Dig My Earth by Brouwerij West is an 8% ABV Vermont style Imperial India Pale Ale brewed with Mecca Grade Barley and Raw Wheat. Heavily hopped with Amarillo, Simcoe, and Centennial.
New England style, no easier to get than standing in line overnight camping for beer…. super orange juicy tropics…. yessssss!!
Horse by Offshoot Brewing is an 8.2% ABV New England Style Double India Pale Ale brewed with Citra, Huell Melon and Simcoe hops.
Label:
HOPS: CITRA, HUELL MELON, SIMCOE
MALT: 2-Row, Pilsner, Rolled Oats
Yeast: Bavarian
==Introduction==
Released 5/24/2017 and reviewed 5/30/2017 (Post is later though as you can tell). I reviewed this one alongside Cart as they were at their freshest. This is the first time I try a beer with Huell Melon which almost sounds “Whole Melon” and is what I am thinking this tastes like. We will see though. So I have made the spiel about New England IPAs before so I am not going to do that again. Anyways, for the way freshies go, let’s have a go at this one, cheers!
Aromas:
Tropical fruit mango, kiwi, passion fruit, dragon fruit, cantaloupe, papaya, strawberries, banana notes, coriander, piloncillom Mexican sweet bread, sweet limes, orange juice, starburst candy, flan notes, currants, pecans, Danish cream, crème brulee, stone fruit peaches and blueberries.
Flavors:
Rich honey dew melon, strawberries, kiwi, passion fruit, dragon fruit, cantaloupe, papaya, orange blossom honey, stone fruit mango, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, currants, maple hints, lychee fruit, starburst candy, flan, sweetened condensed milk, wild flower honey, orange juice, kumquats, sweet limes, tampico orange, fuzzy navel, tangerine gummies, tropical fruit mango, mild piña colada, almonds, cashews, pecans, toffee, caramel, mild white chocolate, Danish cream, crème brulee, cane sugar, honey suckle flowers, lemon grass, rye bread, candied oranges, wheat, banana hints, coriander hints, piloncillo sugar cone and Mexican sweet bread.
Aftertaste:
Finishes full tropical fruits, rich berries, stone fruit, grapefruit, floral, piney and grassy hops, honey, sweetened condensed milk and biscuit bread. No alcohol in the taste, Hazy Golden Orange juice body, crisp, clean, refreshing and smooth mouthfeel along with an easy drinkability.
Overall:
Amazing! Sweet tropical fruit, orange juice, some nuttiness, and berries. It really does stump me how true to hype the style might actually be. Granted, I still will not do any overnight line formations for beer. It’s just my thing. That is why I’m happy more and more breweries are starting to make their own hazy awesomeness. Do I recommend this one? Hell yea! Would it be worth the bucket? No and don’t go too crazy for any beer that is to hyped. Say No to hype! Say yes to ease of access and the underappreciated goodness!
Anime Corner:
Torahime from Oboro Muramasa was used in this pairing for mainly the horse and since I wanted a horse to look as bad ass as possible and would fit with the label of the beer. Since I did the cart one now I do the horse pairing separately and man, what a pairing!
Cart by Offshoot Beer Company is a 6.7% ABV New England Style India Pale Ale brewed with African Queen, Simcoe and El Dorado hops.
Label:…
HOPS: African Queen, Simcoe, El Dorado hops
MALTS: 2-Row, Vienna, Wheat, Golden Naked Oats
YEAST: Bavarian
==Introduction==
The second set of can releases by the Bruery and their IPA venture, Offshoot Beer Company. They make it easy for their society members to get these beers as there is no need for a line. You just buy and pick up. This is actually awesome as the hype for many of the Vermont/New England style beers have been hard to come by since some people usually try to get as many as possible as they use it for trading fodder. Like scalpers for toys or video games, it is kind of getting out of hand. The fact that freshie beers go to trade for a barrel aged beer is pretty ridiculous. Nevertheless, that’s another story for another time. So if you somehow manage to get this one, let’s see if how it is, cheers!
Aromas:
Grapefruit, tangerine, grassy, piney and floral hops, tropical fruit, papaya, passion fruit, dragon fruit, pineapple guava, biscuit bread, coconut, Danish cream, orange blossom honey, tangerines, orange zest, citrus, cherries and caramel hints.
