Archive for the month “February, 2013”

12 Feb 2013
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Hoppy Daze – Coronado Brewing Company

hoppydaze_bttl7.5% ABV
Purchased at Pangaea Bottle Shoppe ($7.99/22 oz. bottle) and poured into tulip glasses.

This “Belgian-style IPA” from San Diego-based Coronado pours a cloudy gold with a lovely white head and a curious nose of citrus, green tea, and roots.  Very flowery up front – fresh grass and dandelions – with a very obvious hop presence, although it fades out with some of those green tea and root flavors suggested in the nose.  I don’t quite understand what is especially “Belgian” about this beer – it has more herbal tones than the quasi-tropical nature I associate with the pale beers of the region.  But don’t be discouraged by this case of mistaken identity – Hoppy Daze is still an original and pretty damn good to boot, offering an oddly satisfying mix of pink bubblegum, sasparilla root, and grass.

toasts-4    4 Toasts

HoppyDaze_Coronado

toasts-4

    4 Toasts
Posted in Beer Review, Belgian, IPA and tagged , , , ,
01 Feb 2013

Oude Gueuze Tilquin – Gueuzerie Tilquin

Gueuze_bttl6.4% ABV

Purchased at Pangaea Bottle Shoppe ($12.99/12.7 oz. bottle) and poured into tulip glasses.

This blend of three different lambic vintages pours an opaque mango with a tight, bone-white head and a nose of grapefruit, champagne yeast, cut grass, and assorted orchard fruits.  It is extremely tart on first swallow, with puckering grapefruits and lemons leading the charge, but the flavors fade in a very pleasant and refreshing manner.  There are plenty of citrus rind and pulp flavors throughout, while the aftertaste leaves you with just a touch of rustic spice.  Oude Gueuze Tilquin has a champagne-style body and the sweetly puckering taste of sour gummi worms, leaving the tongue pockmarked, blistered, and very satisfied.

toasts-4    4 Toasts

Guize

toasts-3.5    3.5 Toasts

 
Posted in Beer Review, Gueuze and tagged , , , | Leave a comment

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