Booze Research – The Best Way To Enjoy Branca Menta

Way back in mid February, I received an email from a NYC PR firm asking if I’d be interested in trying Branca Menta, a mint version of the potent Italian digestif known as Fernet Branca (click here to read this excellent article about Fernet Branca from The Atlantic ). Since I am a fan of the bold, bracing, and ultimately polarizing Fernet Branca, I took them up on their offer, and a bottle arrived on my doorstep shortly thereafter.

I immediately tried the Branca Menta when it arrived, but found it to be way too sweet to drink on its own (Fernet Branca is bottled at 39% ABV while the Branca Menta is bottled at 29% ABV, so I’m guessing the 10% ABV drop off is due to the addition of mint syrup), and decided that I needed to figure out the best way to enjoy this liqueur. In order to narrow down my options, I sent an email to the PR firm for some advice. Before I get to their serving suggestions, let’s talk a bit about the actual tasting session.

Two Saturdays ago, Mrs. G-LO was asked by a friend if she would be available for drinks. Since that friend just happened to be Mrs. Alemonger, it was decided that Mrs. G-LO would go to their house while The Alemonger would come to our house in order to assist with the Branca Menta “research”.

The Alemonger showed up at around 9PM, and we immediately got down to business, i.e. I mixed up the drinks, took some photos, and grabbed a pen and paper for my tasting notes. Since it didn’t take very long to evaluate these drinks, we quickly moved on to a Whisky tasting which included the Chivas Regal 18, Hakushu 12, Bunnahabhain 12, and the Balcones True Blue.

Here are just a few of the topics that came up during this 4+ hour “research” session:

• The glory days of late 70s / early 80s grand slam tennis. In particular, we discussed the excellent HBO documentary about the legendary Borg and McEnroe rivalry.
• Proper management of conversational tangents.
• Giada DeLaurentis
• The Ferrari 458 Italia and other lust worthy modes of transportation.
• My inappropriate use of Christmas lights for booze and beertography.

Before we get to the tasting notes, below are the Branca Menta serving suggestions that I received from the PR firm…

Branca Menta and Sprite

• 1/5 Branca Menta
• 4/5 Sprite Ice

Fill a Collins glass with ice. Pour in the Branca Menta. Top off with Sprite. I used Mexican Sprite which is made with Cane Sugar instead of Corn Syrup.

_________________________________________________

Branca Menta the Italian Way

Branca Menta poured over ice and served in an Old Fashioned glass. It doesn’t get any easier than that!

_________________________________________________

The Mintonic

• 1/5 Branca Menta
• 4/5 Tonic Water
• Juice from half a Lime
• Smashed Ice
• 1/2 teaspoon of Brown Sugar
• Mint Leaves
• Smashed Ice

In the bottom of a Collins glass, add the Branca Menta, Brown Sugar, Mint, and Brown Sugar. Muddle until the Brown Sugar dissolves. Add ice, then fill with Tonic. Give it a brief stir to mix the ingredients.

_________________________________________________

And now for my tasting notes and final ranking…

#3 – Branca Menta and Sprite

This was my least favorite way to enjoy the Branca Menta. I took something that is quite syrupy sweet when sampled on its own, and made it taste even more syrupy sweet with the addition of the Mexican Sprite. Since this drink became flat fairly rapidly, there could have been something wrong with the Mexican Sprite since I have no clue when it was bottled or how long it was sitting on the shelf at the supermarket.

#2 – Branca Menta the Italian Way

Straight up, Branca Menta is way too syrupy sweet for my taste, but pour this over some massive ice cubes and I could really see myself drinking this more often. This is very cool and refreshing, but with that slightly bitter and herbal aftertaste that I enjoy from the standard issue Fernet Branca.

#1 – Mintonic

The Mintonic reminds me of a mellow, yet lightly bitter Mojito. I like how the mint, tonic, and lime play together. Even though it was diluted quite a bit, you still get the astringency of the Fernet coming through in the finish, but with a bit of lime tartness thrown into the mix. I will definitely be making this again!

_________________________________________________

So there you have it! Three different ways to enjoy Branca Menta. Stay tuned for The Alemonger’s impressions which I’m sure he will add in the comments below. And while we’re on the subject of comments, if you know of a better way to enjoy this liqueur, feel free to tell us about it. Cheers!

_________________________________________________

Many thanks to The Baddish Group for this very generous sample!

