Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA Review

Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewery | Beer: 75 Minute IPA
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 7.5% | IBUs: 75
Serving Method: 750ml bottle poured into pint glass

One of the core offerings from Dogfish Head is their "Minute" series of IPAs. Consisting of an IPA (60 Minute IPA), a Double IPA (90 Minute IPA), and a monster that could be described as a Triple IPA (120 Minute IPA), it's a pretty full lineup. However, there's a sweet spot right between 60 and 90 occupied by this beer, 75 Minute IPA. Available for a long time at the brewpub, 75 Minute is now an occasional bottled release.

Rather than just straight blend, to add something new to the mix it's bottled conditioned, deriving it's naturally carbonation from maple syrup, That seems like a pretty slick way to do it.

Here's How Dogfish Head describe the resulting brew:

The carbon dioxide trapped during bottle conditioning gives 75 Minute IPA a soft and velvety mouthfeel. Dry-hopped with whole-leaf Cascades, this complex IPA has been known to inspire pilgrimages to our brewpub.

60 and 90 were both good to me, so let's see what happens when you split the difference and throw in a dash of Canadia, shall we?

Appearance: A hazy orange-bronze body capped by about three fingers of dense off-white head with excellent retention and lacing.

Aroma: Juicy and leafy hops over sweet brown sugar caramel malt. Simple but enticing.

Taste: Up front, a wave of herbal, green, piney, and bitter hops. Underneath, an assertive caramel malt backbone with lots of syrupy brown sugar around the edges. The booze is well-hidden. Everything is balanced perfectly and it all straddles the line between a bold IPA and mild Double IPA pretty nicely. Leafy bitter hops and chocolatey malt in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with medium carbonation and a dry finish. Hints of warmth from the booze.

Drinkability: Drinks much faster than the big alcohol content would suggest, so be careful.

Verdict: I'm a fan of the other "minute IPAs" Dogfish puts out, but I have to say 75 is my new favorite. It's straightforward, very drinkable, balanced perfectly, full of great flavors, and has plenty of character. It might not be the biggest or most unique beer on the planet, but I just simply can't find a fault here. I wish this was available in packs right between 60 Minute and 90 Minute, I'd be buying a lot.

Grade: A+ (4.7 out of 5 stars)

Review by Christopher Hunt

Bell's Two Hearted Ale Review

Brewery: Bell's Brewery, Inc. | Beer: Two Hearted Ale
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 7.0% | IBUs: ~50
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Highly rated beers not available here in Texas are like forbidden fruit for me. I pine for them, add them to a sad little wishlist, and wait patiently for the brewery to start distributing them here. Sometimes though, through various means I won't go into, an unavailable beer sneaks over state lines and I get my grubby little paws on a bottle or two.

That was the case with Bell's Two Hearted Ale. Bell's garner lots of buzz for a host of different beers, including a pair of IPAs: Two Hearted and Hop Slam (a Double IPA). Both have been on my wishlist for years, and a while back, a few bottles of Two Hearted found their way into my possession.

Backing up a bit, let's take a quick look at Bell's themselves. Dating back to 1985 when it was founded by Larry Bell, Bell's is one of the true pioneers of American craft brewing. The company was originally known as the Kalamazoo Brewing Company, named after the city the brewery was founded i, but changed their name to Bell's in 2005 to reflect what consumers called the brewery. They currently brew up a deep portfolio of well over 20 different beers.

Getting back to the beer at hand, it's worth noting Bell's are pretty stingy with the details here. They don't let slip the malt bill, but do note that the only hop used is the Centennial variety, which is employed during brewing, then again for a course of dry-hopping.

Bell's describe the finished product thusly:

Two Hearted Ale is defined by its intense hop aroma and malt balance. [A] remarkably drinkable American-style India Pale Ale.

Well it's been quite a wait, but let's dig into the illicitly totally legitimately sourced beer, shall we?

Appearance: A hazy golden-orange body capped by about two fingers of densely-packed off-white head that fades slowly and leaves brilliant lacing.

Aroma: Lots of juicy, citrusy, and slightly leafy hops over a caramel malt body. It sounds strange, but I get shades or fresh orange juice from time to time.

Taste: Up front, the mildly bitter hops lead the charge and are again juicy, citrusy, and a little leafy. Underneath, there’s a solid biscuity malt body keeping everything grounded. It’s balanced rather nicely, though the focus is (rightly) on the hops. That moderately-high alcohol content is totally masked. Biscuity malt and juicy in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with medium carbonation and a drying finish.

Drinkability: This goes back without any issue whatsoever, and would probably make a great session choice if it wasn’t for the slightly beefy alcohol content.

Verdict: It’s clear why Two Hearted has built such a great reputation; this is just a straightforward, well-crafted, and satisfying American IPA. After this introduction to Bell’s I can’t wait to try another of their beers.

Grade: A+

Green Flash West Coast IPA Review

Brewery: Green Flash Brewing Co. | Beer: West Coast IPA
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 7.3% | IBUs: 95
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Green Flash is a brewery with a lot of positive buzz, so when I first saw their neon green six-packs here on the shelves of Houston last year, I was pretty excited. Founded in Vista, California in 2002, Green Flash Brewing Company is the brainchild of Mike and Lisa Hinkley. The company brews up a combination of west coast and Belgian inspired beers and has racked up an impressive collection of awards and accolades.

