Thank you, thank you. But yeah... It really is an awesome beer and I probably should've given it more than 4.25 stars on Untappd. Also, I used to have a door size poster of Frankenstein's monster on my dorm room door in college. But that was after transferring out of my first room, as I didn't mesh with my original dorm-mate very well. Nothing horrible, just different interests. He had a poster of this basketball guy, Len Bias, on his wall. So, I put up Frankenstein's monster directly opposite on mine. (tee hee) We were cool with each other, just no common interests. My second room was much different. Much. Different.
Wow...Len Bias, huh? That dude could have been a Celtics legend, but...cocaine is a helluva drug. Anyway, LOL I used to have a poster of Frankenstein's moster, but I introduced my nephew to the movie, and now he's inherited it. Makes me so proud. We have a new member around here with the screen name James Whale. How cool is that??
I had no idea of any of it. Still not even sure what his deal was, besides he played basketball and liked to "go skiing". lol Ooh! Both of those things are exceedingly awesome! I'm proud for both you and your nephew! And I'll be keeping my eyes out for this James Whale (who I just nicknamed, 'Jimmy Whilly', in my head)! That was one wickedly smart man!
If you don't press play on this and listen to the entire delectable audio experience this is, you're just depriving yourself of a more fulfilled life.
Oh, so, hey! We were out of state for about a week, so I missed a weekend. But I'm back now! You know that means more beer reviews, so I'm gonna just get into it. Beer #1: (Alc. 6.8%) (Rusty Rail - Fog Monster) Smell: Resinous pine with some citrus up first. Then joined by a bit of stone fruit on a biscuity body. Taste: Bold, dry pine with a just a hint of citrus pith. On a gently biscuity body. Overall, mostly a dry pine brew. Seems like it should be more bitter, but it's got rounded corners and is an easy draw. Hints of citrus throughout, but the pine heavy hops take up most of the stage. (Yeah, no pic for this one. Sorry bout that.)
It seems like my time off has been more significant than I thought. I'm definitely feeling the shit and I'm only just finsihing up... Beer #2: (Alc. 7.2%) (Bolero Snort - Free Bully) Smells: Lightly funky citrus flows through oceanic notes on a cracker surfboard. Tastes: Slightly funky citrus breaches through sea salt spray. A faint cracker body gently supports the beachiest of brews. Overalls, the salt is really nicely distributed in this brew. Immediately makes me think of the beach... standing in the ocean, sea spray on my lips and the sun on my face. Drink this. Originally, I was going to skip the pic for this one. I mean, a kid and an orca (or, in this case, a bull)? But after tasting it... it's just a fucking awesome, sunny day at the beach. So, here, have this:
And then I was down to my last beer of the night. Which is fine... because I was already feeling it all pretty well by the end of the second brew. Almost completely changing tracks, it's... Beer #3: (Alc. 11.1%) (Founders - Barrel Runner) Smellins: RUM. Also, caramel and toasted oak. Distant hay shimmers on a faint wheat body. Tasteins: Oak rum barrels and caramel dominate the scene. Somewhat funky hay lays back on a subtle wheat layered undergrowth. Overallins, this does not drink like an IPA. It's a rum barrel aged brew that's well made for small to medium sips. Do not gulp. And the related pic is more "feel" than "direct correlation":
Bent Water's sluice juice IPA was decent, Newburyport's pale ale was okay, but everything from Harpoon brewing has disappointed. I can't wait to back to Cali with the sunshine and the west coast IPAs. I wish they all could be California beeeeeeers....
I do not like west coast IPAs. I dont dislike them anymore, i'll drink them on a hot day and enjoy it, but they're not anything to write home about But I finally got my hands on a NE IPA earlier this summer and that was some good stuff
I feel West coast IPAs are less bitter. The juiciness applies to body, but, man, NE IPAs lack the diveristy of flavor for me. Anyway, fuck face at the bar next to us ordered a Bud Light, so we're judging under our breath...
West Coast IPAs are generally more bitter, with a piney, resinous character. New England IPAs are much less bitter with a more tropical, juicy quality.
I should also say that I do love a good West Coast IPA. Pliny the Elder is one of my all-time favs. But the NE-style is my steez. I cannot get enough of that juicy goodness.