Noon Whistle Big Strike West Coast IPA

 Noon Whistle Big Strike West Coast IPA.

Hops, Centennial, Cascade, & Strata. 6.2% ABV. 

And here we have the first appearance in the Nib of a beer from Noon Whistle Brewing of Naperville, Illinois (and also Lombard, IL). Prior to this, the only thing I knew about Napervillle is that is hometown to actor/ comedian Bob Odenkirk. I make it my business to know things about Bob Odenkirk. Another thing I try to make my business is West Coast IPAs. This is the first non- NE IPA from this brewery, so I have to give it a go.

In Collaboration with Little Thistle Brewing of Rochester, Minnesota, a brewery I still haven’t been to. The name and label design is a tribute to bowling as a pinball machine or video game and may also allude to The Big Lebowski.

Not quite clear, golden hued, with a large and lasting ivory head.

In the nose: it’s got the hops in a abundance. Perfumey and pungent, dare I say dank? 

In the mouth: slight bitterness up front, a smidge of sweet and good slathering of citrus on the palate. And then along comes a touch of butter that does not belong. Citrus and pine are at play, orange and mango in the mix. But that flaw in the flavor ruins the experience. Lacking in bitterness, as well, and needs to be crisper, less malty. Drinkable, but not especially pleasant. 

I wanted to like this, but it fell severely short. 

This West Coast IPA is a collaboration with our friends at Little Thistle Brewing. We had such a great time bowling with them in Minnesota that we wanted to call our beer Big Strike! This beer perfectly showcases the fruity and citrus-forward oils in some of our favorite hops. Hopped with Centennial Cryo, Cascade Cryo, Strata, and Chinook this beer has ripe notes of peach, pineapple, nectarine, orange, grapefruit rind, and lemon. The big fruity notes are followed up with a balanced bitterness that feels like a Big Strike! 

Arbeiter Cartwheel Fireworks Strong Pale

 Arbeiter Cartwheel Fireworks Strong Pale.

6% ABV, 33 IBU, Arbeiter Brewing, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

What is a strong pale ale? This is only 6%, is that strong? I’ll get some answers eventually. 

Lightly hazed, bright golden hue, large and lush ivory head. 

In the nose: citrus notes and tropical tones. Pineapple meets grapefruit. So far, so groovy. 

In the mouth: minor bitterness at the front, fresh and juicy in the flavor. Zesty, citrus packed pale ale. Medium bodied, easy going. Delightfully drinkable. 

Hey, look what I found: American Strong Pale Ales are deep golden to copper. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures. Low caramel malt aroma is allowable. Fruity-ester aroma should be moderate to strong. Hop aroma is high, exhibiting floral, fruity, citrus-like, piney, resinous, or sulfur-like American-variety hop characters. Low level maltiness may include low caramel malt character. Hop flavor is high, exhibiting floral, fruity, citrus-like, piney, resinous, or sulfur-like American-variety hop flavors. Hop bitterness is high. ABV: 5.60% – 7.30%. IBU: 40 – 50.

You learn something new every day. 

I honestly did not know this was a category.

This beer is a play on bright flavors typically found in hazy IPAs & IPLs. Using a new hop variety this beer delivers tropical fruits along with bright herbal notes over a light body.  A strong ale that drinks smooth, exciting, & light.

Revelation Ale Works Edison’s —— New England Style India Pale Ale

 Revelation Ale Works Edison’s —— New England Style India Pale Ale. 

6.4% ABV, Revelation Ale Works, Hallock, MN.

And now it is 2023. In the year 2022, this blog marked 12 years. Also, it was the 20th anniversary of the beginning of this little beer writing obsession of mine. In the summer of 2002, a friend gave me a bottle apiece of Lion Stout and Dogfish Head 90 IPA, I started a notebook and never looked back. Posting them on the internet began a few months later. 

I’ve observed a few rules while doing this and I recently had an epiphany, or a revelation, if you will, about rules: they are mine and I can change them. And so, I no longer have to review every beer that I bring home in this blog. I can just drink it without turning it into a review.

That said, this may be the last review of a hazy IPA you will ever read here in the Nib. Maybe. You never know.

