Posts Tagged ‘india pale ale’

Sierra Nevada 2009 Celebration Ale

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

2010-03-02-celebrationTonight I will be tasting the 2009 Celebration Ale from Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico, California. This is the newest in Sierra Nevada’s venerated line of hoppy winter beers.

The 2009 Celebration Ale pours a golden amber with a healthy bottle-condition haze. The tan head is absurdly thick and creamy, like meringue. The nose is richly hoppy. A tart grapefruit aroma prevails, accompanied by lemongrass and pineapple. A hint of malty sweetness comes through, but the grapefruit makes it difficult to detect.

The flavor of the Celebration Ale is supremely hoppy. Grapefruit dominates, to a fault. Almost nothing else is noticeable besides, even the bitterness from those hops. The tart citric flavor seems a bit flat, and is refreshing for only a little while before growing impertinent. The body is full and light but can’t make up for the lack of character on the taste.

+Sierra Nevada 2009 Celebration Ale

3.4 (5-8-6-4-14)

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IPA Week: Boulevard Double-Wide

Saturday, June 27th, 2009

The Boulevard Brewing Company in Kansas City, Missouri has released a number of special-edition beers called the Smokestack Series. Tonight I will try the Double-Wide India Pale Ale. This is the bigger brother of their Single-Wide that I reviewed a little while back.

Double-Wide IPAThe Double-Wide pours a lusciously hazy deep caramel copper color with a thick, frothy tan head. The nose is full of hop complexity: pine and a rough floral aroma dominate, with significant notes of herbs and citrus. The grapefruit character of Pacific Northwest hops is assertive. A rich malty aroma matches the hops, manifesting as caramel and toast as well as raisins and prunes. There is but a hint of the sharp alcohol, but it’s hard to notice for the pine.

On the tongue the Double-Wide is slow to attack. First I notice a bit of caramel followed quickly by grapefruit and other citric hop flavor. Later the herbal and piney hops come, bringing along a significant but not overpowering bitterness. The citrus and herbs circle the caramel and raisins while the bitterness grows softer and eventually fades.

This beer is serious yet playful, strong yet drinkable. As much as I love their Single-Wide, Boulevard has worked a miracle with the Double-Wide.

++Boulevard Double-Wide IPA

4.2 (5-9-7-4-17)

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Posted in American Ale, Strong Beer | 3 Comments »

Goose Island IPA

Friday, January 30th, 2009

Another beer from Goose Island. I like reviewing their beers cause I get the impression many people have access to them and they tend to be of high quality. This one is their India Pale Ale.
Goose Island IPA
It pours a remarkably light-color, the straw shade of a cream ale. This is a bit strange, as pale ales tend to have caramel malts to provide a bit of sweetness in order to balance the hops, and caramel malts add those rich reddish browns. It is fairly clear but there is certainly a bit of haze. The off-white head is creamy and strong, but not very voluminous. The nose is strongly of Pacific northwest hops: the floral grapefruit and orange character that defines American pale ales.

The flavor is at once creamy and sweet yet robust and bitter. Strong hop bitterness leads the way and doesn’t let up, providing a throughline that the rest of the flavor dances around. The hops aren’t content to be a bit(ter) player, though. Herbal, earthy, almost vegetal flavors intermingle with serious grapefruit, mango, and citric hoppiness. Notes of light malt come through: a clean and malty, almost bready, flavor. This contributes a bit of sweetness that is frustratingly evasive. For a moment it almost seems balanced, then the bitterness rears its beautiful head.

+Goose Island India Pale Ale

3.7 (3-8-7-4-15)

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Two Hearted Ale

Tuesday, November 18th, 2008

Note that unlike every other beer made by Bell’s Brewery (other than those labeled Kalamazoo), this beer is not Bell’s Two Hearted, but rather simply Two Hearted Ale. It is an IPA brewed to 7% alcohol, but delicate enough to be sessionable.

Two Hearted pours a thoroughly opal gamboge, an almost mustard yellow color. The head is thick but lacy, straw-colored, and lasts quite a while, forming a mushroom in the center. The hop aroma is strong enough that you don’t even need to lean in. Supremely floral, strong rose and orange blossoms predominate. Some grapefruit shines through as well.

While the flavor is unmistakably bitter, it is not as intense as many American IPAs. Floral hop flavor, light citric fruitiness, and a faint tartness make up the immediate impression. The bitterness comes afterward with the liveliness of the carbonation and a slight sweetness to balance.

++Two Hearted Ale

RateBeer: 4.0 (4-8-8-3-17)

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Posted in American Ale, Strong Beer | 1 Comment »