Deschutes Chainbreaker White IPA

Brewed By: Deschutes Brewing Company in Bend, Oregon

Purchased: 12oz bottle bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2015 

Style/ABV: White IPA, 5.6%
Reported IBUs: 55

The best part about hosting a party is being left with a fridge full of shelf turds. About Deschutes:

The Deschutes Brewing Company was founded by Gary Fish on June 27th, 1988, when they opened the doors to their Bond Street Public House pub. The brewery has since expanded, growing to be one of the top craft beer producers in America. The brewery also operates a pub in Portland, and has a dedicated brewing facility overlooking the Deschutes river. For more information, check out the brewery's website; their Facebook page; their Twitter; or Wikipedia. 

The Chainbreaker White IPA is a White IPA brewed with Pilsner, Wheat, Unmalted Wheat malts; Bravo, Citra, Centennial, and Cascade hops; and also has some sweet orange and coriander thrown into the mix.

Deschutes Chainbreaker White IPA

I love White IPAs. This is such an underrated style, so disclaimers up front, this is maybe my favorite shelf turd beer from Deschutes. The Chainbreaker pours into a hazy, unfiltered, conditioned body that is a radiant yellow-orange color, with a firm white head. There is tons of lacing, carbonation, and all that good stuff.

The aroma is a fantastic blend of Belgian yeast, spice, and tons of white pepper, black pepper, and BOLD pink peppercorns. Bright, sweet citrus comes forth, with oranges, tangerines, pineapple, peach, and some mango. The aroma also has some wheat notes, with a little Belgian funk that leans towards clove. It's just a fantastic fusion of that pink peppercorn spice with those bright citrus hops and complex Belgian yeast aromas. 

This tastes as good as the aroma, if not better. You get blasted with tons of sweet hops that dial up pineapple, sweet lemon, and bright oranges. There's a ton of black pepper in the taste, almost drawing up Saison comparisons. There's a good amount of clove funk, pink peppercorns, bold yeast character, and some biscuity/bready malts in the background. The hops are the main character, and they keep the beer bold and refreshing. The peppery spice rides the mids and back part of the beer, and help to dry everything out.

This is an impressively tight package. At 5.6%, this is super drinkable, and a lot of that is thanks to the impressive hop package. This is medium-light bodied, with good palate depth and good duration. This actually ratchets up the complexity beyond the usual 1-Dimensional Deschutes' approach. Up front: tons of delicious citrus, pineapple, bright hop notes; the mids roll into fantastic peppery spice, pink peppercorns, Belgian funk, some clove, more juicy hop goodness; the back end trials off with clean hops, lingering black pepper, and then it dries out with this Saison-like finish. It's just a well-done beer. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average here. This is an awesome beer, and maybe the only Deschutes beer I would seek out regularly and by the 6-pack. Fantastic stuff, really. It's veering into the land of a Saison...and to me....this is better than many of the Belgian IPAs. Really though, I would pair this with some peppery chicken/turkey. Or anything rustic. 

Random Thought: Shelf turds ftw. 

Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale

Brewed By: Deschutes Brewing Company in Bend, Oregon

Purchased: 12oz bottle bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2015 

Style/ABV: American Pale Ale, 5.0%
Reported IBUs: 40

The best part about hosting a party is being left with a fridge full of shelf turds. About Deschutes:

The Deschutes Brewing Company was founded by Gary Fish on June 27th, 1988, when they opened the doors to their Bond Street Public House pub. The brewery has since expanded, growing to be one of the top craft beer producers in America. The brewery also operates a pub in Portland, and has a dedicated brewing facility overlooking the Deschutes river. For more information, check out the brewery's website; their Facebook page; their Twitter; or Wikipedia. 

The Mirror Pond Pale Ale is a "northwest pale ale" brewed with Cascade hops, and Pale, NW Pale, Crystal, and Carapils malts. This pours into a hazy orange body, kicking up a finger of caramel-tinged head. The head retention is solid, and this is a lively beer with good lacing. There's suspended yeast in the body, and this is clearly an unfiltered, conditioned beer.

Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale

On the aroma: really nice orange, grass, and notes that are reminiscent of a Two Hearted. The citrus notes have a really nice spice character, with some pepper, peppercorns, an almost Belgo-esque quality, and zesty white pepper. It's an inviting and clean aroma, and the hops are sweeter and softer than the Inversion IPA.

