaron told me about picking this beer up for a beer trade. I got him one but I figured, what the hell, I will give it a try to see watsup too so I got an extra bottle. This beer is pretty new and it seems to be holding its own among some of the great IPA and DIPAs in the world. Let’s see just how much this bad ass of a beer really is.

Aromas:
Lots of tropical fruits, mango, papaya, pineapple, dragon fruit, kiwi, passion fruit, prickly pear, tangerine, oranges, grassy, piney and grapefruit hops, honey dew melon, caramel, biscuit bread, stone fruit like apricot, peaches, lychee, tangerine marmalade, lemon zest, floral notes and toffee.

Flavors:
Definitely a rush of tropics, mango, papaya, pineapple, stone fruit lychees, apricot, plum notes, peach, dragon fruit, kiwis, prickly pear, caramel, toffee, biscuit bread, gummy bears, tangerine marmalade, oranges, honey dew melon, cantaloupe and guava.

Aftertaste:
Hoppy Bitterness in the finish with lots of tropical fruits lingering, caramel, grapefruit, honey dew melon and biscuit bread. No alcohol in the taste, a medium to sipping beer. It is very refreshing and crisp with a medium mouthfeel.

Overall:
A perfect IPA with the best representation of it’s style. Pin pointing a difference from other delicious IPAs is a difficult task but since I like tropical IPAs, just expect this one to be more tropical than grassy, malty or dank like some other IPAs go. So definitely highly recommended if tropical IPAs. This one is great!

Anime Corner:
Original character from Yone Kazuki, Dark Summoner by Masamune Shirow, and original character from Himoto Onoki were used in this pairing to pair with the label showing the skeleton and the devil . Mainly showing the devil within as how even as you have good in you you also have the other half which can do evil. So this beer aspires to unleash holy hell and a demon within but for me, this bitter sweet collision is one that is mainly one of balance. A lot of sweet tropical aspects along with bitter hoppy finish.

Source:
http://konachan.com/post/show/149656
http://www.a-tm.co.jp/news/service/2013/05/01dark_gw.html
http://www.zerochan.net/570333

30th Anniversary Collaboration No. 1 Blacklight IPA by Widmer Brothers and Boneyard Brewing

May 15, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 30th Anniversary, anniversary ale, Anniversary Collaboration, Black Ale, Black India Pale Ale, Blacklight, Blacklight IPA, Boneyard, Boneyard Brewing, Collaboration Beer, hop varieties, india pale ale, IPA, Oregon, Pixiv Fantasia, Session beer, Widmer Brothers, Widmer Brothers Brewing | Leave a comment

Rating: 3.5/5

30th Anniversary Collaboration No. 1 Blacklight IPA by Widmer Brothers and Boneyard Brewing is a Session Black India Pale Ale

Label:
Blacklight IPA is a bold, hop-forward session style black ale from Oregon’s Boneyard Beer and Widmer Brothers Brewing.

Brewed with a heavy dose of five different hop varieties and stained black as night with cold-steeped dark malts, this beer hits huge hop flavor and aroma without the heave roast and harsh bitterness suggested by its color.
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Picked this one up online from the bringonthebeer.com as a recommended by my friend, Aaron of www.beermetaldude.com, I got a bottle for myself to see what this one is about. One of the things this beer has going for it is that it says it brings forth great flavors even at a low ABV. This beer is number 1 out of 6 beers that will be collaborated this year with other Oregon breweries for Widmer’s 30th anniversary.

Aromas:
Grassy, Piney, grapefruit hops, tropical fruit notes like mango, roasted malts, molasses and brown sugar.

Flavors:
Grapefruit, piney, grassy and earthy hops, citrus, roasted malt notes, molasses hints, honey dew hints, tropical fruit notes, toffee and caramel.

Aftertaste:
Dry finish with some malt and earthy notes lingering. Easy to drink with no alcohol in the taste.

Overall:
This one is decently good. It has enough piney hop goodness in the aromas and flavors with hints of molasses to keep it interesting. At the same ABV, as say, oh I don’t know, bud light?! This one is pretty impressive. Give it shot and see what you think.

Anime Corner:
Original character by Pixiv Fantasia was used in this pairing since I wanted to use the owl from the label but as well pair some of the colors as well. The Blacklight aspect of the beer is also shown with the character unleashing the light of darkness, if that makes any sense. Either way, it looks pretty cool.

Ninja VS. Unicorn by Pipeworks Brewing

April 29, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Bleach, Double India Pale Ale, IPA, MLP, Ninja Vs. Unicorn, passion fruit, Pipeworks Brewing, rainbow dash, Unicorn, Yoruichi Shihouin | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.3/5

Ninja VS. Unicorn by Pipeworks Brewing is a 9% ABV Double India Pale Ale.

Label:
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.
Batch# 328/39/40
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Obtained this little gem at wlvliquors.com. This is nowhere in California but is a common in Chicago. I have heard great things about this beer and the artwork as well as the beer intrigued me to get this one and do a review on it.

Aromas:
An immense amount of tropical fruits! Peaches, Lychees, Grapefruits, oranges, tangerines, dragon fruit, kiwis, prickly pear, strawberry, mango, passion fruit, apples, papaya, apricot, orange gummy bears, coconut, piney, grassy, floral and herbal hops, caramel, biscuit bread, mild garlic notes, toffee, lemon peel, pine resin and mild rye.

Flavors:
The tropics continue with Lychee, peaches, apricot, oranges, tangerines, dragon fruit, passion fruit, prickly pear, strawberries, mango, passion fruit, papaya, coconut, apples, orange marmalade on biscuit bread, toffee, caramel, herbal, floral, grapefruit and piney hops, lemon peel, garlic dankness, lemon peels, rye, guava jelly, honey and hints of flan.

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:
Holy shit!, this is incredible! Almost everything about this beer is insane! It reminds me of the Power Plant Triple IPA from El Segundo Brewing but this one is just super duper tropic centrifuge. This beer is pretty damn insane. I love tropical sweet IPAs and this one has a shit ton of tropics that makes it hard to pinpoint all the flavors.

Anime Corner:
Yoruichi Shihouin from Bleach and Rainbow Dash from MLP were used in this pairing 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.

Proprietor’s Reserve Series Wookey Jack by Firestone Walker

April 29, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Balthier, Black Rye IPA, Chewbacca, dark chocolate, Final Fantasy XII, Firestone Walker, Fran, han solo, IPA, proprietor's reserve, rye bread, rye ipa, Star Wars, Star Wars beer, Wookey Jack, Wookie Jack, World class, World Class Black Rye India Pale Ale | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Proprietor’s Reserve Series Wookey Jack by Firestone Walker is an 8.3% ABV World Class Black Rye India Pale Ale.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION:
Wookey Jack is our first foray into the dark outer world of black IPAs. Rich dark malts and spicy rye careen into bold citrus laden hops creating a new dimension in IPA flavor. This brew has been left unfiltered and unfined to retain all of its texture and character. At 60 IBUs, Wookey Jack is gnarly on the outside yet complex and refined on the inside.
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Considered to the 4th Best American Black Ale in the world by Beeradvocate.com. I have tried the majority of the common Firestone Walker beers but I have always skipped this one for one reason or another. Well, I finally decided to go with it and give it a shot. My friend Aaron recommended I should try it. He’s over there in Texas and I’m in California. Yeah I know, I’ve been living under a rock right? HA! Any ways, here is the review. The cool thing about this one, is that it has that star wars reference too.

Aromas:
Piney, earthy, grapefruit and grassy hops, dark chocolate, rye bread, roasted barley, caramel, slight smoke, tropical fruits like mango, kiwi and papaya, brown sugar, molasses, notes of dark fruits, anise and biscuit bread.

Flavors:
Herbal, piney, earthy grapefruit and grassy hops, anise, caramel, dark chocolate, rye bread, tropical fruits, pineapple, apricot, old mango, papaya, kiwi, molasses, campfire smoke, roasted barley, toffee, biscuit bread, notes of dark fruit plums and oranges.

Aftertaste:
Piney and earthy hop bitterness with surprisingly lingering tropical flavor, caramel, smoke and chocolate. No alcohol in the taste, moderate to sipping drinkability with medium to full mouth feel.

Overall:
One of the best Black Rye IPAs for sure. It really reminds you about the fact that it is an IPA first and foremost before it gives you the dark sweet aspects. While the hops aren’t super dank, they definitely help the beer so it doesn’t feel, too bitter, too sweet or too smokey. Well made beer and definitely one that is underrated. This beer is phenomenal and I hope this review convinces you to try this one. It is a great example of the style.

Anime Corner:
Fran and Balthier from Final Fantasy XII were used in this pairing since I wanted to get the whole Chewbacca and Han Solo aspect of star wars but I wanted to related to anime and video games. Which lead me to Fran and Balthier. It is pretty crazy how good partners they are in the game that you can tell they took the them right out of star wars. Yes, I was going with the whole, Fran is a wookie but not yet she is like Chewbacca partnering with Han Solo. Either way, flavors and label of the beer also compliment their colors as she is a smoking hot chocolate bunny. There I said it lol.

Blakkr collaboration by 3 Floyds, Surly and Real Ale Brewing

April 16, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged 3 Floyds, black ipa, Blakkr, collaboration, Imperial Black IPA, india pale ale, IPA, Real Ale Brewing, surly, Three Floyds | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Blakkr collaboration by 3 Floyds, Surly and Real Ale Brewing is a 9.99% ABV Imperial Black India Pale Ale.

Label:
This double black as night IPA is too massive for just one brewery’s efforts. Blakkr took the trinity of Real Ale Brewing Co., Surly Brewing Co. & Three Floyds Brewing Co. to actualize this crushing ale. Cheers.
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A special gift from my friend Aaron at beermetaldude.com. I was looking forward to trying this one for a long time and wondered how I would get it as the breweries that were involved in this project are very popular to the point where their beer is hard to find. I have yet to find the 22 oz. bomber of this beer but I am very thankful that the cans were readily available near where my friend Aaron lives. This beer was something I didn’t expect as a gift but because my friend was thoughtful, we now can have a review for the site. Thank you once again brother, many cheers!! I look forward to finding the 22 oz. bombers of this for our sites. This version is the Real Ale version of the beer that comes in cans. There is another canned version by Surly and the 22oz. By 3 Floyds. So hopefully we can find it.

