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    Hoppy Boy

    October 17, 2011
    / Beer Review /
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    Name – Hoppy Boy
    Country – United States
    Type – American IPA

    Another weekend in the books and another work week heading at us.  Attended Oktoberfest in Lantana on Sunday.  The event is always a good time and even better when a number of friends can enjoy.  So after a weekend of eating and drinking German I’m coming at you with an American IPA review.  Yeah you didn’t see that coming did you?  Well you probably did reading the name of the review.  But some people I think skip those.  So for those, bazinga!

    Twisted Pine Brewing has been down in South Florida for a few months now but this is honestly my first time I’ve grabbed something from them.  Call me late to the party but you always know I’ll show up at the party.

    Hoppy Boy is their American IPA that weighs in at 65 IBUs and 6.2% ABV.  I honestly don’t know many people that have tried it so I don’t have a lot to go off of right up front besides that.  I guess I’ll just dive on in.

    It pours a hazy amber color into my pint glass.  It has a good sized, foamy white head on the top of the glass and leaves a nice amount of lacing on the glass as it subsides.

    The nose is mostly piney hops but there are some hints of citrus in there as well.  Honestly not a whole lot else that I pick up.

    The taste continues the pine flavor along with very earthy hops with a biting bitterness.  There is a hint of malt backing to balance things out slightly but the hops do come through much more.  The bitterness returns at the end for an aftertaste that hangs around for a while.

    Hoppy Boy is a pretty straight forward IPA with the hops being a little more present than maybe most.  But I must say that didn’t take away anything from the beer.  I actually surprised myself by how quickly my glass was empty on it.

    Like many IPAs this would pair really well with the heat of spicy foods.  It would probably also go well with a burger using sharp cheeses like chedder, pepper jack or crumbled blue cheese.

    If you want a solid IPA that is sessionable to take you through the night I think Hoppy Boy would be a more than respectable choice.

    Grade – B-

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    Industrial India Pale Ale

    October 13, 2011
    / Beer Review /
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    Name – Industrial India Pale Ale
    Country – United States
    Type – American Double IPA

    All I’m going to say about sports right now is just this.  At least the Flyers are undefeated.  Now onto beer.

    Total Wine has been bringing in a ton of breweries lately for their exclusive brewery directs.  In the past year we’ve seen Flying Fish, Laughing Dog, Clown Shoes and many others hitting the shelves down here.  Well Diamond Knot is another of these and they arrive late last year from Washington state.

    When they first arrived my good friend Ed Roberts from Total Wine brought some of their stuff by for a recording of United We Drink (cheap plug).  I remembered liking some of them but haven’t gotten around to giving a proper review for any of them.  Well that all finally changes today as I review their Industrial India Pale Ale.

    I popped the cap of the 22 oz bomber and pour it into my nonic pint glass.  It arrives in the glass a clear orange color with an off white head sitting on top.

    The nose has something very familiar to it but it takes me a bit to place.  I finally got it, lemongrass.  Yes indeed I get lemongrass in this.  It is backed with some hints of orange and pine as well as a bready malt smell.

    The lemongrass is back again in the taste but complimented with a more earthy hop character then what I got in the nose.  The malt back bone has a caramel and bready taste to it that really brings it all together.  And it finishes with a slight bitterness.

    I absolutely loved the nose on this one.  Lemongrass is a smell and taste I don’t get much in beers let alone a double IPA.  I’m sort of curious what sort of hops caused this nose and taste.  I don’t think they actually added lemongrass to the beer.  Regardless I enjoyed it.

    But overall this is a well balanced double IPA.  It hits you with hops upfront but then settles things back down with it’s malt backing.  I do remember liking this one when Ed brought it by but I absolutely forgot every reason why until having it again.

    The lemongrass character in this would make it a great pairing for some spicy Thai food.  That taste will go well along with the hops cutting some of the heat.

    Grade – B+

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    The 4th Annual Treasure Coast Beer Fest

    October 11, 2011
    / Beer Events /
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    I like to give fair warning for some special events in South Florida and this is no exception.  On Saturday October 22nd is the 4th Annual Treasure Coast Beer Fest in Fort Pierce, FL.  I’ve been to the first two TCBFs and had a great time at each.  I unfortunately missed last year’s as I was working and getting ready for going to GABF.  This year the organizers have pushed the event back to October as not to conflict with GABF.  This year is looking to be just as great as the previous years.

    There will be over 150 beers to taste from brewers all over the country.  But more importantly there will be plenty of representation from Florida at the event.  You will see Cigar City, Funky Buddha, Saint Somewhere, Florida Beer, Due South, Holy Mackerel, OBP, Inlet and more.

    Tickets are $30 in advance on the website, $25 in advance at one of the ticket purchasing locations in Florida or $35 at the event itself.

    So mark your calendar down for this one.  It’s going to be a great time.  I’ll remind you in a week.

    For more information and to purchase tickets online visit www.treasurecoastbeerfest.com

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