Beer Review: Three Floyds - Arctic Panzer Wolf

Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Arctic Panzer Wolf
Imperial IPA
9% ABV

Appearance: Pours a rich, hazy golden orange with a big three fingers of creamy, fluffy off-white foam.

Smell: A wonderful bouquet of soft, ripe mango, juicy pineapple, and faint strawberry greet the nose. There's also a light yeasty, cracker-like aroma hiding under the blanket of fruity hops. Quite heavenly.

Taste: Bright, tangy grapefruit, tangerine, orange marmalade, pine, some fruity esters and a touch of honey with a caramel malt backing. Sugary with light traces of white wine lurking about.

Mouthfeel: Medium to heavier bodied and lightly crisp with incredible smoothness. Sort of creamy and a bit oily and chewy.

Overall, this was an exceptional imperial IPA from famed Indiana brewery Three Floyds. I had this back to back with their Dreadnaught and Arctic Panzer Wolf came out the clear winner for me. It has a wonderfully complex,
fruity aroma and flavor with unbeatable
smoothness for a 9% beer. Juicy, sweet,
and well-balanced. Top notch.

5 out of 5

Beer Review: Epic - Hop Zombie

Epic Brewing Co.
Hop Zombie
Double IPA
8.5% ABV

Appearance: Pours a super clear, bright gold with a chunky and frothy two fingers of white foam.

Smell: Pleasantly soft and mellow aroma of overripe mango, orange, guava and apricot.

Taste: Smooth and mildly tangy grapefruit with pine, muted floral notes and an unmistakable pilsner malt backbone. Very clean and refreshing.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, good carbonation, tingly on the tongue, with a really nice, smooth finish.

Overall, I really enjoyed this double IPA from New Zealand brewery Epic. There's nothing too unique about it but it's refreshing, flavorful and well balanced for an 8.5% beer. I'm not a huge pilsner fan but I actually enjoyed the flavor and crisp mouthfeel that those malts imparted here. It works really nicely with the combination of fruity New Zealand and American hops. I also have to note that this was still super tasty after it had significantly warmed. It really mellows out and goes down satiny smooth but brings
just a touch of alcohol in the finish.
My first beer from New Zealand and
a really pleasing, filtered imperial IPA.

4.5 out of 5

Beer Review: Pipeworks - Something Hoppy This Way Comes

Pipeworks Brewing Co. 
Something Hoppy This Way Comes
Imperial IPA
10% ABV
Batch #104

Appearance: Pours a hazy golden yellow with a nice two fingers of frothy cream-colored foam.

Smell: Big lemon, grass, onion and dill notes hit the nose pretty hard. There's a nice layer of tropical fruit (pineapple and guava) lurking beneath but the onion and grass are so potent that it's hard to focus on and enjoy it.

Taste: Follows the nose with lemon, grass, onion, dill, hints of lime and herbal spices with a thin caramel malt backbone. I've never had to describe a beer as buttery but that's exactly how this tasted. Didn't pick up much alcohol, surprisingly.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, crisp, and quite smooth and velvety.

Overall, this one just didn't do it for me. I knew going in that it incorporated Sorachi Ace, a unique Japanese hop varietal known for imparting unusual aromas and flavors, but I wasn't sure how prevalent it would be. Something Hoppy was brewed with Columbus and Cascade hops as well but Sorachi unfortunately steals the show. It's a personal preference but I'm just not a fan of this hop. I had heard people use "onion" as a descriptor in beer reviews before but this was the first time I'd actually encountered it for myself and it was a doozy. This is the only double IPA from Pipeworks that I didn't love. Its not a bad beer but I had a hard time getting past the savory onion aroma and flavor. That's really just the Sorachi Ace and if you happen to like that particular hop then you'll probably enjoy this beer. I have another bottle that I'm going to sample this weekend. If it happens to strike me differently, I'll update my review.

Update (3-31-13): Shared another bottle of this with my brother and dad this afternoon. It was just as I had remembered it in terms of aroma and flavor but I found that I liked it even less than the first time around. They too found it less than desirable and we all tended to agree on its smell and taste, which we found buttery and savory with onion, chive and dill notes being the most prominent. I hate to rate a beer less than a 3 out of 5 but I really did not enjoy this beer's flavor profile or aroma. Worse still, I barely found it drinkable. However, it currently has a rating of 90 on Beeradvocate so clearly I am in the minority. I've gotta be honest here, though, and give this is a...