What brought this on? I’m as tired of complaining about them as you probably are of reading it. The last BlackStack review was the last straw.

On with the beer formerly known as Edison’s Medicine before, I presume, the brewery was informed that you can’t suggest that your beer has medicinal properties.

Lightly hazed, bright golden color, slim milky white head.

In the nose: soft and fuzzy. Pineapple and peach, orange and mango.

In the mouth: more soft, no fuzz, citrus and tropical notes. Bereft of bitterness. Juicy and sweet. Light bodied. Fruity finish. Pineapple sometimes gives way to grapefruit. 

Enjoyable version of this style. If you’re into that sort of thing. 

“ This hazy, citrusy New England IPA is double dry-hopped with TONS of Citra and Mosaic hops.  This smooth non-traditional IPA is like an electric shock to the brain!

Nine Mile Double Sol

 

Nine Mile Double Sol. Double New England IPA.

8.2 % ABV, Nine Mile Brewing, Bloomington, Minnesota.

Hey, Al,  you’re saying to me, I thought you hated the hazies? Don’t you despise the doubles most of all?

Yes, true, but this was given to me by a co-worker who was also works at the brewery with no warning that it was a hazy. And this brewery hasn’t appeared here yet, so let’s get one in the books. 

(I’d been to Nine Mile once before, on their opening day, nearly a year ago. I had exactly one beer then because it was too crowded and the line was insane. Haven’t been back because when am I in Bloomington? 

All hazed out, dull yellow color, lush cloud-white head. 

In the nose: big citrus. Slightly tart. Touch of tropical. Pineapple meets grapefruit.

In the mouth: lots of fruit and fuzz. Virtually no bitterness. Too sweet for me. Not what I want in a double IPA. As I’ve said over and over again, ad infinitum. Very soft, “pillowy”…but that’s how they make ‘em now. I’m getting no bitterness, but here comes the booze. 

I’m glad I can still find the kind of DIPA I like around. Plenty of Sticker Fight to be found. 

And I’ll finish it, and I thank you, Michael, for your generosity.

Deschutes Chasin’ Freshies Limited Release Fresh Hop IPA

 Deschutes Chasin’ Freshies Limited Release Fresh Hop IPA.

6.5% ABV, 50 IBU, Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Oregon.

Yes, I saved my last fresh hop IPA until January, what of it? 

Clear, bright green hue, slim ivory head. 

In the nose: grapefruit and lemon, with a trace of tropical, slice of stone fruit, trickle of piney, drops of dank. 

In the mouth: blast of bitterness up front, followed by a splash of sweet. Hop flavors play smooth and gentle on the palate. Medium bodied, fresh, delicious, a joy to drink. Bitterness lingers on. Just the way I like it. 

I’ll get some more, if I see any. 

Crafted with Idaho 7 Hops

From fresh picked to fridge ready, seize the hop harvest season with this fresh and juicy IPA featuring aromas of tangerine, apricot and papaya paired with pine resin.

BlackStack Rule of Thirds TIPA

 BlackStack Rule of Thirds TIPA.

10.1% ABV, BlackStack Brewing, St. Paul, Minnesota. 

Another TIPA from BlackStack, but not a Triple IPA, and never a hazy or New England TIPA. Why not? I want to see NETIPA on the label and I want someone to call it “nettipa.” And of course it’s hazy.

What else would I call it? Dull yellow color, slim white head.

In the nose: citrus drenched, tropical tinged.

In the mouth: citrus blast that’s almost sour. Fierce attack on the palate, turning toward astringency. Overload. Bit much. Each new swallow brings a wince and a pucker. Overdone dank, superfluous hopping. I just read the back and can’t believe the beer I’m drinking is the one they described. 

Composition matters. Every little piece fits together to form a semblance of a whole. Fully packed with our selected Citra, Simcoe, Mosaic & a new to us blend called Experimental HBC 303 Cryo containing Phantasm. Nothing out of place. Everything in focus.

Medium-ish bodied, but a bit of a challenge for the drinking. I’m not surprised my opinion is so contrary to the loyal fans. Alcohol is imbalanced. There’s little “composition “ to speak of. Normally I’d admire something as bold as this, but the shock at the start sort of ruined the experience. This is essentially a mixed-up sugary mess. Nothing focused about it. No clarity. A fuzzy, boozy wreck.