Flavors:
Rich papaya, passion fruit, dragon fruit, pineapple, coconut, sweetened condensed milk, mango, kiwi, strawberry, prickly pear tunas, cherries, pomegranates, grapes, lemon peel, caramel, almonds, walnut, peanut hints, grapefruit, tangerine, grassy, piney and floral hops, honey, lychee, stone fruit peach, apricot, guava, Danish cream, fuzzy navel, peach cobbler, blueberries, flan, cherry marzipan, orange honey blossom, sunny delight, tampico mango drink, tangerine gummies, kumquats, lime notes, orange candy slices and starburst candies.
Aftertaste:
Finishes full of tropical fruit juice, orange juice, mixed nuts, lemon peel, grapefruit, floral, piney and grassy hops, honey, sweetened condensed milk and biscuit bread. No alcohol in the taste, Hazy Golden Orange juice body, crisp, clean, refreshing and smooth mouthfeel along with an easy drinkability.
Overall:
An exceptional beer! Unlike the Better Late than never, the flavors are in different from that beer and yet it is still very delicious and tropical although it has some nice nutty notes. This is the first time I try the African Queen hops and while it is hard to distinguish which hop gave what flavor profile, I can only say that it sure added something amazing to this beer. So yes, I would say I highly recommend it but don’t pay for it if you can trade for something not too expensive.
Anime Corner:
Hera, Athena, Artemis, Persephone and Aries from Puzzles and Dragons were all used in this pairing to mainly represent the cart being pulled by the horses. There really wasn’t much I could think of than better to go all the way with something creative.
Sources:
http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/godfes/imgs/3/e/3e503440.jpg
Phantom Bride collaboration by Belching Beaver and Deftones is a 7.10% India Pale Ale brewed with Amarillo, Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe Hops.
Label:
Named after the ethereal song by the one and only Deftones, Phantom Bride IPA is a blend of Amarillo, Citra, Simcoe, and Mosaic hops delicately balanced for the perfectly drinkable mix of citrus and hoppy goodness.
A truly original Deftones/Belching Beaver Collaboration envisioned by Chino Moreno and skillfully crafted by Thomas Peters. Sit back, put on your headphones and drink away.
Cheers – Nathan
==Introduction==
Released by Belching Beaver on October 2016. The first release was ridiculous outselling right away in many Bevmos across Southern California. While many believed it was the last of its kind, Belching Beaver had more to released a couple weeks later. In fact, if you are lucky (As of November 1st 2016) you can get some online or at a local Bev-mo. Online stores like craftshack.com still have it. I wanted to release this one on Dia De Los Muertos and lucky I was able to snag one just for the occasion. This release comes as a tribute to the song by the same name released by the Deftones in their “GORE” album which features Jerry Cantrell which also comes from the band “Alice in Chains” and many other awesome bands such as Metallica. He lends a special part with his guitar influences which makes for a great album and well, what a better way to commemorate that with this beer. Cheers and Rock ON!!!
Aromas:
Dank, garlicky, floral, piney, herbal and grassy hops, stone peaches, apricots, rich tropical fruits, guava, strawberry, mango, dragon fruit, passion fruit, pineapple juice, kiwi, prickly pears, pomegranates, honey dew melon, papaya, cranberries, cherries, tangerines, lychee, kumquats, orange honey blossom, lemon starburst, orange starburst, lemon candy, grapefruit pulp and juice, tangerine gummies, vanilla and sweetened condensed milk hints.
Flavors:
Rich tropical fruit, passion fruit, dragon fruit, guava, mango, pineapple juice, kiwi, prickly pears, honey dew melon, papaya, pomegranates, dank, garlicky, floral, piney, herbal and grassy hops, basil, lemon grass, vanilla, tangerine gummies, tropical fruit smoothie, grape hints, kumquats, lychees, cherries, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, orange honey blossom, lemon starburst, orange starburst, lemon candy, stone peaches, apricots, sweetened condensed milk hints, Danish cream hints, grapefruit juice, tampico orange juice, lime aide and almond cream hints
Aftertaste:
Finishing with rich fruit cup, tropical and citrus fruit flavors with rich hop dankness, sweetened condensed milk hints, honey, and other juicy fruits. No alcohol in the taste, Pale Golden Honey light to medium body, crisp, clean, smooth, refreshing and velvety mouthfeel with an easy drinkability.