2.5 out of 5

In the Fridge: March Edition Part 2

Left to Right: Epic Hop Zombie, Three Floyds' Dreadnaught, Three Floyds' Arctic Panzer Wolf, Pipeworks' Something Hoppy This Way Comes, Spiteful Ghost Bike, and 18th Street Seven.

What's in your fridge?

Beer Review: Odell - Myrcenary

Odell Brewing Co. 
Myrcenary
Double IPA
9.3% ABV

Appearance: Pours a lovely, hazy rich gold with nearly three fingers of dense, bubbly off-white foam.

Smell: Lemon curd, pineapple, soft mango, and a whiff of white grape. There's also some earthy and oaky aromas with a light funkiness that seems to show up as the beer warms a bit. Very complex and enjoyable.

Taste: Tropical fruit, resiny pine and white grape with a nutty finish. Dank and just a touch musty. There's a lot of flavor going on here but it's surprisingly balanced. Didn't really pick up on any of the alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and a bit sticky. Very smooth bitterness that doesn't overstay its welcome. Refreshing with just the right amount of carbonation.

Overall, this was an exemplary double IPA. Odell has itself a real winner here and I'm glad they brew this year-round. Myrcenary (named after Myrcene, one of four essential oils found in the hops cone) is a bold and robust beer with a wonderfully complex aroma and flavor, an incredible balance, and a smooth finish. This is one I would return to often if it was available in Illinois.
Dangerously drinkable stuff.

5 out of 5

Beer Review: Ballast Point - Sculpin

Ballast Point Brewing Co.
Sculpin India Pale Ale
American IPA
7% ABV

Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy bright yellow orange with a fluffy two fingers of off-white foam.

Smell: A tropical fruit medley of pineapple, mango, papaya, and grapefruit. A little yeasty. Quite pungent but nice.

Taste: Ye gods! Bitter! Sharp tangerine and  grapefruit with abrasive, resiny pine bitterness. A touch of nutty malts. Rather harsh and not all that pleasant to drink, to be honest.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied but sticky. Once it hits your tongue, it coats it with a thick and lingering bitterness that you just want to scrape off. Very dry finish.

Overall, I was disappointed with this one. I had been trying to obtain this for awhile and was excited when I finally found some. It's a very well-reviewed beer and is widely regarded as one of the best IPAs in the world so I was expecting good things. It started off promising with a great appearance and a bold fruity/yeasty aroma but the flavor was so overly harsh and unbalanced. After reading other rave reviews I wondered if I had an old bottle but there's an "enjoy by" date right on the label that read 07/13/13 so I have to assume this is relatively fresh. The lively hop aroma certainly attested to that. Its unfortunate the flavor didn't live up to the smell. I really wanted to love this and while its by no means a bad beer, it is unbalanced and excessively bitter in my opinion. Still, I'll be generous and give it a...

3.5 out of 5

New Release: Pipeworks - Something Hoppy This Way Comes

Pipeworks Brewing Co.
Something Hoppy This Way Comes
Imperial IPA
10% ABV

 Official Description:

A storm is brewing and with it comes a wicked carnival of hops. The dark carnie leader’s skin is emblazoned with many a vine, including Columbus, Cascade, and Sorachi Ace. So whether you’re a Halloway or a Nightshade, you had better run, for with this carnival, Something Hoppy This Way Comes.
 
As I mentioned in my review for Unicorn's Revenge, Pipeworks best beers (in my opinion) are their imperial IPAs so I'm pretty excited about this one. Back when it was first released in August I had no idea Pipeworks even existed. I missed out on that batch but I'm definitely going to pick up a fresh bottle as soon as I can track one down.

Beer Review: Pipeworks - Unicorn's Revenge

Pipeworks Brewing Co.
Unicorn's Revenge
Double IPA
10% ABV
Batch #92

Appearance: Pours a beautiful, glowing golden orange with an unfiltered haziness and two fingers of fluffy cream colored foam.

