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Posts Tagged“IPA”

un-earthly

This IIPA looked like it was going to pack a punch as soon as it was poured. The cloudy copper color and vigorous head pushed up a beautiful nose on this one. Aromas of citrus and orange-blossom meld with sweet caramel, malt and biscuit underneath. Above everything the smell reminded me of a brew-house. The palate came through strong and intense, as is intended when making a beer of this style. Fruity as hell - blood orange, lemon and grapefruit were all but enveloped in the malt profile. Some of that biscuit quality is also present on the palate and…

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ipa0

Argyle Brewing Company is the first farm brewery to open in Washington County, NY. Ironically, Argyle takes its name from the “dry” town that one of the owners hails from. Their beer is brewed down the road in neighboring Greenwich, NY since “a successful brewery needs to sell its product.” The founders chose the name in order to pay homage to the hard working farmers and factory workers of Argyle. Their concept of sourcing hops and barley locally will help to bolster the surrounding farms and economy, befitting for a company that was born of local pride. I was unaware…

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brooklyn-blast

I first tried “Brooklyn Blast” ale at the Brooklyn Brewery tasting room in Williamsburg some years ago. I immediately fell in love. At the time, the beer was only available on draft and was not something often found outside of Brooklyn. It stuck in my mind as one of those powerful beers that just feels good to drink. It also happened to be the night of the “Pig and Pickle” event, where pulled pork slathered with hot sauce was served alongside the sourest pickles I’ve ever had. The ale, touted as a “rambunctious IPA” by the producer, seemed to cut…

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kelso-ipa

I bought this beer not knowing if I would really like it. Imperial IPAs are often overblown, out of balance and hard to drink. There are always a few solid go-to selections and Brooklyn Brewery’s Brooklyn Blast is the first that comes to mind. When done well, the style can be excellent and mouth-filling. They’re best alongside hearty meat dishes like pork shoulder or short ribs. I equate them to the California Cabs of the beer world. That being said, I’m rarely eating short ribs while I drink these beers so I appreciate a balance and quaffability in them as…

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port-jeff-ipa

On Wednesday, Port Jeff Brewing Company, nestled alongside Port Jefferson Harbor, released its first batch of Party Boat IPA in 12 oz. cans — the first time the brewery has brewed and canned a beer on Long Island. Why IPA in cans you might ask? Well, besides avoiding degradation of the beer from UV light exposure and lower costs than glass — it just feels right. We’re almost programmed to drink beer from a can. Man buys can, man opens can, man drinks beer. Before the explosion of craft beer, you didn’t have to think about beer as much while…

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oyster-bay-ipa

Reviewing IPAs can become quite redundant. They’re all hoppy, bitter, citrusy, whatever. I love the style, but it’s prevalence at the beer store can be overwhelming. There are multitudes of styles, with brewers using varying amounts and varieties of hops and malt. Why so many of them can taste so damn similar is a mystery to me. For a beer that is meant to knock you over the head with hops and malt, there are some rare exceptions when an IPA can bring subtlety and balance to the table. This rant was inspired by Oyster Bay Brewing Company’s IPA. It…

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crooked-ladder

Last month, Crooked Ladder Brewing Company opened its doors at 70 West Main Street in downtown Riverhead. The building’s brick facade sports the brewery’s name above open bay doors, inviting the passerby inside for a tasting. The tasting bar and production facility occupy the same space, so visitors can see people actually brewing what they are about to taste. It’s amazing to see the once-shady dive bar transformed into a local microbrewery and downtown hot pot. The ambiance in the tasting room perfectly matched what was intended by the team behind Crooked Ladder when I visited back in April prior…

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wwd-072413

Todd Trzaskos: Alamos 2011 Malbec Yes, it’s a “big brand” wine. Yes, drinking Malbec is trendy. Yes, it’s inexpensive, and not a “special” wine. And Yes, it is good. I’m willing to bet that quite a few folks recognize this wine, and may have enjoyed it themselves on occasion. It was one of those evenings where we needed something tasty but not challenging, would be pleasant with leftovers, and would help pull down the average on the weekly wine budget. It met these needs admirably, with a quality that is above average. Ripe, lush, plum fruit, good freshness, and not…

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Beer people are cool. Beer people are fun. And at heart, they are some of the best people out there. When Hurricane Sandy struck, Barrier Brewing Co. in Oceanside on the south shore of Long Island on October 28 sustained damage to the tune of $100,000. And guess who showed up to help. Eight neighboring Long Island breweries and distributor Clare Rose got together a month later to brew Surge Protector, a collaborative IPA benefiting Barrier Brewing and others affected by Sandy. Each brewer donated a different ingredient and brainstormed about style and recipes. Upon realizing I would be on vacation for the beer’s release, I started contacting the…

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HOP MANNA2_F

Selecting a beer called “Hop Manna” is about as close as I’ve come in years to celebrating Passover/Easter, but it had been too long since I’d had a Shmaltz Brewing Company (Saratoga Springs, NY, and San Francisco) brew and I was feeling particularly like a chosen person. Hop Manna is a new IPA brewed with Citra, Warrior, Cascade, Centennial, Amarillo, and Crystal hops and dry hopped with Centennial, Citra, and Cascade. It’s the brewery’s first single IPA, released last year in four test batches and in distribution for the first time this year. It’s got a beautiful hop nose: fresh, with orange…

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