Overall:
No wonder it is a hard beer to get. It is not New England haze but it sure damn tastes like it. Belching Beaver has never disappointed me even with the release of the much loved Peanut butter and Mexican Chocolate Milk stout, this is amazing. Their Here Comes Mango was an amazing beer but this is kicking stuff to a whole new level. This is a supreme bucket listing juice bomb. It still goes to show that even the west coast can still kick ass even if it is not with a super hazy brew like the hyped ones in the east or special can released. Just like the day of the dead, I hope you can get this one before kicking the bucket as well. A supreme juicy bomb that is highly recommended!!
Anime Corner:
Emily from The Corpse Bride and an original character were the closest I could come up for known characters that could be used to pair with the name of the beer. The theme of day of the dead as well and generally, the wandering of the bride as she had spent life maybe never achieving what she wanted due to something she prevented herself from doing or even, loving in general. Pretty deep stuff but it is enough for people to respect the way others live their lives be it good or bad, the important part is to hope they lived it to their means.
Sources:
http://wir.skyrock.net/wir/v1/resize/?c=isi&im=%2F5660%2F83615660%2Fpics%2F3112832533_1_3_iCV3zPUS.jpg&w=566
http://orig10.deviantart.net/b138/f/2013/275/e/8/corpse_bride_by_byam-d6p0qeq.png
http://img0.joyreactor.cc/pics/post/арт-барышня-красивые-картинки-1464347.jpeg
The Mosaic Pineapple by El Borracho brewing is a 5.25% ABV India Pale Ale brewed with Pineapple Simcoe and Mosaic Hops
Label:
None!
==Introduction==
My friend Will Carranza has shared another homebrew with me for the Fall. Using the Whoa Bundy!!! recipe he had previously made, adding the Mosaic hops and pineapple to the mix, we have this new IPA. The previous Whoa Bundy!!! From what I remember was definitely a delicious beer. This time around with the new ingredients, I hope it has more of a tropical fruit flavor to it. There wasn’t a specific reason for the name of the beer but I do remember he told me he always wanted to make his own pineapple IPA after the inspiration of the Sculpin variants such as the Grapefruit Sculpin and Pineapple Sculpin. Let’s take a dive into this one, Cheers!
Aromas:
Stone fruit peach, apricots, mango, pineapples, citrus, herbal, floral, piney and grassy hops, tropical fruit mango, dragon fruit, passion fruit, papaya, honey dew melon, grapefruit, orange candy, biscuit bread, vanilla, lemon zest, tangerines and guavas.
Flavors:
Rich pineapple, tropical fruit honey dew melon, prickly pear tunas, kumquats, mango, Strawberries, raspberries, guava, Papaya, dragon fruit, passion fruit, citrucy, grapefruit, piney, floral, and dank garlicky hops, lemon candy, tangerines, oranges, lemon grass, cherries, green tea ice cream, stone fruit peach, apricots, lychee fruit, pears, vanilla, sweetened condensed milk hints and biscuit bread.
Aftertaste:
Finishing with rich pine apple, tropical fruits, stone fruits, grapefruit, citrus, lemon candy, herbal hops and tangerine spread on biscuit bread. No alcohol in the aftertaste, golden colored light body, crisp, refreshing, clean, rich and smooth mouthfeel with an easy drinkability.
Overall:
Damn very delicious tropical IPA! Definitely at that level of Pineapple Sculpin but in many ways better. The types of hop do definitely make a world of a difference when it comes to these beers. So much tropical fruit goodness that it is ridiculous. The pine apple pairs very well with the tropical type hops used that it enhances the experience with every sip. Definitely one of the friend William’s best beers! I hope to see more in time.
Anime Corner:
Original character was used in this pairing for the obvious. Essentially, the pineapple and mosaic hops added to this beer are the pairing of the ingredients, the colors and the flavors represented by the artwork. There weren’t any other specific reasons for the choice in pairing other than I think this works very well.