Beer Review – Southern Tier Old Man Winter Ale

A while ago, I had stopped at Roger Wilco to pick up a mixed six and grabbed a Southern Tier Old Man Winter Ale as one of the six. Sadly, over the ensuing months, the beer fridge has seen its fair share of Gogurts and yogurts and half pint water bottles tossed about , so the Old Man Winter much like the old man in the house had been cast aside and neglected. During a restock, I found the Old Man and rescued it. I had initially bought the Old Man as I enjoy winter ales and we have enjoyed the Harvest Ale, the Imperial Pumking and the 2XIPA. Now, that it is mid-Spring it may be a bit out of season but I find myself with a few minutes to myself and right now I don’t care.

Here is what Southern Tier has to say about their Old Man Winter Ale:

Our winter offering is here to quell your shivers and get you through the coldest of nights. A rich marriage of hops and barley to cast light upon the evening and melt your mind out of the snowdrifts. Old Man Winter’s earthy hue and thickness lace around the glass, inviting you to linger in its warmth and share the spirits of the season with your friends and family. A deceptively strong brew, its best to sit and ponder with this old man, sip by sip.

I found the Old Man to be…

• Appearance: A copper color with a nice tan foam.
• Aroma: A big blast of sweet malt followed with a fragrant hoppy and somewhat piney scent.
• Taste: Fizzy, a little chewy and somewhat doughy with a spicy middle and nice hit of hoppy finish.
• ABV: 7%

There is a lot going on with this one. Not bad but maybe a little out of balance. I found the flavors to follow one another rather than blend with one another. Malty upfront and then spicy (allspice, nutmeg) and then a hoppy finish. It was good but not great.

Beer Review – Flying Dog Wildeman Farmhouse IPA

I first heard about Flying Dog’s Wildeman Farmhouse IPA last May when reviews of it started popping up all over the blogosphere (click here to read one such review). Since I love Farmhouse Ales and IPAs, I figured this beer would totally be “in my wheelhouse”. While pulling together a mixed six pack a couple weeks ago, I saw this beer on the shelf and just had to pick up a bottle for a proper review.

Here is what Flying Dog Brewery has to say about their Wildeman Farmhouse Ale:

His axe is stained with the blood of a thousand adversaries. We fall in behind him as he leads up into darkness. He turns his gaze on us. “Tentanda via est!” The way must be tried. Wildeman has arrived. Legions of followers marched across Europe in his wake. But was most soon realized is that Wildeman is already inside of them, ready to be awakened. Will you fall in line or find the edge?

That didn’t tell us anything about this beer! Let’s see if this video from Flying Dog Brewery helps at all:

Hmm. That wasn’t very helpful either!

Let’s just jump to the review so that we can find out how wild this Wildeman really is…

• Appearance: Slightly cloudy, yellow orange color. About half an inch of thick, off-white foam that dissipates slowly. A bit of lacing too.
• Aroma: Smells like a lightly hopped Farmhouse Ale. Getting some clove, honey, orange and lemon zest, and some piney hops too.
• Taste: Lightly carbonated with a creamy texture. Citrus and a touch of honey to start things off. A bit of that piney hop bitterness kicks in towards the middle with a definite lemon zest kick in the background. All of the flavors come together at the finish, i.e. lemon zest, a touch of bitterness, and finally, some of those clove notes kick in as well.
• ABV: 7.5%

Flying Dog’s Wildeman Farmhouse IPA is a beer that became much more interesting as it came up to room temperature. While the IPA aspects of this beer weren’t very obvious when I took my first few sips, as it warmed up, the hops definitely let you know they were there and added a really tasty twist to the usual Farmhouse Ale flavor profile. I still get that mouth coating astringency in the finish, but this time with a mildly bitter kick that I really enjoyed. Well done Flying Dog!

Beer Review – Uncommon Brewers Siamese Twin Ale

It was a crisp, clear Saturday afternoon. The wife was away at a conference in San Francisco, the kids were playing in the back yard, and I was attempting to read Stephen King’s 11/22/63 on my Nexus 7 tablet as I sat on my patio. I was about two pages into a new chapter when I heard someone whistling off to my left. When I turned my head, I was greeted by a grinning Wookie that was poking his head out of his sliding patio door and waving a bottle of Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye in my general direction. He asked if I wanted one, but since it was only 2PM, I summoned up some willpower and resisted his generous offer.

