Dogfish Head: Aprihop

Hmmm... let's think this through. On one hand, its a hoppy beer, which is usually a very good thing. On the other hand, it has a fruit in it's title, which is usually a very bad thing.

But keeping to form, Dogfish Head has produced yet another tasty treat of a beer. The Aprihop is an interesting blend of hops and fruits. I'm kind of impartial on the subject of apricots, but I'm a big big fan of hops.

When first opened, the fruity aroma is quite prevalent. At the first sip, the hops are immediately present with the fruity/apricot flavor pulling up the rear. I've gotta say though, the marriage between the two is quite good. The taste wasn't quite as powerful as the aroma, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I actually thought it was close to perfectly balanced with neither the hops nor the fruit dominating. I wanted to like this beer because I'm a big Dogfish fan, and I'm glad I was proven correct. And with a hearty 7%abv, it'll also put a smile on your face after a long day of work.

I originally planned on giving this beer a very solid 3.5, but the more I thought about it, the more I liked it. So I cracked open another bottle and decided to go ahead and give it a 4. To me, a 4 is something you won't be disappointed with, something that you won't hesitate to buy again, and something that you'll get the occasional craving for, and this fits all of those.

Red Racer IPA: Central City Brewery

So I did it again...

Without realizing it, I seemed to have reviewed a beer that has already been reviewed. In my quest to seek out the ultimate canned beer, I didn't double check to make sure it hasn't already been tried...

Well too bad for you guys I guess, because I'm going to give you my two cents anyway. For the second week in a row, I'll be reviewing a wonderful canned beer. Red Racer IPA produced by Central City Brewery out of Vancouver. They seem to have a decent variety of beers, so I'm assuming I'll give each of them a whirl in due time. But as for the Red Racer, I say if you see it, buy it. Apparently it won the best beer in British Columbia in 2008-09, but isn't that kind of like being named the toughest guy in France? I mean who's their competition, Molson?

Overall though, it comes across very IPA'y, meaning that the hops jump out at you immediately, however, I seemed to be left with a malty aftertaste. If you're an IPA fan, you'll definitely want to check this out. And at a decent 6.5%abv, it's got a decent kick to it too. I'm going to give it a sold 3. I want to go higher, but my gut is telling me to stay with the three.

Imperial IPA, Green Flash Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Beer Crusade is lucky enough to have reviewed the West Coast IPA from Green Flash a few months ago. I consider myself even luckier to have the opportunity to enjoy that beer's big brother, the Imperial IPA.

As you'd expect from something with "imperial" in the name, this beer pushes the envelope on hop flavors and ABV (9.4%). The hops are ever-present in this beer, imparting a citrus-y flavor and a sensation of freshness. Despite the hop onslaught, this beer is very drinkable and quite tasty.

Frankly, I think this is a great beer, and a top-notch example of a Californian IPA. The biggest downside is that the alcohol is a bit "hot" at times, giving a touch of "burn" to the flavor and drowning out a touch of the hoppy goodness.

Rating = 4.0

21st Amendment: Brew Free or Die IPA

So three great things happened to me tonight. First, my wife's best friend called and they talked for about an hour enabling me to watch the Bruins and the Celtics without interruption. Second, LOST, the best show on tv, was on. And third, I discovered my holy grail of beers; a beer that tastes great out of the can.

I've had my fair share of beers out of the can, usually something see thru and cheap though. About seven years ago, we discovered Dale's Pale Ale which comes in the can and is absolutely fantastic. This beer however, gives Dale's a run for their money.

The 21st Amendment brewery is out in San Francisco and what a job they did with the Brew Free or Die IPA. I can't really comment on the color, because it never touched a glass, but what I can say is that the malt and hops jump out at you immediately at that first sip. Not overpowering, just a very nearly perfect combination. And at 7%abv, it's got a little punch to it too. It's not perfect, but wow is it good. I'm going to give this beer a strong 4, with no reservations. In a review posted last September, Beer Crusade gave it a 3.5. I happen to like it more than he does, so maybe I'll have to pick up a sixer and let KSA being the deciding vote...

