As much as I may try to ensure that a solid variety of styles are in my house a good punch of hops is something that very often is what my palate wants.  So when it comes to grabbing a six-pack and IPA very often finds a way home with me.  The two of these I drank were in the Brewer’s Choice Variety 12-pack with a few other good ones, but I look forward to when it will be available on its own sometime in the coming months.

A solid addition to their beer family . . .

Brewery: Boston Beer Company (Boston, MA)

Name: Whitewater IPA

Style: American IPA (though probably a Specialty Beer)

ABV: 5.80% (on bottle)

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge before serving in a pint glass.

Aroma: A nice hoppy aroma with citrus and pine and a slight, mildly fruity sweetness.  Full, but not overwhelming. – 9/12

Appearance: Golden honey-like color with a slight orange hue.  Two finger frothy/creamy white head that holds very well and leaves nice lacing on the glass.  Some haziness but pretty clear with rising bubbles visible. – 3/3

Flavor: A really nice citrusy hop flavor up front with a moderate hit of piney bitterness after that.  Well balanced with a touch of fruity sweetness in there as well.  Seems to have a touch of spiciness.  Finishes a bit dry dry, but with a nice lingering bitterness and some citrus flavor. – 15.5/20

Mouthfeel: Medium to light in body with a moderate level of carbonation.  Pretty smooth with a nice creaminess that adds a little to the body. – 4.5/5

Overall Impressions: I like the bit of creaminess in the body and it is a nice addition to what is otherwise a solid IPA.  The bitterness and citrus profile is quite nice.  Goes down very easily and could definitely drink more than a few.  A solid beer and tasty IPA that I will probably grab a six-pack of when it comes out. – 8/10

Overall: A- (40/50)

Samuel Adams - Whitewater IPA

After pulling a bottle from the pile a few days ago, it seems that the week will be a Stone beer week and that is the way I will close the year of beer reviews.  Still today writing this I think that I had this beer on draft at some point, but I cannot find any notes on it to prove that I did.  Also I have never noticed the other version of this bottle that has the beer named “Cali-België IPA” as my bottle said it was a 50/50 split of the two types of bottle hitting the market.  I am sure that the product in the two different bottles tastes the same though.

Closing out the year . . .

Brewery: Stone Brewing Co. (Escondido, CA)

Name: Cali-Belgique IPA

Style: Specialty Beer (as a Belgian-style IPA)

ABV: 6.90% (on bottle)

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge before being served in an oversized wine glass.

Aroma: An even balance of fruity and floral in the hop profile with an underlying sweetness that is a bit honey-like.  Soft overall in that there are no hard/harsh edges to the aroma.  – 8.5/12

Appearance: Brilliant golden orange in color.  One finger off-white head that is frothy and holds for just a bit before leaving nice lacing on the glass.  Quite bright and clear with lots of tiny rising bubbles visible. – 3/3

Flavor: A light sweetness at first with a hint of floral character that is quickly followed by a pretty sharp bitterness.  Maybe a bit of spiciness in there as well.  Finishes a bit dry with the bitterness lingering for a little while. – 11/20

Mouthfeel: Medium body with a moderate to high level of carbonation.  Somewhat smooth but finishing with some astringency and also the carbonation adding some bite. – 3.5/5

Overall Impressions: The aroma is more pleasant that the flavor (almost as if aroma belongs to another beer).  The bitterness dominates though it does balance out some and become more smooth as it warms.  I tried to get more out of the flavor for a description, but after two sips the bitterness overwhelmed my palate.  Not as good as I was hoping it would be and I don’t feel a great need to have it again. – 6.5/10

Overall: B- (32.5/50)

Stone Brewing Co. - Cali-Belgique IPA

From a land far, far away from me is another really solid beer.  It is probably safe for me to now include Surly in my list of breweries that I can rely on to not have any big misses.  While that is nice, it does not help me much since I do not have any sort of regular access to their beers.  At least I get to reminisce about this one over the Christmas weekend.

Feeling a bit surly today . . .

Brewery: Surly Brewing Company (Brooklyn Center, MN)

Name: Wet

Style: American India Pale Ale

ABV: 7.50% (on brewery website)

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge before being served in a pint glass.