This is a delicious, well-done American Pale Ale. This has solid citrus notes, with grassy orange, appreciable hop bite, and some nice lemony and pine notes. It has just the right amount of sweetness, and it's not too bitter. The malts are generally unassuming, but hint towards caramel. This has a nice clean yeast character. In every way this is unobtrusive it is also refined and done well. 

You can't get much simpler than an American Pale Ale, so I won't wax on for long. This is light-full to medium-light bodied, with good carbonation, juicy and clean hops, and no alcohol. Depth and duration are on point, and there's little complexity. It's just a nice ride of clean orange and grass up front; some zest and spice and juicy orange in the mids; and clean bitterness with just a twinge of caramel in the back. Solid if not better than.

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'll toss this a Light Above-Average. I could see myself buying this by the 12-pack for camping or a party or just drinking on the patio in the summer. This is one of hundreds of refreshing American Pale Ale-style beers, but it pulls it off. You could pair this with anything really, but I'm feeling beer battered fish and chips.

Random Thought: I miss summer. Fuck winter. 

Penrose Fractal

Brewed By: Penrose Brewing Company in Geneva, IL  

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 4-pack bought at Bottles & Cans in Chicago, IL; 2014 (bottled 12/10/2014)

Style/ABV: Belgian India Pale Ale, 6.8%

Reported IBUs: 65

It's been a while since I have had anything from Penrose, and now they are bottling their beer, sooo.....about Penrose:

Penrose was founded by owner Eric Hobbs and partner/Brewmaster Tom Korder in early 2014. The duo are both former Goose Island employees, and they want to focus on brewing Belgian-inspired session ales, oak barrel-aged beer, beers that use alternative fermentation. Located in the lovely town of Geneva, Illinois, the brewery has a local element that is quaint and inviting. For more info, check out the brewery's website or their Facebook page. 

The Fractal is a Belgian IPA brewed with Columbus, Cascade, and Amarillo hops, 2-Row and Carapils malts, and Bastogne yeast.

Penrose Fractal

This is an orange-amber affair, kicking up a finger of candy orange-tinged head that leaves impressive lacing. This one doesn't look to hazy, but it's hard to say if it is filtered.

The aroma is a nice blend of citrus hops, pine, some mild onion/garlic, and lots of Belgian funk. I'm getting clove, yeasty esters, peppercorns, and some biscuity notes. It definitely smells like a Belgian IPA, fusing Belgian yeast with floral American hops. I am excite.

This is pretty solid for the style. I'm not sure where the onion/garlic hop notes are coming from. Maybe my palate is just shot for the night, but yeah. I'm getting a lot of garlic/onion. There are no Summit hops in here either, as far as I know. The good news is I love garlic and onion, and there is also a fair amount of citrus, pine, crisp hop goodness, and some Belgian clove and black pepper/pink peppercorns to go along for the ride. This has some yeasty esters, and enough funk to square it away as a Belgian IPA. It is also fairly easy-going, which I appreciate.

At 6.8%, I'm not getting any alcohol here. Palate depth is good, and this is pretty crisp and refreshing with a medium-light mouthfeel. This has good duration for the style, and has good complexity. As it warms up, it gets a little more Belgian-y, which is nice. Up front: citrus hops, onions/garlic, some burgeoning clove; the mids hit the clove and peppercorns hard, with some biscuit; the back end drives the biscuit and hops home. I actually really like this, but I'm having a hard time finding the nuances that elevate it above other stylistic examples. 

Rating: Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Average on this beer. This is very solid, and I could see it being something I stock in my fridge semi-regularly. It's not blowing me away, however. Having said that, I think this has serious food potential. I could pair this with some buffalo wings, or maybe some pork tacos. Pretty solid stuff, all things considered, and you can't beat the price.

Random Thought: I am balls to the walls nuts. Yarrr.  

