More quickie reviews: let’s get to it!
North Jetty-North Head IPA: This feels a little like a throwback! The nose isn’t too potent, just a pleasant blend of grass and citrus. The beer has a little sweetness to it, some caramel for sure but it’s just there to counterbalance the bitterness. That bitterness isn’t too intense either, so there’s a pretty drinkable ale on my hands here. It isn’t cloudy, it doesn’t taste like a mouthful of grapefruit: it just tastes like an IPA. I’m pretty happy with that.
Garage Project-Pernicious Weed IIPA: what a great nose-fresh hop greenery like newly cut grass. Pretty decent beer, too: this tastes like great fresh hop beers ought to-green and lovely and not very harsh at all. The brewery kept a pleasant sweet flavor in the middle, too. This weed feels less intense than it is. Good beer, but definitely sneaks up on me.
North Jetty/Heathen Brewing collab-Graveyard of the Pacific: Imperial Red ale. A strong vein of caramel malt runs through this, which I’m good with. The finish isn’t very harsh, which I appreciate, but it does have enough bitterness to clear everything out. Good stuff.
Beer Valley-Owyhee Amber Ale: By the numbers, and I mean it in a good way. Sweet caramel malt nose, with just a trace of the yeast-that raw dough scent. I like it, myself. It’s a easily drinkable, pleasant ale that might get knocked for not being “special” but I appreciate a good ale well done. This is one of those. This is a surprisingly drinkable beer and it has a lot to do with a finish that isn’t too gnarly.
Monkless-Shepplekofeggan Belgian wit ale: it’s got that Belgian funk nose, but the resulting beer tastes rather sweet. It’s remarkably clear-some of that funk on the nose reminds me of a lager, actually. And there is just a light touch of bread dough on the end. It’s pretty yeast-dominant though, as beers go; citrus and coriander flavors aren’t really showing up for me. Might have to give this brewery another shot, see what’s going on.
A pint for Dionysus 