Ayinger Maibock.
7% ABV, Brauerie Aying, Aying, Bavaria, Germany.
Lightly hazy, bright golden hue, large ivory head.
In the nose: slightly floral, minor hops. Appealing malty notes.
In the mouth: sweet and malty, hearty mouthfeel. Pleasant on the palate. Bold and bright. Medium bodied. Refreshing and delicious.
Wish this was a year-round. I quite like it.
Fulton Hop Kingdom Hazy IPA.
6.5 % ABV, 28 IBU, Fulton Beer, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Fulton has a new umbrella, where it keeps all of its IPAs that aren’t Sweet Child of Vine. It’s called Hop Kingdom, and all feature labels with illustrations of forest animals transformed into some kind of hop beast, drawn by the great Brent Schoonover. One of them was reviewed here in 2016 when it was just called 300. This one replaces their last hazy, Moon Howler, also reviewed here. And , yes, I’m breaking my ban on hazies, just this once.
Moderately hazed, semi-bright golden hue, slim white head.
In the nose: bright citrus, grapefruit and tangerine. Orange peel.
In the mouth: soft on the palate, but still packing a degree of bitterness. Bursting with hop flavors, more citrus notes, with a touch of tropical. Medium bodied. Long hoppy finish.
Hey, here’s a hazy I don’t hate.
A wolf in wolf’s clothing, this alpha IPA leads the pack. Uncaged, untamed and unfiltered, the wild is calling.
Luce Line Heartland Hefeweizen.5.3% ABV, Luce Line Brewing, Plymouth, MN.
Lightly hazy, straw gold color, immense ivory head.
In the nose: big banana, touch of clove, some citrus, minor hops.
In the mouth: slightly sweet, smooth and refreshing. Small bitterness, light/medium bodied. Delightful wheat malt texture. Good beer and you can drink it.
Oliphant Chonees Chonees Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Honey Golden Ale.
5.6% ABV, Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, Wisconsin.
Clear, light brown/amber hue, slim white head.
In the nose: sweet and malty, with peanut butter flavor shining on top, cocoa just below, and then there’s that little bit o’ honey. Nice.
In the mouth: malty and smooth, every flavor well integrated, perfectly balanced. Medium bodied, long, sweet finish. Delightfully delectable.
On my first taste, can number one, I was disappointed that there wasn’t more chocolate. But this is style based on a golden ale. How much chocolate can it handle? Right about now, I think it’s pretty danged tasty.
Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Honey Golden Ale with Lactose.
Wooden Shop Old Man Clayton Had A Farm Farmhouse Ale. Clayton farms arugula & fresh orange peel. 5.9% ABV.
Clear, bright golden hue, slim white head.
In the nose: citrus and spice. Dry, yet enticing.
In the mouth: fresh and zesty. Light bitterness, refreshing, medium bodied, easy drinking. Arugula adds a touch of spice. Pepper notes pop on the palate.
I am enjoying this.
A farmhouse ale made with Clayton Farms arugula and fresh orange peel
Green Flash Imperial West Coast IPA.
8.9% ABV,
Largely clear, with some chill haze, bright golden hue, milky white froth atop.
In the nose: citrus and dank. Deep hoppy goodness. Grapefruit rind meets lupulin oil.
In the mouth: bitterness grips the tongue as citrus and pine flavors splash the palate. Medium bodied, easy enough drinking. Slight sweet, but overwhelmingly sticky, with bitter never losing it’s hold. This one does everything right.
Imperial West Coast IPA (8.9 % ABV), an amplified version of the classic WEST COAST IPA® beer, featuring an epic wave of hops, delivering grapefruit zest bitterness supported by notes of dark caramel and finishing easy with floral and dry woodsy hop notes. Imperial West Coast IPA is also available in 19.2-ounce cans nationally.
Warpigs Empowering Rift Stout.
7.2 % ABV, 61 IBU, Warpigs USA,
Just about blackness, under a rich, full cocoa head, leaving lace. Impenetrable.
In the nose: nice cocoa nose, roasty and nutty, too. Quite delightful.
In the mouth: malty mouthfeel, rich and nearly chewy. Loads of texture. Bittersweet upon the palate. Just enough bitter, just enough sweet. Presents plenty of pleasure for the stoutophile.
We sit on the edge of oblivion, but I must be more than a witness. After hesitation, I reach out to draw from the power of the void.
Three Floyd’s Cat Date Double IPA.
9.5% ABV, 86 IBU, Three Floyds Brewing, Munster, Indiana.
Clear, bright golden hue, slim mush, milky white head.
In the nose: a cornucopia of citrusy delights, with a healthy dose of tropical. Lemon peel meets papaya. A little bit grapefruit, a powerful pinch of passion fruit.
In the mouth: a jolt of juice with a blast of bitter. Heavy dank and a a roar of oncoming alcohol. Ripe with resin, peeling of citrus and bitter, oily hop drippings. Medium bodied and extra potent. Glides down the gullet with both menace and ease.
This is surely my kind of a beer. I can heap on praise and it won’t be enough.
A categorically big Double IPA brewed to honor our little friends and their clandestine meetings. Intensely bitter with notes of citrus, grapefruit, and orange marmalade.
Luce Line Hard Tail West Coast IPA.
And here we have the first appearance of Luce Line in the Nib. Hopefully, not the last.
Clear, bright golden hue, slim, white head.
In the nose: pine, citrus, grapefruit peel, essence of orange.
In the mouth: bitterness abounds on the palate, lingering through the finish. Crisp, clean, snappy. Light bodied and delicious. At last, a West Coast IPA that actually tastes like one. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Hard Tail IPA, a reimagining of our house West Coast IPA. Brewed with a light malt bill and hopped in the kettle with Columbus and Simcoe, Hard Tail is dry hopped over multiple stages with Simcoe, Centennial and a huge helping of Citra hops.