Smell: Big juicy notes of strawberry  hit the nose first. Followed by tangerine, pineapple and mango. A very bold yet softly sweet aroma. I noticed that the prominent strawberry notes wore off after a few minutes but giving the glass an aggressive swirl brought them back at full force. This beer smells amazing.

Taste: Tart, tangy grapefruit with a little bit of toasted caramel malts in the background. Hints of pine and some white wine/white grape characteristics from the use of Nelson Sauvin hops from New Zealand. For a 10% beer this is insanely balanced. Surprisingly, no real hints of alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied, slightly chewy. Nice carbonation keeps things lively. There's a light lingering bitterness but the finish is smooth and dry.

Overall, this is another fantastic double IPA from Pipeworks. These guys are fast becoming masters of this style and I'm beginning to expect nothing less than liquid brilliance upon each new release. Unicorn's Revenge is their 1 year anniversary beer and what a way to celebrate. I enjoyed this one a good deal more than Unicorn Galaxy (which was still a really good beer) and just as much if not more than Citra Ninja. A wonderful cocktail of American hops (Amarillo and Centennial), New Zealand hops (Nelson Sauvin and Pacifica) and a lack of bittering hops makes this a really unique and tasty beer. Tons of flavor, bold fruity aroma (strawberries!), ridiculous balance and a big 10% ABV. Probably my favorite beer yet from Pipeworks and easily one of the ten best imperial IPAs I've ever had.

5 out of 5

Beer Review: Odell - 5 Barrel Pale Ale

Odell Brewing Co.
5 Barrel Pale Ale
English Pale Ale
5.2% ABV

Appearance:  Pours a golden orange with a creamy finger and a half of foam.

Smell: A good amount of lemon and grapefruit with some mild earthiness. Smells very clean and just a tad soapy.

Taste: Follows the nose with nice light citrus, pine, herbal earthiness and some toasted, bready malts. Well balanced with a mild, smooth bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Appropriately light to medium bodied with good carbonation.

Overall, this was an enjoyable and easy drinking pale ale. Nothing too exciting or unique but a superbly well-balanced and refreshing beer with a pleasant aroma and flavor. This would be a nice summer session beer. I could definitely knock back a few of these while enjoying some good barbecue.

Beer Review: Three Floyds - Brian Boru

Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Brian Boru
Irish Red Ale
5.5% ABV

Appearance: Pours an appropriately semi-hazy rust red with a thick, fluffy two fingers of beige foam.

Smell: Juicy pineapple, pine resin, and toasted amber and caramel malts.

Taste: Follows the nose pretty closely. No pineapple or fruitiness though. Mainly pine, sweet caramel, and toasted malts. Very nicely balanced.

Mouthfeel: Fairly light bodied with a thin mouthfeel. Nicely crisp but certainly not over carbonated. Smooth, quick finish.

Overall, I really enjoyed this take on an Irish red ale. I'm not usually a huge fan of this style but Three Floyds adds their signature hop twist which results in a unique and perfectly balanced beer. I loved the atypical tropical fruit notes in the aroma. The rest of the beer is very true to style and pretty tasty. It's a really nice, easy drinker. I honestly couldn't imagine a better interpretation of an Irish red. I think I'll start an annual St. Patty's Day tradition of a
bottle of this paired with a corned beef sandwich.

4 out of 5

Beer Review: Spiteful - Bitter Biker

Spiteful Brewing
Bitter Biker
Double IPA
9.6% ABV
Batch # 6

Appearance: Pours a glowing bright orange with a touch of haziness. Two fingers of light, frothy foam.
 
Smell: First thing I get right off the bat is a big and distinct aroma of strawberries. I've never gotten that in a beer before. Quite nice. There's also some biscuity malts, and a little mango.

Taste: Big bold bitterness here. Mainly resinous pine and something that reminds me of black licorice. There's also a bit of spice in the finish. A little leafy as well. Alcohol isn't detectable until the beer has significantly warmed.

Mouthfeel: This stuff coats your tongue something fierce, although not really unpleasantly so. Slightly heavier body than your typical double IPA. Fairly well carbonated and prickly on the tongue.

