215. Single Cut Beersmiths (Queens, NY) - Eric More Cowbell!

“We’ve got a fever—And there is only one cure: a lusciously creamy, slightly sweet Stout that sits atop a roast malt base and huge cocoa infusion that will rock all night long.”

Website says it’s a nitro, and it’s smooth and creamy going down; but it poured like a regular beer. I haven’t had enough nitros to say for sure, but this feels like one. Needs more of a chocolate flavor to balance the vanilla and the sweetness, but not bad.

Deep Thoughts #207

The curfew set me off, but I might have been cooking since I saw a Trump flag in Henry County. Not that I expected better from country folk.

Deep Thoughts #206

I was thinking about going back to consuming news tomorrow, but this curfew shit pissed me off so much that I may not be able to stomach it.

Deep Thoughts #205

So now we get a curfew. Are you fucking kidding me? Fuck you, Joe. Seriously. Fuck your mother and die. I may just end up voting Republican.

214. Centerpoint Brewing Company (Indianapolis, IN) - Bionic High Five

“Bionic High Five is an East coast hazy IPA brewed with pale, wheat, flaked oats, and biscuit malt. Hops are Amarillo, Lemon drop, and Sultana. Begins with notes of citrus, grapefruit, and lemon on the nose. Smooth, full mouthfeel with bready malt tones balance out this juicy IPA.”

I actually do get a little grapefruit on the nose, as well as some light citrus when I taste it. I don’t taste bready, exactly, but the malt does give it a nice bitter finish (which smooths out as it warms up). Very nice.

Deep Thoughts #204b

And most of you fucktards are going to vote for this monkey—again. This state sucks, and so do the many, many mental furballs who live here.

Deep Thoughts #204a

Eric Holcomb ought to be the one to help out the bars and restaurants in Bloomington, since he’s the one who fucked them in the first place.

213. Metazoa Brewing Co. (Indianapolis, IN) - Foxy Lady

“This Double IPA was made in collaboration with Pink Boots Society Indianapolis. Hopped with a special Pink Boots hop blend, made up of Azacca, El Dorado, Idaho Gem, and Loral hops, this beer was created in celebration and support of women in beer.”

There’s something in there I can’t quite place, and it might be floral notes. I’m accustomed to tasting for fruit and pine, but flowers are still somewhat foreign. Definitely some tropical and stone fruit flavor and a finish that is, oddly enough, both sweet and dry. The high alcohol (8.0%) sharpens the finish just a touch—but that will become more pronounced as the beer warms up.

212. Metazoa Brewing Co. (Indianapolis, IN) - Matriarch

“For this can collaboration, Metazoa Brewing Company is donating 5% of each 16 oz can sale to the Indianapolis Zoo in honor of its latest exhibit: Tembo Camp—a chance to experience the majesty and power of the elephant herd up close. Speaking of majesty, in honor of Tembo Camp’s coronation, we’ve hereby anointed this brew Matriarch. And like the queen leader of the elephant herd, our classic American Pale Ale leads a herd of hoppy flavors and citrus aromas while keeping everything safe from bitterness.”

Very light flavor and mouthfeel, and yet a pronounced citrus taste up front before an echo of pine and a dry finish. I prefer a more aggressive pale, but this is very well done. Also, it is worth noting that Metazoa is currently open for walk-up carry-out; they are not requiring customers to be masked if entering the premises; and they are accepting cash. That complete trifecta is not currently available at either Black Circle or Black Acre, and that is disappointing to me. Oh, and they have an excellent barbecue food truck in their parking lot Thursday through Sunday.

211. Daredevil Brewing Co. (Indianapolis, IN) - Rip Cord

“An abundance of American hops balanced with a hint of malt to produce an exhilarating experience of intense hop flavors and aromas.”

Nice stone fruit and tropical fruit up front, but not overpowering. The high alcohol sharpens the finish a little, but it still doesn’t taste like a beer that weighs in at 9.0%. If you’re having the kind of day that badly needs to be un-fucked, one of these bad boys will do the trick.

Deep Thoughts #203

Has there been a study to determine how many morons in this country believe the things they believe only because Sean Hannity tells them to?

210. Brewery Bhavana (Raleigh, NC) - Pulp

“Galaxy hops lend a bright, vivacious, tropical tone to our signature body of malt, wheat, and oats. The resulting beer is a cinematic beauty: first juicy, then bitter, with a clean, dry finish.”