About 30 or 40 minutes later, Limpd steps out his back door and starts walking across his lawn with three bottles of Lithuanian swill beer and two bottles of the fantastic Great Lakes Alchemy Hour Double IPA in his hands. As Limpd was making his way to my patio, The Wookie let out a wicked laugh and immediately walked back to his house to get some tasting glasses. It was at this point that I knew my willpower had been shattered (truth be told, I never had much willpower to begin with).

During this mini tasting session, I pretty much avoided the Lithuanian swill (just a wee sip of each) and limited myself to a couple small pours of the Alchemy Hour Double IPA (I was on duty afterall!). Once the first bottle of Alchemy Hour was finished, I decided to take advantage of the situation, i.e. a relatively quiet Saturday afternoon with no more errands to run, and ran into my kitchen to grab the can of Uncommon Brewers Siamese Twin Ale that you see in the above photo. We then proceeded to give this beer a try.

I have seen this beer on the shelf at WineWorks in Marlton, NJ on several occasions, but never bothered to pick up a can until two weeks ago. I purchased this beer because I was intrigued by the exotic ingredients and because I liked the look of the art work on the shiny silver can.

Before we get to the review, here is what Uncommon Brewers has to say about their Siamese Twin Ale:

There’s a long tradition in Belgian brewing of using exotic spices to enhance a beer’s flavor. Although many have been tried, coriander is undoubtedly the king. In tribute to this heritage we present to you our Siamese Twin Ale.

It is a traditional Belgian-style Double seasoned with coriander and entirely uncommon Thai spices. At first surprising, the floral notes of lemongrass and sharper bite of kaffir lime blend with the deep malt of this double to produce a dangerously drinkable beer.

Served alongside a fiery curry or enjoyed on its own, the Twin brings a taste of the tropics to every occasion. And who doesn’t need a taste of the tropics every now and then?

Let’s find out if this beer is any good…

• Appearance: Murky, burnished copper color. Zero head or lacing.
• Aroma: Caramel flavored malt with perhaps a hint of lime off in the distance. Given that this beer is brewed with kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, and coriander, I was expecting so much more from the nose.
• Taste: Very lightly carbonated. Though it tasted better than I expected given what little I got from the nose, it was far from great. Lots of caramel malt and a touch of lime. Also quite boozy! And I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing, but I did get a bit of an Indian Curry note in the aftertaste. Or maybe I didn’t taste that at all and it was simply the power of suggestion after reading what was written on the side of the can. I’m not really sure.
• ABV: 8.5%

When I read all of the exotic ingredients that were used in the brewing of this beer, my first thought was Ballast Point’s Indra Kunindra, which is a beer that I really enjoyed. There is nothing subtle about that Ballast Point beer! The flavors are huge, and you can pick out each and every ingredient that went into the making of that beer.

Unfortunately, the Siamese Twin Ale is no match for the Indra Kunindra. While this beer was far from dreadful (that’s how The Wookie described it), it wasn’t anything special either. Basically, it was just ok, which is a pity given all of the interesting stuff that went into the making of this beer.

Whisky Review – Chivas Regal 18

Way back in August of 2011, I took part in the very first WhiskyCast Virtual Tasting. During the recording session, the four panelists that took part in this tasting were given the following three whiskies to sample and score: the AnCnoc 12, the Powers Gold Label 12, and the Chivas Regal 18. While we knew the names of the first two whiskies, the third whisky (the Chivas Regal 18) was essentially tasted blind. This blind tasting proved to be a very important lesson in my whisky education.

Prior to this tasting, I tended to view blended whisky as an inferior product, but after trying the Chivas Regal 18, and preferring it to the other two whiskies that I tried during this Virtual Tasting, I quickly realized that I still had plenty to learn about whisky. I was so humbled by this experience that I soon started digging deeper into the world of blended whiskies via reviews of the Chivas Regal 12, the Johnnie Walker Red and Black, and several different Compass Box expressions.

Since I finally received a full bottle of the Chivas Regal 18 this past Christmas, I thought that I would revisit this whisky to see if I enjoyed it as much the second time around. But before I get into my review of this whisky, here is what Chivas Brothers has to say about their Chivas Regal 18:

Chivas 18 is a uniquely rich and multi-layered blend that includes over twenty of Scotland’s rarest single malt Scotch whiskies. With 85 flavour notes in every drop, each sip is a new discovery.