Aromas:
Earthy hops, citrus, tropical fruit like melon and pineapples, toffee, roasted barley, campfire smoke, dark chocolate, dark fruits, herbs, spices, rye, brown sugar hints, molasses and anise.

Flavors:
Earthy, grassy, piney and herbal hops, dark roasted barley, caramel, dark chocolate, smokey campfire, marshmallows, old raisins, tropical fruits like melon and mango, citrus, pineapple, rye bread, molasses, anise, coffee and tangerine marmalade on toast.

Aftertaste:
Earthy and piney hops linger with the smokey and roasted barley as well as citrus and caramel. No alcohol in the taste and very smooth despite having a medium to full mouth feel. A sipping yet very drinkable beer.

Overall:
Well played fellas, Very Well played. The Trio of beers strikes with this black gold drink. A very damn good Black IPA full of balanced flavors sneaking in the tropical and hoppy aspects of the IPA and the smokey malty and sweetness that does not over power the IPA character but guides it. Definitely worth trying if you can find this Real Ale or any of the other versions for sure.

Anime Corner:
Dark Warrior Girl and Angel and Demons original artwork pieces were used to pair with Blakkr since I wanted show the similarities in the art as it pairs with the three headed demon that was created by by the collaboration. I also wanted to pair with the 3 collaborators themselves as their breweries and beer always has a hint of darkness and evil. Excellent stuff guys!

Endeavour IPA² (a.k.a Divine Reserve #11) by Saint Arnold Brewing of Texas

March 6, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged Centennial, columbus hops, DIPA, Divine Reserve, Divine Reserve # 11, Double India Pale Ale, Endeavour IPA², Hops, Imperial IPA, IPA, Saint Arnold, Saint Arnold Brewing of Texas, Simcoe, Texas | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Endeavour IPA² (a.k.a Divine Reserve #11) by Saint Arnold Brewing of Texas is a 8.9% ABV Double/Imperial India Pale Ale brewed with Simcoe, Centennial & Columbus hops.

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION (Ratebeer.com)
The color is deep amber with a light, creamy head. The nose starts off with a touch of citrus but then turns decidedly into peaches. The taste starts off with creamy malt resulting from the pale 2 row and caramel malts and Saint Arnold yeast. The hop bitter starts low then builds to a crescendo, but always maintains a balance even in its big finish. The hop flavor continues to be peaches, an interesting manifestation of the Columbus, Simcoe and Centennial hops. This is the first Divine Reserve that we have filtered. This decision was made to make the hop flavors brighter, plus it would have been a bottling nightmare with all the hop bits in it. This beer is best enjoyed at 45° or even a little warmer. Though the recipe and style indicate this beer to be enjoyed fresh, we expect this beer to develop interestingly over the years.
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Special thanks to my good friend Aaron of http://www.beermetaldude.com for proving me my second ever, Saint Arnold beer. This is truly a treat once again as this one is another fine example of a great brewery which we don’t get their beer here in California. The beer I had before from them was very awesome. So to that, I say cheers, thank you SA for making this and thank you Aaron for hooking up a brother Cheers!!

Aromas:
Caramel, toffee, mango, dragon fruit, candied oranges, lemon, citrus, honey, Grapefruit, piney and grassy hops, tangerine, melon, orange preserves and rye.

Flavors:
Grapefruit preserves, piney and grassy hops, tangerine, mango, lemon, orange peel, rye bread, biscuit bread, melon, honey, dragon fruit, caramel, pepper spice, toffee, pineapple, cherry, hop oils, gummy bears and orange marmalade on a toast.

Aftertaste:
Caramel, toffee, grapefruit preserves, tangerines and piney hops. No alcohol in the taste. Medium body and moderate drinkability.

Overall:
Aside from the Tropical end of IPAs, my second love is the malty IPAs. This beer is great and it is a great example of the malty IPA variety. As a reserve series, this is something I would expect, higher ABV and more sweet delicious hop oils. Reminds me of 90 minute IPA almost. Very delicious IPA and definitely worth picking up, if you live in Texas that is. Hope maybe us Socal peeps will get it one day.

Anime Corner:
Original artwork by fangxian cuoluan is used in this pairing to represent the earth in the label of the beer. As the beer floats in space with its delicious flavors, it gazes at out existence to show the height of what delicious IPAs will go through. This beer reaches the height of IPA caramel and the rising sun so forth brings it delicious citrus and complexity. They say you can’t hear anything in space, but you can definitely taste it!!

Power Plant by El Segundo Brewing company

February 24, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged El Segundo Brewery, El Segundo Brewing, El Segundo California, IPA, passion fruit, Pliny the Younger, Power Plant, Ryuko Matoi, Ryuoko Matoi, Tripel India Pale Ale, Triple IPA, tropical fruits | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5

Power Plant by El Segundo Brewing company is an 11.3% ABV Triple India Pale Ale.

Picked up a growler after my first visit to the El Segundo Brewery in El Segundo California. A small facility with a giant power house of flavors. I tried several beers which I really liked while I was there like the Standard Crude in bourbon and oak along with the range of great IPAs, pale ales and porters. This is the second beer I review from them since I really loved the White Dog IPA, but this beer, was in another level altogether. First of all, I have never tried an IPA that is over 10% ABV (Barrel Aged IPAs don’t count). This one is 11.3% and I must say, it sure doesn’t feel like it.

Aromas: Grapefruit, melon, kiwi, oranges, dragon fruit, grassy, piney and floral hops, honey dew melon, strawberry, apple, pear, mango, peach, pineapple, biscuit bread, caramel, lychee fruit, prickly pears, passion fruit, papaya, apricot, herbs, lemon peel and tangerines.

Flavors:
Lots of tropical fruits like grapefruit, kiwi, pineapple, oranges, honey dew melon, mango, papaya, strawberry, apples, pears, peaches, lychee, prickly pears, passion fruit, papaya, apricot, passion fruit, biscuit bread, caramel, grassy, piney, herbal and floral hops, orange gummy bears, lemon, tangerines, raspberries and honey.

Aftertaste:
Tropical fruits aftertaste with very nice grapefruit hop resin, biscuit and caramel. No alcohol in the taste. Very smooth, easy to drink, crisp and refreshing despite the high ABV.

Overall:
Extra ordinary beer out for a limited time. This is one of the finest examples of great IPAs I have ever tried and is the definition of how great IPAs should be. I think it also helps that it is super fresh. If you have ever tried the hoppy wort left over from when making beer, it would most likely be very similar to the hop bitterness but ofcourse, the bitterness does not linger for too long and mainly the tropical fruits do. So if you get a chance to go, definitely try this beer out.

Anime Corner:
Ryuoko 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). Ryuoko 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, Ryuoko 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

APEX Special IPA by Bear Republic

January 28, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged APEX Special IPA, Bear Republic, Bear Republic Brewing, Black Racer IPA, Café Racer 15, Cafe 15 Racer, IPA, IPAs, lychee fruit, passion fruit, Pliny the Younger, Racer 5, Racer X | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

APEX Special IPA by Bear Republic is an 8.95% ABV Double/Imperial India Pale Ale.

Label:
Apex: The highest point, the culmination or climax. In racing, the apex of the turn is approached differently as conditions dictate but always with a forward looking mindset. This beer is the culmination of years of brewing and drinking hop forward IPAs. We reserve the right to move forward, to advance the style to the next Apex.
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The next in the Racer series release which was a brewery only beer for a such a long time before they decided to shell it out for the masses is this one. According to my buddy Omar over at Uncle Henry’s deli, this is Bear Republic’s response to Pliny the Younger. I have never had Pliny the Younger but I am sure many of the IPAs or Triple IPAs for that matter are more likely better.

Aromas:
Tropics, tropics and more tropics! Lots of fruit, honey dew melon, peach, kiwi, passion fruit, papaya, mango, grapefruit, caramel, biscuit bread, grassy and piney hops, citrus, apricot, floral notes, lemon peel, lychee fruit, pineapple, tangerines and prickly pears.

Flavors:
Very tropical hop forward, grassy piney, floral, grapefruit hops, tangerine, peaches, apricot, kiwi, honey melon, papaya, passion fruit, tangerine, oranges, lemon peel, citrus, caramel, biscuit bread, dragon fruit, guava notes, lychee, prickly pear and gummy bears.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with nice grapefruit hop bitterness, caramel notes and more tropical fruit. No alcohol in the taste, refreshing as all hell with easy to mostly moderate drinkability.

Overall:
Awesome tropical IPA. No overwhelming bitterness, yet very hoppy and fruity. If it was anything like Heady Topper, it is damn close. I can agree I like this one more than Pliny the Elder but I cannot speak for but would, with most certainty, believe that this beats the younger in my mind so far. In terms of Cafe 15 or this one, I would like to add that this one is is more hoppy than maybe Cafe 15 which brings a nice blend of hoppy and tropical balance.

Anime Corner:
Original Art by Hybrid Mink was used to pair APEX because I wanted to show how one would react to be at the highest point, to feel high in the sky and feel like no ones bringing you down. Some of the colors hit the label perfectly and the helmet, although it may be a lion or a cat, maybe closer to a bear, or at least I’d like to think that that way. Like Cafe Racer 15, Racer X and Racer 5 before it and even Black Racer, there is either an aspect of car racing, of powering up, or the feeling of being very powerful when it comes to mind with these world class IPAs.

Hopped on the High Seas by Cigar City

January 23, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged American IPA, cigar city, Cigar City Brewing, IPA, passion fruit | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.5/5

Hopped on the High Seas by Cigar City is a 7% ABV American IPA dry-hopped with Ahtanum hops.

