Hop Stoopid Ale

Beer: Hop Stoopid Ale
Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Co., Petaluma, California
ABV: 7.7%
Style: Imperial IPA
Sample Medium: Bottle
Size: 22 oz

Impression: Lagunitas has produced what I am going to describe as a playful hoppy beer. In stating this I don’t mean that Hop Stoopid should be waved of as superficial because it certainly has bold hopping, and at 7.7% ABV has the minerals to back it up. I do mean that Lagunitas probably had some fun in creating this brew, as evident by their exploration of alternative ingredients, and it has a really light mouth feel that makes it easy to suck down. I think this brew derives this deceivingly light mouth feel from the use of hop extracts instead of actual whole leaf hops during the brewing process. Somehow Hop Stoopid feels cleaner or smoother than the typical liquid hop symphony. Conversely when considering this from an overall perspective the beer does lose some dimension of hop punch or richness that sets it back a bit from something like Ruination. In summation at roughly half the price of comparable 22 oz beers Hop Stoopid is a contender that packs plenty of hoppy goodness. There is a good chance you will see me in the beer isle putting some in my basket again soon.

Ruination IPA

Beer:Stone Ruination IPA
Brewery: Stone Brewing Co., Escondido, CA
ABV: 7.7%
Style: Imperial IPA
Sample Medium: Bottle
Size: 22 oz

Impression: This beer is a good time if you are a hop head. Rookies do yourself a favor and pass on this one or you run the risk of breaking your tongue. That's not to say that I buy into all the hoopla on the back of the bottle about ruination, but this beer is way to complex for a inexperienced palate. Rookies looking to enter into the hop world should start with something more approachable like Cascade or Mirror Pond. Essentially this is a hop giant that has been well paired with a malty counterpart to produce an intriguing and enjoyable beverage. Two things I really like: 1) the aroma is a wonderful blend of hop and malt that truly entices 2) The hop bitterness persists with a resounding stamina. Just when the aftertaste has almost hung around too long it is time for another enjoyable swig and your mouth feels happy. The only downside is that after you finish this celebration of hops you want another beer. In closing I enjoy the 7.7% ABV. It snuck up on me a bit and made me delightfully giddy. While Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA still holds the title of my favorite IPA this drink is above average...that is of course if you like your hops served up unremorsefully bold.

White Hawk Original IPA

Beer: White Hawk Original IPA
Brewery:Mendocino Brewing Company, Ukiah, California
ABV: 7%
Style: American IPA
Sample Medium: Bottle
Size: 12 0z

Impression:I didn’t know what I expected from a beer with a white hawk on the label. I mean honestly, what does that personify? What emotions did Mendocino Brewing Company intend to conjure with this snowy fowl? From a marketing perspective I guess it worked as I did purchase the beer. And yes, just to prevent any unnecessary comments or emails, I am fully aware that Mendocino has chosen a bird theme for their brewery and adorn all their libations with winged creatures. It just doesn’t seem like beer to me. In my book bird ≠ beer. Labels aside, I put this IPA in the realm of just OK. It does have a unique aroma with intriguing hop accents and the mouth feel is nice. This does not compensate for the finish which brings on an unbalanced bitterness that twinges the tongue. Maybe that overstates the bitterness a bit, but either way this IPA just doesn’t shape up in my book. It is OK, but with so many IPAs to choose from why settle?

Samuel Smith's India Ale

Beer: Samuel Smith's India Ale

Brewery: Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster), Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, England

ABV: 5%
Style:IPA
Sample Medium: Bottle
Size: 18.7 oz


Impression: Right out of the gate I observed two things about this brew. First the beautiful golden honey color with just the slightest red hue that really made me want to dive right in. Second the billowy white head sitting proudly on top of that inviting golden body. And ok I said two, but the third thing was a gentle sweetness on the first few sips. Of particular interest is a notable lack of hop forward aroma or flavor. This is probably because I have been drinking American IPAs as of late which have exploded with massive citrusy aromas. It is actually refreshing (no pun intended) to experience this more sedate version. Really this reminds me more of a pale ale than what I consider an IPA and at only 5% alcohol I feel pretty confident in that claim. That isn’t to say that this ale lacks malt though. On the finish I really enjoy the present yet subtle maltiness that eases into what can only be described as the beckon for another sip. This beer is crazy drinkable and if you are not a real beer guy, but you want to gain some respect points from your buddies, I recommend going to the next poker night with this. In summation this beer is easy like Sunday morning, and if you don’t go to church on Sunday morning you may even consider cracking one.