ipa

New Beer Blog North Peak Brewing Hoodoo Midwest Wet Hop IPA

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In beginning, we are going to sample out the first brew from North Peak Brewing.  It is their Midwest Wet Hop IPA, which is a double or imperial IPA.  North Peak Brewing was founded in 1997.  They brew several different beer styles and use the classic beer style bottle.  There is not much history on this brewery asides they are in a beer that use to be the old “Big Daylight Candy Factory.”  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear copper color with a constant white head on this India Pale Ale.  The smell is a slight malty and citrus notes.  The taste is heavy citrus notes.  It is kind of drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.northpeakbeer.com):

Hoodoo

MIDWEST WET HOP IPA – October

ABV: 8.0%  IBUs: 88

Hoodoo Midwest Wet Hop IPA is the first  of it’s kind. Brewed with fresh from the farm Michigan hops for  exceptional flavor. Hoodoo is hops from start to finish with a little  malt in the middle, just enough to keep Hoodoo from going Voodoo on you.  Not to worry – pretty much nothing but hops.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.northpeakbeer.com

Twitter:  @northpeakbeer

Closing out, I have to say this is the best brew that North Peak Brewing makes.  I love the hops and I am happy to see they are straight from the Michigan Hop Farms.  This brew packs a nice little punch in this brew.  There is a nice malty backbone to cut through and balance the hops.  If you can find a bottle of this brew, you better pick it up since it is not all year-long brew.  I recommend this brew.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Speakeasy Butchertown Black Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to sample out another brew, which is a limited release, from Speakeasy Brewery.   The brew is their Butchertown Black Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read these beer blog posts to get to know this great west coast brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a jet black color with a white constant head on this black ale.  The smell slight chocolate with a heavy citrus notes.  The taste has chocolate citrus notes with bitter hop aftertaste.   It is kind of drinkable beer.
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Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.goodbeer.com

Twitter: @SpeakeasyBeer

Closing out, this beer is something else.  I really enjoy drinking this beer.  This is a big boy beer for the experienced hop heads in the world.  The hops shine nicely through the chocolate notes.  They did a great job on the picking of the hops.  I love the bitter aftertaste.   They found a way to heavy and in your face but not making you run away from the beer.  I am hoping they make their way to the Michigan Market, if not I will be making road trips back to Chicago.  I am glad I am back in Michigan this is one of the breweries I will miss getting on a regular basis.  I highly recommend this beer and their other brews.  If you are in San Fran, you need to get by their brewpub.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Blue Point Brewery White IPA

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In the beginning, we will sample out another brew from Blue Point.  I am talking about the new beer style in the world of white IPA’s.  It is their version of White IPA.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read those beer blog posts to get to know this great New York brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear golden color with a constant white head on the beer.  The smell is heavy wheat notes.  The taste is a slightly lemon with citrus and honey notes.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.bluepointbrewing.com):

Remaining at the forefront of experimentation, the brewers at Blue Point have produced a white beer/IPA hybrid that is well on its way to creating a new style for the beer description books. Our White IPA is an unfiltered European-style white ale with a fresh American IPA finish. Brewed with malted and unmalted wheat and just the right amount of west coast hops, it’s fermented with German yeast to give it a perfectly balanced character with less bitterness than traditional IPAs.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.bluepointbrewing.com

Twitter:  @BluePointBrewer

Closing, I will have to say I am not a huge fan of this beer style in India Pale Ale world.  I do not know who makes a better Wheat IPA or White IPA.  I am up in the air between New Belgium Brewery’s new winter seasonal Accumulation White IPA and Blue Point Brewery White IPA, which is featured on this blog.  I love the balance between the India Pale Ale style and the wheat ale style.  Blue Point did a great job on this brew and I will be adding it to my line up of IPA’s in the future.  I recommend you trying this beer. Let me know what you think about it. Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Rochester Mills Beer Co. Cornerstone IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from Rochester Mills Beer Co.  I am talking about their Cornerstone IPA.  It is their flagship beer.  If you read my earlier beer blog post on their Milkshake Stout, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read that beer blog post to get to know this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear copper color with a semi white head on this India Pale Ale.  The smell is mango notes.  The taste is mango notes with nice malty backbone to cut through the hops.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.cplanet.com):