Label:
A tropical IPA dry-hopped on the high seas with one of our favorite hops: Ahtanum .
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This is the second IPA I try from Cigar City brewing. The first one was the Flagship series. I was able to get this one from luekensliquors.com which always sells very good goodies from Florida. Awesome stuff.

Aromas:
Herbal, grassy and piney hops, mild grapefruit, biscuit bread, pineapple,honey, citrus, melon, passion fruit, melon and mango.

Flavors:
Grapefruit, grassy, herbal and piney hops, citrus, honey, kiwi, biscuit bread, mild garlic, passion fruit, melon, caramel, tangerine, apricot, mild hints of coconut and dragon fruit.

Aftertaste:
Citrus, piney, grassy and herbal hops at the end. No alcohol in the taste, easy to drink, crisp and refreshing.

Overall:
Very good IPA and very refreshing at that. Coming in the can helps out a lot since the flavors are really fresh. For this being my second IPA I try from Cigar city, it is definitely one that is very good. I liked the flagship one better but either way this one is good too. I am familiar with other great IPAs that are easier to find in the West coast so if you don’t find this one, I am sure you can find others just as good or even better than this one.

Anime Corner:
Shiori Tsuzuki from Witchblade was chosen in this IPA to pair with the colors of the can. The Blue and grey colors from Shiori pair with the colors of the can and her blade is like a wave splashing in the ocean. She is arrogant and bitter at times which is the same way an IPA is but she also has strong feelings for her employer in the series which is part of what the tropical flavors in this beer are all about.

Malheur Zestig by Brouwerij De Landtsheer

November 5, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged .hack, alkaid, Belgian beer, belgian beers, belgian golden ale, Belgian IPA, Brouwerij De Landtsheer, De Halve Maan, De Halve Maan Brewery, dot Hack, Golden Belgian IPA, IPA, Malheur, Malheur Zestig, Strong Golden Belgian IPA, Zestig | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.8/5

Malheur Zestig by Brouwerij De Landtsheer is a 10% ABV Strong Golden Belgian IPA

Label:
Aromatic hops of European origin. Malheur Zestig has a high level of bitter units and a balanced hop flavor.
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Get this from the Rarebeerclub.com While trying to order, Jolly Pumpkin’s Los Vivos y Muertos Saison, they had to replace that beer with this one due to the Government shut down in early October 2013. While I was a bit disappointed, great talks about this beer made me think otherwise. Since I had ordered previously to get the JP beer, I was sent this one instead. Not a bad choice at all considering that it is made by the brewery who has ties to De Halve Maan Brewery. I was pleasantly surprised.

Aromas are of white peppercorns, cloves, peach, floral and herbal hops, apricot, biscuit bread, herbs, coriander spice, citrus, vanilla, slight oak hints and pears

Flavors are of the awesome Belgian IPA goodness I like but with more fruit and herbs. White peppercorns, peach, phenolic spices, cloves, coriander, flowers, honey, herbal hops, apricot, biscuits, vanilla bread, waffle cone, citrus, lemon, pear, apples,

Aftertaste is mildly hoppy but floral, herbal, fruity and honey sweet. This is one good Belgian beer. Very nice, smooth and refreshing. Hidden alcohol and moderate drinkability.

Overall, an amazing great Belgian IPA. It hits the right places. Nice Flowers and hop character and releasing some very nice bread, yeast, spicy and fruity flavors. Definitely recommended if you love Belgian beers for sure.

Anime Corner:
Alkaid from the Dothack series. A character with a fiery and pride driven personality defending herself at any moments notice (Hop and white peppercorn influence of the beer). While maybe hot headed, she is a very loyal friend and a protector to those she trusts and respects. She would defend their honor as well (fruit and vanilla sweetness). This beer not only matches some of this characters personality but also her colors, red hair with the yellow and black outfit. If you see any other pairings to this art piece let me know

Why Can’t IBU? by Stillwater Artisanal

October 7, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged 3D, 3D beer, 3D label, Belgian IPA, BIPA, Floral hops, Hop Accentuated, Hops, india pale ale, IPA, pepper corns, Stillwater Artisanal, Why Can't IBU | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.45/5

Why Can’t IBU? by Stillwater Artisanal is a 5.7% Hop Accentuated Belgian India Pale Ale

The awesome Stillwater Artisanal has released another awesome beer. This time with a fancy label. 3D at that. This beer goes into the more hoppy direction starting at it’s base, a farmhouse ale to then become a very hoppy Belgian IPA. However, the hops are supposed to be stronger, hence the pun in the name.

Aromas are of grassy, piney, floral and herbal hops, peppercorns, flowers, hibiscus, biscuit bread, clove spice, farmhouse hay, orange juice, citrus, black pepper, spices, apples, apricots and peach.

The flavors are way more hoppy than your typical saison but not super bitter aggresiveness. Flavors include grassy, piney, floral and herbal hops, biscuit bread, spices, flowers, peppercorns, black pepper, hibiscus, cloves, lemon, honey, hints of tropical fruits, mango, apricots, peach, grapefruit and oranges

The aftertaste is dry buts a nice floral and grassy hop finish. It is a easy to drink, crisp and refreshing.

Overall, I think is a very good beer. It reminds me why I love Belgian IPAs and BPAs in the first place. The beer is pretty hop forward but still able to carry the nice saison and Belgian IPA flavors. If you like Belgian beers and Hoppy IPAs, this would be an interesting one to enjoy.

White Dog IPA by El Segundo Brewing of California

September 24, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged California Beers, Dog Days, El Segundo, El Segundo Brewing, Heady Topper, honey dew melon, hop bitterness, india pale ale, IPA, Leonmitchell, orange zest, oranges, tropical flavors, wheat beer, Wheat IPA, White Dog, White Dog IPA, WIPA | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.85/5

White Dog IPA by El Segundo Brewing of California is a 6.9% ABV India Pale Ale brewed with 50% wheat (Wheat India Pale Ale)

Label:
Named for Rob’s dog, the White alludes to our use of 50% wheat instead of barley in this beer. Aside from that though, this beer has very little in common with what most people consider a “wheat” beer. The wheat in the malt bill gives the beer a lighter texture and mouthfeel, and helps to accentuate the bright citrus characters of the fruity West Coast and New Zealand hops we use. The result is an IPA that Hop Heads will love, but that is immediately approachable for most people.
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Been meaning to get a review going for this beer. The first time I had tried it on tap at Jean Simmons Rock N’ Brews in Torrance California I was very amazed. This beer almost had that Heady Topper type of flavor. At the time the brewery in El Segundo had not released any bottles of this until recently. The last time I had had it was at their brewery which I still thought, freaking amazing IPA. To add wheat to make it somewhat of a hybrid wheat IPA is freaking amazing.

Aromas are of grassy, piney, grapefruit and tropical hops, orange juice, pineapple, coriander, mango, kiwi, lemon, dragon fruit, passion fruit notes, biscuit and caramel

The flavors are of sweet oranges, mango, pineapple, grapefruit, grassy, pine and tropical hops, biscuit bread hints, coriander, wheat bread, honey dew melon, dragon fruit notes, passion fruit notes, kiwi, caramel notes, honey nectar, and tangerines

After taste leaves off like an orange zest, hop bitterness and a bit of tropics. The beer is moderately easy to drink and quite the refreshing beer.

Overall, this is one of those IPA that if you love some nice hop tropical and somewhat dank type of IPAs, you are sure to like this one. Even people that do not like bitter IPAs, are welcomed slowly into this one. Nothing too bitter and pleasant for even the non-IPA drinker. Here is to you young Heady Topper in the making.

New Crustacean Barleywineish Imperial IPA Sorta by Rogue brewing

September 23, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged barley wine, Barleywine, Beard Beer, crab, crab beer, crabs, cream caramel, Crustaceans, Double IPA, Imperial IPA, india pale ale, IPA, john maier, New Crustacean Barleywineish Imperial IPA Sorta, orange flavors, Rogue, rogue brewing, saltine cracker, Tenchi, Tenchi Muyo, Washu, Washu Hakubi | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.75/5

New Crustacean Barleywineish Imperial IPA Sorta by Rogue brewing is a 10.8% ABV… umm well, they say it is Barleywine. You be the judge.

Label:
Dedicated to Crustaceans
The name sort of says it all. John Maier, our Brewmaster, wanted to create a beer that defied traditional style definitions. The result was a remarkably hoppy yet balanced and malty ale that quickly became a cult favorite in our Newport brewpub. But what was it? It was not quite a barley wine and not quite a double or imperial IPA. Who really cares about putting beers into narrow categories? Great beer – just drink it and enjoy.

8 ingredients: Weyermann & Bohemian Malts; Bravo, Ammarillo, Falconer’s Flight & Horizon Hops; Free Range Coastal Water & Pacman Yeast
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This beer was supposed to be, well the beer that the infamous Beard Beer was supposed to be based out of (https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2013/04/11/beard-beer-by-rogue-brewing-company/). Looks like they did this one with Pacman yeast instead. Well, this should be interesting, a beer that can’t make up it’s mind. Reminds me of the Arrogant Bastard but that one is just labeled as American Strong Ale.

Aromas are of caramel, honey, citrus, ripe orange juice with pulp, earthy and grapefruit hops, pineapple, banana, a bit tropical, toffee, salt bread, almost crab cake or crab meat like? (might be kidding about the crab, might be not)

The flavors are of ripe to matured blood oranges and cream, caramel, grapefruit hops, earthy hops, bananas, saltine cracker notes, pine, pineapple, lots of coconut as it warms up, citrus, toffee, molasses, licorice, crab and crab cake notes (has to be the matured bitter orange flavors, I swear!!), apricots, matured mango, herbs, spices and lemon candy

The aftertaste is like a orange and caramel sweetness followed by bitter grapefruit and earthy to hops. This beer hides alcohol well, it is a sipper though. Not as full bodied and syrupy mouth feel.

