Hop Test #1 (Earl Grey IPA)
Al's of Hampden / Pizza Boy Brewing

A big fluffy light khaki colored froth to start... Decent retention gives way to a mostly full lacing... The color is a rich iniviting mix of caramel and bronze... A light to moderate bit of moderate paced carbonation... The nose is domianted by the earl grey tea... Also present is a rock solid bready malt base... In terms of flavor, the earl gray tea and underlying IPA are in near equal proportions... They ebb and flow and perplex the palate... They both sit atop the aforementioned deep biscuity malt base... The deep finish displays evidence of sage... On the fuller side of medium bodied... Slightly chewy... Limited carbonation... Even and consistent... Definitely took a little while to get used to the uniqueness, but once you do this is a rather remarkable piece of brewing craftsmanship... This is a brew that you'll either love or hate... I for one, love it and hope it isn't a one and done at Pizza Boy...

 

 

 

Served on-tap at Al's of Hampden. Pours chill hazed amber orange with a one finger tall white head, quickly dissipating to a light ring, leaving little to no lace on the glass.

Smells of a TON of earl grey tea and not much else. Some herbal hopiness, caramel, toffee and mildly toasted grain round things out but it is all about the tea here. Taste is pretty much the same. Tea dominates with the other flavors offering as much balance as they can.

Overall another ok hybrid IPA. The tea is a bit too strong in my book. Nice to try one but I wouldn't get another.