Hopper Madness
Taneum Creek Brewery

 

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a moderately hazy, medium golden amber with a one finger white head with good retention and solid lacing. Aroma of mildly grainy saison malt and yeast, grassy and citrus hops, lemon and mild mixed light fruit. Flavor is grainy malt, saison yeast, light grassy and citrus hops, lemon, light grapefruit, hay. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess, nice mouth feel. The can says "India Pale Ale", but the brewery description is a farmhouse ale hopped like an IPA. The latter is quite accurate. Unfortunately there is not a descriptive style for this style, although other hoppy farmhouse ales are out there and likely here to stay. This has a nicely brewed saison style base with classic grainy malt and a touch of funk. It is also well hopped with continental style and lighter citrus hops. The hop profile leans to a hybrid of lemon and grassy hops. I'm a fan of farmhouse ales that aren't too tart and have a good grainy malt profile and this fits the bill. The hops are not that herbal or complex, but have a good flavor and bite from the start and a fine bitterness on the finish. This is the first time I've seen anything canned from Taneum Creek but I'll try more in the future after this introduction. Well done.