Overall the beer is very good but indeed confusing. You want to say it is IPA tropical but the Barleywine side tells you NO! I love it because it is sweet and bitter but the more I think about crabs the more I think it taste like crabs. I like crabs. I love seafood. I love this beer. I think it would pair exceptionally. This beer reminds me of Surly SYX but not as harsh. I did a review a while back, that one was too harsh. This is what SYX should have been. Then again, I may have been hard on it as it may have needed some aging to bring up the rating. Maybe next time

Maiden The Shade by Ninkasi Brewing

September 11, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged citrus honey, hop character, india pale ale, IPA, iron maiden, Maiden the Shade, Ninkasi, passion fruit, playful side, refreshing summer, Specialty Ale, tropical fruits | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.25/5

Maiden The Shade by Ninkasi Brewing is 6.8% ABV Specialty India Pale Ale

Label:
In salute to the playful side of summer, we had fun with this beer! Maiden the Shade has a big robust hop character from the liberal use of 7 different varieties of hops. It s completed with a light colored malt backbone to stay in balance. Kick back and enjoy!
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This is the first Ninkasi beer I have ever tried. Recently Ninkasi started to show up locally at a very prominent rate. They bring forth some interesting sound beers. I will try and review a couple as I come across them. For now, I picked this one up because back in 2010 I had remembered this label. It was a beer that had the Iron Maiden font and and while it may no be the Iron Maiden beer which came out earlier this year, it has some interesting influences.

Aromas are of floral,herbal and piney hops, peppercorn hints, tropical fruit like pineapple, mango, kiwi, grapefruit, citrus, honey and biscuit bread

The flavors are of citrus, flowers, grapefruit, piney and grassy hops, passion fruit, mango, pineapple, kiwi, biscuit, peppercorn hints, biscuit bread, caramel notes and peach notes.

Aftertaste is tropical sweet with a bit of hoppy bitterness. Quite the refreshing IPA and easy to moderate drinkability

Overall this is a very good IPA. This IPA bring out floral and tropical notes from the range of hop flavor spectrum. Those that enjoy these aspects as well as a nice dose of bitterness will enjoy this one. Quite the interesting first review for one of the Ninkasi beers. Very good stuff.

Stone 17th Anniversary Götterdämmerung (Ragnarok / Twilight of Gods) IPA

August 28, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged anniversary ale, Asmodeus, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, Experimental hops, Götterdämmerung, German IPA, German Pilsner, Imperial IPA, india pale ale, IPA, Ragnarok, Shinra Banshou, Stone, Stone 17th Anniversary, Stone Brewing, stone brewing co, Twilight of Gods | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.7/5

Stone 17th Anniversary Götterdämmerung (Ragnarok / Twilight of Gods) IPA is 9.5% ABV German Double India Pale Ale brewed mainly with German Hops and Pilsner malt

Label:
Life is never dull at Stone, but the last year has been one of the most eventful yet. We threw open the doors to Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station, our second decidedly eclectic brewery restaurant, installed in historic former Naval Training Center buildings (including their original mess hall). We outfitted it with a 10-barrel brewhouse, 40 taps serving Stone and guest beers, a huge outdoor garden area, and 650-plus seats. Hey, “small” is for other people. Well, come to think of it, we do have our own version of “small” in our brand-new-as-of-August craft beer-centric Stone bar and eatery in Terminal 2 of San Diego International Airport. At any rate, plan your trip accordingly. And we doubled the size and production capacity of our brewery, built the new Stone Packaging Hall and, oh yeah, found out we’re now the 10th largest craft brewing company in the country. We can hardly believe we fit that all into one paragraph, much less 12 months. Through all that growth, like hop bines rooted in fertile soil (see what we did there?), we kept our feet securely planted on terra firma, remembering that it’s all about the beer—we’d be nothing without it. And so, as we prepare to celebrate 17 years of straining the seams of the ale envelope, we again focus squarely on beer via our annual anniversary offering, while at the same time laying to waste long-held concepts of what German hops can and cannot do, as well as what the world has come to know about San Diego IPAs—thanks much in part to our family of beers.

Inspired by new experimental German hops, our brewing team is celebrating our 17ten Jahrestag by taking palates on an unconventional tour of Deutschland by way of Southern California. In doing so, we used a grain bill comprised exclusively of pilsner malts and German hops with crazy awesome names: Herkules, Hersbrucker, Magnum, Merkur, Opal, Smaragd & Strisselspalt. Dry-hopping with Sterling, a U.S. hop with Saaz parentage, lends a bit of familiarity, but be forewarned, this is a unique beer that takes the IPA—a style we’ve already pushed far beyond its previous limits over the years—to interesting new territory. Schumpeter chose economics; we chose beer. Our creative destruction has been aimed squarely at the previously-held-dear conventions of what beer can and should be. Stone 17th Anniversary Götterdämmerung IPA is the latest in a long line of innovations, but nowhere near the last. Not by a long shot.

—Greg Koch & Steve Wagner, Co-Founders, Stone Brewing Co.
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Cheers to another year of the Arrogant Bastards of Stone Brewing Co. This year they bring forth a German inspired IPA using mainly German ingredients such German hops and German Pilsner malts. As soon as I opened the beer I was not sure what to expect as when I think German I think sweet sweet banana Bavarian notes or deep caramel toffee from the doppel bocks. I don’t think I have ever had a bad beer from Germany really. Just like the Belgian beers, simply World Class

Aromas are of lemon grass, piney hops, citrus, grapefruit ,interesting tropical notes of banana, strawberry, peach notes, kiwis, mango, pineapple, light caramel, biscuit bread, slight peppery notes, light butterscotch, a bit of floral notes and mint.

The flavors are very hop forward with taste of Grapefruit, grassy, herbal and piney hops, caramel, biscuit bread, pineapple, apricot, peach, banana notes, hints strawberry, kiwi notes, mango, orange preserves or marmalade, piney, garlic, onion, Italian herbs, peppery spices, honey, toffee notes with a slight minty finish.

The aftertaste leaves hints of caramel and tropics but mainly bitter and herbal. A lot going on here to hide the alcohol. Making it refreshing and moderately drinkable

Overall better than last year but under the 15th.. What can I say, I love me that “Black IPA” complexity that hinted chocolate. I did not get the Bavarian Banana Caramel forward IPA I was thinking but that is actually fine. This is still a very good beer and is quite different from what I was expecting. In terms of IPAs, this covers almost every aspect I could think of in IPA flavors. The extent of hop varieties bring this beer to a deep complexity that would be like saying the opposite spectrum of let’s say a “super complex barrel aged quad” but mainly in terms of the hop spectrum. Meaning, of all the different types of complex flavors you can get from different amount of hops, you actually get that complexity here and way more. You got the whole range from piney, to tropical to herbal, to bready to malty, to fruity, to even the spicy and garlic side. An IPA Jack of all trades and more. Maybe something about the Pilsner malts helping it out 😛. Get this while you still can as I do not think they will release this again. It is a very awesome beer. Prost!

Fresh Squeezed IPA by Deschutes Brewery

August 22, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged citra and mosaic hops, Deschutes Brewery, Deschutes Brewing, Fresh Squeezed IPA, grapefruit juice, halo, Hop Heads, Hops, india pale ale, IPA, juice oranges, kiwi strawberry, lemon candy, master chief, pink grapefruit, pink grapefruit juice, tropical fruits | 2 Comments

Rating: 5/5

Fresh Squeezed IPA by Deschutes Brewery is a 6% ABV World Class India Pale Ale

Label:
This mouthwateringly delicious IPA gets its flavor from a heavy helping of Citra and Mosaic hops. Don’t worry, no fruit was harmed in the making of this beer.
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Picked this up recently at the local Bev-Mo near work. Heard that there was a lot of talk about this beer. Normally for me, I try to look at different IPAs and see what are the most tropical, the most hoppy, the most herbal or even the most orange juice and caramel I can find. Every single IPA or DIPA brings something to the table. As best as I can, I will try to analyze this one. Hell even, the label makes it look like its gonna be a tropical thunder.

The smell is like grapefruit juice or Squirt Grapefruit soda. This is quite different already as I never seen a more grapefruit forward IPA. There are also aromas of biscuit, caramel, lemon candy, orange jolly rancher, pineapple, orange, subtle piney and grassy hops, kiwi almost like a strawberry or a berry note and mango.

Flavors are quite different but awesome. Lots of pineapple and grapefruit juice, oranges, caramel, piney and grassy hop notes, mango, kiwi, strawberry notes, dragon fruit, orange jolly rancher notes, pecan notes, buttery biscuit, tangerine marmalade, peaches and cream, orange cream popsicle, grapes, raisins, blueberries and papaya.

The aftertaste is awesome. A well balanced bitterness of the piney hops with nice grapefruit and pineapple tropics. I think what really makes this beer great is the balance and drinkability. Very awesome for sure.

The talk wasn’t just that, all talk. This beer is an awesome IPA. I love sweetness of beers and hoppy as well. This one brings both together is such an awesome way that literally works extremely well. This is something I wish I could drink for breakfast everyday. Right next to the Heady Topper, almost, except this is the sweet pink grapefruit where as heady is the orange juice of IPAs.