Cornerstone IPA – 6.6% abv. India Pale Ale

This unfiltered amber ale is packed full of hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. IPA is the most bitter beer style and it is enjoyed by people we refer to as “hopheads.” We dry hop this beer with a combination of English and American hop varieties for a wonderfully aromatic finish.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.cplanet.com

Twitter:  @Rochmillsbeerco

In the end, I love this IPA from Rochester Mills Brewery.  I love the hops from aroma and taste it gives off in the beer.  It has a nice malty backbone that supports this India Pale Ale.  This beer reminds me of something the beer drinker would get from Summit Saga, Maui Brewery IPA, and/or Epic IPA.  It has a nice tropical notes.  I love this IPA and I will be drinking this brew as much as Frankenmuth Batch 69 IPA.  I highly recommend this brew.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Cranker’s Brewery Professor IPA

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In this beer blog, Cranker’s Brewery Professor IPA is the beer and brewery that we will be sampling out.  I had a chance to try this beer at Buddy’s Pizza in Livonia, Michigan.  I thought I would write my thoughts on this brew.  There is not much history or information on this brewery.  I know they are young and they are from Big Rapids, Michigan. There is not much history on this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It is hard to see in this restaurant because of the lighting.  It has a clear copper to light amber color with a white constant head.  The smell is a citrus notes.  The taste is carbonated citrus notes.  The aftertaste is dry hop finish.  It is kind of drinkable.

Here is a description from their website (www.crankersbrewery.com):

A West Coast style IPA, the Professor is golden and sports a large frothy white head. Hops leap out of the glass, citrus, apricot, and herbal notes define this brew. There is enough malty body to keep you coming back for more.

6.6% ABV – 65 IBU

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.crankersbrewery.com

Twitter:  @CrankersBrewery

Closing, I saw this brew and I was pretty interested in this beer.  I love my India Pale Ales.  I have to say I was not really impressed this brew.  It is not a bad beer but average brew.  I will say this brewery did a better job with their India Pale Ale over a few Michigan craft breweries and around the country.  This beer is better than Atwater Brewery Grand Circus IPA, New Holland Mad Hatter IPA, and Motor City IPA to name a few.  I would have this beer again but not all the time.  It would be once in a blue moon.  I will be retrying this beer in the near future. I want to hear your thoughts on this brew.  I will be searching out the rest of their beers.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Liberty Street Brewery My Beer Flight

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into a newer brewery in the last ten years in the southeast part of Michigan.  The brewery is called Liberty Street Brewery.  They opened back in 2008.  There is not much history on this young brewery.  I did find some information on their website.  Let us get into the beer.

American IPA

It has a clear copper color without a head on it. There is really no smell to me. The taste is piney to earthy notes with a weird but good aftertaste. It is almost like Jolly Rancher or candy aftertaste. It is a mild IPA but pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.libertystreetbeer.com):

A decidedly hoppy and bitter, moderately strong American pale ale.  American hop character can be described as being citrusy, piney, fruity and resiny.

Starkweather Stout

It has a jet black color with a tan color. There is chocolate to a touch of coffee smell to this stout. The taste is a heavy coffee but a smooth taste to it. THe aftertaste is dry chocolate notes. It is drinkable for the type of stout.

Here is a description from their website (www.libertystreetbeer.com):

This stout is full of chocolate flavor and aroma coming from grain only.  A rich mouth feel mellows the slight hop bitterness and makes this an easy drinking stout, even in warmer weather.

Porter

It has a dark brown to black color with a fluffy tan color head. The smell is of burned chocolate. The taste is the same as the smell. There is an aftertaste but pretty fade. It is like dry chocolate. It is drinkable like the porter for the type of beer style.

