Fulton IPA

Fulton IPA.

5.8% ABV, 60 IBU. Fulton Beer, Minneapolis, MN. 

Wait, doesn't Fulton already have an IPA, one of their first beers, the very popular Sweet Child of Vine? And, hey, don't they have another IPA called 300, also very popular? What's this one? Well, it's IPA No Nonsense, They Way It should be. With No Dairy, No Cereal, No Candy....I'm forgetting one. (This is from the 12-pack box, which I've long since recycled, though I see it every day at work.)

This came out a few months ago, only in 12-pack bottles, which is an odd way to release a new beer. I had to try it, because I'm firmly on the side of the no-nonsense IPA. The first eleven, as usual, were consumed in a laissez-faire kind of way, and I saved #12 for the note-taking. It's about time I did that. 

Clear, bright golden hue, large, pure white head, looking fantastic. 

In the nose: beautiful aromatics, lightly floral, mostly citric, judicious side order of pine. Just what you want from your IPA. 

In the mouth: Hop bitterness kicks it off and hangs in for the long haul.  The way it should be. None of this soft and pillowy shit. Bold and bitter, grabs the tongue and won't let go. Citrus flavors abound, grapefruit and lemon galore, with piney goodness right along. Medium bodied, easy drinking and hoppy as heck. Needless to say, I love it. 

NO NONSENSE IPA

What if IPA was just IPA? 

 No, there is no definitive answer now or maybe ever, yet the question rings not through eternity but around a barroom and a garage and if the bell is ringing we will answer or more probably we just ring the damn bell back harder. From now until then we uphold IPA as it might have been, could now be and may never be again or maybe never was. Even if only for this moment, but for as long as we can until we can’t, we brew IPA as it should be.