The art work is sort of like a surprise. Matching the label as best I could, think of it as Master Chief (Green for hops) unveiling the secret sweetness inside :3

Robert & Ryan / Rip Current / Stone R&R Coconut IPA

August 6, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged american homebrewers association, beer collaboration, beer enthusiasts, coconut, coconut IPA, coconut notes, collaboration, Collaboration Beer, Collaboration beers, fellow craft, india pale ale, IPA, pleasure cruise, Rip Current, Rip Current Brewing Co, Robert & Ryan, robert masterson, Ryan Reschan, Stone, Stone Brewing, stone brewing co, Stone Coconut IPA, Stone R&R Coconut IPA, Toasted Coconut, tropical flavor, tropical fruit flavors, tropical fruits, tropical IPA | 2 Comments

Rating: 3.8/5

Robert & Ryan / Rip Current / Stone R&R Coconut IPA Collaboration is a 7.7% ABV India Pale Ale brewed and flavored with coconut

Label:
This collaboration beer is a celebration of the homebrewing spirit and an example of counter-intuitive thoughts coalescing beautifully into something exceptional. Case in point is the seamless marrying of toasted coconut and a hop bill brimming with tropical fruit notes. Longtime homebrewers Robert Masterson and Ryan Reschan teamed up to enter this beer in our annual American Homebrewers Association-sanctioned brewing competition and, though it was the first beer they’d ever brewed together, they sailed past the competition like a tropical ocean breeze on a pleasure cruise bound for India. After winning, the duo reached out to their friend, highly decorated homebrewer and 2011 AHA Ninkasi Award winner Paul Sangster of the newly opened Rip Current Brewing Company, to assist in dialing in the recipe. Together with Sangster’s skilled partner Guy Shobe and Stone Brewmaster Mitch Steele, Masterson and Reschan present fellow craft beer enthusiasts with a most delicious and original style of IPA. Open, enjoy, rest, relax and repeat as needed.

“On the nose, you get lots of tropical fruit—mango, passion fruit, pineapple—with some sweet orange and stone fruit from the hops along with toasty coconut sweetness.” Ryan Reschan /I Winning Homebrewer 1 love the tropical spin that Robert and Ryan added to an already great IPA recipe.” Mitch Steele II Brewmaster, Stone Brewing Co. “The true lest of a beer like this is the balance between the fruity hop and the coconut flavors and, with this one, you feel like you’re drinking a tropical drink on the beach.”

Paul Sangster // Co-Founder/Brewer, Rip Current Brewing Co.
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Aromas of this beer are a very nice mix tropical and hoppy. Mango, grapefruit, kiwi, dragonfruit, apricot, pineapple, grassy, floral and piney hops and some coconut notes

The flavors are very tropical and hoppy as well. The break down is more tropical than hoppy though. Leading in with some prickly pear, mango, citrus, pineapple, grapefruit, hints of toasted coconut, piney and floral hops.

The after taste leaves hoppy and tropical as well but instead of more tropical in the end, it fades out with citrus and grass hop goodness with minor coconut hints.

This beer is pretty good but it is somewhat fair in terms of finding the coconut. While it is hinted, I think I got more coconut as I drank more but the coconut is consumed by the hops. Not a bad thing at all as I really like tropical and hoppy IPAs but in terms of coconut it is only hinted slightly more than other IPAs. I remember watching the video about the collaboration (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqPDASoFJDA) and they specified that this was like a piña colada in a bottle. The truth is that it is true, but only to a minor to moderate extent. This beer does not boast lots of coconut and piña colada flavors but the notes are definitely there. Do not get your hopes up and expect a head on piña colada tasting beer but do expect an IPA that does have hints here and there of the flavors and aromas.

Overall, the beer does a pretty good job and bringing some very nice tropics to the scene and some nice hints that would not be found in some other IPAs. Either way, it is a pretty good beer and should still be tried. Maybe you can find more flavors than I can’t 🙂

Blue Dot by Hair of the Dog

July 29, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Blue Dot, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, dragon fruit, earth, everyday earth, Final Fantasy XI, hair of the dog, IIPA, india pale ale, IPA, mandarin oranges, Mithra, pale blue dot, Planet Earth | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Blue Dot by Hair of the Dog is a 7% ABV Double India Pale Ale

Label:
Blue Dot is named after our planet: we are only a pale blue dot in this universe. Made with Organic Pilsner, Rye malt and a combination of intense northwest hop varieties. Pour slowly to allow the sediment to remain in the bottle. Make everyday Earth Day. Do Something nice for your mother.
O.G. 1074, 80 IBUs.
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Another awesome trade from my friend Richard. I had seem this beer many times and have hear great things about it. I unfortunately missed the chance to pick this beer up. Thanks again for the trade man, this review also goes out to you bro.

Aromas if this beer are of grapefruit, floral, piney and grassy hops, tropical fruits like mango, honey, oranges, biscuit bread notes, pineapple, mandarin, and some minor toffee sweetness.

The flavors are of oranges, grapefruit, flower notes, grass and piney hops, biscuit bread, mandarin, oranges, dragon fruit, rye notes and apricots.

The aftertaste finishes dry but still has some nice bitter and fruity notes. It is a very smooth and easy to drink IPA. Might even impress some people that normally don’t like IPAs. Even though it is, 7% ABV, the part that makes it a Double IPA is because of the extra hops they are using here so you get a lot more hoppiness out of this IPA than with a regular IPA. Very well made stuff and is definitely worth the seek if you can find it.

HopWorks IPA by Hopworks Urban Brewery

July 18, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged food, Hellsing, hop, Hops, Hopworks, Hopworks Urban Brewery, india pale ale, IPA, Munich, munich malts, organic india pale ale, organic IPA, passion fruit, Seras Victoria, World class | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.95/5

HopWorks IPA by Hopworks Urban Brewery is a 6.6% ABV Organic India Pale Ale

Label:
Ride your Bike!
Our namesake IPA is a Northwest classic. Generous additions of organic Ahtanum, Centennial, Palisade and Cascade hops find their way into the kettle, hop-back and dry-hop. This judicious use of the “brewer’s spice” creates rich and resinous flavors of citrus fruit and pine. The finest organic 2 row, Munich and Caramel malts then bring balance to your new favorite beer.
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Wow, aromas are incredible. Lots of grapefruit, caramel, piney, herbal and grassy hops along with orange, toffee, biscuit bread, honey and some tangerines.

The flavors are awesome, lots of grapefruit, piney, herbal and grassy hops along with biscuit, honey, dulce de leche caramel notes? (It somehow seems to workout, go figure), tangerines kiwi and passion fruit.

The aftertaste is kinda bittersweet. It is balanced through and through. It is incredible easy to drink as well and refreshing.

It is an interesting IPA. I have had many IPAs in the past some ranging from more hoppy bitter, to tropical and herbal, but this one is adds a kick by adding the organic munich malts. It gives it a nice caramel sweetness that works well with the IPA hop goodness. I would like to think amber but no, this is not an amber. There is more hops here. Besides, I really think that people that do not necessarily like IPAs should give this a go. There is enough IPA bitterness to keep it going but the sweetness makes it interesting. My favorite IPAs are usually the more tropical ones, but this seems to work so very well! I could find myself drinking a lot, just as good as some of the best I have reviewed here

Michigan Hatter by New Holland Brewing

July 9, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged india pale ale, IPA, Mad Hatter Series, malty taste, Michigan Hatter, Michigan IPA, new holland, New Holland Brewing, Session beer, tropical fruits | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.25/5

Michigan Hatter by New Holland Brewing is a 4.8% ABV Michigan India Pale Ale

Label:
Michigan Hatter celebrates our local agriculture with its Michigan-grown Cascade hops from the Leelanau Penninsula. Bright and aromatic, with delicious malt notes underneath a citrusy showcase of hops. Pairings: sharp cheddars, herb-roasted poultry and curry.
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New Holland has many beers in the Midwest. This is the first time I try a beer in their “Mad Hatter” series. Yes, the label had a good role and me wanting to pick up this beer. That and I heard good things about this series. I am familiar with New Holland as they make the awesome Dragon’s Milk Stout. A very awesome aged stout at that. Well on to the review.

Aromas of this beer are of grapefruit, citrus, floral and piney hops. Some tropical fruits like mango and pineapple can be sense as well as caramel honey and biscuit from the malts.

The flavors are slightly malt driven with lots of grassy, herbal, floral and piney hop presence. You get a good amount of grapefruit, orange peel, citrus, herbs, caramel, honey, rye, biscuit, hints of mango and pineapple.

The aftertaste leaves nice and dry with minor bitterness and sweetness. This goes down well. It is crisp and refreshing and very well for the summer for sure. A very good session beer. What really hits with this one is that is a nice balance of sweet and bitter. The tropics are hinted while the hops are present and the malty taste events it out. If you like session beers and one that is awesome, this one is awesome for sure. Very nice flavors at a low ABV

RuinTen a.k.a Ruination Tenth Anniversary (re-release) by Stone Brewing

June 20, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged DIPA, Double Imperial Pale Ale, Double India Pale Ale, food, hop, hop aroma, hop bitterness, hop flavors, Hop Heads, Hop Monster, Hopmaterasu, Hoppy, Hoppy beer, Hops, IIPA, india pale ale, IPA, Ruination tenth, RuinTen, Stone, Stone Brewing, stone brewing co, Stone Ruination, Stone Ruination IPA | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.25/5 *A triumphant fresh return to the golden standard.

RuinTen a.k.a Ruination Tenth Anniversary (re-release) by Stone Brewing is 10.8% ABV 110 IBU World Class Double India Pale Ale

Label:
Back in 2002, we first released out notoriously mega-hopped Double IPA, Stone Ruination PA, and in 2012 we celebrated its 10th anniversary with the release of a very special version that was even bigger and incredibly, even hoppier than the original. If Stone Ruination IPA is “A Liquid Poem to the Glory of the Hop,” then Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA was a “Stage dive into a mosh pit of hops.” Luckily for us, our fans love loud and aggressive brews, specifically when copious amounts of humulus lupulus are involved. The original release of this beer was so instantly beloved by those who dared try it [particularly us] that there was no way we could relegate in one-hit-wonder status. You are holding in your hands a veritable hop monster. We dropped the word “Tenth” but the decidedly indelicate recipe is the same as the one first unleashed in 2012. This belligerently delicious ale has the substantial malt backbone needed to stand up to the whopping five pounds of hops packed into each barrel. If all the hyperbole hasn’t frightened you away by now, we know you’ll love this audacious gem of hoppy splendor just as much as we do. Crank it up!
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The IPA Gold standard is back with a vengeance. One release was not awesome enough. The second is enough to cause havoc with irreparable damage to the palette and I am sure you will love it. AS I remember correctly from last years beer, this not only was so bitter that it lingered, it actually started burning. Maybe not like a chile heat, but like a real hop plant bitter trip to Hell.