Revolution Unsessionable Imperial IPA

Brewed By: Revolution Brewing Company (Revolution Beer LLC) in Chicago, IL

Purchased: 12oz CAN from a 6-pack bought at Sheridan 'L' Lounge in Chicago, IL; 2014

Style/ABV: American Imperial IPA/Strong Ale, 10%

Reported IBUs: 100

Let's be real, the session beer fad sucks. Most session beers are American Pale Ales rebranded using the popular but equally obnoxious "IPA" tag. They are nothing new, and more often than not, incredibly predictable. Tonight's beer is a big fuck you to all the session IPAs...a big ass, all-American, Imperial IPA brewed with 6 hops, that punches in at 10%. Suck on that. About Revolution:

Revolution Brewing is a brewery and brewpub based in Chicago. Revolution's roots are tied to founder Josh Deth, a homebrewer who began working at Golden Prairie Brewing. A few years later, while working at Goose Island, Josh dreamt up the idea for Revolution Brewing. In 2003, Josh and his wife opened Handlebar, while Josh worked as an Executive Director of Logan Square Chamber of Commerce. While working for the Chamber of Commerce, Josh found an old building on Milwaukee Avenue, and the wheels began to spin to open up a brewery. After three years of raising funds, Revolution Brewing opened its doors on February 2010. In July of 2011, Revolution added a 2nd floor Brewers' Lounge. And in 2012, the company opened a new production brewery and tap room. The brewpub is located in Logan Squre on 2323 N. Milwaukee Ave; the brewery is located on Kedzie Avenue at 3340 N. Kedzie Ave. For more information on Revolution, check out their history page here! 

The Unsessionable IPA is pretty ridiculous, and honestly, I am surprised this came in a 6-pack. This beer is brewed using 6 hops, including: Centennial, Chinook, Amarillo, Galaxy, Citra, and Cascade. Punching in at 10% and 100 IBUs, this beer rides that line between a Strong Ale, Barleywine, and American Imperial IPA. 

Revolution Unsessionable Imperial IPA

The appearance is everything you'd want: hazy orange, with a finger of caramel-tinged head that lasts forever thanks to the hops fueling it. This is clearly well-carbonated, and looks the part of the best American Imperials. It's like California girls and sunsets. Totally, Hollywood.

I can't remember the last time I smelled something this good coming out of Chicago. This challenges The Unicorn Hits Rock Bottom with ease, and makes Zombie Dust look like the mid-ABV IPA that it is. This smells like fat oranges, giant tangerine candies, and I shit you not: gummy peach orange ring candies. The sweet peach and tangerine notes flirt with peach iced tea, dank West Coast vibes, and tropical fruits...but it's all grounded in that sweet peach goodness.

This hits with your tongue with honey-like sweetness. The hops gloss over your palate leaving traces of orange, tangerine, and sweet peaches. This is insanely sweet, with hints of caramel sugars between the aggressively dank and resinous hop punch. This rides the imaginary line between an American Strong Ale or Barleywine...I'm reminded a bit of Dogfish Head's 120 Minute IPA. I'm also reminded of the Pipeworks/Rock Bottom collab, Unicorn Hits Rock Bottom. This is just an insane fusion of intensely sweet hops propped up against a huge malt profile. The hops are equally fruity as they are bitter and dank. The bitterness provided much needed contrast to the sweetness. But this keeps things cool and sweet. It's very West Coast, and reminds me of Florida. 

Soak these in alcohol and walla

At 10%, this beer is way too fucking drinkable. I'm serious, I killed 12oz of this in like ten minutes. That's how you get wasted. Despite being drinkable, this is till heavy-handed and full-bodied. The carbonation and hops cut through a lot of the fat, but this is a curvy beer in every way possible. The palate depth here is outstanding, and this is about as complex as something like this is going to get. It's not quite the 120 Minute...but it's flirting with that Unicorn Hits Rock Bottom. I mean really, this unfolds with sweet orange, peach gummy rings, and tangerine up front; that gives way to intense caramel sweetness, rich sugars, and dank as hell hops lurking beneath; the back end trails with intense hop sweetness, resin, and a sticky-sweet finish. This is truly an aggressive, big, over-the-top interpretation of an American Imperial IPA. A true "fuck you" to all the session bitch beers out there.

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Divine Brew on this. If Revolution can keep this around on a regular basis, well, then Chicago is going to finally have a coveted Imperial IPA. For all the good work that Pipeworks is doing, they aren't releasing beers on the regular. Chicago is seriously lacking in the Imperial IPA category, and this beer right here has potential. I'd also love to see this barrel-aged. Food pairings: spicy foods. Seriously. Get this beer to go with some over-the-top wings, and thank me later.