I’m not sure I’m any longer qualified to identify a cinematic beauty, having been out of work for over two months now, thanks to the fucking pussies who run this cunt of a city and this cunt of a state. And this is no pulp fiction, however that might translate to the world of beer. It’s an adequate pale ale, sharp from the alcohol (7.0%) as it warms up, and vaguely tropical. Probably juicy and delightful when it’s cold, but I only have the one—and it’s race day, so it’s hot as fuck up here.

209. Windmill Brewing (Dyer, IN) - Ludicrous Mode

“Fasten your seatbelts for Ludicrous Mode. A Double Pale Ale brewed w/ South African Southern Passion and Experimental XJA2/436 hops, with a pleasant Musk of guava, passion fruit, papaya, and melons. It’s sure to take your taste buds to space, land them back on Earth, and definitely not be Boring.”

So, it’s…tropical? When I was in Honduras last year, we visited a friend of the people we were traveling with, and the friend’s name was Luis. He’s a tilapia farmer, and he also grows papayas. While we were there, we picked some papayas right off the trees, and then took them back to his house and ate them. Probably the best papaya I ever ate in my life, and I still couldn’t tell you exactly what it tastes like. There might be some papaya in here, but I can’t pick it out. Definitely tropical, but nothing stands out; and musk is another one of those words like dank—words I’m still not sure you want to use when describing your beer.

208. The Guardian Brewing Company (Muncie, IN) - The Rez

“Our flagship IPA is decidedly hoppy and bitter with citrusy, floral, resinous overtones that are front and center, with a clean finish. Perfect for a day out on the lake or sitting around the campfire.”

Amy bought a bunch of candy to make Christmas treats last year, but she didn’t use all of it. One of the bags that she didn’t use was milk chocolate M&M’s with caramel inside, and that’s exactly what this beer tastes like. Pretty bitter on the back end, but I can’t decide if that’s good or bad. Can’t decide if I like the beer, either.

207. Black Acre Brewing Company (Indianapolis, IN) - Ol' Fritz

“A crisp German style sour wheat beer.”

Yes, and an almost perfect beer for quaffing when the sun is shining and it’s humid as fuck. I could go for a little more crisp and a little less sour, but that’s just me. (Or it’s been so long since I had a sour that I’m off my game somewhat.) Black Acre Garden has reopened for dine-in service, and the masked slinger who brought today’s libations told me that there would be multiple fruited versions of ‘Ol Fritz coming along later in the summer.

206. Indiana City Brewing Co. (Indianapolis, IN) - Fourth Meal Fight

“The next installment in our Craft Brew Doodle Crew Series. Double Dry Hopped Hazy IPA featuring Comet, Zappa and Azacca hops.”

First time I’ve ever tasted a beer and thought immediately that what I was tasting was mango, so it’s either a very strong mango flavor, or I’m getting better at this. It also has a very stiff, bitter finish that sort of makes me feel like I should sit up and practice good posture. It also makes me wish I had more of them, but it was part of a random four-pack that contained four different beers. It gets sharper as it warms up, in a way that I don’t really dig. (And I’m sure that’s not really horseradish I taste there near the end—right?) It started out awfully well, but when I poured the last of the can, a shitload of yeast came out. I know that’s not bad, but it’s not particularly appealing, either. I normally love the Indiana City Craft Brew Doodle Crew beers, and I loved this one at first; but there’s so much sludge at the bottom of the mug that I may have to throw out the last little bit of this one. It also tastes much more strongly of alcohol as it warms up, so definitely drink this one very cold.

205. Big Lug Brewing Co. (Indianapolis, IN) - Honest Weight

No description apart from “West Coast IPA” on what remains of the website they have gelded to capitulate to the demands of our new master, the coronavirus. The can says “American IPA,” which I’m sure means something to people who know more about beer than I do (but which sounds fucking ridiculous to me), as well as “Resin,” “Zest,” and “Balanced.” Mostly what I get is caramel cookie, with an impressively bitter finish—and maybe a little bit of that zest as it warms up. Not sure I like it, but it’s definitely interesting.

Deep Thoughts #202b

(You should probably take note of that previous fake tweet, because that’s the closest I’m ever going to get to sounding like a Republican.)

Deep Thoughts #202a

It would serve fucktard Joe Hogsett right if we all went on strike against the city of Indianapolis like the prime movers in Atlas Shrugged.

