Ska Checkered Future IPA India Pale Ale

 Ska Checkered Future IPA India Pale Ale. 

7% ABV, Ska Brewing, Durango, Colorado. 

Slight clarity, bright golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: citrus and pine all the way, lemon and grapefruit in charge.

In the mouth: moderate bitterness, boatloads of juicy. Medium bodied, easy drinking. Hop attack pleasantly pleases the palate. 

And now the words that surround the top of the can: Uncertain. Bright. Recycle. Future. TNG. Unwritten. Recycle. Era. (Or is it ERA?) Optimistic. Upbeat.Recycle.

Okay, recycle, I get it. 

A relatively clear IPA with bright, juicy tropical fruit aromas and a bit of classic West Coast-style citrusy, piney bitterness.

Odell Tree Shaker Imperial Tangerine IPA

 Odell Tree Shaker Imperial Tangerine IPA.

8% ABV, Odell Brewing, Fort Collins, CO.

Lightly hazed, bright golden hue, sizable white head.

In the nose: fresh and zesty, brimming with citrus. Bold tangerine notes to match the hoppy blitz.

In the mouth: brilliant hop blast on the palate. Lush, fruity, delicious. And up comes the booze. Medium bodied, long, hoppy finish. Nice and juicy. Yum a dum dum. 

It’s time to shake the senses with Tree Shaker Imperial Tangerine IPA. Bright tangerine fruit mixes with massive amounts of juicy, citrusy hops to create a mammoth-sized IP A with intense hop notes of ripe orange and stone fruit. Available April through July.

Boulder Hazed & Infused Pale Ale

Boulder Hazed & Infused Pale Ale.

5% ABV. Boulder Beer, Denver, CO.

The Boulder Beer Company, now out of Denver, apparently, has been distributed in Minnesota for as long as I can remember, and I’ve always been happy to show them my support. I put a keg of Mojo IPA on at Acadia as recently as the summer of 2019. Then, they went away, and returned under a new distributor with all-new, all-boring trade dress. I’ll merely say that it’s the most drastic rebranding I’ve ever seen, and not in a good way. Gone away is color, style, and imagination, in comes black and white landscape photography and the most understated typeface imaginable. Sure, why not.

So, I bought the variety pack, which included one new beer, Bubbly By Nature, since reviewed, and three that I was already familiar with, two of them, Mojo and Shake, already here in the Nib. The last one, Hazed & Infused, not only hasn’t been reviewed here, I apparently never took notes on it at all. How is this possible?

I remember when this beer was introduced in 2002 and I remember tapping it at the Blue Nile. Back then, I took notes on every beer I tapped and shared them on BeerAdvocate & RateBeer, until I started this blog. It’s not on either one of them. The closest I could find was something called Hazed Hoppy Session Ale. A beer with this named is said to have been introduced in 2017. What gives? Oh, well, let’s write new notes. 

Hazy (as per the craze these days, although this beer preceded that by more than a decade), bright golden toned, small white head. 

In the nose: bold citrus zest expression, orange, lemon, grapefruit. Quite nice.

In the mouth: more bold, more citrus. Minor bitterness, mellow malt. Hop flavors ride high, lasting through the long finish. Medium bodied, easy drinking, refreshing, and highly likable. 

Still curious, I investigated further Hazed Hoppy Session is a renaming of Hazed & Infused. To position it for marketing purposes and tie-in to the trend of session ales? And now that unfiltered, dry-Hopped IPAs are all the rage? Yep.

I would share those old notes, but I can’t remember my password right now...

Boulder Bubbly By Nature IPA

 

Boulder Bubbly By Nature IPA. The Bubbly IPA. India Pale Ale. Lively. Tropical. Sunshiney. 

4.5% ABV. Boulder Brewing, Boulder, CO.

From the recent Boulder Variety Pack. Three beers I've had before, and one that is new to me. This one. And the dreadful packaging of their colorless rebranding. Ugh. 

A "Brut IPA", eh? I didn't know anyone was still making them. Thought that this style proved itself unnecessary and an unwanted experiment. Was I wrong? Let's find out.