Random Thought: At 100 IBUs and 10%...you'd expect this beer to hold up to spicy foods. And it does! I've now paired this beer with homemade taco salad and nachos. In both situations, I piled on the hot salsa (homemade, with fresh habaneros, baby!). This beer cuts through the spice with ease. 

Penrose P-2

Brewed By: Penrose Brewing Company in Geneva, IL  

Purchased: 64oz Growler bought at Penrose in Geneva, IL; 2014 

Style/ABV: Belgian Pale Ale, 5.4%

Reported IBUs: 45

Hooray for excuses to get drunk 3-day weekends! About Penrose:

Penrose was founded by owner Eric Hobbs and partner/Brewmaster Tom Korder in early 2014. The duo are both former Goose Island employees, and they want to focus on brewing Belgian-inspired session ales, oak barrel-aged beer, beers that use alternative fermentation. Located in the lovely town of Geneva, Illinois, the brewery has a local element that is quaint and inviting. For more info, check out the brewery's website or their Facebook page. 

The Penrose P-2 was listed as #2 on their menu when I was at the taproom this Saturday. This Belgian Pale Ale is described as having tropical fruit, clove, and resiny goodness, along with a "Belgian candy sugar middle." I wasn't able to pull out that candy sugar while drinking the beer in the taproom, so I'm hoping to see how that goes now. This one is brewed with 2-Row, Munich, and Carapils malts; Galaxy, Brambling Cross, and Cascade hops; and Bastogne yeast. According to White Labs, the Bastogne is a high-gravity, Trappist style ale yeast. I'm also unfamiliar with the Brambling Cross hops, which are a cross between Brambling goldings and a wild Canadian Manitoban hop. Okay then.

Penrose P-2

P-2 pours into a cloudy, slightly gold/amber body, with yellow and orange tones. It's definitely darker than their Proto Gradus (Belgian single) and their Desirous White IPA. This one kicks up a finger of white head, and there's quite a bit of carbonation present, even after 24 hours in the growler. This one leaves some dynamite sheets of white lacing on the glass, with those iceberg-spiderweb analogies abound. COME AT ME LITERATE BEER BROS.

The aroma here is much less hoppy than you might expect. I'm pulling off some orange, guava, and candied tropical fruits...but the big note on the aroma is that Belgian clove, light band-aid funk, and very light toast/caramel note. If you pull your nose back a bit, and just generally smell the beer, you get some tropical fruits, mango, and juicy hops. Tropical fruits, baby.

This beer reaches back quite far in terms of depth. To say this is overtly simple is probably selling this beer short, but at the same time this does have a simplicity about it. Those Munich malts tho. Up front are lots of citrus hops, mango, tropical fruit. There's some serious cracker and toast notes in here, with bitter hops hinting at iced tea and wet leafs, playing off the toast notes. I still stand by my initial assessment, if this has candi sugar notes, they are very subtle. I'll let this warm up...and give you an update in like 15 minutes. And, after 15 minutes, I'm still getting gentle hops here, with some powdery/candy hop notes, and deep Munich malts. Is tasty.

This is medium-light bodied, with lots of carbonation. The mouthfeel is sweet and big, but the beer is drinkable and hoppy. There's good balance here, which is a total cop-out for saying the beer just kind of middles it. You don't get any of the 5.4%, and this is ridicously drinkable. Palate depth is fantastic, but complexity is kind of middling. I'm getting juicy but bitter hops up front, with oranges, tropical fruits; the mids throw some fruity Belgian candy sugars at you, with more hops that get a bit more herbal and leafy thanks to the toasty Munich malts; the back end cleans up nicely, with lingering hops and toast. Mild Belgian funk rides throughout, with some hints of clove and phenolic spice. Very nuanced, very nice.

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Above-Average on this. Not amazing, not bad, worth picking up in a growler or getting on-tap. Execution and freshness go a long way in terms of where my score is at, so keep that in mind. Having said all that, this is another great beer to pair with lightly grilled meats, moderately spicy Korean Barbecue, moderately spicy Mexican food, wings, and things that play off the toasty Munich malts. This is solid banging from Penrose, more like this please. 

Random Thought: Nothing is better than a 3-day weekend. Nothing. 