West Coast IPA is Green Flash's flagship brew, so that's where we're starting off. The beer is pitched as an "extravagantly hopped, full flavored, medium bodied and copper colored" American IPA. The brewery doesn't disclose anything about the malt bill, but here's how they describe the hopping process:

A menagerie of hops are layered throughout the brewing process. Simcoe for unique fruitiness and grapefruit zest, Columbus for strong hop pungency, Centennial for pine and citrus notes, Cascade for floral aroma. A multi-dimensional hop experience.

Sounds like it's just up my alley. Let's dive in.

Appearance: The body is a lovely hazy and red-orange with tons of sediment in suspension (like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale). On top, a generous, fluffy, off-white head with great retention and lacing. Top-notch presentation.

Aroma: Tons of pungent, brassy, citrusy (grapefruit and orange), and piney hops fill your nose as soon as the bottle is cracked. It's almost perfumey. There's a rich caramel malt base underneath it all and a few hints of booze. There's a complex tale to unravel here.

Taste: The hops are just as present in the flavor as they are in the aroma, but more bitter and less sweet. Still very citrusy with plenty of grapefruit and juicy orange flavors. As for the caramel malt backbone, it's there, but it lets the hops take the spotlight. Lingering bitter aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and smooth with moderate carbonation. Leaves a good resiny coating in the mouth to ensure a long bitter aftertaste.

Drinkability: Providing you're a hop fan, this goes back pretty easily.

Verdict: This is a great American IPA, with a hop profile that certainly lives up to the West Coast moniker. Many times when I find myself craving hops I'm not in the mood for an all-out high-ABV hopbomb, and this is exactly the kind of beer I'm after. I'm looking forward to trying the other Green Flash offerings showing up here in Houston (and my fridge).

Grade: A

Anderson Valley Hop Ottin' IPA Review

Brewery: Anderson Valley Brewing Co. | Beer: Hop Ottin' IPA
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 7.0% | IBUs: 80
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Anderson Valley Brewing Company was founded way back in 1987 by Kenneth Allen in Boonville, California. The brewery takes advantage of the unique local culture, using both words from the regional language Boontling and the "Boonville Beer" (a local mythical creature that is a combination of a bear and a deer) in their marketing. Allen runs a sustainable operation, with a massive photovoltaic array and its own wastewater treatment plant.

Anderson Valley showed up on Houston shelves last year and to get started, I decided to go with the company's best known beer: Hop Ottin' IPA. Meaning "hard working hops" in Boontling, Hop Ottin' is a big IPA brewed with lots of "high-alpha Pacific Northwest hops." After the boil, the beer is dry-hopped with whole cone hops to notch it up even more. Anderson Valley describe it as having "a delicious citrus aroma, and an intense hoppy bite," making it "a hop lover’s dream."

Alright, the Boonville Beer is beckoning, let's crack this thing open.

Appearance: A nicely hazy, red-orange body capped by two fingers of creamy, off-white head that endures well and leaves terrific sudsy lacing.

Aroma: A blast of citrusy and piney hops over a substantial toasty caramel base. Well-hopped, to be sure.

Taste: Up front, the same citrusy, piney, and slightly resiny hop character from the nose make a big, nicely bitter splash. But it's not all about the hops though, as the rich toasty caramel base is able to keep everything decently balanced. There aren't many signs of the seven percent alcohol content. The aftertaste is biscuity and still quite bitter.

Mouthfeel: A creamy, medium body with moderate carbonation and a dry finish.

Drinkability: The hops and alcohol content keep it about average for the style.

Verdict: Hop Ottin' is a damn good beer and a great example of a highly bitter, yet balanced IPA. I'm looking forward to seeing what else these guys brew up.

Grade: A

Redhook Long Hammer IPA Review

Brewery: Redhook Ale Brewery | Beer: Long Hammer IPA
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 6.5% | IBUs: 44
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Known originally as Ballard Bitter, then Redhook IPA, and now Long Hammer IPA, Redhook's year-round India Pale Ale has gone through it's share of re-branding since it's original brewing back in the dark days of 1984. The current name is meant to pay homage to those from the past that used long hammers to construct "everything great that was ever built—transcontinental train tracks, impossible pipelines, soaring skyscrapers." That's all well and good, but what's inside the bottle?

It's pitched as a standard Pacific-NW American IPA with the usual ingredients. During the boil Long Hammer is hopped with Alchemy, Cascade, and Willamette varieties, then after the boil it's dry-hopped with more Cascades. The backbone is built from Pale, Caramel, and Munich malts.

President Dave Mickelson says the resulting brew is the IPA that "consumers will reach for again and again, drawn to its distinctive hoppy aroma and bold drinkability." Yawn. Sounds like Anheuser-Busch might just be helping with more than just distribution!

All jabs aside, let's see how this over quarter-century old brew fares.

Appearance: Slightly hazy golden-amber body. Two fingers of bubbly, off-white head that quickly fade into a ring around the glass. Below-average lacing.