India Pale Ale, Southampton Publick House Ales & Lagers, Southampton, NY

Looking out of the BC castle this weekend at the snow covered grounds, I was definitely hit with a tad of seasonal affective disorder, aka the winter blues for you guys not trying to busy yourself with big words. So when I opened my fridge I wanted a beer that would take me the way of summer and sun, and what better to do so than a beer from the Hamptons, Southampton Publick House India Pale Ale. The beer poured a frothy head with tiny little hop bobbles dotting the top. The coloring was a medium brown with an orange tinge and most importantly it smelled of beautiful hops. The Southampton hit me with a quick kick of bitter, that not only surprised me but dominated the malt. The hops definitely brought an apricot taste. The malt fought a good fight against the hops, but in the end the bitterness won out. Now, the Southampton wasn’t overly bitter to be disagreeable, but it had an edge that could have used a tad more hop balance. The 6.1% ABV is solid. As is the rating at a 3.0

By the way now that Jersey Shore has been renewed for Season 2, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jersey Shore: Hitting the Hamptons on next year and The Situation holding court at the Southampton Publick House.

Sierra Nevada: Torpedo Extra IPA

Once upon a time there was a guy, and this guy loved him some hops. Then one day, this guy found Sierra Nevada Torpedo and lived happily ever after, the end.

Good story huh... I happen to know that guy and know for a fact that this beer was really quite very good. It really should come as no huge surprise though, Sierra Nevada tends to put out a consistently above average product. Matter of fact, I've only had one beer of theirs I didn't like, and that was the Christmas brew, about five years ago. I'm convinced I just got a bad batch or something though.

Some IPA's sacrifice the taste just so they can say they have "twice the hops", or whatever, but this beer does nothing of the sort. Very smooth tasting for an extra hoppy beer, so much so that although the hops are the dominant flavor, they're not the only flavor. It's scent is what you'd expect from an IPA, citrus-y, but it's not overly done. Really, this is one of the best extra IPA's I've had in a long long time.

If you're looking for some extra hops, try the Torpedo. I'm going to give it a 4, which may sound high, but trust me, you'll agree after tasting it for yourself. And at 7.2%abv, that doesn't exactly hurt it's cause.

840 Imperial IPA, Stone Coast Brewing, Portland, ME

This one is a bit of a mystery. At my local beer retailer, I noticed the Stone Coast Brewing Co. 840 Imperial IPA. I'd never heard of the brewery, even though they are relatively nearby in Portland, ME.

The beer is decent. Nice color, sort of brown-ish copper. There is a bit of sediment in the bottle, due to the secondary bottle conditioning that Stone Coast uses to raise the beer from an IPA to an IIPA. Tastes good too, with a heavy hop presence initially, followed by a slightly sour malt aftertaste.

Here's the strange part: Stone Coast apparently went out of business in 2008. Happens all the time, right? So why the heck did I find this beer in 2010? I guess that it is possible that another brewery bought the Stone Coast brand and recipes, but I can't find anything about it. I like to think that there is a beer distributor truck with Back to the Future capabilities, or something...

For a 2 year old beer, it was not bad. I have no idea if the apparent aging improved the beer or not, but at least it is a good story.

Rating = 3.0

Red Racer IPA, Central City Brewing Co., Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

My compadres in arms here at Beer Crusade and I have always shared info on liquor stores, but in the last 18 months or so we've found ourselves living in the same area which means we're constantly fighting over beer stores since we've been slowly depleting what's available to us. So as luck would have it, I was referred to 2 new stores this week and I am keeping them to myself. And one of the lucky stores provided me with this week's entry Red Racer IPA.

Now the picture doesn't show it, but if you check out the website you will see this is another canned beer, and like most of its predecessors on the site, it does not disappoint. The foamy goodness poured with a large head that took it's time to settle, and came out with a great orange hue. The hops provide a wonderful grapefruity citrus taste. That taste combines perfectly with the malt to create a strong tasting beer. There is heavy hop bitterness but not too much to detract from the beer. I tend to drink beers I am reviewing slowly, but I found myself gulping this one because it was so good. The 5.5% ABV is also solid. The Red Racer IPA gets a 4.5, look for the lady on the motorcycle in a store near you.