Let’s find out if my feelings about this whisky have changed…

• Appearance: Molten bronze.
• Aroma: Fruit and spice and everything nice! Brown sugar, dried ginger, ripe bananas, vanilla, cinnamon, dried fruit, and a hint of sweet pipe tobacco.
• Taste: A bit on the watery side with regards to mouthfeel. All of the flavors are on the front half of my tongue. From the beginning to mid-palate, I’m getting brown sugar and cinnamon. Definitely has some spice to it, but not overly so. As we approach the finish, that pipe tobacco sweetness makes an appearance. Medium finish with vanilla, brown sugar, and the slightest hint of sweet smokiness.
• ABV: 40%

As I said at the beginning of this review, the Chivas Regal 18 is the whisky that changed my mind about blended Scotch whisky. While I am definitely enjoying this whisky the second time around, I can’t say that this is my favorite blended Scotch whisky (that honor goes to the Compass Box Spice Tree which I absolutely adore). As is, the Chivas Regal 18 is beautifully balanced and infinitely drinkable, but as I have said in reviews of other whiskies, I am wishing that it was bottled at a slightly higher ABV.

Beer Review – Victory Swing Session Saison

This is my second experience with Victory Brewing Company’s Swing Session Saison. I first had this beer at the 2013 Brewer’s Plate event, but to be completely honest, I was so overwhelmed by all of the food and Craft Beer offerings that I don’t remember all that much about it. I remember enjoying my wee sample, but I don’t recall any of the details with regards to aroma and taste.

During a recent beer run to Wine Works in Marlton, NJ, I saw the Swing Session Saison on the shelf and immediately purchased two bottles so that I could spend some quality time with it. But before we get to the review, here is a bit of information about the Swing Session Saison from the good people at Victory Brewing Company:

Swing. It’s a lively jazz rhythm, a vigorous sway, a change of view or even a roll in the proverbial hay. Now, it also means the welcome jolt of joy you’ll experience upon your first sip of this session saison. Swing into spring with taste!

With its citrus swagger and spicy refreshment, Swing Session Saison offers you a jazzy jolt of joy. This Belgian-style ale is bracing but benign and enlivens any experience.

And now for my impressions of this beer…

• Appearance: Clear, golden yellow color with lots of small, fast rising bubbles. Half an inch of fluffy white foam that dissipates slowly. A bit of lacing too.
• Aroma: Definitely smells like a Saison with oodles of lemon zest, coriander, and cloves.
• Taste: Very light mouthfeel that leans a bit on the watery side. Light and somewhat creamy feeling carbonation. Very lemony at first with a good bit of those spices to back it up. The spices intensify a bit at mid-palate. Becomes quite dry and astringent at the finish, with a slightly bitter, lemon pith aftertaste.
• ABV: 4.5%

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, then you already know that I’m a sucker for a well crafted Saison (aka Farmhouse Ale). While Brasserie Dupont is my Saison gold standard, there are quite a few American versions that put up a really good fight. Boulevard Tank 7, Green Flash Summer Saison (now called Saison Diego), and Goose Island Sofie are just a few of my favorites.

So how does the Victory Swing Session Saison stack up? While it leans a bit too heavily on the lemon zest for my taste, I still enjoyed this beer. I especially like that it’s a bit lower in alcohol content when compared to the other Saisons that I mentioned, which is most welcome when you consider the fast approaching Dog Days of Summer (think light, refreshing, and not at all boozy). My only complaint is with the bitter, lemon pith aftertaste. Fifteen minutes after taking my last sip, and it’s still lingering. The final verdict: good, but not great.

Whiskey Review – Concannon Irish Whiskey

There is no weird or convoluted back story with regards to the acquisition of this bottle of Concannon Irish Whiskey. I received an email from a New York Public Relations firm asking if I’d like to try this whiskey. I immediately said yes, and a few days later, a bottle arrived on my doorstep.

Prior to receiving this email, I had never heard of Concannon Irish Whiskey, so I paid a visit to their website, and here is what I was able to find out:

A refined blend of malt and grain whiskeys, Concannon Irish Whiskey is craft distilled for proper balance of character and purity, then matured in a combination of ex-bourbon barrels and Concannon wine barrels for a minimum of four years.  With a full, clean taste delicately balanced between honey sweet, citrus and malt flavors, and a fresh oak finish, Concannon Irish Whiskey can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or in a variety of premium cocktails.