Aroma: It's all just a little thin. Some citrusy hops over caramel malt and lots of booze. This is nothing like what an IPA should smell like, even if you adjust for the general thinness.

Taste: Unfortunately, the hops aren't much more potent in the mouth. They're somewhat bitter off the line, but without any of the usual floral or citrusy notes to back them up. It's much the same in the malt department. Thin, grainy pale malt just kind of chugs along in the background like the rest of the beer. Everything but some of the bitterness vanishes almost instantly. The alcohol is still somewhat prominent, but a little more hidden than in the nose. In a bizarre twist, there's a lot of soap flavor here. So much so, that the first glass that I tried I dismissed as some sort of washing-up accident where I forgot to rinse the glass before drying. But, alas, all six bottles were just as soapy.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body with a good bit of frothiness and a carbonation level firmly on the high side. Finish is somewhat dry.

Drinkability: It's very bland, and rather soapy. So, while it may go down quickly, what's the point?

Verdict: Shallow, bland, and watery, Long Hammer disappoints at every turn. This would be weak even for a Pale Ale, let alone a full-blown IPA. Shame on Redhook for misusing the IPA label so badly.

Grade: D

Lagunitas 2009 Correction Ale Review

Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Co. | Beer: 2009 Correction Ale
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 6.3% | IBUs: 74
Serving Method: 22 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

It's that time again, time to review another hoppy limited edition Lagunitas brew with a nebulous style and oddball name. Always an enjoyable, though perhaps not earth-shaking, experience, these beers are usually worth a try (or two).

What we have here is 2009 Correction Ale, what the label claims that is is "NOT a Double IPA, just a good American Ale." I'm calling an American IPA based on it's vitals: 6.3& ABV and 74 IBUs.

As is the case with most Lagunitas brews, the label here features some pretty wacky copy. Check it out:

I think we're all Bozos on this bus... I mean, really—who would ever have given their money to a guy with a name like 'Made-Off'? If one day an oily guy named Soprano showed up at your door wearing a suit that said Countrywide offering free money; who would have taken it? Isn't 'free money' an oxymoron? If it was all too good to be true, it was. Wasn't the end in sight when 'Flip This House' went on television...? In the future 2009 will be there with 1929, 1941, and 1968. OK, we ALL partied down and, YES, we took some liberties with some of our female guests. Nut now it's the day after Mardi Gras when everyone kneels down and prays. Apparently, it really is possible to have too much fun. But it is far better to have partied and lost than never to have partied at all. Gracefully surrender the things of 2008. Smoke a fag, drink a beer, and buy toothpaste... in that order. Live to party again...

Alright... Well, let's crack the bottle and see what the beer is like.

Appearance: A crystal-clear golden-amber body capped by two fingers of creamy off-white head that features good retention and lacing.

Aroma: A blast of bright, floral, and mildly pungent hops with fruit character that ranges from citrus to pineapple. Underneath the hops is a somewhat meek pale malt base.

Taste: True to the aroma—piney, citrusy, and mildly bitter hops over a toasty pale malt backbone. As you'd expect from an IPA, the balance is certainly tipped towards the hop side of the equation. A nicely bitter aftertaste that endures well.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with good carbonation and some oiliness. Dries in the finish.

Drinkability: A very sessionable IPA; the bomber disappeared rapidly.

Verdict: Correction is certainly a tasty little IPA, and I could drink it all night long. I'd love to see this start showing up in six packs, rather than 22 ounce bombers.

Grade: A-

Note: While this review is being published in January, the tasting notes contained within were taken when the beer was fresh last June.

Stone IPA Review

Brewery: Stone Brewing Co. | Beer: IPA
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 6.9% | IBUs: 77
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

First released in 1997, Stone IPA is the company's straight-forwardly named India Pale Ale. One of the first beers in the Stone portfolio, IPA is still one of their biggest sellers. Considered a typical "West-Coast" IPA, this is one of the beers that helped define that category.

Stone describe their IPA as having "medium malt character with a heavy dose of over the top hops." The specific hop varieties used are Columbus, Chinook, and Centennial varieties, and the beer undergoes dry-hopping. For a company known for it's focus on hops, you know this is going to be a hoppy bastard.

With big brother Ruination receiving an A+ here on PintLog, expectations are somewhat high for Stone IPA. Let's see if it can live up, shall we?

Appearance: A slightly hazy, golden-orange colored body with a finger and a half of sudsy, off-white head. Decent lacing.

Aroma: An abundance of floral, perfumy, citrusy hops right off the bat. Beyond the hops, a sweet medium malt base and a few whiffs of booze. Damn, this smells good.

Taste: Up front, tons of grapefruity, piney, and assertively bitter hops lead the charge. Underneath, a solid caramel malt backbone keeps everything relatively balanced. Bright and tasty from the first sip to the last and never too bitter for the style. The aftertaste keeps the resiny bitterness going well into your next sip.

Mouthfeel: A slightly more full than medium body with smooth carbonation and a dry finish. Every now and then, a hint of alcohol burn.

Drinkability: As long as you're into hops, the only thing to slow you down is the almost seven percent alcohol content.