Crystal clear, pale yellow hue, slim white head. 

In the nose: Crisp, fruity (apples, pear, grape), and a little funky. I'm anticipating something tart and dry appearing on the palate. 

In the mouth: My expectations have been founded. Crisp, clean, slightly tart, and very dry. I'm getting little from hops and wonder why it's even called an IPA. Marketing? Light bodied, effervescent. Minor hop bitterness, if any. Brisk and a little refreshing. 

I certainly don't taste anything close to an IPA. While I can certainly drink it, it's not the sort of thing that I enjoy. 

Tropical and juicy like an IPA, sunshiny like a lager, yet lively and bright like a hard seltzer. This curious intersection of brewing techniques creates its own naturally bubbly style.

I'm thinking that whoever wrote that had a different beer than I did. Not tropical or juicy in the least. And are those really the attributes of an IPA, or just the hazy style? I'm glad they still make Mojo. A pity there were only three in the box. Got one more of these left. Alas. 

New Belgium 1985 IPA

New Belgium 1985 IPA.

6.7 % ABV, 30 IBU. New Belgium Brewing, Fort Collins, CO.

Clouded and hazy. Bright yellow color, large and lasting ivory head. Looking good. 

In the nose: Pineapple and passionfruit in charge, citrus (lemon, orange, minor grapefruit) just behind. 

In the mouth: Repeat of the aroma, now on the palate. Sweet and juicy, ultimately ending dry. Hop bitterness is low on this one. Pineapple bomb. Medium bodied, long, fruity finish. Tasty stuff. 

Good ol' tropical juicy/hazy and you can drink it. 

Like totally loaded with juicy mango flavor, 1985 takes you back to the future of Hazy IPA's. Buckle up!

Citra, Simcoe, Cascade hops 

Oskar Blues Can-o-bliss Double IPA

Oskar Blues Can-o-bliss Double IPA. 

8.2 % ABV. Oskar Blues Brewing, Longmount, CO. 

Slightly hazy, bright golden hue, slim white head. 

In the nose: The dank is in full effect. Huge citrus and pine, astoundingly resiny, all things good and sticky-icky. Hella promising. 

In the mouth: Pow! Big bitterness blasts the palate. Juicy, more dankness, more resin, grapefruit, orange, tangerine, and lemon/lime making their moves all over the mouth. The one has all the goods. Fierce hoppy flavor, juicy, dry, acerbic, just enough of the booze, full body, full flavor, everything I yearn for in a double IPA. This is the good stuff. Day-yum, a dum, dum. 

DIPA is chock full of Citra hops and delivers a one-two punch of hop aroma and blissful flavors of passionfruit and citrus, balanced with a substantial malt backbone.

Oskar Blues Can-O-Bliss Resinous IPA

Oskar Blues Can-O-Bliss Resinous IPA.

7.2 % ABV. Oskar Blues Brewing, Longmont, CO. 

Lightly hazed, bright golden color, slim white head. 

In the nose: Whoa! That's some dank stuff, there. Grapefruit, pine forest floor, and a freshly dusted bowl. This one's one fire. 

In the mouth: Bold, fresh, and juicy. Moderate bitterness, smooth malt flavors, exceptional drinkability, and heavy on the resin. Grapefruit, orange peel, pine, and a touch of tropical, with a long, bitter finish. A little bit sticky icky. Maybe a lot. And I like it. 

An extra special spin on a Can O’Bliss hop profile – Resinous features a bit of the old and the new. Old school Pine and Grapefruit with new school amplitude of hop aroma and flavor. The hop bill features an experimental variety HBC 692 alongside an unlikely trio of Meridien, Saphir, and Bravo.

Breckenridge Juicy IPA

Breckenridge Juicy IPA. Mosaic & Palisade Hopped with Fruit Juice. Breckenridge Brewery, Fine Colorado Ales. 

6.7 % ABV. 

My final bottle from a Breckenridge sampler pack. This lone surviving bottle sat in the fridge, neglected, long after I sampled it's brethren and sisters, taking notes on some, and not on others. Time to drink it up. 