Revolution Northeast Hero Hazy India Pale Ale

 

Revolution Northeast Hero Hazy India Pale Ale. A Revolutionary Commander of Haze.

7% ABV, 55 IBU. Revolution Brewing, Chicago, Illinois.

This one’s from the previous League of Heroes variety pack. I’m still procrastinating. Have to get this one done before I start on the three new ones from the latest. 

Oh, it’s hazy. And yellow. With a helping of ivory froth atop. 

In the nose: soft and citrusy/tropical. 

In the mouth: smooth, hoppy, low on bitterness. On the juicy side. Orange and lemon, pineapple mango. Easy drinking, medium bodied. A bit too sweet for me. Decent Hazy (for those that like them). And you can drink it. 

Crossing defiantly through the haze, our newest bold Revolutionary marshals an engaging fruit-forward hop character to join an irresistibly silky finish. Two separate dry hop additions, including Citra, Cashmere, Galaxy, Mosaic, and Denali, create a fusillade of American hop flavor.

Pipeworks Forest Fauna Spruce Tip IPA

 Pipeworks Forest Fauna Spruce Tip IPA.

6.7% ABV, Pipeworks Brewing, Chicago, Illinois. 

Mostly clear, bright golden hue, slim white head. 

In the nose: fresh bold, citrus and pine, lemon and orange…no spruce yet.

In the mouth: we’ll, here we go. Nice spruciness on the palate, combined with pronounced hop pines, though low to moderate bitterness. Medium bodied, fairly easy drinking. The spruce is more delicate than I imagined, but I appreciate that about it all the same. Who needs that much spruce in their beer? 

“India Pale Ale with centennial hops, simcoe hops, and spruce tips.”

Oliphant Coconut Hunkboy Porter

 Oliphant Coconut Hunkboy Porter.

6% ABV, Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, Wisconsin. 

Dark brown color, roasted tan head on top, largely opaque. 

In the nose: dark malts, some cocoa and coffee notes popping up, sweet hints of coconut behind. Very inviting.

In the mouth: coconut comes front and center with the flavor. Toasty and roasty together as one. Full-bodied robust porter delivers the goods. Smooth with minimal bitterness, excellent balance, coconut never gives too much sweetness. I thoroughly enjoyed this 4-pack and will probably pick more up in the future. 

A most robust porter with the additions of toasted and regular coconut! It'll have you scooting across the dance floor, fully impressing everyone and definitely becoming the life of the party.

Back Channel Shadowramma West Coast India Pale Ale

 Back Channel Shadowramma West Coast India Pale Ale. 

7.5% ABV, Back Channel Brewing, Spring Park, Minnesota.

Not long ago, (was it only last week?)I tried out my first Back Channel beer. Another ho-hum hazy. What else do they got? This week, along came a West Coast IPA, named after a misspelling of the cinematic technique used on Mystery Science Theater 3000, with Tom Servo, Joel (or is it Mike Nelson?) (it’s Mike, I now recognize it as the season eight episode “Prince of Space”)and Crow T. Robot riffing on some old Japanese nonsense. I have high hopes for this one. It had better be good...well, it’s a collaboration with Steel Toe, so it has to be, right?

Clear, bright golden hue, sizable snow white head. Looking good.

In the nose: bright, flowery, piney, dank, fully citrified. Very promising.

In the mouth: brisk, crisp, and bursting with hoppitude. Orange and grapefruit, little bit of lime. Bitterness blazes the palate, ending decidedly dry, slightly brittle. Lean bodied, with a slight malt sweetness. Not what I expect or desire in this style. But I’ll give it points for trying. It’s no Size 7, but it gets close. I need more bitter, more dry, more citrus and pine. 

I’m glad I got a free sample. I wasn’t about to drop $18 for a 4-pack, when a 6-pack of Size 7 is right there  for 5 or 6 dollars less.

What’s the matter with West Coast IPA? I like them very much!

Mickey from Prince of Space is one of the great characters from MST3K, up there with Pitch, Rowsdower, Torgo, Mr. B. Natural....oh, man, I’m going to to fall into a binge-watching spiral...