American Farmhouse IPA

It has a cloudy bright yellow color without a head. The smell is a heavy farm like smell. This is a Belgian Saison. The taste is like a saison with some citrus to funky spices. It has citrus to slight dry hop finish. It is a pretty drinkable beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.libertystreetbeer.com

Twitter:  @Liberty_Brewer

Closing, I have been wanting to stop by this brewery and check out their beers.  I had a chances a few months ago and I am glad I did.  I have been a little behind on my posts and I am glad I am getting it out now.  I became a fan of this brewery pretty quickly.  I loved both of their IPA’s.  I had their C-Monster at the Michigan Brewer’s Guild Summerfest.  I thought that was pretty good too.  I love their porter and stout.  Since I have moved back to Michigan, I will be by this brewpub a lot more. I highly recommend this brewery and now they are packaging their beers.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Goose Island Brewing Upstream IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into a beer from the brewpub from Goose Island Brewing.  The beer is their Upstream IPA.  This beer is not in package.  It is beer they brew at their brewpub for their bar.  If you read my past blogs, you know the history of Chicago craft brewery.  If you have not read them, please, read those beer blogs to get to know this brewer.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear golden color with constant white head on this India Pale Ale.  The smell is citrus in the beer.  The taste has carbonated citrus notes with a dry hoppy finish. It is a pretty drinkable beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.gooseisland.com

Twitter:  @GooseIsland and @GooseClybourn

In the end, I had a chances to go down to the Goose Island Brewpub for one of my going away parties.  I had a few brews and this was one of them.  I had a chances to try the Alt and a one of their wheat ales.  I cannot think of the names of those beers.  I am a huge fan of India Pale Ales.  It was a no brainier to pick this beer.  I love the hops but not a fan of the malty backbone.  I just felt the hops were attacking it a little too much for my liking.  It is a drinkable beer and that is what won me over on this brew.  If this beer is still on draft, I recommend you trying this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Revolution Brewing and Firestone Walker Brewing Dos Osos India Pale Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into a brew where two craft breweries teamed up to brew.  I am talking about Dos Osos India Pale Ale from Revolution Brewing and Firestone Walker Brewing.  This is a special and limited edition brew.  If you read my beer blog posts on both of these breweries, you know the history of both of them.  If you have not, please, read those beer blog posts to get to know both of these breweries.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear deep golden color with a constant white head on this India Pale Ale.  The smell is a heavy grapefruit with a slight orange.  The taste is about the same with some carbonation notes.  The aftertaste is a sweet grapefruit notes.  This is an extremely drinkable beer.

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Here is a description from Revolution Brewing’s Website (www.revbrew.com):

Dos Osos

Dos Osos, or “two bears,” IPA is a collaboration brew with our great friend Dustin Kral who is the lead brewer at Firestone Walker Brewing Co. in Paso Robles, CA. Named after both the bear on the California State flag and the Chicago bears this IPA is described as a Central Coast IPA, named for California’s Central Coast. As with most West Coast IPAs, our version in not bogged down with lots of specialty malts and is dry, crisp and clean which is a trademark of the hoppy ales from both Revolution and Firestone. 2-row, Munich, and a touch of cara-pils lend a subtle malt base to which the layers of hop character are built upon. An array of hops including Warrior, Chinook, Centennial, Cascade and Citra infuse this ale with aromas and flavors of fresh flowers, citrus and passion fruit. The finished product is a clean refreshing IPA with a crisp bitterness and wonderful hop bouquet.

India Pale Ale

ABV  6.6%IBU  75

Profile: Dos Osos, or “two bears,” IPA is a collaboration brew with Firestone Walker Brewing Company.

Color: Deep Gold

Availability: 1/6bbl, 1/2 bbl, 22 oz.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.revbrew.com and www.firestonebeer.com

Tiwtter;  @revolutionsbrew, @RevBrewChicago, and @firestonewalker

Closing, this beer has been on my radar since it came out.  I keep on picking it up at the liquor store and pulling it back down on the shelf.  I knew I was leaving the Chicago area to move back to Michigan.  I wanted to make sure I had at least one before I leave.  I have to say I am not disappointed one bit.  Both craft breweries did a great job working together to make a really good brew.  It is well-balanced from the malty backbone to the hops.  If you can find a bottle, I highly recommend you trying this brew.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Wieser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter;  @djweiser