Lightly hazed, bright golden hue, slim white head. 

In the nose: Light citrus, at first. Impressions of other fruit, soft and slightly sweet, 

In the mouth: Starts off juicy, alright, with low bitterness, and sweet, juicy malt running the show. Grapefruit, lemon, and berries lead the charge. Fairly smooth stuff, clean and refreshing. 

This is for somebody, I am sure, but it's not for me. Too much juice, not enough IPA. If it's for you, bless you, sir or madam, but it certainly doesn't qualify as an IPA in my eyes. 

Oskar Blues Pinner IPA

Oskar Blues Pinner  Session IPA. 

4.9 % ABV,  35 IBU, Oskar Blues Brewery, Longmont, CO & elsewhere. 

Clear, with light haze, bright golden hue, slim white head. 

In the nose: Citrus and pine in command here, with a dose of tropical on the side. 

In the mouth: A blessing of happiness abounds on the palate, bitter and delicious. Light bodied, easy-drinking, while remaining flavorful. Just a little juicy in the mouthfeel. Ain't nothing wrong with this one. I had the first two from the sampler pack, tossing them back, thinking merely, "yeah, that's good." Now that I am publishing notes, what more need I say? Only that: I don't normally like most "session IPAs", but this one makes you forget that it is one. Well done. 

At 4.9% ABV and 35 IBUs, this drinkable IPA uses several varieties of hops to target the ever-evolving flavor. With tropical fruits, citrus juices, pineapple and spice berry up front in the aroma and flavor, the biscuit & toasted bread at the back balance out all the hops and make a great finish to go on to your next can of PINNER. It’s the perfect beer for a little sip, sip, give.

Odell Solarized Yuzu Double IPA

Odell Solarized Yuzu Double IPA.

8.2 % ABV, 60 IBU. Odell Brewing, Fort Collins, CO. 

Who doesn't love turtles? Or, turtles reaching their necks out to greet the sun? Or, wait, is he going for that yuzu fruit, is that it? 

Clouded, if but lightly, bright golden color, slim white head. 

In the nose: sweet, fruity, not too overt bitterness. Pleasing. Intriguing. 

In the mouth: Big, juicy fruit attack at the start, with hop bitterness coming in from behind. I am not familiar with the yuzu fruit and therefore cannot determine what exact properties it delivers to this beer. It's slightly sweet and juicy/tasty, that I can say. Bitterness is kept at bay, malt is perfect for balance. Alcohol slowly creeps in. Citrus flavor continues unabated. Very tasty, quite delightful. 

I enjoy the drawings on the labels of Odell beers so much that I forgot how much I detest the back side. Here goes: wait. I can't just swipe it off of Untappd. It only says: "Double IPA with Yuzu fruit." I don't want to have to type it out after reading the label. Let's try the website. Ah, perfect, here it is: 

Slow down, soak up the sun and get Solarized. The Western painted turtle inspired us to create Solarized Yuzu Double IPA. Featuring the exotic Yuzu fruit, characterized by a zippy grapefruit-like flavor with notes of mandarin orange and lemon zest, we carefully crafted a citrus-foward Double IPA that’s certain to shine a light.

You know what, that wasn't so bad. Moderate usage of punning. Although I do wonder, did they really think about a turtle and decide to make a beer after such contemplation? 

New Belgium Captain Dynamite IPA

New Belgium Captain Dynamite IPA.

7.7 % ABV, 45 IBU. New Belgium Brewing, Fort Collins, CO. 

Clouded, golden hued, bright white head, and some odd particulates floating about, settling at the bottom of the glass. Not especially attractive, that last part. 

In the nose: Popping with tropical fruit aromatics: passionfruit, papaya, pineapple, mingle with orange and lemon. Sweetness sticks out some, but it's a balanced and likable nose altogether. 

In the mouth: Boom, starts it off with sweet, fruity, tropical, with just a twist of bitter. Mild bitterness treads lightly on the palate and hangs in for the long haul. It's a good ol' IPA that tastes like an IPA. Medium bodied, smooth, easy consumable. Good ol' IPA and you can drink it.