Let’s get on with the review…

• Appearance: Golden yellow, but with a very slight pinkish hue.
• Aroma: Quite sweet and fruity on the nose. Freshly pulled taffy, vanilla nougat, grape juice, and perhaps even a hint of fresh berries.
• Taste: A bit on the watery side with regards to the mouthfeel. A surprising burst of alcohol heat when it first hits your tongue given it’s relatively low ABV. Once you get past the alcohol, all of that fruity sweetness starts to come through which is probably due to the time spent in Petite Syrah barrels. Intensifies a bit at mid-palate with a bit of sweet cinnamon heat coming through. The finish is quite dry with a vanilla nougat and mild cinnamon spiced aftertaste that doesn’t last for very long.
• ABV: 40%

I am pleasantly surprised by the Concannon Irish Whiskey. While it lacks the depth and complexity of some of my favorite Irish whiskeys (Redbreast and Yellow Spot immediately come to mind), I found plenty of good things going on in this whiskey to say that I truly enjoyed it. My only real complaint is with the finish which I found to be a bit ho-hum. I’m sure more time spent in the barrel can correct that.

________________________________________

Many thanks to The Baddish Group for sending us this very generous sample!

Beer Review – Anchor Brewing Porter

As I am drinking this bottle of Anchor Brewing’s Porter and writing up this review, Mrs. G-LO is fast asleep in the room above me. Tomorrow morning at 8:30, she will be flying to San Francisco for the American Educational Research Association’s annual meeting (sounds like fun right?). It would have been great to join her in San Francisco for part of the trip (I’ve never been there), but due to work obligations (it’s budget season!), I wasn’t able to take any time off.

In honor of her journey, I decided that I would review this beer from San Francisco’s very own Anchor Brewing. I figured that if I couldn’t try this beer in its natural habitat, I may as well try it at home.

Here is some information about this Porter from Anchor Brewing:

With deep black color, a thick, creamy head, rich chocolate, toffee and coffee flavors, and full-bodied smoothness, Anchor Porter® is the epitome of a handcrafted dark beer.

A blend of specially roasted pale, caramel, chocolate, and black malts, along with our top-fermenting yeast, creates complexity without bitterness. The brew is hopped at a high rate, and naturally carbonated. The result is dark in the glass, but surprisingly light on the palate.

Anchor Porter® became the first modern American porter when it was introduced in 1972. As we celebrate its 40th anniversary, our porter continues to reward those who look beyond its intimidating appearance to discover its smooth, full-bodied drinkability. Anchor Porter® is the definitive American Porter.

Let’s find out if this beer is an American classic or simply just another beer…

• Appearance: Deep, dark mahogany color with a bit of light brown coming through at the edges when held up to the light. Thick, one inch tan head that dissipates slowly. Good bit of sticky lacing.
• Aroma: The nose is not nearly as robust as I would have expected when I first poured it, so I decided to douche it up with the camera while this beer warmed up a bit. Letting it sit was a good move! The classic Porter coffee and chocolate notes are front and center. The coffee is of the American roast variety, i.e. it reminds me of the Ellis or Lacas brand coffees that I have had on numerous occasions at one of the many Diners in the Philly/South Jersey area, and the chocolate is of the semi-sweet variety. Also getting hints of raisins and dried apricots.
• Taste: Medium bodied, i.e. not too watery and not too thick. Lightly carbonated with a somewhat creamy mouthfeel. A good bit of dried fruit sweetness at the onset followed immediately by a small dose of hoppy bitterness. From the middle to the finish, the roasted coffee and semi-sweet chocolate take over. Leaves you with a soothing coffee aftertaste that lingers for a few minutes.
• ABV: 5.6%

While I have had the Anchor Steam Beer on a few occasions over the years, for whatever reason, it wasn’t until recently that I started to dig deeper into the rest of Anchor Brewing’s line-up, and boy am I glad I did! In the past five months, I have grown to really appreciate their Christmas and Liberty Ales, and I am happy to report that their Porter is also supremely delicious. It has everything you look for in a dark beer but without the high octane punch of a Russian Imperial Stout or a Baltic Porter. Don’t get me wrong, I have grown to love those big beers, but they’re not something that I would want to drink on a daily basis. For those times when I crave a dark beer, but don’t want to go overboard, Anchor Porter is definitely worth considering. The verdict: a true American classic!

