Victory HopDevil Ale

I was invited by friends to go out to Red Sands this past week. I hadn't been there in foreva and with the news that I'd get to ride some quads with beautiful folk, I couldn't decline. I grabbed a handful of beers from the fridge to see which mood would strike me while I was out there. Started off with the always reliable Sierra Nevada Pale Ale but as I reached for another, I was urged by a fellow quader to try the Victory HopDevil Ale I had brought along so she could partake in a sample of the sweet nectar as well. Of course I wasn't expecting anyone else with me to like it but I enjoyed this brew on an occasion like this. I think I may have tried this beer before because for some reason I had a hunch that I didn't like it. Since I couldn't remember too clearly, I'm glad I got to try it again because I was wrong about it.

This beer had a very nice grapefruity hop aroma with a bit of a kick to it from the hops. The more I smelled it though, the more I picked up on some sort of musty, earthy aroma. It wasn't a bad thing and was pretty interesting in fact. The first sip reinforced the grapefruit hop aroma as it overpowered the other flavors in the beer. The mouthfeel is great for an IPA with just the right amount of carbonation and a smooth creamy finish. The hops really give this beer a unique flavor compared to other IPAs. It doesn't have the piny, Cascade hops that most other IPAs have. A nice malt flavor comes out in the end but this beer is all about the hops as most IPAs are. As the beer warms, a little spicy character emerges accompanied by an alcohol kick that balances out this solid IPA. A surprisingly good beer. I always enjoy being surprised by a well tasting brew that seems to come out of nowhere. As I watched the sun set on the sand dunes, I again began to think about the future and how I would handle the curveball life had thrown at me recently. Beer always gets me thinking about life... Definitely pick this one up if you're a fan of IPAs.

Green Flash West Coast IPA

The subtitle to this post would have to be f*ck it Mr. Bucket since I am just going to be putting up the backlog of reviews I have with or without a picture. I will eventually try to put up some sort of accompanying photo of any kind.

I had this very tasty IPA on Christmas Eve at the christening of my uncle's new house in Las Cruces. I use the word house loosely as this is more of a compound than a house, it's that huge. I felt like I was in an episode of cribs. After a long evening of college football, golf (he has his own putting green complete with tee boxes and sandtraps), food and more food, we went into his game house (that's right, game house, not game room; it's seriously bigger than my house) to play some poker. Me rarely ever carrying any cash on me, I had to resort to using the $50 check my grandma had just given me as my present for collateral. Thinking I'm a big shot by asking for $20 in chips, my uncle comes in and busts out with a $100 like nothing. I could tell I was going to be in for a challenge if I wanted to take my loving grandma's check home. Therefore, I decided to open up a bottle of Green Flash West Coast IPA and use it to take the edge off. I'd need any help I could get if I was going to bluff my way out of this one. At the very least, the bitterness of the brew made me hide my goofy bluffing smile with a bitter beer face.

The label says there are 5 different kinds of hops added to this spectacular brew throughout the brewing process and it shows. This beer smells like an IPA is supposed to smell. It started off with a sweet, citrus hop aroma with a piney background that did a poor job of masking the bitterness that was to come. The taste hit me like a freight train. There is a solid, bitter grapefruit hop taste that emerges followed by a puckering piney taste that finishes with a flowery hop and then more bitter hop oil. I can taste citrus, sweet, and pungent hops all along the sipping process. Wow, the bitterness really lingers at the tongue after each and every sip. This is definitely not a session beer but one you grab yourself when you want to take it easy. The bitterness has a sharp bite upfront and stays with you long after you swallow each sip. It's probably one of the most bitter but complex IPAs that I've ever had and I greatly enjoyed the experience! I can't stress this enough but it is far more bitter than your average IPA. I can't get enough of this sweet hop action!! This is not for the faint of hop, I mean heart, and if you aren't a big fan of the style then you should steer clear from this one. On the other hand, if you're a fan of IPAs, you NEED to seek this one out because it is one of the best I've had of the style.

Needless to say, my night ended as well as the beer did and not only did I win enough to get my grandma's check back, I took home an additional $45 in profit. Great brews always accompany great experiences.

Wachusett IPA

This is my last of the Boston beers Anabel brought me and I have to say, I enjoyed each one of them. If I had started my blog sooner they'd all be on here but I guess that just means I'll have to find a way to get my hands on them again. I had the Wachusett IPA at god's, I mean Travis', little get together party. It was a special occasion so I thought I would bring along a fine drink to enjoy along with the great company. Talk about going to Chico's later made me really look forward to it since I have really been craving it. Made me once again think about what beer would be a great pairing with Chico's. I'm thinking a pale ale or a brown ale to complement the tomato sauce and the hops would go well to wash down and soothe the spicy chili.

Anyway back to the beer: this beer smelled very sweet. A flowery, citrus aroma dominates the smell and I'm really looking forward to the first sip since IPA's are one of my favorite beer styles. Wow, sharp hops dominate this beer, much more bitter than I initially expected from the smell. Great brew, it finishes with a malt crispness that balances the overpowering hops nicely. This beer has a ton of flavor and I could taste the hops long after I was done with it. The beer sweetens softly as it warms bringing a well-balanced, hoppy example of the style. Would definitely have this brew again if I could get my hands on it. Any fan of IPA's should sample this one. This will be the first in a string of IPA reviews to follow because I just noticed I have a few in my fridge unintentionally.