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