Sierra Nevada Cryogenic Fresh Torpedo Wet Hop IPA

 Sierra Nevada Cryogenic Fresh Torpedo Wet Hop IPA.

7% ABV, Sierra Nevada Brewing, California & N. Carolina. 

And here we have the only new-to-me beer from the current Sierra Nevada Hoppy Sampler pack. A cryogenic fresh hop version of Torpedo? Well, full speed ahead!

Clear, bright golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: soft, citric, slightly floral. 

In the mouth: decent bitter buzz up front, but mostly mellow and smooth. More citrus in the flavor with an additional dose of stone fruit. Pinch of tropical. A little bit juicy, ending ultimately dry. Nicely hopped, fresh & delicious. Quite likable, if not especially amazing. 

Hops hit their peak right when they’re picked, but they fade fast. So the innovators at Yakima Chief Hops set out to keep them fresh, forever. Using freshly picked hops — still undried (“wet”) — Yakima Chief runs a patented cryogenic process to remove the hop leaves and isolate the jackpot inside: pure lupulin, the source of aroma and flavor.

We designed a special blend of these Cryo Fresh hops, officially named YCH® 301 Trial hops, to give Cryo Fresh Torpedo its explosive layers of grapefruit, orange, passion fruit and mango — harvest flavors straight from the field.

Stone Delicious Citrus IPA

 Stone Delicious Citrus IPA. 

7.7% ABV. Stone Brewing, Escondido, California. 

From the Stone 12 Days of IPA. All the ones I have had before are down the hatch, now it’s all “new-to-me”s.

Nearly clear, bold orange hue, sizable ivory head. 

In the nose: bold citrus. Fresh lemon and orange, twist of pine.

In the mouth: juicy, slightly bitter, dry. Citrus explosion blended with brief bitterness, and all is smooth. Medium bodied, easy drinking. Lacking a bite I like from an IPA, but I get where they’re going. It’s likable, nothing wrong with that. 

Citrus version of Stone Delicious IPA

Ska Oktoberfest German-style Lager

 Ska Oktoberfest German-style Lager.

6.1% ABV, 22 IBU. Ska Brewing, Durango, Colorado.

It is January 1, 2023 and I am determined to empty the fridge. It is January 1 and I will take notes on a can I should have had 2 months ago. This was the last 6-pack of Oktoberfest I bought for the season, and I will still blog about, out of season or not. 

Clear, amber hued, slim white head.

In the nose: herbal, malty, sweet, caramely. Right on for a märzen. 

In the mouth: crisp, clean, slightly sweet. Grips the palate with flavor, then glides easily away. Earthy, nutty, toffee-ish, classically German. Masterfully märzen. Medium bodied, easily, heartily consumed.

I had the first five in rapid succession, enjoyed urgently. The sixth sat in seclusion, long out of fashion. Still good, still tasty. Go seek it out when it returns in eight months or so. 

A malty lager with an amber-brown color imparted by nutty, bready, toasty Munich and Vienna malts. With a clean, neutral yeast flavor–it’s all about the malt.

Surly Hyper Modern Idaho 7 IPA

Surly Hyper Modern Idaho 7 IPA. Modern. Hop. Flavor. 

7.6% ABV, Surly Brewing, Minneapolis & Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.

Highly hazed, bold orange hue, slim white head.

In the nose: citrus notes, slight tropical.

In the mouth: just a little juicy at the start, ending dry. Moderate bodied, texture fully flocked with active proteins. Jolts of vibrancy throughout, but too fuzzy for my palate. Another hazy that comes in the door unannounced. Brief flashes of bitterness on the tongue. Some stone fruit mingles with that citrus and twist of tropical. 

I’m not as firm in my acquaintance with Idaho 7 Hop to properly ascertain it’s character. As of this writing, I’m not sure I’m all that keen on it. 

Some people get excited about sneaker drops or digital pictures of apes that are money for some reason. Breweries? They get excited about hops. The Idaho 7® hop, developed by our friends at Jackson Hop Farms, bridges the tropical/citrus divide with striking notes of melon, pineapple, tangerine, and red berries. Hypermodern IPA centers Idaho 7® for a thoroughly unique and drinkable IPA. Believe the hype.