Feeding The Fanatics by Monkish brewing is a 7.1% ABV India Pale Ale brewed with Citra, Simcoe, and Amarillo hops.
Label:
None!
==Introduction==
Released as a taproom exclusive, Monkish has changed its ways for the better good. Since the beginning, they were a brewery exclusive to the Belgian styles of brewing. They even had a sign that used to say NO IPAs! Until recently, they have tested their brewing art and applied to making IPAs. They somehow stumbled upon an east coast secret of hazy New England style IPAs. Essentially, the orange juice and tropical fruit and pulpy hop bombs. I say that because the beers are so hazy and so juicy that they are exactly like if you are drinking juice. Since I tried King JJJuliusss by Tree House a while back, I have an idea of what they are about. Especially since Heady Topper as well. This combined with the fact that Monkish has been releasing IPA cans exclusively at the brewery and creating a very coveted market, their IPAs are extraordinary. Unfortunately, for me, I think I have lost interest in waiting for can releases. You see, it has become very hyped up that people are actually staying overnight on some Fridays before can releases in order to get a chance at a 4 pack of gold. They pretty much sell out really quick. So, when they said they would release one of their IPAs on tap only and growler fill option, I had to see what this “hype” was all about. The name alone describes how big their IPAs have become. They have to feed the masses or “fanatics” like a cult of IPA praise that there really is not enough of these delicious beers to feed the other masses that do not want to camp out for beer releases. Monkish is a gold mine! Essentially, to the degree that they are most likely Pliny and Heady Topper hype killers at this point until other breweries can make such juice bombs just like Tree House or Trillium to name a few. So here I have a pour from a growler fill and I will tell you, what I think of this so called, Gold… cheers!
Aromas:
Tropical fruit guava, mango, dragon fruit, passion fruit, pineapple juice, kiwi, prickly pears, pomegranates, honey dew melon, papaya, cranberries, cherries, tangerines, lychee, kumquats, Danish cream, sweetened condensed milk, lemon starbursts, orange starburst, lemons, limes, orange juice, lemonade, lime aid, tang, tampico orange juice, raspberries, cane sugar, agave nectar, stone peaches, apricots, dank, garlicky, floral, herbal and grassy hops, basil, lemon grass, vanilla and tangerine gummies.
Flavors:
Rich orange juice, lemonade, lime aid, tang, tampico orange juice, raspberries, cane sugar, agave nectar, stone peaches, apricots, dank, garlicky, floral, herbal and grassy hops, basil, lemon grass, vanilla, tangerine gummies, tropical fruit guava, mango, dragon fruit, passion fruit, pineapple juice, kiwi, prickly pears, pomegranates, honey dew melon, papaya, cranberries, cherries, tangerines, lychee, kumquats, orange bang, orange juice pulp, grapefruit pulp, orange blossom honey, almond cream, cashew cream, biscuit bread, Danish cream, sweetened condensed milk, lemon starbursts, orange starburst, lemons, limes, grapes and tropical fruit smoothies.
Aftertaste:
Finishing with rich tropical and citrus fruit flavors that just linger for a very long time with rich hop dankness, honey, sweetened condensed milk hints, honey and more. No alcohol in the taste, Hazy Pale Honey medium body, crisp, clean, smooth, refreshing and velvety mouthfeel with an easy drinkability.
Overall:
Seriously though, what Vatican Deep Vault Scrolls did Monkish unearth to make these grandeur IPAs. Apparently, they somehow brought the magic of the east coast and blended some West Coast mysteries into it because this is damn insane. IF the can releases is making people wait outside on different Friday nights to camp for a Saturday Can release, it must be something that is definitely out there. This must be proof as the fact that this was the first time they released it on tap that soon, there will be enough beer for even distribution to the masses. I will not say this is the best beer in the world, NO, but I will say this type of beer style is definitely up there with my top 10s. Sorry, I love my Belgians to be a hop head but I am a lover of all styles and IPAs are a love of mine as well. Regardless, I honestly think while the beer is supreme and I hope to see more in the future, I would still not camp out to get these beers. Unless you really want to, I say give it some time before this or any other of their IPAs are released to the public or find a way to trade for it. These beers have a low shelf life, even lower than West Coast IPAs so you definitely have to enjoy them fresh. If Monkish still has this beer on tap and you happen to be around the town. GO GET THIS!… This one is a bucket lister… I’m sure their other ones are too.