Penrose Desirous

Brewed By: Penrose Brewing Company in Geneva, IL  

Purchased: 64oz Growler bought at Penrose in Geneva, IL; 2014 

Style/ABV: White IPA, 6.2%

Reported IBUs: 60

Penrose is the latest brewery in the ever-increasing landscape of Illinois breweries. And that's okay with me. Illinois is a big place, home to many big towns. Penrose is situated in the quaint town of Geneva, about 60 to 90 minutes outside of Chicago depending on if you drive, take the train, or get caught in traffic (who am I kidding; if you hit Chicago rush hour, it could take you three hours to get to Penrose from downtown). 

Penrose opened its door to the public about two months ago, and I have been hearing noise about the brewery from various social media sources, as well as from this great write-up in the Chicago Reader. There was also a good article in The Chicagoist, as well as one in the Chicago Tribune. 

Penrose: dat logo

I guess the real question is: what sets Penrose apart from all the other new breweries in Illinois? Founder/owner Eric Hobbs and Brewmaster Tom Korder have an interesting perspective, so that's a good start. The duo want to focus on making high-quality, Belgian-inspired beers. Their ace-in-the-hole: an emphasis on beers with alcohol content bordering between sessionable and medium-strength. I found this to be a refreshing change of pace as I quaffed their Devoir, a bright and refreshing table Saison clocking in at 4.3%. The duo bring tons of experience to the table. Founder Eric Hobbs worked for years with Goose Island on the sales side. Tom Korder worked as Goose Island's brewery operations manager AND headed up their barrel program. That's nothing to scoff at. 

I'll try to sandwich some of my thoughts about my trip to Penrose within this review. Because I'm a thoughtful guy like that. Oh, and the tl;dr -- about Penrose:

Penrose was founded by owner Eric Hobbs and partner/Brewmaster Tom Korder in early 2014. The duo are both former Goose Island employees, and they want to focus on brewing Belgian-inspired session ales, oak barrel-aged beer, beers that use alternative fermentation. Located in the lovely town of Geneva, Illinois, the brewery has a local element that is quaint and inviting. For more info, check out the brewery's website or their Facebook page. 

The Penrose Desirous is a limited-release (for now) White IPA described as having floral hops, orange zest aromas, and citrusy hop goodness and coriander bitterness throughout. This one features Pilsner malts; Columbus, Cascade, and Amarillo hops; and Forbidden Fruit yeast.  

Penrose Desirous

This one pours into a cloudy/hazy yellow body, kicking up a finger of white, Belgian-esque head. This is a juicy beer in appearance, with good carbonation. There is some lacing, and the beer retains a hazy coating of head as the beer settles in. Even from the growler, this holds up in presentation.

The aromas here are bright, vibrant, and refreshing. Fresh. Right up front, especially when the beer is fresh on the pour, you get big citrus. Namely sliced pineapple, resinous orange and tangerine, and hints of tropical fruit. If you camp on the nose, you start to get some Belgian funk, bubblegum, and banana. There's a lot of banana, bubblegum, and clove on the nose. There's also a really nice bready/creamy heaviness that I can't quit finger...just blissful malt integration. Some coriander and white pepper show up for good measure too.

Penrose offers flights and full-glass pours. Of the beers they had available -- and I tried them all -- the White IPA was definitely towards the higher end of the ABV spectrum. But even at 6.2%, this beer goes down with refreshing smoothness. There's a touch of crisp, watery refreshness, hoppy spice and pepper, crisp cracker and biscuit, and big floral hops on the finish. If you want to get into specifics, I'm getting a lot of sliced pineapple in here. It's a delicious, sweet pineapple note. There's also some resinous citrus in here, ala orange and tangerine and grapefruit. This is spicy with citrus zest, coriander, and white pepper. I'm also getting mild bubblegum and clove.

In terms of mouthfeel, this is medium-light, carbonated, and refreshing. The 6.2% is nowhere to be seen, and you can definitely clear a growler of this stuff in a day or two. Palate depth is spot on, and the complexity is pretty good. The whole White IPA style is kind of meh. Don't we have American Wheat Ales and Belgian IPAs? I guess this kind of blurs the line between the two, so update your style guidelines. Up front: an explosion of citrus and gentle Belgian funk, stone fruits, pineapple; the mids roll into more pineapple, some resin, peppery citrus spice, growing bitterness; the back end drops a little cracker and biscuit, with trailing pineapple and orange. Just refreshing and clean and drinkable. It begs for a 6-pack format.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average here. Per my notes at the bar, this is how I rated it then and this is how I'm going to rate it now. It's just a very well-executed beer without any particular bells and whistles that elevate it to some sort of national must-have status. Having said that, this is elegant and drinkable and quite tasty. I really hope they get this into cans or bottles for consumption, I would buy this again for the warmer months. Food pairings here have to include fruit salads, ceviche, sushi, and anything slanting towards the warmer weather. Pineapple upside down cake would be my dessert pairing.

