Beer: Southern Tier Oak Aged Unearthly Imperial IPA

Appearance: Pours a definite orange hue producing a sparing head which reduces quickly to a thin foamy layer. There is slight lacing which retains the bubbly, foamy character, but doesn't last long on the side of the glass.

Aroma: For a liberally dry-hopped beer, as this claims to be, the aroma is very minimal and the character of the aroma is odd for an IPA. There is a definite vegetable greenness to it, like the smell of a green stem breaking or of freshly cut grass. I get almost none of the floral hop quality I'm so used to from beers of this style. If it were still pleasant and made me excited to taste I would be open to it, but it's ultimately off-putting.

Taste: There's certainly a lot of hops in this brew, but that vegetative greenness is the strongest flavor presented by them and it lasts from beginning to aftertaste. Besides the unexpected character from the hops, there is a slight brineyness, finishing with a heavy sweetness, vanilla, brown sugar, a combination of the overdone malt, amplified by oak, and the high alcohol content, 9.5%.

Mouthfeel: Much too heavy considering the lack of complexity. I've had other southern tier brews and they certainly push it to the limit with alcohol content, but usually they achieve complex, full flavors. This is a syrupy mess of a beer with the only reward being a strong buzz after the 22oz is empty.

Overall: I get what they tried to do here. Oak aging an IPA is something I've seen only sparingly by breweries that try to transcend tradition; I know Stone has one as well. But in this beer the interesting idea falls flat. By adding time in an oak barrel, the glorious hop has been transformed from a fresh, floral, complex treasure to a combination of broccoli and maple syrup drowning in cheap booze. I won't be revisiting this one and I can't recommend it.

2/5

Beer: Founders Centennial IPA

Appearance: Pours a beautifully deep amber with a subtle redness. The head is tan in color and less fluffy, more foamy in texture. Lacing is minimal as the head dissipates and the first few sips are taken.

Aroma: The aroma is sweet with a freshness about it, light and crisp, a subtle reminder of the smell of a granny smith apple balanced by the floral dry-hopped presence.

Flavor: This beer is a crescendo. Trying to focus on individual flavors, there is an initial sweetness of honey reaching but not quite achieving the character of light molasses. The subtle apple is still present, but it's more reminiscent of champagne with the carbonation. The balancing bitterness is so incredibly full, never harsh, never overwhelming, coating the tongue and toward the end it gently bites down before receding into a toasty amber sweetness.

Mouthfeel: This is interesting. I remember the first sip being light and crisp and looking at the label for ABV, I was surprised by the 7.2% written on the neck. My notes say, "this is a dangerous beer." But now that I'm most of the way through the pint and the beer has had a chance to come closer to room temperature, the heft is becoming more obvious. At warmer temperatures the amber malt is much more present giving a slightly syrupy feel. This is definitely one of the heavier IPA's I've ever had which is certainly not a bad thing considering the complex structure such weight is capable of delivering.

Overall: Founders is a brewery I don't think of often and I think I figured out the reason. They don't stock bombers of it at my local distributor. If I'm looking for great beers I usually focus on the big 22oz labels proclaiming brew mastery. It's a prejudice plain and simple and from this minute forward it is quashed. Founders makes ridiculously good beer and I plan on reviewing a few of their different offerings. As for this IPA, it may very well be my favorite IPA, but like girls, I tend to fall in love with whatever's in front of me at any given time. Hopefully as these reviews pile up I'll be able to be more objective.

5/5

Beer Review #1: Smuttynose IPA

Appearance: With a mildly vigorous pour a frothy velvety head appeared, off-white, which quickly dissipated leaving some lacing on the side of the glass. I'm not sure if I've ever encountered this before, but I immediately noticed myriad little white specks suspended throughout.  It gave me pause at first, but knowing the relatively high alcohol will kill anything life-threatening, we will continue. (I looked this up and here is a quote from the Smuttynose website: Our IPA is dry-hopped and unfiltered. The lees (sediment) that form on the bottom of the bottle are a natural part of this fine ale.) The color is a light amber, dully golden.

Smell: The aroma is a hoppy floral as expected with an added sweetness, somewhat buttery, like light caramel. The sweetness makes the aroma very well-rounded.

Taste: This is certainly an IPA, big hop presence from start to finish. That isn't to say that's all there is though. The hops take on a very citrusy identity to start, orange zest accompanied by the aforementioned sweetness, again like light caramel. As the flavor evolves it abandons the sweetness and resolves to a very pleasant bitterness, not too sharp, and lasts a considerably long time on the tongue before dissipating.

Mouth Feel: I definitely get the oily presence from the hops, a little sticky, which is amplified by the caramel presence from the malt. This is a good thing though for this style of beer. It's not a light example of brewing artistry; this beer is meant to be enjoyed slowly and thoughtfully by someone who appreciates what hops have given to brewing. That being said, never does the oily presence offend because of the familiar citrus zest that helps resolve it.

Overall: I've had this beer many times in the past and return to it with frequency because it's an example of everything an IPA tries to be. The hops are huge and lush, but that's not the selling point for me. It's the restraint and balance that gives this beer its reputation. Hops are nothing without their sweet opposing force, the malt. And the balance of the two in this beer will keep me coming back for more.

5/5