Overall, this was actually quite a bit better than I was expecting. My first beer from Spiteful Brewing, another local Chicago brewery that is just getting started. This, along with their Russian imperial stout, G.F.Y., will be year-round beers but they'll also be brewing plenty of seasonal offerings. Bitter Biker definitely lives up to its name but I didn't think that this one went overboard on the bitterness, as others have mentioned. I really enjoyed the unique strawberry notes in the aroma and I thought the flavor was fairly complex and interesting. I was also pleasantly surprised at how tasty this one remained well after it had warmed. It mellowed out really nicely and went down smooth, even with the alcohol making an appearance toward the end. Looking forward to trying more from these guys!

4 out of 5

Beer Review: Half Acre - Anicca

Half Acre Beer Co./Three Floyd's Brewing Co.
Anicca
American IPA
7.3% ABV

Appearance: Arrives a clear amber orange with a perfect finger and a half of frothy and bubbly tan foam.
 
Smell: This one hits hard on the nose. Lots of sharp, tropical fruit notes (mostly pineapple and tangerine). A little sour funk on the end. Fairly pungent, in the best sense of the word.

Taste: The taste follows the nose but hits even harder. Sweet and sharp citrus fruit snap, crackle and pop all over your tongue. There's a touch of pine, caramel, and some sugar cookie maltiness but its overcome by the sweet, tangy, bitter, and sour flavors single-handedly imparted by the fairly new Mosaic hop varietal.

Mouthfeel: Highly carbonated, crisp and effervescent. Fairly light-bodied.

Overall, this was a really interesting collaboration beer from two great Midwest breweries. It might simply be the power of suggestion but I swore I could taste a little bit of each brewery's trademark flavors. Really the best of both worlds here. This uber-refreshing beer packs a big, tangy citrus wallop that doesn't taste altogether different than a mouthful of Pop Rocks. It really showcases what Mosaic hops can do. With that said however, this beer was almost too intensely tart and carbonated. After two pints my tongue was fried. I can't help but feel that the addition of other hops may have rounded this one out just enough to make it perfect. Still, this is a fantastic and hugely flavorful beer that really stands out in the seemingly endless crowd of craft IPAs.

4.5 out of 5

New Release: 18th Street Brewery - Seven

18th Street Brewery
Seven
Black Double IPA
8.5% ABV

18th Street Brewery is following up their first bottle release, the excellent double IPA Sinister, with a black double IPA called Seven.

Here's the official description:

Knuckles on the felt. Hit me. Dealer sends another -- a SEVEN with a Jack in the center. Jeff Kuhnie must have rigged the deck. Warrior, Amarillo, and Simcoe hops lend ample bitterness to this roasty Black Double IPA. SEVEN reminds us of a chocolate orange. Oh, it's a Cascadian dark ale? Whatever you say, Buster.

I'm not usually big on chocolate flavors and notes in my beer but "chocolate orange"? I'm sold.

Beer Review: Great Lakes - Alchemy Hour

Great Lakes Brewing Co.
Alchemy Hour
Double IPA
9.4% ABV

Appearance: Pours a fairly clear amber with a finger or so of bubbly off-white foam.

Smell: Pineapple, mango, biscuity malts, honey, unripe banana. Clean, vibrant, and zesty. Really awesome aroma. Unfortunately, as the beer warms the fruity characteristics seem to be replaced by a less appealing malty smell.

Taste: Pine, honey, grapefruit, and caramel with a little bit of spice in the finish. Alcohol is not apparent at first but becomes noticeable as the beer warms.

Mouthfeel: Creamy with a crisp finish. Nicely carbonated.

Overall, this is a solid double IPA from Great Lakes, a brewery that consistently churns out highly drinkable beers. I initially loved this one but as the beer warmed it lost a lot of it's best characteristics. The aroma is fantastic for the first 5 minutes or so and the taste is nicely complex and fairly balanced for a beer that is over 9%. If this one wouldn't have petered out so quickly in the aroma and taste department I'd be giving it a higher rating. As it stands it's still a pretty darn good beer and if you haven't tried it, I definitely recommend it. Looking forward to Great Lakes' next two seasonal IPA releases: Rye of the Tiger (April) and Lake Erie Monster (May).

4 out of 5

Beer Review: 18th Street Brewery - Sinister

18th Street Brewery
Sinister
Double IPA
9% ABV

Appearance: Pours a lovely burnt orange with a finger and a half of off-white foam.