Deep Thoughts #201

A voice of reason, quoted in the IDS: “We just do what we can, but we can’t stay home and watch the world end.” Damn fucking straight, dude.

Deep Thoughts #200

I was stunned that any of these books that Lauren Groff admires were written by men. Am I too jaded or is that one of those “no shit” deals?

204. Deschutes Brewery (Bend, OR) - Lil’ Squeezy Juicy Ale

“Refreshingly juicy. Effortlessly drinkable. Freshly Squeezed. No fruit was harmed in the making of this beer.”

The website says that this one is gluten-reduced. I don’t know if I’ve ever had a beer that was gluten-reduced. (I sure as hell don’t care.) The website also says that this beer is supposed to be the little sister (“Lil’ Sista”) of their flagship Fresh Squeezed IPA, and that seems about right—much milder than Fresh Squeezed in every respect, but also much easier to drink.

203. Short’s Brewing Company (Elk Rapids, MI) - Psychedelic Cat Grass

“Psychedelic Cat Grass is a triple dry-hopped American India Pale Ale originally brewed for HopCat. Aromas of pineapple, mango, and grapefruit accompany the brews (sic) slightly hazy, pale orange color and lasting white head. A dry finish is preceded by balanced flavors of tropical fruit and bitter hops.”

That bitter’s not just in the finish; it’s pretty much holding your hand the whole way, but that’s not bad. It lets those tropical fruit flavors bounce around a little bit without actually running the asylum. It also masks the moderate alcohol (7.6%) somewhat, I think. (But then again, it took me almost two hours to drink two of them—so maybe it just wore off.)

202. Black Acre Brewing Company (Indianapolis, IN) - Stormblast Farmhouse Ale

“Filtered through alfalfa & fermented with a traditional Norwegian yeast. Effervescent with notes of tangerine, grapefruit, and dandelion.”

I have no idea what dandelion is supposed to taste like. I get more of a hint of the farmhouse yeast than I did in Dystopian Game Show, and less of the sharp grapefruit flavor. Still not quite funky, exactly, but definitely more in that direction—almost to the point of masking the fruit flavors, which are pretty subtle. I’m not sure if I like it or not; I might need to have a second in order to make up my mind, but two in a row doesn’t sound all that good to me at the moment. (And I still don’t know what dandelion is supposed to taste like.)

201. Single Cut Beersmiths (Queens, NY) - Jån Alpine White Lager

“The olfactory is working overtime, noting the distinct sweet citrus, delicate flowery herbal and complex citrus spice aromas and flavors of this lager. Smooth soft light malt, finishes very dry and clean with an orange zest bitterness. Perhaps our ultimate patio brew.”

Yeah, I didn’t know what I was getting into with this one. At Stoney’s, you step up to the door and tell someone standing behind a card table what you want to buy. You can’t go in anymore because fuck Eric Holcomb. Just inside the door, to the right, is a stack of cases of 16-ounce four-packs on sale for $4.99. Sometimes you can tell what they are, sometimes you can’t. Sometimes they are a mixed bag. I got a couple the last time I was there, and one of them turned out to be this Alpine white lager. It’s not bad, it’s just not really my thing. It’s got a light, peppery-coriander thing going on, and a nice orangey finish. This might be just the thing on a hot, sunny day after I mow the lawn; but today is not that day.

Deep Thoughts #199

If you require me to wear a mask, I will take my business elsewhere and boycott your establishment forever and ever, amen. Fuck off and die.

200. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (Chico, CA) - Hop Bullet

“Hops are the name of the game with a Double IPA, but we knew we had to take it one step further. With Hop Bullet, we’re using a new technique, hitting the beer with a one-two punch of Magnum hops and lupulin dust—pure, concentrated hop flavor—directly into the tank to emphasize the intense pine and citrus flavors of classic West Coast hops.”

Well, super. (I didn’t plan for #200 to be something as pedestrian as Sierra Nevada; that’s just the way it turned out. My bad.) Bitter can be hard to nail in just the right way, but I think they get it here. They actually get it really well. That’s one of the best bitter finishes I’ve ever tasted. That pine is really nice, too; and it leads down to a ripe, ruby red grapefruit flavor right at the end. Holy crap.

199. Hoof Hearted Brewing (Marengo, OH) - Permanent Marker Pen Disguises - UPDATED

“‘Falcon’ & ‘Bubblegum’ put considerable effort into ensuring the heist went off without a hitch. Completely cranked on oil cans of Thunderzone, they set forth with their plan. First things first, they synchronized their (s)watches. Diversionary tactics were discussed, and off-brand smoke bombs and whippersnapper firecrackers were the consensus. An important game of Rock, Paper, Scissors determined who would be the bag man and who would drive the get-away cloth-topped Lebaron. One banana would be spray-painted matte black and used in place of a gun. With burner phones nestled deep in the pockets of each leather duster, one Ronald Reagan + 1 Richard Nixon mask were all the that (sic) were left to apply. ‘Bubz,’ his cohort started, ‘where’s them masks you picked up from work?’ ‘Looks like we’re going to have to improvise.’”

I swear I’m not making it up. That’s what's on the can and on the website—word for word. Those charming-looking polyps at the top of the foam are what can happen when you pour an overcarbonated beer into a mug. There’s an anise or fennel flavor in there, and it tastes strongly of alcohol, even though it’s only 7.0%. There’s something else in there, but I can’t quite place it—maybe that shit they put on your teeth at the dentist for an extra $24 that insurance won’t cover?

Updated 5/9/2020:
I came back to this one a day later, after popping one open and leaving it in the fridge right before we went to hike in the Yellowwood State Forest—but almost six hours later, it was still too carbonated. However, the anise-or-fennel flavor was no longer present. It’s probably more like tropical fruit and citrus, but still tastes strongly of alcohol. It’s also unfiltered as fuck, so there’s a shitload of yeast at the bottom of the can. That might be what’s making this one taste a little bit chalky, but I’m not sure.

198. Firestone Walker Brewing Company (Paso Robles, CA) - Mind Haze

“From the coast of California comes Mind Haze, a free-spirited beer made to elevate your perceptions—juicy yet balanced, hazy yet lasting, and loaded with an imaginative array of tropical hop flavors. In the words of brewmaster Matt Brynildson, ‘Mind Haze offers the best of what you expect from a hazy IPA. But we’re going about it a little differently, and that’s what gives Mind Haze its own unique signature. We’re finally ready to do a hazy IPA the Firestone way.’”

Remarkably similar to the New Holland beer I just had—but more interesting, in a way that I can’t quite pin down. Starts and finishes almost exactly the same, but the fruit is tropical and non-specific, with a little bit of lemon there as it starts to warm up.

197. New Holland Brewing Co. (Holland, MI) - Tangerine Space Machine

“Launch yourself into a whirlpool of hops and fruit. Space Machine’s haze lowers the bitterness of the beer while accentuating the galaxy hops’ fruit forward flavor.”

That had me expecting a sweet, heavy fruit bomb; but it's drier and lighter than that. In fact, it’s almost deceptively light when it’s cold, and the moderate alcohol doesn’t really announce itself until the beer begins to warm up. The tangerine flavor is very nice—strong, but not overpowering.

Deep Thoughts #198

If I have a canvas of all black and dark blue, and I wanted to add silver pinprick stars, would a detail round brush be the right way to go?

196. New Belgium Brewing Company (Fort Collins, CO) - Voodoo Ranger 1985

“Like totally loaded with juicy mango flavor, 1985 takes you back to the future of hazy IPAs. Buckle up.”

Citra, Simcoe, and Cascade with this one, so basically your standard hop configuration for an IPA—but it’s subtle, which is another surprising thing to say about Voodoo Ranger. I suppose that’s mango in there, but I think it could also be pineapple. Just doesn’t work for me the same way American Haze did.

Deep Thoughts #197

Is it bad of me that I have not actively consumed news yet in the month of May? Yes? Well, feel free to spin the Soundgarden song “Ty Cobb.”

195. New Belgium Brewing Company (Fort Collins, CO) - Voodoo Ranger American Haze

“With notes of passionfruit and freedom, American Haze is a supremely drinkable, juicy and unfiltered IPA brewed with all-American hops.”

The George W. Bush presidency left me with something of a sour taste in my mouth when it comes to the word “freedom,” at least as it pertains to instances in which it is thrown around like this—so it’s probably a good thing that the description wasn’t on the can and I had to wait until I got home to look it up, otherwise I might have passed on it. I was intrigued by the 5.0% ABV notation on the can—when it comes to the Voodoo Ranger series, that’s practically a session. None of the hops listed on the website has “pine” as one of the flavors they impart, but I taste strong pine up front and then a swirling mixture of tropical and citrus fruits on the back end. The Voodoo Ranger series is usually a bit too aggressive for me, but this one is just right.

194. Sun King (Indianapolis, IN) - Orange Vanilla Sunlight Cream Ale

“Orange Vanilla Sunlight Cream Ale combines smooth malt character with the flavors of vanilla and orange, with a crisp, clean finish.”

This seems like the sort of thing that I would like, but the orange and vanilla flavors are just too strong. They work well with the malty backbone of Sunlight, but I get almost none of the Sunlight flavor that I love.

Deep Thoughts #196

It’s almost hard to believe that the high quality people from Another Major Competitor would pitch a fit over something childish and stupid.

Deep Thoughts #195

I’m not wearing a mask, I’m putting my items in my usual reusable bag, and I’m paying in cash. The coins will be Canadian, though. Fuck you.

Deep Thoughts #194

It might just be lip service toward science, but hearing it from a Republican, in the fucktard state of Indiana, is a little bit refreshing.

193. Single Cut Beersmiths (Queens, NY) - Hop Sounds

“God only knows what we would do without this crushable light ale—A bright and refreshing dry ale, dry-hopped with a blend of classic US and nouveau European buds. Sunny and lemony, with aroma of citrus rind, fresh cut grassy flowers, and a crisp and clean finish—equally at home on the bar or the lawnmower. You can have all the hop you want without having to say those three little letters.”

Can’t really fault them for producing a simple beer, when that’s clearly what they were shooting for—but everything about it is light, from the color to the flavor to the alcohol (5.0%). None of that is bad, but it just isn’t all that interesting—at least for me. The best thing this one has going for it is that that low alcohol does not preclude diving right into a second one—so in the interest of quality research and reporting, here goes! (But the second one is pretty much the same. The citrus flavor expands as the beer warms up, but it’s not really adding anything.)

Deep Thoughts #193

It’s been almost four years. Surely the people who were stupid enough to vote for Donald Trump have learned by now not to drink Lysol—right?

Deep Thoughts #192

No, you know what, I’m posting this. Details matter. I like correct spelling. Those spicy peppers we all love? The word is chile, not chili.

Deep Thoughts #191

You know what would actually be news? If any Trump appointee ever was NOT an old, white, male, racist piece of misogynistic xenophobic shit.

192. Central State (Indianapolis, IN) - Sports Television

“This beverage is a real barnburner—sure to fill up the whole stat sheet. It’s a lineup stacked with a Murderer’s Row of Citra & Simcoe hops in the kettle, with a Cascade, Citra, & Simcoe Cryo dry-hop batting cleanup. And we can’t forget about the hometown hero: the Indiana-malted barley, wheat, & oats brought their A-game today, folks. They have unbelievable chemistry! True professionals all the way, these grains always play the game the right way.”

Alrighty, then. The interwebs tell me that Simcoe is supposed to impart funky pine notes, but these seem to be escaping me. I get mostly pineapple, with a little bit of citrus right before the smooth, dry finish. Sharpens a little bit as it warms up, but not in a bad way. Not the best thing I’ve ever had from Central State, but still pretty solid.

Deep Thoughts #190

Of course, these mouthbreathers also think that Mitch McConnell has some sort of value. You really can’t talk to people that fucking stupid.

Deep Thoughts #189

Even Matt Drudge says Donald Trump is a lying liar. Who are the inbred shit stains that still support this lying sack of narcissisitic shit?

191. Rhinegeist (Cincinnati, OH) - Hustle

“Off at the crack of the bat, spikes dug in, exploding with speed - Hustle breaks the game wide open. This India Pale Ale takes a hard, hoppy cut at a soft, fluffy hanging curve, driving notes of peach, tangerine and citrus back, back, back…gone.”

Grain usually takes a back seat in an IPA—or in the ones I drink, at any rate—but this one has a really nice malt backbone and playful hints of all that fruit. Nice shiny citrus on the back end. All kinds of interesting.

Deep Thoughts #188

And whatever you do, don’t listen to Fox News. It’s not information. It’s verbal diarrhea for mental furballs who fear knowledge and reason.