Whisky Review – Old Pulteney 21 Year Old

Back in early December, Limpd received an email from Master of Malt announcing their 2012 Whisky Advent Calendar. Since Limpd’s Pappy is a fan of the brown spirits, he decided to purchase the Whisky Advent Calendar as an early Christmas present for him.

While Limpd’s Pappy is a fan of most brown spirits, he has been known to turn his nose up at a dram if it has even the slightest whiff of smoke. Since this sample of the Old Pulteney 21 Year Old eventually found its way to one of my whisky hiding places (along with several other wee drams), I can only assume that Limpd’s Pappy found the aromas in this whisky to be not to his liking.

We will soon find out if this whisky is to my liking, but first, here is what the Old Pulteneny Distillery (located in Wick, Scotland) has to say about their 21 year old expression:

Old Pulteney 21 Year Old has been voted 2012 World Whisky of the Year by the prestigious “Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.”

Scoring a record-equalling 97.5 points out of 100, it is only the third time that a single malt has ever won the prestigious award, and we are just the second Scottish distillery to do so.

As with the 17-year-old, with this expression we marry together Old Pulteney matured in ex-bourbon wood with spirit from ex-sherry wood casks. The crucial difference, however, is that the ex-sherry wood in this case is made from American Oak (mostly Fino sherries). This adds yet another layer of complexity, depth and character to this truly superb malt whisky.

And now for my impressions of this whisky…

• Appearance: Pale copper color
• Aroma: If there’s such as a thing as Salt Water Caramel, then this would definitely be it. The maritime influence is readily apparent, but with a definite caramel backbone. Also getting some ginger, cardamon, fresh fennel, and just a hint of pipe tobacco.
• Taste: Lightly oily mouthfeel. Cinnamon and white pepper heat at the onset with a touch of that saltiness coming through. At mid-palate, that caramel sweetness makes an appearance. It all comes together at the finish, i.e. sweet and spice, and everything nice! Warm, medium finish that lingers for a minute or two with some of that sweet pipe tobacco showing up in the aftertaste.
• ABV: 46% and Non-chill Filtered

Once again, the trouble with reviewing whisky samples rears its ugly head! I really enjoyed the Old Pulteney 21, but alas, I only had enough for just one dram. I suppose it could have been worse. I could have not tried it at all. I will definitely be on the look out for more from Old Pulteney.

Beer Review – Great Lakes Alchemy Hour Double IPA

There’s no real story behind the purchase of this beer. I saw it on the shelf, was instantly intrigued, and since I really enjoy most of what Great Lakes Brewing Co. makes, decided to pick up a bottle for an eventual review. It’s as simple as that!

Here is what Great Lakes has to say about their Alchemy Hour Double IPA:

On the West Coast, surfers have a term for that perfect time of day, when the waves are breaking just right and it feels like you can ride forever. They call it Alchemy Hour. In Cleveland, our surfers have to work a little harder to find a perfect swell. Dressed in wetsuits, up at dawn, they camp out on the shores of Lake Erie in near-freezing temperatures, waiting for the ultimate wave. Crazy? Yes. Extreme? Definitely. Alchemy Hour Double IPA pays tribute to the North Coast’s unlikely surf bums and the ancient quest for liquid gold, wherever it may live: on the ocean, in a lake, in a bottle.

Let’s get on with my review…

• Appearance: Cloudy red-orange color. Not much in the way of foam, i.e. it dissipated pretty quickly. A bit of lacing, but nothing over the top.
• Aroma: Oodles of citrusy hops with a good bit of sweetness to back it up. Think honey tangerine and pink grapefruit with a drizzle of honey.
• Taste: Medium bodied with a healthy dose of fizzy carbonation. Much less aggressive than I was expecting. The citrusy hops and honey sweetness play very nicely together. There’s never too much bitterness, and it’s never overly sweet. And by the time you get to the finish, the hops don’t build up like they do in other double IPAs that I’ve had. Quite crisp and refreshing given the high alcohol content.
• ABV: 9.4%

While I’ve had an IPA or two from Great Lakes Brewing Co. (Commodore Perry IPA and Lake Erie Monster), I didn’t really love them (they were good, but not great). For whatever reason, the Alchemy Hour Double IPA has definitely won me over. This beer is beautifully balanced, and given it’s high ABV, it’s also supremely drinkable. Well done Great Lakes!