Aroma: A fruity, citrusy hop aroma that is full without being overwhelming.  It also has a good, slightly sweet maltiness underneath that balances the whole out quite nicely.  – 9.5/12

Appearance: A slightly pale golden amber color.  One plus finger off-white head that is thick, creamy, has great retention, and leaves very nice lacing on the glass.  Clear with rising bubbles visible. – 3/3

Flavor: A nice hit of citrusy hop flavor up front that transitions into a sharp, piney bitterness after that (quite a nice combo).  The malt character is slight by comparison, but is enough to keep it from being way out of balance.  The finish is nicely dry with the bitterness and some of the hop flavor lingering for a bit. – 16.5/20

Mouthfeel: Medium to light in body with a moderate level of carbonation.  Smooth drinking, but does finish with some astringency (that seems to work). – 4/5

Overall Impressions: I really just wanted to drink this one directly from the can, but I would have missed out on the very nice aroma.  I can barely imagine how vibrant this beer must be when served  super fresh at the brewery or nearby.  Certainly hop dominant, but does balance out some as it warms.  A very nice beer that I want more of.  Could have argues for an even higher grade on this one.  – 8.5/10

Overall: A- (41.5/50)

Surly Brewing Company - Wet

It is rare that I go to a bottle shop in search of anything specific.  I think that has only happened when I hear of a brewery pulling out of the state and want to grab a few bottles before they disappear.  That is why today I am highlighting Session 37 of the 100 Barrel Series after reviewing Session 38 almost a month ago.  I thought this one was long gone and just happened to see some bottles of it last week.  I knew the beer could not be as fresh as it was when I first tasted it, but it was still worth the try.

Not quite as good as I remember though . . .

Brewery: Harpoon Brewery (Boston, MA & Windsor, VT)

Name: Rich & Dan’s Rye IPA

Style: American IPA (or probably a Specialty Beer)

ABV: 6.90% (on bottle)

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge before being served in a pint glass.  Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Session 37

Aroma: Mild sweetness with a slightly earthy spiciness and a bit of a floral character.  Subtle overall and pretty light on the hops (at least lighter than expected). – 8/12

Appearance: Golden honey color.  Two finger cream color head that is creamy, has really good retention, and leaves great lacing on the glass.  A slight haze, but pretty clear with rising bubbles visible. – 3/3

Flavor: A solid underlying biscuity malt base on top of a prominent bitterness that hits pretty hard initially, then stays on the palate evenly throughout.  Some piney notes and some faint spiciness (maybe a hop/rye combo).  Finishes nicely dry with some lingering bitterness that holds for a while. – 14/20

Mouthfeel: Medium body with a moderate level of carbonation.  Pretty smooth overall and very slightly creamy on the palate though also with a bit of astringency. – 3.5/5

Overall Impressions: After enjoying so much on draft some months ago I had to grab a bottle even if it was likely to not be as fresh.  Certainly balanced to the hoppy bitterness and it is kind of addictive in that way.  Some fruitiness comes out in the aroma as it warms and the bitterness also starts to soften some.  Still a good drinking beer (as I think the style is a great one) – 7/10

Overall: B (35.5/50)

Harpoon Brewery - Rich & Dan’s Rye IPA

Maybe I should have looked into the story of this beer a little more before drinking it, but I like to not have too much info floating around in my head so as not to go in with any sort of bias.  Now today I can go ahead and read (via the Left Hand website) that Warrior IPA is “Brewed only once a year using fresh whole flower Colorado grown hops flown in from Rising Sun Farms in Paonia by Schwall and Spears Hop Freight Service. A strong malt foundation complements the bright floral hoppiness, allowing for a well-balanced, drinkable IPA.”  Whatever the story, I know that it is quite tasty.

The official Christmas countdown is on . . .

Brewery: Left Hand Brewing Company (Longmont, CO)

Name: Warrior IPA

Style: American IPA

ABV: 6.60% (on bottle)

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge before serving in a pint glass.

Aroma: Some sweet caramel notes in the aroma with a light floral character and some low spiciness.  Nice though somewhat unexpected as the malt profile is more prominent than that of the hops. – 9.5/12

Appearance: Medium coppery amber color.  One finger cream color head that is creamy and frothy, has nice retention, and leaves solid lacing/trail along the glass.  Very slight haze, but clear with rising bubbles visible. – 3/3

Flavor: Solid base of caramelly malt that is almost a bit nutty with a very nice bitterness that come through in the middle.  A mild spicy hop character with a bit of a fruity/floral component as well (though very subtle).  Nice dryness to the finish with some of the hop character lingering. – 16/20

Mouthfeel: Medium body with a moderate to low level of carbonation.  Pretty smooth and slightly creamy on the palate with some crispness and maybe a touch of astringency. – 4/5

Overall Impressions: The hop flavors are not as up front as I expected them to be though as a wet hopped beer maybe I got to it a bit late and the freshness had faded a bit.  Really nicely balanced and enjoyable to drink and the bitterness is great through the finish.  Maybe what I really enjoyed is that it was slightly different than expected.  A solid beer. – 8/10

Overall: A- (40.5/50)

Left Hand Brewing Company - Warrior IPA