The Hoppy Giant
Matchless Brewing

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a slightly hazy, medium golden amber with a two finger white head with great retention and patchy lacing. Aroma of caramel malt, citrus and fruit hops, grapefruit, lemon and mixed tropical and stone fruit. Flavor is caramel malt, citrus, pine and fruit hops, orange, light grapefruit, pine sap, a little catty dankness and mixed ripe tropical fruit. Resiny and citrus bitterness in the finish with lingering pine resin. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. When I think of Matchless, I'm remembering their excellent stouts and strong ales; I forgot how much I like their IPAs too. This is a nice one. Although the hop profile is not a cookie cutter of the West Coast style, it keeps the basic citrus and pine, but adds some fruit and a undefinable flavor that is resiny from more than pine origins. I liked this one quite a bit and not sure how I missed it in the past. Nicely done.