HAHO DIPA
Tattered Flag Brewery & Still Works

 

Poured from a 12 oz. can. And yes, that can did come by way of the mighty woodychandler. Has a hazy golden/orange color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell has lots of caramel malts, some passion fruit. Taste is caramel malts, alcohol, some resin, a slight alcohol burn at the finish. Feels medium/light bodied in the mouth and overall is decent, but I would have liked more bitterness and less alcohol.

Some of this CAN's history. I have been diagnosed with elevated levels of PSA, a byproduct of my prostate & I have to make routine visits to the Hershey Medical Center. I had an invasive biopsy in March that showed that everything is benign, but until I get better insurance, I take the train to Harrisburg & a bus to HER. On this trip, I stopped off in Middletown on the way home from HBG for a visit & procured some CANs for The CANQuest (tm). I did not have this CAN, or its mates, in the queue until the heat made them pooch out in unwanted ways. It was into the reefer & here we go!

I was anxious to Crack! this one open simply because it would mark me as the beer's first reviewer. 5 Ratings & not one Review. Shameful! BTW, it is my approved pic that you see. Once opened, I CANmenced a slow, gentle Glug simply because some of their CANs have been like a box of chocolates - I never know what I am going to get! Unbidden, it rose up to form just under two fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, tawny head with good retention that left loads of lacing in its wake. Color was solid Amber (SRM = > 7, < 9) with NE-quality clarity. Nose was big & boozy with an undeniable caramel malt presence underlain by minty pine hops. Mmm. Mouthfeel was medium, a little light for a big style like this. The initial blast of fusel alcohol heat slowly toned down to release a pine bitterness and a caramel sweetness. I often remark that caramel malt CAN be tricky as a little CAN go a long way. In this case, it was pleasant, keeping the pine mintiness from being so intense as to be like pine tar. Instead, it was very cool, CANplimenting the alcohol heat without going crazy. Still, given its ABV, it was a sipper. Finish was hot, dichotomously cool, clean & ultimately quite dry. Phew! Be wary with this one. It is sneaky.