High Seas India Pale Ale

Thanks to Josh, and originally Lucas who brought this back from Michigan. Tasted in the morning to as I'm trying to clear out my beer fridge.

Appearance: Atop sets a 1" fluffy off white head containing admirable peaks and sticky dry lacing. Strong retention. The color is a glowing amber with interspersed microbubbles slowly rising to the surface. Transparency would be about an 8/10

Aroma: The aroma is likened to be similar to a deciduous forest, predominantly of pine and rich with an undertoned earthiness. Caramel takes a foundation, along side a bit of an astringency.
Taste: Big sweet malt backbone, reminiscent of caramel and toasted barley. Even hints of honey may be drawn out as well. Strong fruitiness of apricots and even a character of vininess comes to mind. towards the end one be puckering from a dark fruit tannin flavor as well as the remaining pine rounding out the finish. The aftertaste is very fruity and dominated by a distinguishable pear fruit taste. This only lasts a short while until dissipating, leaving only a piney-grassiness.
Mouthfeel: Thick bodied and smooth textured. The carbonation complements this beer well as it only strengthens the positive characteristics of drinkability and texture as it subtly fizzes across the tongue. The beer finishes dry with a minor element of alcohol and resin.
Overall Impression: Definitely on the thicker, fruitier, and malted side of the IPA spectrum. Extremely complex, but not the most refreshing when it comes to IPA's like Bear Racer 5. This would be more comparable to Victory's Hopdevil.


89/100

Celis White Ale

Tasted earlier this week with grilled vegetables from the garden. Thanks to Joshua Schipp for picking out this beer from the Rock Island Hy-vee.

Appearance: Hazed yellow with a massive accumulation of bubbles on the side of the glass. A soapy foam white head layers the top, but quickly dissipates into a spotted film. Clarity is high, but still maintains a relative turbidity, similar to chill haze.
Aroma: Very lagered in smell, as it perceptively resembles a stale pilsner. Light leafy hops along with a peppery lemongrass undertone. Basic honey/pilsner malt present and a unique bready spice undertone.
Taste: Fore taste lets on a light bready sweetness, but much of the flavor resides in the aftertaste as clovish lemon and herbal hops transpire into a very quenchable taste. A finishing spice of light coriander or bittering orange peel is present, though noticeably masked by that herbal lemon pepper finish. Still the overall flavor is a bit lagered and pungent - even staled from the Belgian yeast. a bit phenolic by way of cloves too. Aftertaste is minimal but paralleled to lemon rind.
Mouthfeel: Light body but full texture from the carbonation as it foams up in a microbubbled fashion throughout the palate. The beer remains crisp and very drinkable with a bit of a spike at the tip of the tongue. The end is dry and a bit
Overall Impression: Light and very drinkable, more emphasis on the spicing and body than anything else. Complex in its own way. I wasn't a fan of the aroma though, which reminded me of stale Miller Light. Nevertheless the lemon and peppery hop finish contribute well, especially for quenching thirst on a hot day.


76/100