Anno Quarto 4th Anniversary
Mike Hess Brewing - Miramar

 

Poured from bottle secured while at the brewery with cuz, friend of Hess bros. Pours a slightly cloudy rusty orange color with just a hint of fine white head that results in fine lacing. Nose is candied orange, a bit piney and hints of rosemary. Taste is quite sweet upfront with orange flavor mid palate and a bit piney hop finish. Quite bitter and leaves one smacking the roof of the mouth in a good way. Very solid and lives up to expectations.

 

 

 

Dark amber with a grapey tint. Pure white foam and plenty of it in the tall glass. Lively on the tongue along with an acidic hop sensation. Aroma is more bready and yeasty than hoppy.

Sweet and woody, though it dries out some as you sip. Loads of fruit, makes me think of pears and Amarillo and Simcoe are the hops. I think the claimed 130 IBUs is a fantasy, though it's plenty bitter. Sharp and oaky finish.

Deliriously hot with alcohol. Not much for drinkability, but it's an intriguing tipple. From the Baron's Market on West Point Loma, in the 22 oz bottle.

22 oz. bottle traded by Dr. J. Arres, unknown brewing/packaging date, poured into my NEBCO snifter glass, drank over an hour

A: 2/3 - amber-brown coloration, moderate clarity (can see but not read through); initial khaki head resolves into a subtle glass lacing; low carbonation; large alcohol lakes

S: 6/12 - floral, herbal, grassy aroma but punctuated by a soapy/Pine-sol-ish aroma that often seems to derive from a heavy handed addition of Cascade/Centennial (albeit neither are listed in the hop bill); firm bready/caramel malt character; moderate alcohol

T: 12/20 - moderate bitterness on the anterior tongue that is quickly replaced with some herbal/grassy flavors and caramel sweetness; moderate alcohol heat on the way down; finishes sweet and drinks more like an Americam barleywine than a DIPA

M: 3/5 - full body, thick hop oils cost the tongue; slightly astringent; low carbonation

O: 6/10 - a slightly below-to-average DIPA that drinks more like an American barleywine; big, sticky and full with low drinkability; appreciate the experience but a style fail to me

TOTAL - 29/50

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you didn't rate this as a 5, you obviously didn't taste it. Mike Hess' original location is withing a mile of my office. I like most of their offerings but their Vienna Cream Ale is what put them on the map. I usually prefer San Diego IPA's like Green Flash West Coat IPA. This is something special. It is unfortunate that most of you will never taste it. They only brewed 30 barrels of it and it is only available in bottle at this point. To be honest, the high ABV will get to most people but if you can go easy on it, you will be treated to a West Coast IPA that will instantly make you a fan and be relentlessly looking for the next big thing.