Deathly Pale Ale - ReaperAle

Like finding a candy corn in your advent calendar - they can't all be winners.

I just finished dumping this awful brew down the sink - but in formality, here's the rub...er, the pour:

Appearance: Poured like a dream - was really excited to drink this after the healthy pour that came out. Huge frothy head, beautiful reddish gold hue.

Smell: Meh, okay. Not super noticeable. Obviously a beer.

Taste/mouthfeel/drinkability: This is where it all went to hell. Horrible contamination issues -Tastes like sucking on a penny...no, a roll full of pennies.

I never toss beer I don't like, but this one was bad - as in spoiled bad. They need to get their act together if they want to be a successful brewery.

Serving type: bottle

Hop Stoopid - Lagunitas Brewing Company

Bought this at Wine House in West LA while they wait for RRBC to get the next shipment of Pliny out...

Appearance: Golden like a light teak or cherry finish, lacey head that licks the edge of the glass like a premier DIPA should.

Smell: Though it smells like it should, it's like there's a barrier between the intensity of how a premier DIPA should hit you - probably due to a lack of the use of actual hops.  Oh yeah - I guess I should explain that.  Instead of adding hop cones or pellets into the brew kettle, Lagunitas uses hop extracts.  The result is (apparently) a smaller nose than most in this genre.

Taste: Sweet flavor up front, bitters in the back, this beer draws a line down the center of your tongue and fires all cylinders as it goes. This is the category that weighs strongest on me, and it wins. 8% is about perfect for a DIPA in my opinion as alcohol is never really tasted.

Mouthfeel: Spiky and sticky - here's where using the hop oils does not deviate from a typical DIPA. The hop oils coat your mouth is saturated w/ what you typically get from a topline brew.

Drinkability: Again, the relative low alcohol content really makes this beer a big hit. I'd like to add that its pricetag doesn't hurt - $3.99 for a bomber? No problem.

Pliny is the gold standard of DIPAs for me, the perfect balance of all DIPAs - so among my social circles, I rate beers in terms of it. If Pliny is 100, I rate Hop Stoopid as a 97. Phenomenal brew.

Serving type: bottle

Pliny The Elder - Russian River Brewing Co.

It seems only fitting for me, a self-admitted hophead to make the inaugural post of my beer review of my most favorite beer in my most favorite style. On with the show!

Appearance - bottled on 4/7/09 per date on the bottle...poured an amber orange...one inch lacy head from a typical beer 45-degree pour.

Smell - I eat a grapefruit every day, and nothing reminds me more than grapefruit with a hint of pine than the nose off this brew. Slightest hint of floral. I have never smelled a better beer than this one.

Taste - If I'm being strict in taste sensitivity, no sweet, salty reception. Vague notice of salty and of course, w/ any hoppy beer, intense bitters that overpower other receptors. On a second observation/taste, there is a strong metallic taste which adds incredible complexity to the flavor when taken in which the smell, that adds to the enjoyment. Images of flowers opening are what comes to mind when tasting this fantastic brew.

Mouthfeel: Biting sharpness you'd expect from any hoppy beer, w/ a smooth oil from the hops that coats the tongue.

Drinkabillity: Oh yeah, this is my second one. I could drink these all night.

Recap: This is easily the best of breed. I've had a number of beers in this style and nothing comes close to the terms of "balance" and "smoothness" than this beer. Most brews in this genre taste too strong in alcohol and this one doesn't come close. Once you taste this beer, you'll never want another IPA ever again.

Serving type: bottle