Smell: Strong aroma of sweet, candied fruit. Soft, juicy pineapple and just a whiff of sour funk.

Taste: Nice bite of pine and grapefruit with some grassy notes and a touch of raw sugar sweetness. Very light alcohol finish.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied, crisp and clean. Finishes dry and bitter but ultimately goes down smooth.

Overall, this is a stellar first batch from 18th Street Brewery. I loved the juicy, sweet fruit aroma. The taste was complex and bold but fairly well balanced, with a nice flavor profile and a smooth finish. The name is awesome, the label artwork is badass, this is just a solid double IPA all around. Bravo, 18th Street!

4.5 out of 5

New Release: New Glarus - Thumbprint Series IIPA

New Glarus Brewing Co.
Thumbprint Series IIPA 
Imperial IPA
9.75% ABV

I credit New Glarus Brewing with my beer obsession. I remember the night I was handed my first Spotted Cow, their flagship farmhouse ale. I remember that first sip, too. It could've been the several beers I had previously drank but I was wowed. There was something different about it that I couldn't put my finger on. All I knew was that I wanted more.

Unfortunately I found out that they only distribute within the state of Wisconsin.

Luckily I only lived 30 minutes from the border.

I made my first beer road trip and New Glarus became my first craft brewery obsession. Which, of course, led to the search for more. Since then I've discovered many breweries and tasted many great beers along the way. And living in today's beer renaissance, its almost impossible to run out of new stuff to try.

Today, New Glarus is shipping out a returning seasonal, their Thumbprint Series IIPA. I missed out on this one last year as I wasn't quite into IPAs at the time it was released. This year, however, I'm more than ready. New Glarus is one of those breweries that tends to blow you away with subtlety. "Well-balanced" seems to be their motto so I'm excited to see their take on such a strong style.

Look for New Glarus' IIPA in 4 packs starting today. But remember, it's "Only in Wisconsin"!

Beer Review: Odell - IPA

Odell Brewing Co.
IPA
American IPA
7% ABV

Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy yellow orange with two fingers of beautiful, bubbly foam. Nice lacing left behind on the glass.

Smell: Fruity esters: pineapple, papaya, mango, and lemon. Some yeast, a mild bubblegum aroma and a touch of soapiness. Clean, vibrant, and a bit zesty.

Taste: Mainly grapefruit, sweet, bitter lemon peel, and some pine. A bit tart and tangy. Very citrusy but well balanced.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and well carbonated. Smooth yet crisp finish.

Overall I really enjoyed this take on the traditional IPA. My first beer from Odell Brewing Co. out of Fort Collins, Colorado. They currently only distribute to nine other states and Illinois, unfortunately, is not one of them. Which is a shame as this is a beautifully crafted beer that I'd love to return to every now and again. I tend to get a little bored after my beer warms up but this one remained tasty til the end. Extremely well-executed, wonderfully balanced, and super refreshing. I imagine this would taste euphoric on a hot, sunny summer day. I can't find any real flaws here. As I've said before, no beer is truly perfect, but everything comes together so nicely on this one that anything less than a perfect score just wouldn't sit right with me. Well done, Odell.

5 out of 5

In the Fridge: March Edition

Left to Right: Great Lakes Alchemy Hour Double IPA (9.4%), 18th Street Sinister double IPA (9%),
Pipeworks Unicorn's Revenge double IPA (10%), Pipeworks Chipotle Smoked Porter (7.5%), and Odell IPA (7%).

What's in your fridge?

Beer Review: Pipeworks - Reliquary

Pipeworks Brewing Co.
Reliquary
Belgian Double IPA
9% ABV

Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy deep orange with two fingers of creamy off white foam.

Smell: Fruity esters, Belgian yeast, a slight "barnyard" funk, and a whiff of soap.

Taste: The taste follows the nose with some pine, nuttiness, and a touch of lemon rounding out the flavor.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, slightly creamy, yet crisp and well carbonated. No noticeable alcohol.

Overall, this was a pretty nice Belgo-American double IPA. It looked great in the glass, had a complex and interesting aroma and taste, and went down relatively smooth for 9%. Another solid beer from Chicago's new darling, Pipeworks Brewing.

4 out of 5