New Beer Blog 21st Amendment Brewery Hop Crisis Imperial IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from 21st Amendment Brewery.  It is their limited release brew, which is called Hop Crisis Imperial IPA.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not read those beer blog posts, please, read those beer blog posts to get to know this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a cloudy straw to golden color with a constant white head on the beer.  The smell is a heavy tropical fruit to this IPA.  The taste of this light body beer is a sweet tropical fruits like mango to pineapple.  The aftertaste echoes the taste notes.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a descriation from their website (www.21st-amendment.com):

Shaun and Nico have to break out of Alcatraz. And fast. The Hop Syndicate is hoarding hops, depriving the people of their right to hoppy, aromatic beer. Join Shaun and Nico on their adventure to Free the Hops! First, they plan a daring escape through the sewer pipe, then they surf monster waves on ironing boards, and finally they attempt a high speed cable car getaway.

Hop Crisis. Crisis? What Crisis? A few years ago, when hop prices shot through the roof and the worldwide hop market went into a tailspin, at our pub in San Francisco we decided there was only one thing for us to do. We made the biggest, hoppiest IPA we could imagine and aged it on oak for good measure. This Imperial IPA breaks all the rules with more malt, more hops and more aroma.

  • Alcohol Content 9.7% by volume
  • Color Gold
  • Bitterness Units (IBUS) 94
  • Bittering Hops Columbus, Centennial, Cascade
  • Yeast Top Fermenting Ale Yeast
  • Malts Pale Malt, Munich, Dextrose
  • Special Ingredients Aged on Oak

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.21st-amendment.com

Twitter:  @21stAmendment

End of the hops, this beer is something else in a very good way.  This is Imperial India Pale Ale and it does not drink like one.  It is light to medium in body for the type of beer style.  I love the hops that they used in this brew.  It has a well made malty backbone to balance with hops that are being used in it.  The hops kick off a nice tropical fruit notes.  If you are in the west coast, I highly recommend you stopping into their brewpub in San Fran.  They service some great food and you can purchase some of their beer to go from the brewery.  I highly recommend this brew too.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Epic Armageddon IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into a brewery I have been wanting to try in a very long time.  I am talking about Epic Brewery from New Zealand.  The beer is their Armageddon India Pale Ale.  Epic Brewing was started in 2006 by the founder, who is Luke Nicholas.  In 2007,  Steam Brewing Company sold all the Epic Brewing and the brands to Luke Nicholas.  The brewery started to sell their beers to Australia in 2009.  The United States and Sweden in 2010 and Belgium and Italy in 2011.  They brew several different beer styles.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear copper color with pure white head on this India Pale Ale.  The smell is grapefruit.  The taste of this medium body beer is a carbonated grapefruit notes with a slight dry hop aftertaste.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.epicbeer.com):

Armageddon I.P.A

The answer to everything.

In the beginning, there was nothing. Then an impish brewer piled a ludicrous amount of hops into a batch of beer. This zymurgical big bang is Epic Armageddon, an apocalyptic assault on your preconceptions and taste buds. It may be too huge for this fragile planet so enjoy this beer like it was the last one on Earth.

Malt

  • English pale ale
  • Caramalt

Hops

  • US Cascade
  • US Centenniel
  • US Columbus
  • US Simcoe

Flavours & aromas

  • Hops! hops! hops!
  • Citrus
  • Grapefruit

Awards

  • Best in Class – BrewNZ 2011
  • Best in Class – BrewNZ 2009
  • Gold Medal – BrewNZ 2011
  • Gold Medal – BrewNZ 2009
  • Bronze Medal – BrewNZ 2010

Here is a their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.epicbeer.com

Twitter:  @EpicBeer

Closing, I am not disappointed with this beer after a long wait of wanting to try it.  I will be hunting down the rest of their brews.  This brewmaster did a great job on this brew.  He and his company put some thought behind this brew.  The beer is nice balance with some great hop notes and character.  It is pretty drinkable for the beer style.  I will be looking for more of this beer in Detroit beer market.  Thanks Luke for giving the United States craft beer drinker a good import IPA.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser