Hop Buzz Coffee IPA
Starr Hill Brewery

 

 

 

 

I got inspired today to simply rip through a brewery horizontal with Starr Hill. I have known these guys for years & during a recent tap takeover, they invited me to become a Friend of the Brewery. No fee, just my uncompromising, unwavering willingness to write unvarnished reviews of their beers. Sure! In return, a small box shows up every month & I sit down & get to "work". Ha! This one may have been lurking in The Bottle Backlog as I do not have its cheat sheet.

From the bottle: "All Access"; "A unique India pale ale dry-hopped with whole coffee beans. Subtle coffee and citrus flavor percolates throughout."

I Pop!ped the cap & in a moment of overzealousness, performed a heavy-handed pour. Fortunately, nothing untoward occurred, other than the formation of two fingers of dense, rocky, light-tan head with great retention. I watched as it slowly melted away, falling to become wisps with great lacing in its wake. Color was an oh-so-slightly-hazy Deep Amber/Light Copper to Copper (SRM = > 13, < 17). Nose had a distinct American hop citrusiness, but blended with my morning coffee! In fact, warming, the coffee became even more prevalent. Mouthfeel was big, full & creamy, like a Jamocha milkshake. Holy ... ! Phew. The taste was more towards coffee than hops, but as long as you do not mind bitterness in whichever form that it takes, you will like this beer. Man, I just got unrelenting coffee flavors throughout, intensifying as the beer warmed. To say that it was totally coffee, however, would be imprecise. There was an understated lemony citrusiness along with a tea-like mintiness that was part & parcel of the package. The tough part was thinking of this as an AIPA. Finish was dry, pretty bitter, if you ask me. I am the US Navy retiree that begins every day with a cup of coffee that needs to be scooped, rather than poured, out of the pot. This beer was giving me a case of the shakes. Phew!