Verdict: As I had imagined, this is essentially Ruination's (relatively) little brother. In all honesty, this IPA is a lot hoppier (and a damn sight tastier) than many brewer's Double IPAs—just what you'd expect from the boys at Stone. Well done!

Grade: A

Boulevard Double Wide IPA Review

Brewery: Boulevard Brewing Co. | Beer: Double Wide IPA
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 8.5% | IBUs: 55
Serving Method: 750ml bottle poured into pint glass

Boulevard was founded back in 1989 by John McDonald in Kansas City, Missouri. Since then, they have grown quite a bit, and are currently ranked as the eighth biggest craft brewer by the Brewers Association.

The company has a full portfolio of year-round and seasonal brews, along with a line of something a little more special. Introduced in 2007, Boulevard's Smokestack Series is the company's line of premium and experimental beers. Double Wide IPA, an American IPA, is one of the original beers in the series.

Boulevard only mention caramel malt when describing the backbone of Double Wide, but the hop bill sounds much more impressive. Zues and Magnum varieties used for both bittering and aroma, and Ahtanums used just for aroma. There are two courses of dry-hopping, with Ahtanums, Centennials, and Chinooks employed.

Sounds complex and tasty, so let's dive in.

Appearance: A rich, hazy reddish-orange body capped by a massive portion of off-white, frothy head. The head endures well and leaves great lacing.

Aroma: A nice blast of citrusy and piney hops on top of a solid caramel base.

Taste: Grapefruity and properly bitter hops up front; I'd have pegged this above the advertised 55 IBUs. Underneath, a toasty caramel malt backbone keeps everything balanced. As for the alcohol, it's hidden rather well, making only the briefest of appearances. The aftertaste is nicely bitter and biscuity. This beer punches above it's weight, and I tend to agree with those that describe this as being somewhere between a standard and double IPA.

Mouthfeel: A creamy, medium body with smooth carbonation and a dry finish. Hints of alcohol burn, but nothing substantial.

Drinkability: For the American IPA style, this is certainly on the slow side. However, the big 750ml bottle still goes back in good time.

Verdict: Double Wide IPA is certainly a substantial and enjoyable IPA, though it just doesn't seem worth the nine bucks that I paid for the 750ml bottle. Well worth a try, but I'd feel a lot better about it if it I'd gotten a six-pack, or even a four-pack for the price of admission.

Grade: A-

Harpoon IPA Review

Brewery: Harpoon Brewery | Beer: IPA
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 5.9% | IBUs: 42
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

While I started my Harpoon experience with their Summer Beer, they are best known for their IPA. Brewed for over 15 years, it's one of the longest-running versions of the American IPA style on the market today.

Harpoon are a little stingy with ingredient details, but they do mention that Cascade hops are used "generously" and that the backbone is built from 2-row pale malt along with two other varieties. Here's how Harpoon describe the resulting brew:

The high hopping of Harpoon IPA is not only noticeable in the nose but especially in the finish. The lingering bitter finish of this beer is not harsh or astringent, but crisp and pronounced. This is created, in part, by dry hopping. This beer is floral, medium body with an aggressive, clean hop finish.

With so many years passing between this beer's original launch and the craft beer climate of today, I'm curious to see how it stacks up.

Appearance: An orange-amber body with two fingers of sudsy, off-white head. Good lacing.

Aroma: Citrusy Cascade hops over sweet pale malt. Good stuff, but perhaps more in line with a straight-up Pale Ale, rather than an IPA.

Taste: Up front, a mild wave of citrusy Cascades sets the tone. Underneath, the malt backbone is more than able to meet the hop challenge, making for a very balanced proposition. Once again, this smacks more of a great Pale Ale rather than a full-fledged IPA. The aftertaste is mildly bitter and a little grainy.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with good carbonation. Dries in the finish.

Drinkability: Certainly above average for the IPA style, this makes for a wonderfully sessionable beer.

Verdict: Certainly not the most hopped IPA out there, I really would have pegged this one as an Pale Ale if I had to guess. I guess over the years the craft beer world has just moved on from this definition of an IPA. But, putting style aside, this is still a tasty and highly sessionable beer—just don't go in expecting an excess of hops.

Grade: B

Homebrewed FML IPA Review

Brewery: My Kitchen | Beer: FML IPA
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: ~6.4% | IBUs: ~50
Serving Method: 22 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

You can read FML's Phase One (Brewing) here and Phase Two (Bottling) here

The joyous day is here, time to finally rip off the cap and see how my second homebrewed creation, FML IPA, has turned out.

Given the mistake I made with sanitation during brewing, I'm happy enough just to confirm there is indeed no noticeable infection. Anything else positive about the beer at this point is somewhat of a bonus, honestly.

Relax, have a homebrew indeed.

Appearance: A thoroughly hazy orange-amber body capped by just under a finger of creamy cream-colored head that fades in average time, leaving little lacing.

Aroma: Aromatic green hops over biscuity malt. There's a homebrewed quality that's hard to nail down.

Taste: Green and lightly citrusy hops over a toasty and biscuity malt body. Perhaps it's just my hopeful imagination, but I feel like the malt has made a big impact over a 100% extract formulation. I will be using the steeping bag moving forward. Overall, it reminds me of a very amateur, oddly watered down version of Southern Star's Pine Belt Pale Ale.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light bodied with medium carbonation. No sign of the alcohol.