This IPA was the winner of the Vote Voodoo Campaign. 

Locked, stocked and fully hopped. Captain Dynamite showcases bold tropical fruit flavors. Dry-hopped with Mosaic, Simcoe and Cascade hops adding full aromas of pineapple and guava.

Breckenridge Hop Peak IPA

Breckenridge Hop Peak IPA. Breckenridge Brewery, Fine Colorado Ales. 

6.5 % ABV, 57 IBU. Breckenridge Brewery, Littleton, CO. 

Guess what? They have mountains in Colorado. Hence the name for this beer. Betcha they thought no-one would get it, but they didn't count on me, did they? 

Lightly clouded, bright golden hued, slim white head. 

In the nose: Citrus and pine, orange and grapefruit. Fresh and zesty. Beautiful aromatics. 

In the mouth: Big hop bitterness at the start, more fresh, more zest, bursting with citrus and pine. Juicy, fruity, but definitely ending on a dry note. Medium bodied, excellent balance and drinkability. Orange and grapefruit and a touch of lime to match the traces of pine. This is right on the money for an America IPA, and I am digging it. So tasty, so downable. It's so very refreshing to find a regular ol' American IPA, the kind that made this nation great. 

Simcoe and Citra dry hops form a pinnacle of lush citrus and pine aromas in this modern interpretation of the classic India Pale Ale. Our hopback infuses flavor from whole cone hops to build a complex body, further emboldened by the addition of an oil-rich, concentrated hop flower resin called lupulin powder. This potent powder kicks up a fresh hoppy dominance, which is supported by a backbone of unique specialty malts. Golden amber in color and refreshing in taste, Hop Peak IPA is a congratulatory drink for reaching any of life’s summits.

Breckenridge Juice Drop Hazy IPA

Breckenridge Juice Drop Hazy IPA.

7 % ABV, Breckenridge Brewing, Littleton, CO. 

There it is, all hazy-like, but never too turbid. Bright golden hue. Slim, but stable, layer of milky white froth atop. 

In the nose: Citrus aplenty, lemon and orange galore, with slight whiffs of tropical tones, and plenty of fuzz. 

In the mouth: Hoppy blast on the palate up front, a spasm of citrus and a glimmer of tropical notes, then all is mellow and fine. Quite a lot of juicy going on, without too much of the fuzz. Don't go in expecting more in the style of the NE/hazy IPA, it's strictly on the juicy side. A bit light bodied, with a faint finish. 

Not my favorite IPA of late, but there ain't nothing wrong with it. Decent enough IPA, and you most certainly can drink it. 

Hop forward aroma and low bitterness with tropical fruit and orange citrus foe that juicy and creamy mouthfeel 

Oskar Blues Can-O-bliss IPA Series Citrus India Pale Ale

Oskar Blues Can-O-bliss IPA Series Citra India Pale Ale.

7.2 % ABV, 68 IBU. Oskar Blues Brewery, Longmont, CO. 

All  hazified, bright golden hue, small white head. 

In the nose: bold citrus notes, lemon, grapefruit, orange, tangerine.  Lovely. 

In the mouth: Brisk, crisp, refreshing. Just enough bitterness to tickle the palate. Medium bodied, long, hoppy finish. Fruity and juicy for a bit, but ending dry and delightful. Tasty little IPA, this one. I like it.

A complex, international blend of Motueka, Amarillo, Mandarina Bavaria, Citra and Experimental Hop #06277 contribute to a big, juicy, citrusy IPA experience with notes of orange, tangerine, and zesty tropical fruit.

Weldwerks Juicy Bits India Pale Ale

Weldworks Juicy Bits India Pale Ale. Brewed with Citra, Mosaic, and El Dorado hops. 

6.7 % ABV. Weldworks Brewing, Greeley, CO. 

Hey, heee's something new and fresh. Let's drink a hazy NE IPA. That never happens, right? True story: The other day a guy says to me, "Hey, I'm not really into hazy IPAs, but since that's all there is anymore, can you help me find some good ones?" Statements like that occur in this blog regularly. Was he reading my mind, or reading this blog? Or do dispirited minds think alike?