Frye's Leap IPA, Sebago Brewing Co., Gorham, ME

We've reviewed Sebago Brewing Co. products on this site before, and last time they pulled in a middle-of-the-road 3.0. Apparently that was the high point.

The Frye's Leap IPA is apparently the flagship beer at Sebago. Normally, with an IPA, you'd expect a hit of hop aroma. Not in this beer. All of the hops are concentrated in the flavor, making it a bit bitter, though there are interesting flavors of citrus and sort-of pine. There is a lot of residue in the bottle, much like a homebrew, leading to a cloudy visual presentation. The ABV of 5.7% is not bad, but nothing special.

Let's just say, if you brewed this beer at home in a Mr. Beer kit, you'd be quite happy. And I don't mean that to be a compliment...

With a name like "Frye's Leap", you'd think that the label would have a cool story about jumping off of a rock into Sebago Lake. Maybe they could even talk about how that jump came to be known as Frye's Leap. The boys in Sebago's marketing department apparently disagree. I feel lucky that we even get a picture on the label.

Rating = 2.0

I knew that it was a bad sign when the most prominent thing on their website is a picture of the food at their restaurants, like chicken ceasar salad or a nice reuben.

Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel

Wow, trying saying that five times fast...

And at a stiff 9%abv, it might be tougher than you think. At first pour, I was surprised by the large head the Dobbelen IPA Tripel produced. After waiting the required 2-3 minutes for it to dissipate, I took my first sip. The golden yellow beer went down quite smooth, but I was mildly surprised by its lack of taste. Don't get me wrong, it was good, but nothing really jumped out at me. To me, it was a softer version of a normal IPA, basically just another Belgium beer. Nothing particularly horrible about it, but nothing particularly amazing about it either.

I'd definitely buy it again, but it's not something that I'd search out. I'm going to give it a 3, because everything about this beer is just ever so slightly above average.

West Coast IPA, Green Flash Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Taking the trip in Way Back machine here. In October 2007, I decided to take a trip to Coronado Island in San Diego. I had a free hotel room, courtesy of the wife, and great friends in the area so it was a no-brainer. On this trip I decided to try as many local brews as possible. My gracious co-hosts Erin and Ryan took me to a wonderful bar called the Yard House. So many beers on tap, and one of them was the West Coast IPA from Green Flash Brewing Co. Why do you care about this? Well for one, my wife, Erin, Ryan, and the Yard House are all awesome. And two, this trip started the Beer Crusade. After getting back I emailed reviews of all the brews I tried and people convinced me I should start the blog, the rest they say is history. Of course, I procrastinated several months after the visit, let;s just say I needed months of convincing to start this thing.

The West Coast IPA uses several hops which combine to make a bitter, yet well balanced entry into the land of IPAs. Despite the confluence of hops, the beer does not come off as too hoppy, much in the same way it's 7% ABV is not too alcoholly in taste. The beer is caramel in coloring and pours with generous head. If you like your IPAs on the bitter side, but not too bitter, the West Coast IPA is for you. One final note on the Green Flash Brewery, on their employment page they suggest that they always can use some help on bottling days, for some reason this always made me think I could start my own brewery.

The West Coast IPA gets a 3.5.

Founders Brewing: Double Trouble

As the oh so great poets of C&C Music Factory once put it... "things that make you hmmm". Founders Brewing Double Trouble IPA was definitely a thought provoking beer. Good in color (slight orange), great in smell (hops and citrus attack the nose) and very interesting in flavor.

When I first opened up the bottle, I immediately noticed the hops. The first sip out of the bottle was almost too strong for me (beer was bottled in 2/09), but after I poured it into a glass, the flavor evened out. At a robust 9.4%abv, the little guy definitely packs quite the punch.