Drinkability: It actually drinks about expected for the style if you're not put off by the flavor profile.

Verdict: I'd be kidding myself if I gave this beer anything other than a failing grade. It has a clear rough homebrewed quality, and the elements don't quite mesh correctly. It's certianly the work of a rank amateur. That said, I kinda love it. Next time I brew, I think it would be worthwhile to give this another shot to see if I can get a little closer to the target.

Grade: F+ (But still a success in my eyes!)

Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale 2009 Review

Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | Beer: Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale 2009
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 6.6% | IBUs: 66
Serving Method: 24 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Sierra Nevada, a brewery known to many for it's use of hops, brews up a series of fresh-hopped beers known as the Harvest Ale Series. Harvest Ale, available in early fall, was the first beer in the series and features un-dried Cascade and Centennial hops from the Yakima Valley in Eastern Washington. Chico Estate Harvest Ale, which features Cascade, Centennial and Chinook hops grown at the Sierra Nevada brewery, can be found in late summer.

Last year, Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale, which features fresh hops sourced from New Zealand, became the third beer in the series. It's actually the only American beer to feature fresh hops from the Southern Hemisphere, which makes it the only American fresh-hopped beer available in the spring. All other examples on the market use hops from the Northen Hemisphere, where hops are harvested in the fall.

As soon as the hops are picked in New Zealand, they are dried and flown to the brewery in Chico, California. The whole process, from fresh on the vine to the brewing kettle, takes about a week, ensuring the freshest hop aromas and flavors possible. As for the specific hops employed, Pacific Halertaus are used for bittering, while a mix of the New Zealand Southern Cross and New Zealand Motueka varieties are used for finishing. The malt backbone underneath is built with pale and caramel varieties.

Well, this is a beer meant to be enjoyed as fresh as possible, so let's dig in!

Appearance: A slightly hazy, orange-amber body with some very fine particles in solution. Up top, a generous, fluffy off-white head that features excellent retention and lacing.

Aroma: A bright blast of citrusy, floral, and spicy hops. There's a caramel malt base underneath to keep everything together.

Taste: Similar bright hop characteristics up front. They're grapefruity, piney, floral, and slightly resiny. You can taste the 66 IBUs, and they probably put this somewhere between Pale Ale and India Pale Ale. The caramel malt backbone makes a much bigger impact in the flavor than in the nose, making this a very balanced Pale Ale. The aftertaste is moderately bitter and toasty.

Mouthfeel: A lightly creamy, medium body with good carbonation and a dry finish. Top marks.

Drinkability: The big 24 oz bottle goes back with no trouble at all, very sessionable.

Verdict: Southern Harvest is a nicely bitter, yet well-balanced Pale Ale. I love the idea of having a beer hopped with fresh hops in the Spring, and it's a real treat to try some of the best hops that the Southern Hemisphere has to offer in near-optimum condition.

Grade: A

Note: While this review is being published in September, the tasting notes contained within were taken when the beer was fresh this past May.

Saint Arnold Elissa IPA Review

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Beer: Elissa IPA
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 6.6% | IBUs: ~60
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

A few Summers ago, I spent a Labor Day weekend with my family in Galveston. One of the highlights was looking out at the water and seeing an interesting dark shape on the horizon (in a scene very close to the one depicted on the bottle). After a few seconds, it dawned on me that I was staring at a tall ship. Seeing something so ancient looking juxtaposed against the modern world was something really special. I'm sure if I had been 15 years younger, that I would have thought it was a pirate invasion for sure.

The tall ship was the Elissa, a barque from 1877, and a major Galveston attraction. When Saint Arnold decided to try their hand at brewing an IPA a few years ago, they decided to name the beer after the Elissa. Not only was it a perfect tribute to a local landmark, but the Elissa was exactly the kind of ship that transported IPAs to India in the first place. Saint Arnold also donates a portion of their proceeds from this beer to help preserve the Elissa.

Released back in 2004, Saint Arnold's first IPA was finally able to exist once a reverse osmosis system was installed in the brewery to strip out the high levels of calcium carbonate levels here in Houston's water supply. They decided to use only one hop variety in the beer, my favorite hop variety, the Cascade. The Cascades are added three times throughout the brewing process and then once as a dry-hopping in the fermenter. The beer is unpasteurized and contains no additives or preservatives. Every now and then, the brewery takes a portion of Elissa, dry hops and cask conditions it for a traditional Real Ale experience in local pubs.

Back when I was first experimenting with good beer, this was the first IPA I tried. At that point, I had no idea what an IPA was - I just knew that the Elissa was awesome and every Saint Arnold beer I'd sampled up to that point was brilliant. I took the six-pack home and promptly poured a glass. BAM! It hit me in the mouth with a massive bitter punch, the hoppiest beer I had ever had by far. To be perfectly honest, it was quite unpleasant at first, and it took quite a while to finish that first glass.