Anyway, I've never had one from this Colorado brewery yet, so that's something. Let's drink. 

All orangey and hazy with a fine white head on it. 

In the nose: Bright citrus notes with appropriate accompanying fuzziness. Touch of the dank. Nice.

In the mouth: Bold, brisk, hoppy, fruity, exceptionally expressive. Juicy, for sure. Moderate, but long-living bitterness. Full of hoppy goodness. And plenty of the yeasty fuzz everyone seems to like so damned much. It's very yum a dum dum. I admit it, sometimes I like these stupid things. Sometimes, they ain't so bad. 

Our flagship IPA features a huge citrus and tropical fruit hop character from the Mosaic, Citra & El Dorado hops and softer, smoother mouthfeel from the adjusted water chemistry, higher protein malts, and lower attenuation. The end result is a beer reminiscent of citrus juice with extra pulp, thus the name Juicy Bits.

New Belgium Higher Plane Hazy Imperial IPA

New Belgium Higher Plane Hazy Imperial IPA.

8.5 %, 45 IBU. New Belgium Brewing, Fort Collins, CO & elsewhere. 

Hazy, bright orange hue, with floating pariculates that inevitably settle, under a stable layer of cloud-white froth. 

In the nose: Shining citrus, with a touch of pine, hints of pineapple and coconut. Creamy and sweet takes turns with the hoppy. Orange-sicle. 

In the mouth: Fuzzy. Yeasty. Bright and bold. Incoming alcohol. Citrus and pine and fruit. Little traces of tropical tastes. Medium bodied, medium hoppy. Just enough to keep the palate happy. Tasty stuff, but ...

...I probably just don't like Hazy Imperial IPAs. Actually, if you've been reading this blog long enough and thoroughly enough, you'll know this is true. Maybe someday, I'll be won over, but, I don't know how likely that is. I do know that I'll still keep trying them, and you know why that is...they keep making them, and they don't always tell us when they do. I'll keep getting tricked, over and over again. 

Higher Plane IPA achieves the perfect balance of delicately bitter flavors and tropical, juicy aromas. Channel your inner haze.

TASTING NOTES

VISUAL

Deep gold, medium-heavy sheen. Moderate white foam.

AROMA

Strong hop aroma with notes of mango, pineapple, and passionfruit. Hints of warm bready notes that invite you in.

FLAVOR

Slight-moderate sweetness through the middle, then a slight-moderate bitterness that grows to moderate and lingers slightly.

MOUTHFEEL/BODY

Smooth and slightly coating. Medium Body. 

Odell Hazer Tag Hazy IPA

 Odell Hazer Tag Hazy IPA.

6% ABV, 30 IBU. Odell Brewing, Fort Collins, CO. 

I've been doing sampler packs again lately. It's a good way to stretch the dollars. I end up with a few new beers for the blog, and usually the rest are beers I'll also enjoy. It's good to have something inexpensive to just crack open when you get home. I got the winter sampler from Odell for about $17. That averages out to about $1.43 apiece. And I'd much rather get 12 bottles or cans for $17 than 4 of them. I'm holding fast on my boycott on the $16+ 4-pack. There are a lot of other beers out there, they don't all have to be DDH TIPAs. 

So, this pack came with 4 IPAs, which I always enjoy, and 4 Isolation Ales, maybe like that one a little less, and 4 of this "exclusive release", 3 of which have passed down my gullet with aplomb. Let's take a closer look at this last one. 

It's hazy, all right, golden hued, slim white head. 

In the nose: Big citrus smells, orange and grapefruit, lemon peel, with tropical tones coming on. Passionfruit/guava. 

In the mouth: Brief hoppy bite, a brief bit of bitterness, than more a sweet, fruity character takes over. Bitterness may be small, but it stays in control and sticks around. Medium bodied, easy drinking, very flavorful and mellow. Tasty stuff. 

