New Beer Sunday (week 593)

Well I'm sad to say no new beer for me today. Damn, now that I think of it, NO BEER today. Oh well. At least y'all have been writing up a storm. So I think I'll just imbibe vicariously through you.

 

Dude, your link!!!!! I swear I saw some of my kin!!!! Shyooooooooot!!!

 

For months this has been present at the bottle shop just up the hill from me.I haven't pulled the trigger on this because of the vanilla. If it's not a vanilla bomb I would reconsider, but there's a lot of vanilla in this beer suggested in your post, and vanilla goes a helluva long way with me.

 

I know what you mean. You can take the BA out of Kentucky, but you can't take the Kentucky out of the BA.

 

I first knew of Guthrie from some latter day Asia stuff, and highly approve. SW is the shit with or without him. Listening to 4 1/2 as we speak.

 

Hell yeah it is!

 

Well heck, I think I'll give this a try.

Given the holiday weekend, and my well-documented appreciation for Block 15's beers, I thought I would make it a project to track down some of their new IPA, called Red White and BOOM! IPA (Independent Patriotic Ale). As it turned out, the "tracking down" was hardly a project at all. I found it on tap (1) and in cans (2) at the Orenco Taphouse in Hillsboro this afternoon while I was out on a bike ride, then brought a growler home (3) from the SE Portland Growler Guys a few hours ago.


(1) A bracing quencher midway through my bike ride on an agreeably cool afternoon.


(2) Orenco Taphouse also had cans available. I brought some home and presented them to the wife, who was most pleased.


(3) I think we got one of the last growler fills from Growler Guys when the wife and I stopped by to drop off some bottles for this year's Brews for New Avenues event.

Appearance: Red White and BOOM! IPA is golden-orange and clear, despite the hazy appearance in these pics due to condensation. The head is white and fairly dense, with good retention.

Smell: Mostly pine/spruce and tropical fruit, with a green herbal note which is kind of like thyme, but spicy like oregano. The Block 15 email I got earlier this week notes that there is "subtle tangerine," but I don't get any of that myself.

Taste: Dry and nicely bready up front, with a mild sweetness and slight tanginess. Bitterness starts out moderate, but gains momentum through the middle and finishes with an impressive and satisfying grapefruit pith/herbal hop punch that lasts and lasts.

Feel: The carbonation is moderate, and the body feels a bit heavy with a nice creaminess.

Overall: Although I don't think this is quite as good as Sticky Hands, or on the same lofty level as Sticky Hands Tropical Slam, this is another hoppy winner from Block 15. If you see it, don't hesitate to order a pint.