As I slowly worked my way through the six-pack over the course of a few weeks I got somewhat used to it, but it was still rather extreme. Of course today, it's just a good session beer for me; something to pick up when I'm in the mood for hops but not after a big beer. This beer is a constant reminder of how much your palate changes on this journey.

Appearance: An ever-so-slightly hazy, bright golden-amber body with a mass of bubbles working their way up. On top, a finger of dimpled and fluffy off-white head with brilliant retention and good lacing.

Aroma: Citrusy, floral, and piney Cascade hops over a solid biscuity caramel malt base. Inviting.

Taste: In the flavor profile, the hop character is made up of mild bitterness and leafy notes with a good bit of the citrus stripped out. I'd like to see more of the perfumey citrus flavors you usually get from Cascade hops, but what is left is nice. The malt backbone is biscuity and mildly roasted. This is a very balanced IPA, but I'd be happy to see a bit more focus hop character. The aftertaste is bitter and biscuity.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a good amount of carbonation. Mildly dry.

Drinkability: Well above average for the style. One of the most sessionable IPAs I've tried.

Verdict: Elissa is just an easily drinkable, moderately hoppy beer. It's certainly not the hoppiest IPA out there, and I'd like to see more of the traditional Cascade character, but it makes for a brilliant session beer for hop fans. A Houston institution in the making.

Grade: A-

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA Review

Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | Beer: Torpedo Extra IPA
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 7.2%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Sierra Nevada, a mainstay of the American craft brew world, has been very busy expanding their line recently. Their newest creation is one of two new additions to their year-round stable being released this year, Torpedo. This is the first change to the year-round Sierra Nevada lineup in over a decade, so this is pretty exciting.

What's even more exciting is that Torpedo is an India Pale Ale, one of my favorite styles. I always felt for such a hop-centric company, a year-round IPA was in order for Sierra Nevada. Well, that day has finally come. Sierra Nevada maintains the reason it was such a long wait is that they've just now figured out how to get the hop profile they desired without having to resort to hop pellets or extracts. Part of the process entails a new device developed at the brewery called the Torpedo, hence the name.

According to Sierra Nevada, Torpedo is actually somewhere between an IPA and a Double IPA, what they're calling an "Extra IPA." For simplicity's sake I went ahead and listed it as an American India Pale Ale, as that seems to be the closest fit. As for the ingredients, the malt backbone is composed of Two-row Pale, Carapils & Crystal varieties with the hop profile provided by Magnum, Crystal, & Citra variates. Magnum is used for bittering, finishing, and dry-hoping. Crystal is used during finishing and dry-hoping. And Citra is utilized only during dry-hoping. Here's how the brewery describes Torpedo:

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Ale is a big American IPA; bold, assertive and full of flavor and aromas highlighting the complex citrus, pine and herbal character of whole-cone American hops.

Torpedo is joining two seasonal beers, Anniversary Ale and Celebration Ale, in the Sierra Nevada IPA collection. With Celebration getting an A+ here on PintLog, hopes are what you might call rather high.

Appearance: A deep burnt-orange, clear body with a big fluffy, off-white head. Good lacing.

Aroma: Lovely grapefruity, herbal, and piney hops over a solid caramel malt base.

Taste: Pleasantly bitter hops right off the bat with all the same characteristics you find in the nose. Right behind the hops, a big sweet malt background keeps everything in order. Superbly balanced, just what I've come to expect from Sierra Nevada. The moderately-high alcohol content is masked well. Great lingering bitter aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with fine carbonation. Dries in the finish.

Drinkability: Just about average for a good IPA.

Verdict: I think Sierra Nevada is right about Torpedo being somewhere between an IPA and a Double IPA, but it's probably closer to the former. While I prefer Celebration to Torpedo, this is anything but a let-down. I can see this playing a big role in my regular rotation, especially during the Summer when Celebration is just a fond memory.

Grade: A-

Victory HopDevil Ale Review

Brewery: Victory Brewing Co. | Beer: HopDevil Ale
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 6.7%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Victory Brewing, a brewery and brewpub out of Pennsylvania, was founded back in 1996 by Ron Barchet and Bill Covaleski. In the meantime, they've grown to a production level of around 55,000 barrels a year, with their beers distributed in 23 states. The company is rather particular about using whole hop flowers, rather than the pellets or extracts many other brewery employ.

HopDevil Ale, an IPA, seems to be their flagship brew. Victory describe the brew as "menacingly delicious, with the powerful, aromatic punch of whole flower American hops backed up by rich, German malts." The label features an distinctive little cartoon hop-devil character, who seems to be just a little too happy to be a considered a "devil." HopDevil has built quite a name for itself in the beer community as a very malty, yet balanced, American IPA.

Appearance: A somewhat hazy burnt-orange body with a solid finger of off-white and bubbly head. Good lacing.

Aroma: Floral, spicy, and citrusy hops balanced by a brown-sugary malt body. A bit of booze is lurking around the edges.

Taste: Spicy, grapefruity hops dominate at first and are decently bitter. There's a solid biscuity, sweet, and nutty malt backbone bringing up the rear, well up to the challenge put forth by the hops. The booze is there, but stays in its place. Everything meshes well and is perfectly balanced.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with good carbonation and a somewhat dry finish.

