Back in May, I mentioned Minnesota Craft Beer Week and some of the events we created for those ten days of fun. I mentioned only two of them, actually, the Moe's Bender and Batch 10, 000 tappings. Left out, the most successful of them all, the Harriet Brewing Day, where we tapped all five beers to date from our new favorite local brewery. (Or is that favorite new local brewery?)
The following Wednesday was Belg-a-Rama 6.5, featuring some beers we'd already included in a B-a-R (Rodenbach, Jacobins, Bellegems, Oud Beersel Framboise) and a few we'd use in the current version (Timmermans Framboise, Echte Kriek). Finally, the third annual installment of Hop Heads Only rounded it out. Eighteen different IPAs and double IPAs on tap, plus a cask of Surly Furious. Not as well attended as I would have liked, maybe due to the rain, maybe competition from other events. But a good time was had by many, and many was the keg left behind. Some have come and gone, and you've seen them here (Maharaja, Moylander, etcetera), others will yet have their time to shine.
One of these is a beer I'm enjoying now on tap, and which I first tried in a bottle back in November, 2003. I gave it a better shake in my review than most, but I'm forgiving and tend to appreciate a good IPA that's just a ...well, read for yourself...
Appearance: clear, deep orange hue, with a full, frothy white head.
Aroma: big hops, grapefruit, pineapple, orange, large fruit in the nose, very enticing and inviting.
On the palate, smooth, and very mellow, without too much tumult on the tongue. Solid body, excellent balance, and possessing a very nice flavor which lasts and lasts, persisting on the palate. Yum, yum.
I was hoping for a hoppier bite, and had to realize that a good IPA doesn't have to be a Ruination or Dreadnaught. Sometimes, they can "just" be smooth and delcious, like this one.
short and sweet, and I knew it complete when I wore a younger man's clothes. Wait, I didn't just quote Billy Joel lyrics randomly, did I? Okay, maybe it's time to call it a night...
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