Community 3D IPA

I've been an a hazy and juicy IPA trip of late.  Well, really for the last couple of years, as has the craft brew industry at large, but over the weekend i went with something a little more intense.  The 3D IPA, a triple IPA from Community Beer, uses 6 different kind of hops to wallop the senses.  Pouring an amberish gold with a big white head, the beer smells sweet, notes of pineapple, melon, and some tropical fruits abounding, along with some hints of malt and a subtle dankness.  The flavor is similar to the nose, the pineapple notes hitting first, followed by a warm alcohol feel and some caramel notes.  It's an interesting, heavy brew, 12% ABV with a veritable explosion of sweet, bitter, and booze on the tongue.  Give it a shot, but tread carefully.  And enjoy the pair of 3D glasses that come with the 4-pack.

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Zipline Copper Alt

Another brew from the Valentine's Day present my wife gave to me, a gift that keeps on giving, a sampling of beer from around the country, the Copper Alt from Nebraska's Zipline Brewing is a great anytime beer.  Pouring a dark amber with an off white head, the 5.2% ABV beer smells of grain, toffee, nuts, and earth.  The flavor is a balanced mix of roasted malt with subtle notes of chocolate, caramel, nuts, and a hint of biscuit all in a clean finish.  I'd pair it with anything.  Great job Nebraska!

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Martin House Bubble Haze Bubblegum Milkshake IPA

Fort Worth's Martin House Brewing has a pretty great track record with the quality of the beer, and they're never afraid to attempt new things.  And that brings us to their Bubble Haze, a 7.3% ABV hazy bubblegum milkshake IPA that tastes so much better than it probably has any right to.  Pouring a hazy gold with a bubbly white head, the beer smells of candy and bubblegum with some hints of fruit and subtle dankness.  It has a lacy mouthfeel that clings to the tongue, flavors of bubblegum, light citrus, sugar, and that dankness again rounding things out nicely, all with a slightly bitter finish.  Bravo.

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TUPPS Full Grown Pastry Chef

TUPPS Brewery out in McKinney, Texas, northeast of Dallas, puts out a pretty great imperial stout called the Full Grown Man, and seasonally, the brewery releases variations of said great imperial stout, all of which are wonderful.  The most recent is the Full Grown Pastry Chef, a decadent version of their imperial stout brewed with chocolate and raspberries.  The 11.8% ABV brew pours a dark black with a tan head and smells of roasty malts, chocolate, raspberry, and some hints of booze.  Flavors of chocolate and raspberry are heavy in the front of this full bodied beer, roasty and boozy notes lingering with some hints of other dark fruit and molasses.  A fine dessert beer all around.

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