by Rajan | June 10th, 2010
The other night I was at Rattle N Hum with some friends for their East Coast vs. West Coast IPA “event”. The idea is that they have a mix of east and west coast IPAs and DIPAs and by the end of the week, whichever region has proven more popular (by having more consumed), will be declared winner.
As a fan of IPAs, I thought I would check it out. I have to say that the list of beers was a little disappointing, only because I’d had so many of them before. There was nothing really unusual. Of the beers I hadn’t had, one was the Ballast Point Sculpin, but that wasn’t pouring while we were there.
I did get to drink what I think is now my favorite IPA around – the Firestone Walker Union Jack. I’d heard a lot of great things about this beer and tasting it did not disappoint. Overall, it’s a very balanced beer. A nice medium body, a dark gold color. It’s crisp and it’s drinkable. But what I appreciate is the balance of aroma and flavor. There are nice citrusy and tropical notes on the nose and a fruitiness that comes through in the taste. It’s bitter, of course, with a nice lingering finish, but the bitterness doesn’t overwhelm the other flavors or substitute for them. Really just an all-around gem and one I will be returning to.
On the DIPA side, I opted for my favorite, Avery’s Maharajah, which didn’t disappoint.
I also tried some of the non-IPAs they had on draught. Brooklyn’s Buzz Bomb, which they call a hybrid mead/beer, made with local honey, was not for me. It tasted a bit art-classy, by which I meant it tasted a little like the paints and clay smelled like in my elementary school art class. But the flavors didn’t work for me.
I also tried the Mikkeller Frelser, listed as a Tribock. It was nice and dark with roasted toffee flavors and a hint of spice. Sweet. A nice beer that I would try again.