Hop Stoopid Ale

Tried this in the summer at Aubrey's birthday pool party at the Carpenters house. This pool party (pool=kiddie pool) revolved around the only user (a dog).

Appearance: Yellow ambered hue that almost achieves an orange glow. Strong pour into a pilsner glass (at this point, my understanding of glassware was insufficient). White bubbly head that is short lived. Lacing is evident.

Aroma: Pine hops make their first impression on the olfactory. Followed by a sweet backbone of caramel and biscuit malts. There is also an underlying reminiscence of fruit and honey. Smell finishes citrusy.

Taste: Really broad complex flavors mingle with a spicy pine hopping. A totally unique bitterness, but potent nonetheless. The smell wasn't really as consistent with the taste. The taste isn't grassy or even floral for that matter, but does maintain a hotter finish. I figured this would be more bitter, especially at 102 IBU's. but fortunately this beer maintains a balanced flavor between it's malty backbone and the citrus, pine bitterness profile.

Mouthfeel: Small fizzy bite followed by a soft texture that is maintained in the mouth for several seconds before being finished with a dryer feeling. Body is mid ranged.

Overall Impression: An awesome beer, working a powerful balance that changes as the glass is finished. By the end the once bitter taste transforms into a delicately succulent citrus fruitiness. You can find this one more often in a relatively cheap bomber (at Hy-vee for you locals).

88/100