At that first sip, I wasn't a huge fan. It was almost overdone, or too strong for my refined pallet. But after I poured it into a glass, it went down smooth, with the abundant hops and malt providing the perfect punch. For the record, I'm a hops guy, the more the better I say.

I'm going to give this beer at 3.5, but for some reason I have this sneaking suspicion that it'll taste even better out of the keg. Most beers do, but I think this one is especially suited to be served as a draft and not out of the bottle. I'd definitely recommend trying it.

Flower Power IPA, Ithaca Beer Co., Ithaca, NY

Another beer with a hop-based pun in the title (flower = hop flower for the slower readers). The Ithaca Beer Co. in upstate NY makes a solid hop-focused IPA. The most remarkable element of this beer is the intensely citrus aroma and taste given off by the hops. It is probably a very nice IPA, but the smell of lemons/grapefruit, combined with the nearly overpowering taste of citrus is the primary focus of this beer. The malt does appear as a sweet flavor, but the balance is tilted towards showing off the hops.

Despite my criticism, this is a tasty beer, and the 7.5% ABV is definitely welcome. The hops are very dominant,and I think that you need to be ready for it.

Rating = 3.5

I had this in a bottle. I'm wondering if the beer enjoys a better balance out of a keg, but I've never seen an Ithaca product on tap in my area...

Mayflower Brewery: IPA

Yet another above average local beer! Gotta love it. Mayflower Brewery is out of Plymouth, MA, but unlike the rock (1620), it wasn't founded until 2007. For a relatively new brew, they're doing a pretty darn good job.

I figured I'd start with the IPA, it being a beer barometer of sorts. I must admit I was pleasantly surprised. It was actually very close to the Harpoon IPA, which I thoroughly enjoy. The taste of hops and caramel were immediately evident upon the first sip, and it went down very easily.

Overall, it gets a very solid 3.5. Nothing extraordinary about it, but nothing horrible either. I'd definitely recommend giving it a whirl, and I plan on sampling some of their other brews in the near future.

I'm looking for suggestions too. I found a new beer store, which is a good thing, but rather than randomly choosing each week, I wouldn't mind a suggestion or two to point me in the right direction, so fire away...

Hoptical Illusion, Blue Point Brewing Co., Long Island, NY

First off, I advise all of you to take some quality time out of your lives and watch MTV's Jersey Shore. It's MTV's latest bit of train wreck television, i.e. You can,t take your eyes off of it. Since they spend most of the show crushing Miller Lites I am justified writing about this.
This week I took time out of my TV schedule to sample the Blue Point Brewing Co's Hoptical Illusion, an IPA. You know it's an IPA because the name incorporates "Hop" in a fun pun-like way.
The Illusion pours into your glass with that nice orangy brown coloring, and a modest amount of head. Upon sipping you get a great sense of bitterness and malt flavor, but these die down about half way through the sip so the beer ends up being more bland than its initial sip impression.

The beer label incorporates the unfinished pyramid and the All Seeing Eye/ Eye of Horus that you find on the US One Dollar bill. These symbolize strength, duration, divine providence etc. The 6.8 ABV is definitely a sign of strength, but I found the overall taste not enduring at all. I did find the label a bit quirky, as if it were a clue in a Dan Brown novel or National Treasure movie. Unfortunately there was no treasure map on the back. Yes I peeled it off to check.

All in all the Hoptical Illusion gets a 3.0

Hopsickle Imperial IPA, Moylan's Brewing Co., Novato, CA

To be honest, I've never had anything from Moylan's Brewing Co., so I wasn't sure what to expect. After a couple of sips, it was clear that I've been missing out on something great.

The Hopsickle Imperial IPA clocks in at 9.2% ABV, but the real story is the impressive and dramatic amount of hop flavor that is packed into this beer. I'm not always the biggest fan of the "super hop beer" trend, as it seems like some breweries are taking a questionable product and dumping hops into it. I can say with conviction that this is not the case with this beer.