Anime Corner:
Anime Justice League by artists Wizyakyza (link in the sources) which includes anime characters Kirito from Sword Art Online 2, Naruto from Naruto, Natsu from Fairy Tail, Ryuko Matoi (maiwaifu LOL) from Kill La Kill, Saitama from One Punch Man, Mikasa Ackerman from Attack On Titan, Goku from Dragon Ball/Z/GT/Super, Edward from Full Metal Alchemist and Luffy from One Piece were all used as a statement. The masses seem to be moving forward toward some kind of IPA hop juice Utopia and the name signifies that people will stop at nothing to this brew. Maybe the secret isn’t so secret at all as some home brewers have attempted to mimic some of these beers. However, for being a beer that I damn enjoyed so much (maybe not the way I enjoy my favorite best beers in the world like my Quads and Belgian Dark Strongs or Barrel Aged gold) I still wanted to create a parallel between what people in the craftbeer world are wanting versus what people in the anime world are wanting. A true collision of Beer and Anime awesomeness!!
Sources:
http://wizyakuza.deviantart.com/art/hmmmmmmm-587323705
Aurora Hoppyalis IPA by Karl Strauss brewing is a 7% ABV San Diego Style India Pale Ale.
Label:
Okay fine, we admit it, you can’t see the Northern Lights this far south. But San Diego has its own version of Aurora Borealis, and ours has cast a hoppy spell over this city. What the rest of the world calls an IPA, San Diego locals consider pale in comparison. Aurora Hoppyalis is our San Diego-style IPA brewed with Simcoe, Mosaic, Amarillo, and Citra hops. Robust flavors and aromas of tropical fruit, pine, and tangerine linger through a dry, crisp finish. Tonight’s forecast: clear hoppy skies.
==Introduction==
Released year-round, this is the first time Karl Strauss takes a shot at an east coast style beer with a west coast blend. Or at least it seems like it as this one is a hazy IPA. It has also been a while since I brought a Karl Strauss brew to the website as well. Karl Strauss has been in the business for craft beer since 1989 and as the times have changed, so have they to adjust for certain beer trends. While the West Coast hoppy beers have been the craze for years, it seems the arrival of the East Coast style is definitely having an effect on masses. So as a response they brought this. I have heard great things about this one so when my local shop started to carry it, I was damned if I didn’t bring this one to the site. Let’s take a look, cheers!
Aromas:
Tropical fruit, mango, pineapple, guava, dragon fruit, passion fruit, lychee, strawberry, biscuit bread, green tea ice cream, pears, sweetened condensed milk hints, stone fruit peach, honey, Citrus blossom honey, orange peel, grapefruit, piney, garlicky, oniony, herbal, dank and grassy hops, lemon starbursts, basil, Eucalyptus honey, lemon grass and agave hints.
Flavors:
Honey, Citrus blossom honey, orange peel, grapefruit, piney, garlicky, oniony, herbal, dank and grassy hops, lemon starbursts, basil, Eucalyptus honey, lemon grass, tropical fruit pine apple, dragon fruit, passion fruit, guava, lychee, strawberry, mango hints, tangerine gummies, biscuit bread vanilla hints, agave hints, mint, green tea ice cream, pears, sweetened condensed milk hints, stone fruit peach and apricot.
Aftertaste:
Finishing dry with honey, green tea, grassy, citrus and tropical hops. No alcohol in the taste, pale golden clear to hazy body, crisp, clean and refreshing mouthfeel along with an easy drinkability.
Overall:
A perfect IPA resembling an east coast style with the massive tropics but still giving it the old heave-ho garlicky dankness found in the west coast style. They somehow got all the flavors to meld well and then this honey and citrus taste that’s very unique. It does seem a lot like an East Coast in some aspects especially with the haze. While I haven’t had some good Karl Strauss beers in a while, this one was super damn impressive. Definitely another pickup from me and I recommend you pick this one up online or local.
