The Kick Box - On Hip!

I have gone to the dark side. Drinking a bud copper lager. On the bright side I recently picked up some great packs, maybe or maybe wont be posting them here.

 

Type of ipa never made a beer for me, it's always the type of bitterness (if it's not very bitter it's likely I dont love it or hate it) I am sure if I studied specific hops I could tell what one's I would like but it's fun just going in and not knowing what to expect.

 

Seriously?

Maybe I had the worst of the worst

But "juicy" was the last adjective I'd use to describe the beer I had. I thought Sluice Juice and Clown Shoes' IPAs were just bitter for the sake of being bitter...much like Sierra Nevada's disgusting IPAs. Harpoon's IPA didn't even have a juicy body. It looked like an amber. At least Sluice Juice was cloudy.

Truthfully, I was amazed at the lack of diversity I found in the liquor stores and bars. Sam Adams still seems to be Massachusetts' go-to beer.

 

Well, if you're using Harpoon as an example of a New England style IPA, then I can see why you feel that way. Harpoon may be brewed in New England (Boston, Mass), but it is far from being New England in style, and was being brewed long before the style even came into existence.

If you were looking for a true New England style IPA brewed in Mass, then you want to look for something from Trillium or Tree House, but you would need to go to the breweries to get their beers as they do not distribute their cans/bottles.

The styles have more to do with the actual beers themselves versus where they are brewed. For instance, there are West Coast style IPAs brewed on the East Coast, and there are New England style IPAs that are being brewed on the West Coast.

Sam Adams, Harpoon, and Sierra Nevada are not really looked upon as being craft breweries anymore. Sam Adams might still be the go-to beer for people in Massachusetts, but they are far from being the best. Clown Shoes, while they do make a few good beers, is not really known for NE-style IPAs.

 

Yeah, as I mentioned, I didn't see a lot outside of what I listed when I went out. Harpoon and Newburyport was the standard outside of Sam Adams. Even liquor stores seemed to be lacking. I might be going back soon. Maybe I'll bug you for a list of "must-tries" before I leave.

 

It depends on where you are and what stores are in the area.
But here's a quick "Top Rated" microbrewies in Mass: These are the top-rated breweries in Massachusetts | Boston.com | Boston.com
(I noticed, unsurprisingly, that PR mentioned the top two in that list.)

And I still think it would be cool to get a few of us together some day.
Everyone brings one or two brews to share.
Hang out and shoot the shit.

It's like the best part of any convention!

 

But if I'm here, it must mean I'm drinking!

Tonight, I have only one (maaaybe 2) to review.
But that's only because I got a couple 36oz crowlers as a gift recently.
Along with a 6- and 4-pack of a couple others.

I'm starting off with one of the crowlers.
But as it's lower ABV than I usually go for, I may throw in one more after this is gone.
We shall see.

In any case...
Beer #1:

(Alc. 6.5%)
(Ship Bottom - Hop & Hazy)

Smell: Stone fruit and pineapple lead the way. Pine undercurrents. A slightly bready cracker body.

Taste: Dry pine up front, in the middle, and stronger as it goes. A pineapple note amidst the bitter hops. Cracker body.

Overall, this leans further into pine and bitter hops than I prefer. However, if that's your thing, this brew handles it fairly well. Not bad. (Rated 3.5/5 on Untappd)

 

Well, turns out, after finishing that crowler, I figured I could use at least one more beer.

So, here we are.
Time for...

Beer #2:

(Alc. 6.5%)

Smells: Pumpkin and nutmeg move forward, perhaps with a touch of cinnamon and clove. Earthy vanilla lays back, close to the biscuity body.

Tastes: Pumpkin, nutmeg, and a touch of vanilla. Followed by a bready body, hinted with cinnamon.

Overalls, this is a very tasty brew. I'm not sure if I'm getting the tastes profile correct though. I'm saying "pumpkin", but that's only because I'm not sure what else to describe it as. Whatever the correct notes are, it's definitely a fitting Oktoberfest brew!


And I went ahead and found a pic for this one.

 

My husband bought Magic Hat IPA, I didn't have any, but the cans are super cute. lol

 

The taste isn't

I was dissatisfied.

 

Chilaxin with a Bonaventure pale ale before bed...

 

I'm a sucker for cover art.

It's how I ended up, some years ago, checking out the band, Trixter.
More specifically, the album that looked like a comic book:

 

Same

 

Even a YouTube thumbnail can grab me.

In my defense, most of them turn out to be worth it.

 

Hey PR, remember when you first told me about tired hands? I said they didn't look good. Then I had them and said "not a fan of the styles available ".
Well I am drinking technicolor splendor.
If I had this one back then...I would have said this is one of the best breweries ever.

 

Yes, Technicolor Splendor is a good one.

Their Double Vanilla Milkshake IPA is my favorite. And their Alien Church, among others.

 

I wanted to try any milkshake but they had none while I was there .

 

I'm going to Portland, Oregon soon. Excited to try some of the beers and breweries there!!

 

Oh man... you need to check out Great Notion, Hair of the Dog, and De Garde for sure. De Garde specializes in spontaneously fermented wild ales. Killer stuff!!