Game-changing haziness awaits in the galactic arena of happiness. Experience the rush that comes with the heart-pounding excitement of IPA innovation. Passion fruit and citrus notes engulf the palate in a dynamo of hazy hop goodness. Draw your phaser and see how you measure up in our latest game of Hazer Tag. 

I have a love/hate relationship with the above verbiage. Why am I not getting paid to make up that kind of stuff? It's just not fair. 

New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Xperimental IPA

New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Xperimental IPA.

6.6 % ABV, 27 IBU. New Belgium Brewing, Fort Collins, CO. 

My final can of three from the current Hoppy Pack, featuring 3 each of 4 different Voodoo Ranger IPAs, including the OG VR IPA, and the Imperial. There's one more left for review, and I'll get to that one soon. 

Clear, bright golden hue, slim white head. 

In the nose: Bold, assertive, beautiful hoppiness. Lemon/lime, orange, and a pinch of pine. A touch of dank on the side. 

In the mouth: Juicy & fruity, flush with hoppy goodness. Bittersweet, and especially smooth. Light bodied, and easily consumed. Fresh, and alive with Citra hop flavors. Minor bitterness. Flavor lays long on the palate. I'm enjoying this one. 

Our latest IPA experiment. Exclusively dry hopped with Citra Hops.

I'm wondering what the experiment was here. And was it merely dry-hopped with Citra, were there other hops used in the recipe? 

I looked on the website and found this: HOPS: Strata, Amarillo, Mosaic, Huell Melon

MALT: Pale, Honey, Pilsner

And so, I have my answer. Whatever the experiment, I'd say it worked. I'd drink this again, assuredly. 

Crooked Stave Hop Savant Brettanomyces IPA

 Crooked Stave Hop Savant Brettanomyces IPA .

6.7 % ABV, Crooked Stave Artisan Btewing Project, Denver, CO.

And here we have the first ever appearance of Crooked Stave here in the Nib. Why? No reason. Sometimes, things happen that way. It certainly won’t be the last.

Opaque, bright amber color, slim white head.

In the nose: big funk, wild sour, Intense Brett effects. I’m a fan from the start.

In the mouth: more funkier, juicier, just a little bit bittierer.....I’m digging it. Stone fruit, s9me citrus, big bitter, , oak, crazy fermentation, medium bodied, long  bitter/sour/funky flavor. 

I may be in the minority, but I love Brett IPASs. I eat em up with a ladle. Slurp em up. Love. Them. And this is a good one. 

India Pale ale brewed with brettanomyces. Dry-Hopped w/ Centennial & Simcoe

New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA

New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA.

How long has this beer been around? (Answer: nearly four years.) Why haven't I tried it before? Were my distributor and brewery reps recalcitrant in providing samples? Certainly. And now, they have no need to give them to me, at least not in my current circumstance. Yes, many of my New Belgium reviews for the past several years had been from samples, and now I have to pay for everything. So, I bought a single 19.2 oz. can for sale at the retail store where I work, and now it's time to check it out. 

9% ABV. 70 IBU. New Belgium Brewing, Fort Collins, CO. 

Clear, bright golden hue, large and lasting ivory head. Looking great. 

In the nose: A delightfully dank and expressive hop stew in the aromatics, citrus and tropical fruit notes abound. Sweet switches sides with bitter, time and again. 

In the mouth: Impressively powerful and potent from sip one. Not a shy one in the least, this starts off as a mess, immensely bitter, fruity, juicy, and malty components that add up to a monster. Orange, tangerine, lime, mango, dancing with the high alcohol, a massive mix, pounding the palate, flooding the senses. Bitter orange peel, candied apricots. A lot of flavors here. High hop bitterness, medium body, long hoppy finish. 

An unsubtle beast. But as a dedicated hophead, I like it. I like big, burly unbalanced IPAs, ever now and then. They're okay by me. Certainly doesn't rise up to the ranks of the rarified double IPAs, but I don't mind it one bit. 

A rare blend of choice hops creates an explosion of fresh-cut pine and citrus flavors for a complex, rich and delicious flavor.