As this beer goes into the glass with a nice caramel color, your nose is assaulted with a lively citrus-y hop aroma. There is also a touch of malt in the background of the scent, almost as a reminder that this is a beer and not a glass of hop extract. The taste is dominated by hop flavor, sweet at first but increasingly bitter and astringent as you swallow the beer. But, the malt comes through again, ensuring that the bitterness doesn't become overpowering. But, unlike the malt flavor, the bitterness stays with you, practically coating your tongue in hops. The alcohol is notable, mostly because it serves to balance out some of the bitterness. I wish I bought two bottles...

I feel like I could grow hops just by spitting on the ground after this beer.

Rating = 4.5

After all of the Octoberfest beers that I had this fall, the Hopsickle is a welcome change of pace.

Heavy Seas Loose Cannon Hop^3 Ale, Clipper City Brewing, Baltimore, MD

Now a person may think I have nothing better to do, especially with Jersey Shore not premiering on MTV until Thursday and most shows on Thanksgiving hiatus. But amazingly my day is pretty much booked so it was definitely a heart stopper when someone pulled the ol' "Don't you have a review to write for tomorrow" late Sunday evening. Luckily I had a Clipper City Brewing Heavy Seas Loose Cannon Hop ^3 (Hop Cubed) Ale ready to be uncapped in the fridge.

The Loose Cannon had great caramel coloring when poured into the stein. There is an immediate hop presence, but the pale and Munich malts maintain pace and really drive home a great crisp taste.

The 7.25% ABV is surprising. Because the malt and hops any semblance of an alcohol flavored kick.

The Hop^3 Ale has quickly jumped into the fray for one of my favorite IPAs, and the 4.0 rating is definitely justified.

Hop Stoopid Ale, Lagunitas Brewing Co., Petaluma, CA

Another Lagunitas review, and another great beer!

Hop Stoopid is the Lagunitas answer to super-ultra-hoppy beers such as the Dogfish Head 90 Minute or 120 Minute. While Dogfish does a remarkable job of making a highly hopped beer into something drinkable, there are many competitors who end up wasting excess hops on bitter beer. Lagunitas goes in a slightly different direction. Instead of using actual hops (or hop pellets), they use hop extract, which is essentially the desirable parts of the hop flower in a concentrated liquid form.

The result is very different than most other high-hop beers. The aroma is understated for a double IPA, and probably has less hop aroma than Harpoon IPA. But the flavor is much more pronounced. The hop bitterness is there, but there is also a notable sweetness, both of which conspire to hide the alcohol (8% ABV). The hop taste is most similar to a wet hop beer, like Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale (which I love). Well done and highly recommended!

Rating = 4.0 (edging towards 4.5...)

I'm surprised that hop extract is not more popular with home brewers. Or maybe my experience is centered on hop pellets.

Big Daddy IPA, Speakeasy Ales & Lagers, San Francisco, CA

I am not sure what has taken me so long to try a Speakeasy beer. I love the name of the company as well as the the labels/logos on all the beers. The Big Daddy IPA poured light brown with very little head. The Big Daddy has a slight apple hop bitterness, the flavor similar to the sour apples that you would find in a great apple pie. The Big Daddy Malt/Hop combo is teriffic and provides a good balance of hops and malt. The beer doesn't pack the high octane alcohol taste of some other IPAs despite its legit 6.5% ABV. The Big Daddy gets a deserved 3.5

Brew Free or Die IPA, 21st Amendment Brewery, San Francisco, CA

Now, while back, I introduced many of you to DPA, perhaps the finest beer ever produced in a can. Many of you were doubters, but were believers after trying it. I am here to introduce you once again to a great can of beer, The 21st Amendment Brew Free or Die IPA. Now with a name like that, you expect the beer to come out of New Hampshire, but in actuality it comes from the left Coast, San Francisco. The Brew Free or Die isn’t overly bitter, but it does have a kick of bitterness. The taste more resembles a heavy IPA as compared to an IPA. The 7% ABV is a bit overpowering and dominates a solid malt flavor. And more importantly, it did not explode all over me like the Elm City Lager. Now, I am not saying this is a 5.0 beer, it’s not, but it’s a solid addition to the IPA family. The Brew Free or Die IPA gets a well deserving 3.5.