Random Thought: Penrose itself is somewhat small, and I suspect they will fill up during busy hours. Fortunately, I have already seen their beer on tap at various watering holes in Chicago. Geneva is a cute little town with tons of food stops and scenery to check out. So your best bet is to get some food in your tummy, go get a few beers at Penrose, and then top it off with one of the many nearby restaurants. When I make the trip back up to Penrose, I will probably do so by Metra. 

Maine Beer Another One

Brewed By: Maine Beer Company in Freeport, Maine

Purchased: 1 pt .9 fl. oz (16.9oz) bottle bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2014 (bottled on 03/25/201) 

Style/ABV: American IPA, 7.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

The Lunch will continue to elude me, for now...about the Maine Beer Company:

The Maine Beer Company is a brewery based out of Freeport, Maine, founded in 2012. The brewery focuses on American-style ales, with an emphasis on fresh beer intended to be consumed fresh. For more info, check out the brewery's website. 

The Another One is the brother/cousin/step-child of the Weez. The back of the bottle reads, "When we expanded our brewery the stress was something, to say the least. I ran out of creative juice for a minute so I decided to have another for inspiration. 

Another One IPA and Weez use the same hops but different malts. The result - Another One is very light in color and Weez is very dark. Each, however, allow the hops to shine out front."

At 7.0%, the Another One features a malt base of American 2-Row, Red Wheat, and Carapils. The hops on display here are Warrior, Cascade, Citra, and Simcoe. 

Maine Beer Another One

This one pours into a completely hazy, unfiltered, raw and juicy body. The body is yellow/straw in color. The beer kicks up a finger or two of sticky, hop-fueled head. Bright light confirms the same stuff, and you can see tiny streams of carbonation rising upwards quite violently. It's a good, juicy looking beer.

If you like fresh hops and big aromas, this beer has your fix. The aroma on this is exploding outwards with juicy tangerine, spicy orange, white pepper, watery crackers, and tons of spice. This is dank, resinous, and juicy. There's some cut grass and tropical fruits in the mix as well, and it all smells like it is being held together by an affirmative malt backbone. We can only hope. 

My first impression was non-plussed as I picked up watery tangerine, orange, white pepper, zesty citrus, and some water cracker and onion notes. As I sip on this, it's really starting to unfold with big zesty tangerines, peppery orange, resinous hop juice, cut grass, light onion/garlic, and some kisses of citrus sweetness towards the back. It never veers into tropical fruit territory, playing things pretty citrus-straight. The malts here are completely undetectable, minus the shadowy body they provide. This also has a nice growing bitterness. Just super impressive and refined. 

This is a really good take on the American IPA style. It's refined, hop-forward, substantial without being malt heavy...it's just really, really good. The beer is medium-bodied with lots of carbonation, and plenty of bitterness and attenuation to move things along. Palate depth is good, and complexity is pretty high. The only thing that's questionable is the duration, which is suspect at times. I'm not getting any of the 7.0%, and this one seems to have the bitterness expected in a hoppy beer. Up front: a wash of peppery citrus, cut grass, bright tangerine, spicy hop zest; the mids dial up more citrus, citrus rind, a little onion/garlic, catty Simcoe, refreshing hop juice; the back end trails into some welcomed bitterness, with lingering hops and a clean, dry finish.

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'll toss this a Light Divine Brew and give it a serious recommendation, at least fresh. This is a delicious, refined, drinkable IPA that grows on you as you work your way through it. It's a fantastically spicy and citrus-forward beer, and I suspect it would pair well with American bar food, spicy wings, Mexican food, and even something more rustic like oven-baked potatoes or peppery chicken. I will be picking this one up again. 

Random Thought: Free food at work is a gift and a curse. On one hand, free food good. On the other hand, free food makes you fat. My employer made us do health screenings that included weighing ourselves and getting our blood pressure taken. So it seems totes apropos that they would then feed us doughnuts and cake and all that other waistband expanding shit. How about some birthday celery? Oh. My coworkers aren't Peter North. Oh well.