Wintertime IPA
Hetty Alice

 

Can from New Seasons

A clear amber with a dense off-white head with good retention and lacing. The nose is a lovely blend of pungent, oily hops with pine, resin, grapefruit peel, and modern fruit notes. There's a solid malt character, mildly dark caramel and toffee like. On the palate, though, the malt adds flavor without much sweetness, a little heft to go with the grapefruit and pine resin hops. Drying, oily, cleanly bitter on the finish. Nice body, nice feel.

 

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a medium coppery amber with a fine, two finger white head with great retention and solid lacing. Aroma of caramel malt, piney and citrus hops, orange, grapefruit and light mixed tropical fruit. Flavor is pale malt with mild caramel, citrus hops, grapefruit, citron and light pine needle; great lingering citrus rind finish. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. A nicely hopped West Coast leaning IPA. The pine notes in the aroma gave promise of a seasonal IPA, but the flavor is much more citrus with pine and mixed fruit a lighter component. Needs a little more pine for the wintertime moniker, but the citrus is solid West Coast as is the bitterness level. A well done, classic IPA.