Drinkability: Goes back easily enough given the style and alcohol content. A good session IPA.

Verdict: With a solid malt backbone balanced perfectly with brilliant hops, HopDevil is one of the best IPAs that I've tried yet. I'm very much looking forward to trying the other Victory offerings I can get my hands on here in Houston.

Grade: A

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale 2008 Review

Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | Beer: Celebration Ale 2008
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 6.8%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Celebration Ale is Sierra Nevada's Winter seasonal and has garnered quite a reputation in the beer geek community as one of the best. Like the company's Fall seasonal, Anniversary Ale, Celebration is an India Pale Ale and slightly different each year. Two back-to-back India Pale Ale seasonals might seem a bit strange, but it makes sense for a company that built it's reputation on hops. And as much as I love a good IPA, I couldn't be happier with their decision.

Celebration has racked up numerous medals in various beer contests, including a gold at the United States Beer Tasting Championship and a silver at the Great American Beer Festival. Stan Sessor of the San Francisco Chronicle went so far to call Celebration Ale the "best beer ever made in America." The beer is bittered with Chinook hops and dry-hopped with Cascade and Centennial varieties. Recently, the 2008 edition has started to show up here in Houston, and I'm eager to try my first ever Celebration. Let's see what all the fuss is about, shall we?

Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy golden-amber below a glorious, two-finger off-white head with great lacing. Brilliant looking beer.

Aroma: Grapefruit, orange peel, and piney hops over a sweet, brown sugar malt. Everything is in it's perfect proportion here.

Taste: Piney and citrusy hops are in the forefront, with grapefruit and orange the dominant varieties of citrus. The malt backbone is mostly pale with some caramel coming through. Every now and then, a bit of alcohol shines through it all. This beer is sublimely balanced.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. The finish is a little dry and does well to keep the bitterness going.

Drinkability: I can knock these back all night long, although I'd probably be pretty buzzed by the end of the night...

Verdict: Simply one of the best American IPAs I've sampled yet, Celebration is certainly something I'll look for each Winter. Miles ahead of Sierra Nevada's other seasonal IPA, Anniversary Ale, this is the Sierra Nevada IPA to get. I'm not sure if this is the best beer America has ever produced, but it's probably on the short-list. Brilliant.

Grade: A+

Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale 2008 Review

Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | Beer: Anniversary Ale 2008
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 5.9%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Sierra Nevada, of Chico, California, was one of the first players in the American craft brewing renaissance. With their flagship, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, they almost single-handedly brought the humble hop back into the American beer spotlight after decades of abuse. Since then Sierra Nevada has enjoyed continued success with a lineup consisting of only four year-rounds (the straightforwardly named Pale Ale, Porter, Stout & Wheat), four seasonals and four special releases.

Anniversary, an India Pale Ale, is the company's Fall seasonal and this year commemorates their 28th year in the craft-brew business. I missed this beer when it first came out this year, and I was beginning to think that I was going to have to wait another entire year to see it in stores again. But, to my great surprise, I ran into a stack of twelve-packs at a local liquor store and promptly brought one home.

The beer changes a little bit each year, with no two years being the same. Sierra Nevada describes Anniversary 2008 as "a big, full-flavored ale bursting at the seams with fresh, spicy and aromatic hops." The malt backbone is composed of four varieties, Chinook hops are used for bittering and the brew is finished and dry-hopped with Cascade hops.

Appearance: Somewhat hazy pumpkin-colored body with a massive two and a half finger off-white head that leaves brilliant lacing. The head is so massive, in fact, that after my first serving I decided to switch to a pint glass I use for sixteen-ounce beers. Trust me, you're going to want to leave yourself some headroom.

Aroma: Spicy, piney, and citrusy Cascade hops over a solid brown sugar malt. Definite notes of booze arise, despite the middling alcohol content. Very appetizing.

Taste: Juicy, citrusy, and spicy Cascade hops over a solid biscuit and cereal malt backbone. Every now and then, I get interesting notes of tea-leaves. Everything is just a little bit thin and muddled together here. But, despite the lack of intensity, all of the elements are balanced well. The alcohol promised in the aroma never quite comes through.

Mouthfeel: A little frothy and wet, as the explosive head would suggest, with a medium-light body and light carbonation. The finish is somewhat dry.

Drinkability: With a balanced flavor profile and only a 5.9% ABV, this makes a great session beer.

Verdict: The flavors here are solid, but I keep coming back to the frothiness, somewhat thin taste, and crazy head. Maybe this is all by design, or maybe something was awry with my twelve bottles. Either way, this is a decent enough balanced IPA, but nothing that special. I'm cellaring two bottles to see how they change over the coming months.

Grade: B

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA Review

Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewery | Beer: 60 Minute IPA
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 6.0%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

60 Minute IPA is Dogfish Head's flagship, and best-selling, beer. As it's name suggests, hops are added to the wort continuously for 60 minutes during the boil. When he set out to brew a proper India Pale Ale, founder Sam Calagione was unhappy with the results of the traditional method of adding bittering hops early in the boil and finishing hops at the very end. He decided that to get the balance he was striving for, he would have to continuously add hops during the entire boil.