Aromas are just like I remember, a lot of hoppy aromas ranging from grassy, pine needles, grapefruit, herbal, dank, hop oil, tropics to the brim like mango, pineapple, papaya, passion fruit, dragon fruit, citrus, lemon peel, oranges, tangerines and peaches. The flavor are in your face bitter with straight burning hop character, pine needles, dank hop oils, grapefruit, lemon grass, herbs and slight floral notes, some nice biscuit and caramel along with the in between tropics of the citrus, tangerine, peach, mango, pineapple, passion fruit, dragon fruit, kiwis, papaya, lychees and some nice peppery notes. The After taste just lingers in Hopmaterasu ([Unquenshable Black Flames]Naruto reference) burning to the untrained palette. However, if you are willing to continue drinking, on top of those green hellish flames will lie some nice tropical residue to keep you from fading into the oblivion (Leave that part to the alcohol ). Very nice thing those hops do , ain’t that sweet of them. This beer is awesome. It is so awesome that I think it makes it the prime reason why they may only be able to release it one more time. Maybe even release it every year if not. I think that if they were to release it as a yearly, it may or may not detract from the original Ruination. However, it if they did do that, it would be nice to have a variety or Ruination to choose from. You know, Hard mode versus Expert mode sort of thing. Get this beer while you still can. Stop Reading this and go buy this beer before it is gone. As for the Brewery–exclusive-Camp-out-all-night-Black-Friday-style-for-only-enjoy-3-pints-Pliny-the-Younger…. eat it!!!!!!

Still need more convincing about the greatness of this beer? Read my past review

2012 Original Review:
https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/10/26/stone-ruination-tenth-anniversary-ipa/

Lagunitas IPA

June 17, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Armor of Cruelty, hop bitterness, india pale ale, IPA, Lady Kayura, Lagunitas, Lagunitas IPA, passion fruits, Ronin Warriors, sweet caramel, tropical IPA, west coast style | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.75/5

Lagunitas IPA is a 6.2% ABV India Pale Ale

Label:
This is our unique version of an ancient style. A style as old as the ocean trade routes of the last centuries Great Ships. Not as old as the equator they had to cross twice enroute, nor as old as the 10,000 or so miles of Di-Hydrogen Oxide and Sodium upon which they sailed, but older than the Circulithium-4 Lentloid that binds the Lupulin Quartnate onto your taste buds. Weird. Think about it. Now stop. OK, go again, now stop. Think again, and stop. But we digress. Made with 43 different hops and 65 various malts, this redolent ale will likely float your boat, whatever planet you’re on.
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I have had this beer many many MANY times. To think I never sat down and just did a review of this. It is crazy. Really crazy to no do one of such a great beer.

Aromas of nice grapefruit hops, citrus, pine, some decent amount of tropics like mango, papaya, passion fruit, pineapple, apricot, some caramel, biscuit bread, honey and floral hoppy notes.

The flavors are of grassy, herbal and grapefruit hops along with nice tropics of lemon and orange peel, apricots, pineapple notes,mango, sweet caramel, honey, biscuit, passion fruits, papaya, pine needles and nice spicy breadiness. The after taste leaves with a nice refreshing bitterness and really nice tropical taste.

I’ve had my fair share with this one and you really can’t go wrong here. It is a great tasting IPA with not a lot of overpowering bitterness and is a great example that shows that even if you don’t go with a double IPAs, even the regular one like this will still enough pleasing tropical goodness. IF you like tropics over overpowering hop bitterness. It has enough hoppy bitterness to make this really good as a great example of the West Coast Style. There are only a handful of really outstanding IPAs and this is no exception. The good thing about this one is that it is more common than some other IPAs. So even if there is no other alternative, this one sure fits the bill of Great IPA.

Knuckle Sandwich by Bootleggers

June 10, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged banana notes, beer pairings, best beers in the world, Bootlegger's, Bootlegger’s Brewery, DBZ, Double Imperial Pale Ale, Double IPA, Dragonball Z, Echidna, Goku, honey dew melon, honey flavor, IIPA, Imperial IPA, india pale ale, IPA, Knuckle Sandwich, Knuckles, Koriand'r, pineapple mango, Ranma, Ruby, Ruby The Echidna, Sonic The Hedgehog, Star Fire, world class beers | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Knuckle Sandwich by Bootleggers is a 10%ABV World Class Double/Imperial India Pale Ale

Label:
This is a beer that truly lives up to its name! Brewed with copious amounts of North American hops, this Double IPA has a colossal hop profile and an aggressive aroma. Helping round out the floral and citrus notes is a huge malt backbone that provides a great mouth feel to this heavyweight hitter.
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First had this at King’ Row Gastropub in Pasadena California. Back then I wasn’t aware how great and very sought after this beer was. It is brewed locally here in Fullerton California but even the demand for this beer is insane. By the time I wanted a bottle to review, it was sold out pretty much everywhere. I went to the local liquor store in the street where I grew up since I knew back then they had some nice beers but had not been back there since 2011. To my surprise, there it was, the Elusive Knuckle Sandwich. Even so, there was not many left and I am sure they would be gone soon enough. Didn’t hesitate to get this one to be able to do a good review and bring this one forth in another one of my Art and Beer pairings.

Aromas are very tropical and grassy. Grassy, piney, citrus, floral and grapefruit hops, pineapple, mango, papaya, kumquats, lychees, peaches, guavas, dragon fruit, melon, a scent of plum, orange, lemon, biscuit bread, caramel, pepper notes and mint.

The Flavors are of Caramel, sweet bread, vanilla, rich grassy, herbal, piney and chewy hops, followed by very nice tropics of oranges, pineapple, mango, plum notes, cherry notes, papaya, kumquats, lychees, peaches, dragon fruit, apricots, guavas, very mild banana notes and honey dew melon. The aftertaste lingers with a lot of tropics and herbal hops. The alcohol is somewhat hidden does not detract from the beer’s flavor. In fact, it adds like a honey flavor as well. It is quite balanced for sure.

This beer is essentially what hop head dreams are made it. This beer does not disappoint and it is as awesome as the last time I remember it even though I had it fresher back in March. It a fist full of awesome IPA goodness. Dare I call this one, Heady Topper the 2nd? Yes, I just did. The balance is phenomenal and if you are mainly into more tropical IPAs, then this one is to try. I myself love Tropical IPAs as well as Super hop bitter ones as well. This would be in my top list of awesome Double IPAs along with Ruination, Pliny the Elder, Double Jack, Hop Stoopid, Hangar 24’s Double IPA and others I have reviewed so far. A great example in great west coast double IPAs

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Ruby created by DawnBest http://dawnbest.deviantart.com/art/The-Many-Forms-of-Ruby-the-Echidna-345683691

A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ by Lagunitas

May 13, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’, American Pale Wheat Ale, Bleach, flavors, hidden alcohol, Hoppy beer, IPA, Lagunitas, Pale Wheat, Rukia, Rukia Kuchiki, tropical flavor, wheat ale, wheat beer | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.8/5

A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ by Lagunitas is a 7.5% ABV American Pale Wheat Ale

Label:
So, we’re all on collective disability. That’s cool. Let’s put some ice on it and keep ourselves elevated for a while. So, what’s on the tube..? Honey..? Get me a beer from the fridge… Will ya..? Sweetie..? Pleeease..?”
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I had this beer a couple of times in the past. Haven’t had a chance to review it until as I was able to snag some left over bottles from my friend’s house, he wanted me to keep them.

First aromas you get right off the bat are piney, grassy, herbal and grapefruit hops, honey, pineapple, biscuit bread, apricot, wheat, citrus and a touch of mango.

The flavors are of honey, grassy, herbal, floral, piney and grapefruit hops, caramel, pineapple, wheat, biscuit bread, orange juice, coriander spice, lemon, apricot, mango, candi sugars and some papaya notes.

This is not a very common style, however, with the flavors similar to an IPA but with a lot of tropics and moving into the realms of wheat beer, I say this has got a lot of good tropical stuff going on. It is a very nice beer with well hidden alcohol and great tropical flavor.

Columbus IPA by Hangar 24

May 3, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged American IPA, columbus hops, Columbus IPA, floral style, grassy, Hangar 24, hop flavors, india pale ale, IPA, Irma, olumbus IPA, piney, Queen's Blade, spicy aroma | Leave a comment

Rating: 3.9/5

Columbus IPA by Hangar 24 is a 7% American IPA brewed with Columbus Hops

Label:
Bitter and bold. This single hop American style IPA features 100 percent Columbus Hops for an intense citrus, floral and spicy aroma and flavor. Five different malts form the rich backbone that balances the hops’ 77 IBUs. The resinous mouthfeel is followed by a clean, dry hopped finish that refreshes and satisfies.
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I’ve tried Hangar 24’s Double IPA but have never tried their regular IPA. So I got this one to give it a go. The aromas are definitely grassy, piney, floral and citrusy. Not tropical but definitely citrusy and grassy. The flavors are not as intense as they are with the double IPA but it is actually more towards the grassy, floral and herbal type of hop flavors. The citrus, orange and lemon peel are there but come later as you keep trying it. It is not as grapefruit bitter but more grassy bitter but crisp. The caramel and biscuit is there but subtle. Overall I think it is a pretty IPA. I have tried other worst ones and with this one I did not find nothing too bad, in fact I found some pretty dead on awesome stuff however, it is just that I like more tropics in my IPA is all :P. For those that love grassy, piney and more toward herbal or floral style of IPA, then this one is definitely a beer you may enjoy. West Coast awesome style here. Easy to find her in California. The place down the street has this. In fact, if it’s the only IPA I can find, then I will be getting this one most of the time now, unless I get Arrogant Bastard 😉

Indian Brown Ale by Dogfish Head

April 8, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged American Pale Ale, Brown ale, chocolate coffee, dessert, Dogfish Head, hop bitterness, Indian Brown Ale, IPA, Scotch Ale | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.75/5

Indian Brown Ale by Dogfish Head is a 7.2%ABV Brown Ale brewed with caramelized sugar and hopped liberally and often.