Anime Corner:
Ragyō Kiryūin from Kill LA Kill is the antagonist of the series. I won’t spoil who she really is if you have not seen the show but the reason I chose her for this beer pairing is because I wanted to pair the play on the name of the bear. Aurora Hoppyalis is a play on Aurora Borealis or the Northern lights. The lights they are created by sun’s particles that collide with the Earth’s atmosphere in the north creating these very beautiful and colorful lights. Since Ragyō’s hair is a rainbow of colors and she is always surrounded by immense light, it makes sense to use her in a beer that centers around the colorful variety and complex flavors that come from the hops which mimic the different fruits, citrus, sweets and herbs. She maybe evil in term of who she is but her light is as casting as that of a god!
Sources:
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GKVD8sSuCD0/maxresdefault.jpg
http://img1.joyreactor.cc/pics/post/Anime-Kill-la-Kill-Kiryuuin-Ragyou-yand-1181849.jpeg
Whoa Bundy!!! by El Borracho brewing is a 5.25% ABV American Pale Ale brewed with Simcoe Hops.
==Introduction==
A tribute to one of the best sitcoms growing up, Married with Children. Specifically, Al Bundy which was by Ed O’Neal. The reason my friend William Carranza chose Whoa Bundy!! as the name of the beer indicates as it is an American Pale Ale. As a American as Al Bundy and High School football of which he scored 4 touch downs in one game for Polk High. Thanks to Will for another awesome donation to the site. Let’s take a look and see what this one has to offer, cheers!
Aromas:
Citrus, piney, herbal, floral, dank, spicy and garlicky hops, tropical fruit notes of Guava, Papaya, dragon fruit, passion fruit, honey dew melon, Stone fruit peach, apricots, lemon zest, orange candy, mango hints and tangerines.
Flavors:
Herbal, Spicy, grapefruit, piney, floral, and dank garlicky hops, biscuit bread, vanilla notes, Tropical fruit Guava, Papaya, dragon fruit, passion fruit, pineapple, honey dew melon, kumquats, mango, Strawberries, raspberries, Stone fruit peach, lychee, apricots, lemon candy, oranges, green tea ice cream, gummy bears, and tangerines.
Aftertaste:
Finishing with stone fruit notes, tropical fruit, biscuit bread, herbal, grapefruit, citrus lemon candy and piney hops. No alcohol in the aftertaste, Honey colored light to medium body, crisp, refreshing, rich and smooth mouthfeel with an easy drinkability.
Overall:
A very delicious pale ale having so many of the nice tropical fruits and citrus notes that I enjoy from IPAs and Pale Ales alike. There was so much in this one that it did make me go… Whoa!? With use of all Simcoe in this brew, it was something very good. Definitely one of my friend’s better beers and one that is worth trying again.
Anime Corner:
Dead Pool from Marvel Comics and Harley Quinn from DC Comics were used in this pairing since I wanted to find something Married with Children related. In this case, it is not Anime but Comics. I have done many comic book characters in the past especially since I like many of them. So the fact that I found one for Dead Pool with Harley was one of the most perfect pairings I’ve seen in a while. An awesome beer pairing at that.
Sources:
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/dv9qdbwdukvjzylt3oa8.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/31/56/3e/31563e819a27b3daf6087ed0645d1785.jpg
Hop Squeezed Tropic Hunter by Nubis Sanctum Ales is an 11% ABV Double (Triple) India Pale Ale brewed with Mango Puree, Arizona Wild Flower Honey, Citra, Mosaic, Amarillo and Simcoe.
Label:
The Last Mango is in Captivity. The Galaxy Hops, are at peace… as they were not harmed in the making of this beer…
Tropic Hunter S.A.M.U.S (Savor Analyze Monitor Unite & Save)
Log OG:1.100 FG:1.020…
Login METROIPA…Accepted…
Transmitting Data—->
“My name is SAMUS. I first encountered the Mango-troid colony on their home Planet Citra Zest. It was there that I was introduced to the rich delicious Nectar these creatures produced. These creatures though harmless had offered me something I’ve never seen in all my visits through the Galaxy of Barley way. The Mango-troids, after pollination which would involve squeezing sugars from fruits and hops, would then leave behind a secret bitter sweet liquid that was gold in color and aromatic like the tropical fruits of the Planet 4U2EAT. My mission… To collect a sample of this ambrosia and present it to the lab for analysis. Here is what this liquid is composed of:
Ingredients: Water, Malts, Amarillo, Simcoe, Mosaic & Citra Hops, Freshly made Mango Puree, Arizona Wild Flower Honey, Candi Sugar and San Diego Super Yeast.
