Hey! I’ll take some BKS! Guess we should keep in mind that the 4H/BKS collab is $13 here in STL. A typical 7% IPA from BKS is $20. Size of brewery / economies of scale? BKS probably uses a LOT more hops during the brewing process, especially at the end. Flameout!!!
I bet you're correct. The price difference is substantial enough that I don't see it just being a difference in economy of scale. Reviewing this one live here at my desktop. Picked a 4pk up today from Total Wine. The TW employee even said "this is her favorite beer", though she also said these just arrived on shelves (version 7 wasn't even stocked on the shelf, as they still had some version 6 in the slot.) Pours a dark-ish orange color with a firm opaqueness to the translucency. Head is two fingers of off-white foam. Aroma is papaya, grapefruit, and old orange zest. It has an earthy, musty malt note that cuts through - which reminds me of other 4Hand's IPAs I've had before. Aroma is fairly brief. Flavor profile is a little bit more full, bringing notes of grapefruit, papaya, orange zest, and some rich juicy guava right at the end. The last note revives memories of BKS Artisan Ale hazy IPAs. Earthy malt note is a bit more subdued here, with doughy malts taking more of the emphasis for the malts - which are an afterthought to the hops. Finish is sugary sweet, to the point it seems this may have a little candy sugar in it. Mouth feel is medium in thickness. Texture is a mild creaminess that falls just short of a luscious creamy texture. Overall, a good and fairly potent NE IPA for under $14 per 4 pk (of 16oz cans.) In that regard, it is a good value. _________________________________________________ Thoughts on comparing this to the many BKS Artisan Ale beers I've had - this falls well short on aroma depth and quality, falls a bit short on flavor profile, and lacks that rich creamy texture that wraps up a well done BKS Artisan Ale NE IPA so well. This certainly scratches the itch well for the price point, and I would say it is on the upper end of 4 Hand's IPAs I've reviewed.
Nice review! I’m more the “tastes good to me” guy. I do hope that 4H learned something from BKS. If all 4H IPAs were this good, I’d maybe put 4H back in my rotation. Right now I need a recommendation. General IPA excellence is a great topic! Why is it elusive & hard to achieve? Side Project visited Tree House a couple of months ago for a mind meld. It’s my sincere hope that SP learned something, anything from TH about brewing top notch, excellent IPAs. I gave up on SP (Shared) IPAs a while ago. Premium price for… meh. I don’t suppose you tried the SP Peacharine IPA? I was fortunate to visit TH a couple of months ago and their Peacharine stuff was phenomenal. I was hopeful SP killed it.
Not a brewery but I’ll throw an enthusiastic recommendation out there for Little Lager. Such a cool spot… Amazing people, cozy environment, fantastic lagers and just the perfect place to stop and relax between brewery stops. Just an amazing little beer bar.