Description:
Indian Brown Ale A cross between a Scotch Ale, an I.P.A, and an American Pale, this beer is well hopped and malty at the same time. It is brewed with Aromatic Barley and caramelized brown sugar. – 50 IBU available year round, bottles & draft – Descriptors: Notes of molasses, coffee, ginger, raisinettes, chocolate
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Right up there with Board Meeting, considered a world class beer among reviewers. This beer fragrance is close to a porter with its aromas of chocolate, coffee, mocha, milk chocolate, rich caramel, vanilla, brown sugar, hazelnut, slight brownies and some raisin notes. The flavors are of coffee, hazelnut, caramel, earthy hop bitterness, coffee and chocolate cake, some plum and raisin notes as the beer warms up. The after taste of mocha and hazelnut stays with you for a bit. Definitely up there with the best of the browns ales in the world. Although the Board meeting was slightly a little more delicious, this is still a great and awesome beer.

Black Racer IPA by Bear Republic

April 4, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Bear Republic, Black India Pale Ale, black ipa, Black Racer IPA, Dark side, fruit aromas, india pale ale, IPA, malty sweetness, Racer 5, Racer X, West Coast IPAs | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.75/5

Black Racer IPA by Bear Republic is an 8.1% ABV Black India Pale Ale

Label:
Black Racer™ blends Bear Republic’s love of hops with the Pacific Northwest’s appreciation for dark ales. Our pit crew brews this award winning ale which boldly defines a new frontier of flavors and always maintains pole position. Race to the Dark Side™.
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Been waiting to see what this release is about. Racer 5 and Racer X are some of the best West coast IPAs out there. Now for this one, should be interesting. The aromas start off more hoppy and aggressive than other Black Ales or Black IPAs. Some of the other ones start with more malty sweetness forward in the aromas. This one has the grassy, piney, grapefruit and tropical fruit aromas up front followed by the roasty chocolate malty sweetness after. The taste is very much so hops and IPA goodness full front followed by the sweet malt near the end. Flavors of Grapefruit, Mango, earthy, grassy, piney and somewhat floral hops, lemon, citrus, mint, molasses, minor dark chocolate, minor vanilla and caramel notes here and there, somewhat herbal and spicy, some minor roasted coffee notes, possibly a dark fruit note as well, mostly all IPA. This one caught me off guard. I was thinking it was gonna be more malt driven, but when they state, this is a “Black IPA” it almost seems like it really is an IPA with a dark complexion. An IPA that still a regular IPA but stepped into the dark side. Think Crystal Pepsi vs. Regular Pepsi. Ofcourse, it is still not as tropical strong as other IPAs but the fact that they got it to where it is a dark IPA even with some minor sweet roasty notes, it is still pretty amazing. It is also pretty drinkable too for that big ABV. Awesome stuff

Dayman Coffee IPA collaboration by Aleman, Two Brothers and Stone

April 2, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Aleman, beer collaboration, C.C., C2, Chicago brewpub, chocolate coffee, Code Geass, Coffee Beans, Collaboration Beer, Dayman Coffee IPA, hop bitterness, india pale ale, IPA, rich flavors, Stone Brewing, tropical fruits, Two Brothers | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.9/5

Dayman Coffee IPA collaboration by Aleman, Two Brothers and Stone is a 8.7%ABV India Pale Ale brewed with roasted coffee beans

Label:
Jim Moorehouse, Nate Albrecht and Brad Zeller, three pals planning #to open a Chicago brewpub under the moniker of Aleman, won first place at last year’s Iron Brew homebrewing competition in the Windy City (judged by none other than Greg Koch, Jason Ebel of Two Brothers Brewing, and celebrated Chicago brewer, designer and author Randy Mosher). Their style-bending IPA artfully married the assertive tropical bite of Citra hops with amazing coffee flavor and aromatics #to create something truly unique and exceptional. Serendipitously, Two Brothers recently kicked off a new adventure roasting their own coffee beans, and provided just-in-time freshly roasted java for the brew. The result is an innovative IPA that’s well balanced and intensely flavored thanks to the felicitous blend of hops and fresh roasted coffee.
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This is an interesting combination. I never thought such a combination would be possible inviting the citrus and coffee to combine in such a way. The aromas are such that you get citrus, mango, grassy hops, but the coffee and java roast brings out some nice caramel and sugar notes. Strange, it is like smelling a porter but brought the level of citrus and hoppy IPA. Very unique indeed. The flavors are something else. They really got the balance correctly on this one. It invites rich flavors of piney grassy, orange citrus, grapefruit but also balances the extra bitterness with caramel, coffee, chocolate, mocha, pecans, walnuts, hazelnut nectar and vanilla. You can also get some mango, tangerines and papaya out this. I think this beer would be close to like a tropical latte almost. Of course you have to remember the hop bitterness adds some rich notes that will please IPA lovers. I honestly think this beer would probably be a gateway into the world of IPAs because it starts of with the sweetness of the coffee and slowly takes you in the hoppy and tropical realms of the IPA world. Yet another unique master piece. For something that probably would mix, like sweet and bitter, they really got a way with this one. Loving this one for sure.

The Maharaja from the Dictator Series by Avery Brewing

March 27, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged amber hue, Avery Brewing, Bleach, Dictator Series, DIPA, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, herbs and spices, india pale ale, IPA, Kukaku, Kukaku Shiba, Maharaja, pineapple mango, The Maharaja | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

The Maharaja from the Dictator Series by Avery Brewing is a 10.4%ABV Double India Pale Ale

Label:
Maharaja is derived from the sanskrit words mahat, – “great” and rajan – “king”. Much like its namesake, this imperial IPA is regal, intense and mighty. With hops and malts as his servants, he rules both with a heavy hand. The Maharaja flaunts his authority over a deranged amount of hops: tangy, vibrant and pungent along with an insane amount of malted barley – fashioning a dark amber hue and exquisite malt essence. This newest Avery Dictator completes the “Dictator Series” joining the likes of The Kaiser & The Czar. Be aware that The Maharaja is a limited release only available for the summer. Welcome to his kingdom!
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This is considered a world class IPA according to a lot of Reviews standing at 102 IBUs. Upon opening the bottle, there was very nice tropical fruit fragrance that overwhelmed. The aromas have a more sweet tropical fruits like pineapple, mango, peach, orange juice, and rich caramel base coming forward followed by the floral, grassy, piney and grapefruit hops, garlic and onion bread scent, but very nice along with some herbs and spices. The flavors are similar to the fragrance of this one which are of caramel, grassy, piney, floral, and grapefruit hops, some peach, pineapple, garlic and sweet onion bread, biscuit bread, toffee, strawberries, flowers, some peppers, herbs and other nice spices. It surely quite the DIPA. While it doesn’t focus all the way into the regions of tropics, it has enough to balance the other herbs, spices and strong hops allowing for a very bitter but extra sweet beer. It leaves off pretty dry which is interesting for 102 IBUs. Doesn’t leave a lot of bitterness so it allows you to take even more sweetness next time around. Surely a great DIPA to get and one that is best fresh!

Lagunitas Sucks Brown Shugga Substitute

March 20, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Brown Shugga Substitute, brown sugar substitute, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, Holiday Ale, Holiday Leftover Ale, india pale ale, IPA, Lagunitas, Lagunitas Sucks, prickly pears, tropical flavors, tropical fruits | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Lagunitas Sucks Brown Shugga Substitute is an 7.85% ABV Double India Pale Ale

Description:
AKA Holiday Ale
AKA Holiday Leftover Ale
AKA Brown Sugar Substitute

This sad holiday season we didn’t have the brewing capacity to make our favorite seasonal brew, the widely feared BrownShugga’ Ale. You see we had a couple of really good years (thank you very much) and so heading into this season while we are awaiting the January delivery of a new brewhouse we are jammin’ along brewing 80 barrels of IPA and PILS and such every 3 hours. A couple of months back we realized that since we can only brew a mere 60 barrels of Shugga’ every 5 hours, that we were seriously screwed. For every case of Shugga’ brewed, we’d short 3 cases of our favorite daily beers. It’s a drag. This year, we brewed something that we think is also cool and brews more like our daily brews. The new brewhouse will help insure this kind of failure never happens again. It’s a mess that we can not brew our BrownShugga’ this year and we suck for not doing it. There is nothing cool about screwing this up this badly and we know it. Maybe we can sue our own sorry selves. There is no joy in our hearts this holiday and the best we can hope for is a quick and merciful end. F*@& us. This totally blows. Whatever. We freaking munch moldy donkey butt and we just want it to be all over…
So this substitute beer is a ‘Cereal Medley’ of Barley, Rye, Wheat, and Oats…. Full of complexishness from the 4 grains, and weighing in at 7.85% abv, Then joyously dry-hopped for that big aroma and resinous hop flavor.
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Many have advised that this one was a highly acclaimed IPA. I was able to find some which it is strange as some of these beers go by quick. It is seasonal and some places like Bevmo and Total Wine should have it. The aromas are really nice. Fragrances of rich tropical fruits, like mango, papaya, mandarins, pineapple, rich peach, grapes, honey, caramel, lychees, prickly pears, grapefruits, grassy, piney, floral, oily hoppy goodness, herbs and cherries. The flavors are of grapefruit, grassy and piney hops with a rich tropical sweetness like pineapples, mango, peach, lychees, dragon fruit, oranges, lemon, honey, slight bready and floral notes and some brown sugar notes. As humble as Lagunitas tries to talk about the beer, they really struck gold. This is a very fantastic IPA. One that would probably be over the top on tap and well, maybe to the pliny the younger realms? Well, regardless, it is easier to get at least for now. Also, you don’t have to stay up at 3 to 5 in the morning just to stand in line to try Pliny the Younger. Not sure if I will ever review that beer, but I have had plenty of IPAs including Heady Topper to find it hard to find a difference. Nevertheless, who knows?