As I completed my mission, a Mango-troid followed me back to my ship. I think it is a baby. So it seems I was able to produce enough of the ambrosia with the help of the Mango-ling that I am providing some for your research as well!
SAMUS Over And Out… Cheers and see you next mission!”
End Transmission…
Project#9 is my attempt at brewing a tropical double IPA and an inspiration from El Segundo’s Power Plant as well as the Sure Bet Double IPA from Pipeworks is this beer right here. While studying a good recipe for a couple months and buying ingredients bit by bit, I finally was able to create my first ever IPA in the similar recipe to tribute to some of my favorite tropical/leche nestle Triple IPAs out there. I have no idea if my beer can even top the Pliny the Younger but I hope it can beat the elder atleast. Either way, it was a lot of work, a great learning experience and one damn great beer I was very proud to make. Cheers!
Aromas:
Mango hints, Wild flower hints, rich citrus, rich pine needle, herbal, floral, grassy and grapefruit hops, tropical fruits like guava, prickly pears, papaya, passion fruit, dragon fruit, lychee, pineapples, apricots, stawberrries, raspberries, cherries, tangerines, tuna fruit, stone fruit peaches, creamy vanilla, caramel, agave notes, sweetened condensed milk, tangerine gummy bears, citrus peels, grapefruit peels, coconut hints, marshmallow and tres leches/3 milks cream hints.
Flavors:
Rich Mango, Wild flower honey, agave notes, tropical fruit like dragon fruit, papaya, kiwi, honey dew melon, strawberries, passion fruit, prickly pear, papaya, guava, piney, grassy, grapefruit hops, citrus, tangerine oranges, orange peel, grapefruit peel, sweetened condensed milk, caramel, toffee, vanilla, stone fruit apricots, banana hints, raspberries and cream hints, orange gummy bears, mild coconut hints, tres leches/3 milks cream hints, almonds and macadamia nut hints.
Aftertaste:
Lots of Orange peel, Grapefruit peel, Mango hints, Wild Flower honey hints, caramel, gummy bears, tangerines, tropical fruit hints, and stone fruit hint with left over piney hop goodness that pops for a bit. Slight alcohol in the taste, Golden Amber Honey full body, silky, syrupy, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel and a moderate drinkability
Overall:
While I give it 5 stars for the rich flavors I still was disappointed slightly that my carbonation was definitely not on par. There is a slight amount of head but not a lot of carbonation. Call it beginners foil but also a great learning lesson. Don’t get me wrong, I really love this beer it is damn scrumptious but with the carbonation it would have been way better. Either way, I know for next time and surely, next time I make an IPA and do secondary, definitely pitching some extra yeast to compensate for the high ABV but also the yeast viability after those several weeks after fermentation finished. A perfect yet “semi flat” yet super tropically delicious masterpiece.
Anime Corner:
Samus Aran from Metroid was used in this pairing as I wanted to give representation of the whole tropical colors and flavors as shown in the label by the metroids being the mangos and Samus squeezing them extracting this very IPA. The idea was solid and I lived it. I give more details in the label description but the shine of the beer in its strength, love, passion and dedication to making one of the best tropical IPAs I could. The lil’ metroid baby sure loves to help out Samus(Squeeze)! But I digress. Maybe the condensed milk like hints were… nah it couldn’t be 😉 …
Sources:
http://genzoman.deviantart.com/art/Metroid-259341497
http://planetgameboy.de/images/db/58621.jpg
http://orig09.deviantart.net/4d4e/f/2015/045/d/1/metroid___samus_be_my_valentine_by_genzoman-d8i0z23.jpg
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!!
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.