His first attempt at this was to rig a vibrating football game covered with hop pellets above the brewing kettle during the boil. While it worked for that one batch, it wouldn't last, so "Sir-Hops-Alot" (a more "industrial" version) was born, and is used to this day. Dogfish Head also brews 75 (available at their brewpub), 90 and 120 minute versions of IPA this way, obviously all with more exposure to hops. Another neat thing about this series of beers is that the number in the name corresponds not only to the amount of time hops are added to the boil, but the ABV and IBU (International Bittering Units), as well. So, 60 Minute is 6.0% ABV and measures in at 60 IBUs.

According to Dogfish Head, the hops varieties that 60 Minute is exposed to consist of Warrior, Amarillo, and "Mystery Hop X." While it sounds like something out of Speed Racer, I'm sure it's something pretty cool if it comes from DFH. The brewery describes the beer as being as a "powerful East Coast I.P.A. with a lot of citrusy hop character" along with "cedar, pine & candied-orange flavors." 60 Minute used to be bottle-conditioned, meaning that there's a secondary fermentation and maturation in the bottle, but all references on both the label and website have been struck. I don't see any reason for the brewer to remove these references unless the beer is no longer bottle-conditioned, which is a real shame.

Appearance: Crystal-clear amber body with a two-finger tall bubbly, white head that slowly fades into a quarter-inch blanket that leaves above average lacing.

Aroma: The second I cracked the bottle open, my porch filled with the smell of hops. On closer inspection, the hops are citrusy (specifically grapefruit and orange peel), piney and ride on top of a caramel backbone. There's also a strange smell, reminiscent of Orange Lucozade in there somewhere.

Taste: Hops are surely the showcase here, and they're bitter, citrusy, and piney. The sweet, biscuity malt character is very much in line with what the hops dish out, allowing for a near-perfect balance. It tastes like there's more alcohol than there really is for some reason. The aftertastes is biased towards the malt and booze, but the bitterness is still there.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and a little creamy with moderately-high carbonation.

Drinkability: With the brewery describing this as "the session beer for beer geeks like us," it better go down the hatch easily. Even with the moderately-high 6% ABV, 60 Minute IPA is certainly the most sessionable offering from DFH head I've tried yet (of course, most of their beers are well over six percent...). The hops are intense, but not to any level that keeps you from ordering another.

Verdict: When compared to the rest of the Dogfish Head stable, 60 Minute is certainly one of the least extreme offerings. But that's the point, DFH mean for 60 Minute IPA to be a balanced, very drinkable, yet still exciting and unique everyday beer. A terrific example of the American India Pale Ale style, and of beer in general. After this, I'm dying to try the four-pack of 90 Minute and single bottle of 120 Minute that await me in my "cellar."

Grade: A

Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA Review

Brewery: Flying Dog Brewery | Beer: Snake Dog IPA
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 7.1%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Last time, my review of a different Flying Dog offering (Dogtoberfest) left me wanting a lot more flavor. I decided that if any of their beers are going to be able to deliver on that, it would be their IPA: Snake Dog. To steal my own description about India Pale Ales (or IPAs): "The India Pale Ale style originated during the 1700s when British brewers learned that adding large amounts of hops helped protect beer on its long journey to far away colonies."

The brewer describes this as a "Colorado-style" India Pale Ale, with specialty hops from the Pacific Northwest. The label features a very surreal Steadman illustration of a snake headed dog that appears to be tripping on acid, so the beer gets some originality points before I've even loosened the cap.

Appearance: Brilliantly clear and golden-amber with a finger and a half wide high creamy off white head that settles into average lacing.

Aroma: As one would expect, glorious floral hops absolutely dominate. One can also detect citrus and biscuity malt underneath.

Taste: True to style, this beer is absolutely bitter thanks to a heaping serving of hops. Much more intense than other Flying Dog offerings I've tried, I'm glad to see they can crank it up a bit. Once you peel off all of the bitterness, you find lackluster sweet biscuit malt underneath. The booze is hidden well, but provides a welcome kick from time to time.

Mouthfeel: Silky and full-bodied with the right amount of carbonation. A delicious bitter hop aftertaste lasts well into your next sip.

Drinkability: While this beer is certainly aggressive, and I might take my time, I could certainly throw back a few of these in one sitting.

Verdict: While not earth-shakingly amazing, this is quite a tasty little IPA. While I would be happier with something a little more exciting to accompany the bitterness, those hops still have me salivating for more. As I mentioned, I'm just glad that Flying Dog can produce flavorful beer. It makes me a little more excited about the other styles waiting for review in the fridge.

Grade: B

Firestone Walker Releases Union Jack IPA

Friday, Firestone Walker announced their first India Pale Ale, Union Jack IPA. The beer is available on tap and in bottles in California and Nevada now and clocks in at 7.5% ABV, 72 IBUs and 10 Lovibond units. The brewery describes Union Jack as "citrus, pineapple, and a full chewy malt profile finish clean on your palate."

The India Pale Ale style originated during the 1700s when British brewers learned that adding large amounts of hops helped protect beer on its long journey to far away colonies. Union Jack has been double dry hopped and fermented in the brewery's oak barrel brewing system, imparting a unique character and body.

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