Beer Journal

Harpoon IPA - draught @ Sir Edmund Halley's

Right off the top this is a good, drinkable IPA. It's not very strong which leads to the drinkability. The hop of an IPA is where the heart is. This one is light on the hop for an IPA but the balance between bittering and aromatic/flavoring hops is really nice. An exceptional IPA to me is a strong one with a good balance on the sweet of the malt and the spice of the hop. This one lacks the malty sweet dimension but I can appreciate it because the hop is really enjoyable. You can tell that the brewer did not just ramp up the bittering hop so they could call this an IPA. The dimension of the hop flavor while not strong is very enjoyable and drinkable enough that I could grow back a few of these with no problem. If you really don't like IPAs then this may not be for you but if you are trying to break in to IPAs this is a good one to hit.

Beer Journal

1. Rye hopper - French Broad Brewing Company Asheville, NC - 5.9%

The strong Rye gives this brew a nice dimension of spice. The Rye is so strong that it almost overshadows the bittering hops but they manage to shine through. Don't let that scare you away though. This is not a heavy beer. It is refreshing but it has a strong bite that you have to be ready for. If you are a lover of red wine with a nice tannin bite then I'm guessing you will like this brew.

2. Ranger IPA - New Belgium Brewing

This IPA is surprising. It is not as strong on the hop as many IPAs that I have had. That makes for an interesting drinking experience. I find myself taking larger than normal mouthfuls of this brew and pushing it to the back of my tongue where the sour/bitter taste buds are. My instinct is to really "chew" on this beer. As IPAs go I wouldn't rank this one highly. My reflex to work for a strong flavor from this beer makes for an interesting drinking experience but the fact that I have to work for it brings it down a bit in my mind. If I was going on straight drinkability I would rate this one higher. The work for the flavor in this brew means that I could throw a few of these back without any trouble. If you are really into IPAs then choose something else but if you are not then this is a good IPA to pick as it probably won't overwhelm your palate as some other IPAs might.

Beer Journal May 21, 2010

1. Coronado Brewing Company - Mermaid Red - 5.7%

Good malt with a nice sweet offset to the bittering hops. Ideally I would prefer a bit more sweet malt and a touch of flavoring, herbal hop. As reds go this is a good one. A red is one of my favorite styles so it is hard to find one that I don't like. That also may make me a little more judgmental of reds. This one gets a B for flavor but a C for style. it lacks a dimension that could push it over the edge.

2. Great Lakes Brewing Company - Edmund Fitzgerald - 5.8% - best served at 55 degrees

I love the name of this beer because I love the song with the same name...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0DqPSF2fyo&feature=youtube_gdata

You may know that I am not generally a fan of a porter but this one has some nice characteristics. I think it is the intense sweet flavor of a porter that I don't like. This one offsets it nicely with a dimension of smoke and coffee that pull down the emphasis on the sweet. I still don't think I would choose this one but that is my own personal bias. If you like sweet then you probably like a porter and you should give this one a shot.

3. Hitachino Nest Classic Ale

I got a chance to head back out to the Common Market with my Mom this evening for their Wednesday night beer tasting. This Japanese ale was on the list and it may be the best Japanese ale I have had to date. It is aged in cedar like sake which gives it a nice sweet wood flavor that I thought was going to be a little much in the nose at first but it was actually very nice. It is not a heavy beer in the classic Japanese ale style of Sapporo and Kirin. It's a premium import so it is a bit pricy but well worth it if you are looking to splurge on something different. You won't be disappointed.