Parhelion
Kane Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

 

I had this on draught at the brewery. 8 oz. pour served in a tulip glass. It pours an opaque orange-brown color with a frothy, ecru-colored head and lacing with nice retention. It smells like a barleywine: caramel, raisin, a hint of brown sugar and oak, but there is also a distinct hoppy smell. The smell increases as the glass warms. The taste is very different from the smell: bourbon and char up front. There is little of the sweetness I discerned on the nose. There is some faint citrus and hops. The finish is decidedly bitter but the bitterness is more burnt than hoppy. This ale is medium-bodied and rather creamy in feel, and at 9.4% it drinks like a barleywine. It's really tasty. Overall, while BA IPA's are always a bit of an adventure, Kane has pulled off the difficult balance. Parhelion is a tasty brew but it's meant for savoring rather than casual drinking. This is for sipping with friends and good conversation.

 

**
03/19/2017
On tap at the brewery as a 5oz sample in a small snifter glass.

Smooth. Barrel character actually helps the IPA in this instance. Much better than the barrel aged Kane Overhead I had a few years ago.

Notes of pine and citrus, surrounded by plenty of earthy cedar and oak.

I liked it.

*

This one is hard to figure out. Pours caramel brown with a thin white head that does last. Smell has friuty sweet notes, boarding on dark fruits. Taste has some burbon notes but they are deep in the malt flavors. Feel is excellent smooth with a crisp finish. Overall, it's not your typical IPA, it's interesting and it crosses styles. You won't regret trying it.

 

Growler purchased 2/4/17. Poured into Belgian ale glass.

L: 2F head with pretty good retention, lots of sticky lacing, cap and ring. Beer is a deep brown.

S: You definitely get the bourbon from the ANTEAD barrel aging. A bit of the earthy dankness of Simcoe, but the barrel definitely wins the nose battle. I've never been crazy about aged IPAs, to be honest.

T: ANTEAD barrel continues to dominate in the taste, a fair amount of oakiness and bourbon, with some earth and pine from the citrus. Malts are neutral and keep it from tipping into bitterness, though finish is headed in that direction.

F: Medium body, light to medium carbonation. Good construction, balance is fairly good. Not a whole lot of drying despite decent ABV, so finish tends to run bitter. ABV itself pretty decently disguised.

O: Bottom line is if you're not a fan of aged enhanced IPAs, this can only be so good. I'm a huge Kane fan and I dig the experiment, but at the end of the day I can only give this credit for being a well-executed example of a style I'm not very into. Also, can't wait for the next ANTEAD release.

 

 

 

Look: a burnt Amber in color, tiny bit of cloudy. Head drops back really fast to almost nothing but it was a pure white.

Smell: very little. A bit of hop (cascade?) and some bourbon

Taste: hop bitterness with a malt backbone. Let it sit for a bit and some hop and wood comes through.

Mouthfeel: big and appropriate

Overall: not a great IPA or bba beer. But I'd drink it again. A pretty light bba flavor, one of the smallest impacts.