Hoppy Roots Ale
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

 

 

Brewed for West Coast beer festivals but finding roots on the East Coast, the Californian brewers share their wares with North Carolina for a brazen taste of hops but with a somber demeanor. Sierra Nevada's session IPA is a winner for hot weather adventures coast to coast.

Hoppy Roots pours a light golden hue with bright clarity and heavy streams of carbonation. A fluffy white cap abounds with the classic grapefruit, orange and pine aromas that give Sierra Nevada their classic scent. Its taste is crisply sweet with light caramel and honey but with a mild toasty backbone.

Dry and wafer-thin, the beer's malty underpinnings dissolve on the tongue like wafer cracker. A light bubbly creaminess remains and supports the hop which show no bounds. White grapefruit, zesty orange peel and hint of both lemon and ginger contribute and refreshing taste while awaiting a bitter close of pine and grassiness.

Light-bodied and crisply flavored, the ale is nearly lager-dry. Its fleeting malt character ensures that the hops have their proper dominance on the palate in selling it's IPA promises very boldly. A long and bitter aftertaste is sharp, piney and citrusy, and is sure to appease all hop-heads near and far.