Friday, April 11, 2014

IPA Taste Tourney April 2014

The IPA taste Tourney Returns. The brews have changed but the rules remain the same:

The beer tasting crtieria will be easy. Whichever I find tastes best. Whichever I feel like I could keep drinking. Whichever is most enjoyable. Extra points go to the IPA with a big improvement in overall taste from bottle to glass.

This is the most expensive IPA Taste Tourney yet. All beers came in a four-pack and an exorbitant price. I'm overpriced and under beered in this tourney. Every sip is important.

The seeds for this tourney are completely random. I also haven't tasted all these beers. For some I will be going into the taste test blind.

Without further ado and before I fill my special IPA glass let's introduce the beers for this challenge.

1 - Dogfish Head Sixty-One


I have had this beer before and think it is great. Excellent. It's not as hoppy or powerful as other IPAs from Dogfish Head and the other challengers. It makes up for that lack of power with terrific taste and suitable drinkability. I am actually interested in how it fares.

2 - Great Divide Hercules Double IPA


One of three Double IPAs  in this tourney. Yay me for drinking them. I haven't yet had this one from Great Divide. If you remember back to the last taste Tourney Great Divide Titan IPA made it to the seecond round before succumbing to the eventual winner Racer X.  Lets see if Hercules can move worlds better than Titan. 

3- Ass Kisser Double IPA

 
 I have never had any beer from Ass Kisser. Another Double IPA. Interested and excited to get going on this one. 

4 - Breckenridge Small Batch 471 Double IPA


This is another great beer I have tried before. Not to be biased but this is my favorite going into this tourney. A fantastic beer to drink. Enjoyable in every way. 

5 - Stone Ruination IPA


I haven't had this beer in a long while. Looking forward to popping it open again and trying it inthe IPA glass. Stone IPA was in a previous tourney and never made it out of the first round facing tough competition from Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA.


6 - Brewery Ommegang Hop House Pale Ale


OK, this isn't actually an IPA. One of my favorite beers is Three Philosophers by Brewery Ommegang. I wanted to see how they worked with a more hoppy ale rather than the traditional Belgian style beers they excel in creating. 

7 - Fegley's Brew Works Hop'solutely Triple IPA

  

Well, well, well. A triple. Yes, a triple. I have not before drank a beer by this brewery or do I think I have ever tried a triple IPA before. 11.5%. Interesting. Let's see how it does. 

8 -  Big Eddy Imperial IPA

 
Haven't had this one before either. Big Eddy seems to be a craft brewery by Leinenkugel or as by Jacob Leinenkugel Brewery as indicated on the label.  Fancy that it is imperial. Ooh la la. 


Results to be posted as soon as I can crack open the bottles, pour into the glass, and drink them down. The only reason I can think of to cause delay is if I need seconds and thirds just to make sure.

Cheers!