Life and Limb series Rhizing Bines collaboration by Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada

March 18, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged 644 Hops, barley wine, Bravo Hops, caramel malt, Collaboration Beer, DIPA, Dogfish Head, Double India Pale Ale, Double IPA, india pale ale, IPA, Life and Limb, PA, Rhizing Bines, Sierra Nevada, tropical flavors | Leave a comment

Rating: 4/5

Life and Limb series Rhizing Bines collaboration by Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada is an 8%ABV Double India Pale Ale with Bravo and #644 hops.

Label:
Rhizing Bines is a collaborative IPA using the best of both coasts: Carolina-grown red fife wheat and Dogfish Head’s continual-hopping from the East and Sierra Nevada’s estate-grown caramel malt and Torpedo dry-hopping from the west.
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This is the second beer of the Life and Limb series I have the honor to try. The first collaboration I had was a dark ale. This one is an IPA. Upon opening this beers there was a nice honey rich and grassy hop fragrance. Some very slight breadiness, citrus, grapefruit, caramel and biscuit aromas. There are flavors of hop oil and honey. Reminds me of 120 min IPA but not as ABV strong or complex. Flavors of grapefruit, orange, coriander, lemon grass, grapes, caramel, maple, berries, slight flowers, some honey and toast bread flavor, somewhat of a barley wine note and butterscotch. Not the typical IPA. The flavor says it all. While still hoppy, it is not like a typical grassy IPA. It goes more along the lines of like an amber. There seems to be more malts in this. Not a bad thing in my opinion as I think this beer is delicious and refreshing. Just do not expect much of the bitterness or tropical flavors you would from an IPA or DIPA in this case. Still, worth getting as it is nice to taste those hops without the bitterness. Although bitterness is part of what hops are all about.

Nugget Nectar by Tröegs Brewing

March 15, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Amber Ale, barley wine, best beers in the world, fruit punch flavor, Ghost Sweeper, grapefruit marmalade, GS Mikami, hop flavors, imperial amber, Imperial Red Ale, india pale ale, IPA, Mikami, Reiko Mikami, world class beers | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.45/5

Nugget Nectar by Tröegs Brewing is a 7.5%ABV Imperial Amber/ Red Ale. Considered by many, the best Amber ale in the world

Description:
Squeeze those hops for all they’re worth and prepare to pucker up: Tröegs’ newest single batch brew, Nugget Nectar Ale, will take hopheads to nirvana with a heady collection of Nugget, Warrior and Tomahawk hops. Starting with the same base ingredients of our flagship HopBack Amber Ale, Nugget Nectar intensifies the malt and hop flavors to create an explosive hop experience.
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Almost missed out on this piece of gold. If you are still looking for it, Witty’s wine (www.wittyswine.com) still has some. This is not a west coast beer but something that comes close to this is the Ale smith Bloody Valentine and the Evil Dead Red. The aromas are very nice. Cherries, grassy hops, nutty walnuts, rich caramel, toffee, honey, peaches, mango, grapefruit, papaya, . The flavors are reminiscent of the 120 minute IPA with is extremely rich maple and honey flavor with bleeding piney, grassy and grapefruit flavors. Although this is not 18% ABV so it goes beyond. While it does not have the focus of rich cherry and fruit punch flavor like that of the Bloody Valentine, it’s emphasis on almost barley wine like aspect with tropical fruits like mango, papaya, peaches, apricots, dragon fruit almost coconut flavor, pecan pie, vanilla in walnuts, citrus, orange juice, Christmas tree, a very minor scotch note, biscuit bread with grapefruit marmalade and sweet rich pineapples. This was just.. epic!!.. The crazier part is that it has so much flavors that you would expect from a high ABV beer but lowered into the realms of refreshing and crisp drink ability. I can only describe it as taking all the flavors you would get from like lets say for example, a beer like Chocolate rain with its strong strong flavors and super high ABV then just removing almost all the alcohol but still maintaining an extremely rich flavor profile of complexity. The balance is awesome as well. I love the way Bloody Valentine tasted but this is just super amazing. Hard to find around in the West coast but if you can find it… DO NOT MISS OUT. Amber ale lover’s dream…

My Bloody Valentine Ale, cousin of Evil Dead Red by Ale Smith

February 14, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Ale Smith, Ale Smith brewing, Amber Ale, amber ales, Balanced Beers, Blood Red, Bloody Red Ale, cherries, Cherry Red Ale, Dark Cherries, Disgaea, Etna, Evil Dead Red, halloween brew, Happy Valentine's Day, IPA, my bloody valentine, My Bloody Valentine Ale Smith, Red Ale, Valentine's Day, world class beers | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

My Bloody Valentine Ale, cousin of Evil Dead Red by Ale Smith is a 6.66%ABV Amber/Red Ale. First time for this one :P. Truly a beer for the occasion. To share with your loved ones 😉

Label:
Don’t spend this single awareness day alone – grab a beer! The red-blooded cousin of Evil Dead Red Ale, our Halloween brew, is beautiful crimson color. Notes of caramel, toast, and bittersweet chocolate balance an intense bouquet of floral hop aromas that we know you’ll fall in love with. The finish leaves a pleasant, full-boded sweetness on the palate that won’t spread angry rumors about you to all you friends like that one time when I was… ohh… umm… Happy Valentine’s Day!

Pair this beer with jilted lovers, reservations for one, or your favorite emo album.”
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Upon opening this beer, well they sure as hell were not kidding. This is like an IPA fragrance with an Amber Ale body. Fragrances of rich grapefruit, citrus, piney, grassy hops, cherries, rye, blood >:[, peanuts, caramel, biscuit bread, pineapple, basil, herbs and spices, Valentine’s sugar candies and cinnamon. Flavors explode of crimson tart and sweet cherries, caramel, toffee, balance grassy and piney hops, citrus orange, mango, apricot, valentine’s candy, rye, cranberry, blood red tart raspberries, biscuit bread, chocolate, strong tropical fruits, peanuts and walnuts. The after taste stays with you with a balance of cherry sweetness mixing with with hoppy bitterness. Damn, quite the surprising Amber Ale. Extremely delicious, extremely balanced and extremely flavorful. A true amber among ambers. It is through and through one of the best damn Amber ales I have ever had. That is saying a lot considering it is like my 5th or 6th favorite style of beer. If Evil dead Red is at the top for Halloween World class beers, it is surely not a surprise why this is just freaking awesome!! Truly a love beer :3

Ranger IPA by New Belgium

December 27, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged Batman, Batman Poison Ivy, Bitter, bitter aftertaste, Cascade, Chinook, Citrus, herbs and spices, Hop Heads, Hoppy, Hops, india pale ale, IPA, new belgium, Ranger IPA, Simcoe | 4 Comments

Rating: 3.6/5

Ranger by New Belgium is a 6.5%ABV India Pale Ale

Label:
Are you a hopinista? Thank our Beer Rangers for inspiring (and begging for) this well-balanced Simcoe, Cascade and Chinook hopped IPA. 70 IBUs
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New Belgium makes some nice beers like their Fat Tire Ale. This is their IPA. I have tried many IPAs so I will try to find what is good about this one. The aromas of the Ranger IPA start off with alittle bit of citrus, grassy pine, grapefruit and minor honey biscuit.The flavors are as many IPAs go. Grassy, Pine, Grapefruit, citrus, subtle caramel, biscuit, some herbs and spices, minor notes of peach or a mango but not too fruity. It has a nice hoppy, grassy and bitter aftertaste. While it is quite balanced with flavors, it has nothing new that blows me away. Yet, this is still a good IPA to have. I have tried other bad ones, but this one won’t let you down. Especially if your into IPAs for the hops mainly.

Tower 20 IIPA by Karl Strauss

November 30, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged DIPA, FF4, FFIV, Final Fantasy 4, fruity flavors, grapefruit and tangerine, hop flavors, Hop Heads, Hoppy, IIPA, india pale ale, IPA, Karl Strauss, Palom, Porom, Tower 20, Tower 20 IIPA | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.25/5

Tower 20 IIPA by Karl Strauss is a 9.5% ABV Imperial India Pale Ale. Had this one a couple times but never really sat down to review it. Had this for my friend Carlos Bachelor party as well. Our friend Eric brought it in a growler and even though some of my friends don’t like IPAs, this was definitely Gold

Label:

The saying “less is more” doesn’t apply to West Coast IPA’s. Less is a glass half empty and Tower 20 is a full glass of unrivaled hop character – a Double IPA where more is more. In brewing this hoppy offering, we took the best of Tower 10 IPA and added more. An abundance of high-alpha Centennial hops give T20 its resinous pine-like bitterness, while Oregon-grown Crystals and Chinooks lend zesty grapefruit and tangerine hop flavors. Don’t hoard this hop bomb, drink it fresh and we’ll brew more.
—So like other IPAs,DIPAS/IIPAS, that I have reviewed in the past, each with their own emphasis on certain flavors than others. This IIPA focus is more on tropical fruity flavors and piney hoppy bitterness. The fragrance is like a honey and tangerine marmalade smell. Some grapefruit and mango aromas. Possibly some Lime and Barley wine aromas as well. The flavors are of candy orange, tangerine, mango, peach, grapefruit, pineapple, caramel, toffee, biscuit bread and vanilla. The hoppy, pine and grassy bitterness is not as abundant. Then again I don’t know how long it has been on the shelf. Regardless, it bleeds of tropical IPA awesomeness but not too bitter. SO…for people that do not like IPAs, this might be something that you will like.