Deep Thoughts #187 - Special Topical The World Has Lost Its Fucking Mind Edition

When you start reading about people re-testing positive after they’ve recovered, please read the WHOLE article before you flip the fuck out.

190. Black Acre Brewing Company (Indianapolis, IN) - Dystopian Game Show

“A hazy, double dry hopped IPA brewed with Norwegian Farmhouse Yeast. Perfect for watching the jumbotron from the comfort of your own living room.”

I had never heard of Kveik yeast, so I had to look it up. It apparently lets you brew quite fast, and is very fruit forward, in addition to being easily mutable as strains move from one part of the world to another. “Farmhouse” makes me think funky, but that might just mean that I’ve had too many beers from Taxman and Central State. I don’t taste any funk here, but I do get a strong grapefruit flavor (which could be because poured into a mug it looks like yellow grapefruit juice) and a little bit of pine. The bitter finish is flavorful, and not just bitter. Love it—absolutely fucking love it. (The only problem is that, at $16 for a four-pack of tallboys, it’s too expensive. Fine to try, but not something to be had regularly. Hopefully they will have this on tap when the world stops shitting the bed and we can all go back to, you know, fucking working.)

189. Black Acre Brewing Company (Indianapolis, IN) - Juice Loosener

“’You got all that with one bag of oranges?’ Hopped with Mandarina, Citra and Cascade and brewed with vanilla and lactose.”

Sounds like this should taste like some sort of juice bomb, but I don’t think it does. The moderately high alcohol (8.5%) announces its presence right away, and then slides into a bitter finish that is more orange rind than orange peel. And yet…not bad. Too big to have more than one of at once, though. I just might update this post. (Hell, I got spare time.)

188. Kennebunkport Brewing Co. (Portland, ME) - Mighty Cascade

“Hooray for the Cascade Hop! The hop that changed the beer biz. This Brut IPA uses champagne yeast to create a crisp, dry IPA with a citrus backbone. The mighty Cascade hop helps deliver its classic floral aroma and spicy citrus notes on the finish.”

The flavors are all a little muted, but the finish is nice and dry. Doesn’t really do anything for me, though.

187. Terre Haute Brewing Co. (Terre Haute, IN) - Mango Tango

“Mango Tango is a delicious, and refreshing IPA brewed with Mango puree. Citra and Apollo hops provide a juicy profile that skyrockets the fresh mango sweetness, and the tangy-dry finish. Brewed with premium malt and oats, Mango Tango IPA brings a soft and smooth body to amplified notes of tangy-citrus that is simply out of this world.”

Yeah, they’re not screwing around with the mango, so if that ain’t your jam, then look elsewhere. It obliterates everything else. Even that tangy-dry finish doesn’t stand a chance.

186. New Belgium Brewing Company (Fort Collins, CO) - Voodoo Ranger Starship IPA

“Brewed with out-of-this-world Galaxy hops, Starship IPA will blast your taste buds with notes of fresh grapefruit and citrus.”

The flavors are nice, but it’s got a sharp finish that I’m not digging.

185. Almanac Beer Company (Alameda, CA) - Waves

“WAVES is our uber dry-hopped West Coast IPA fully maxed out on dank aromas of citrus and pine. It’s clear and it’s here, can you catch it?”

Very dry, almost bitter, finish; but I don’t think it qualifies as dank. Tiny little bit of stone fruit or tropical fruit up front, and then the citrus washes over you like a blissful anesthetic. The 6.7% alcohol seems just about right, and it was on sale at Stoney’s—$4.99 for a four-pack of tallboys.

184. Sun King (Indianapolis, IN) - Lupulin Astronaut

“Lupulin Astronaut is an India Pale Ale brewed in honor of those brave souls dedicated to discovering new worlds of citrusy hop flavor.”

Another lightly flavored IPA from Sun King. Possibly a touch more interesting than the other Sun King offerings I have tried recently, but not by much.

183. Black Circle Brewing Co. (Indianapolis, IN) - Two-Tun Common

No description apart from Kentucky Common Ale. One of the first things Black Circle has done in 12-ounce cans. The nutty chocolate flavor is very strong, but there’s also a crisp, dry finish. I’ve had this once before, in the taproom, but I don’t remember it being this interesting.

182. Single Cut Beersmiths (Queens, NY) - Softly Spoken Magic Spells

“Far away across the field there is a golden IIPA with a tropical/bright citrus/mild pine and smooth/soft lightly sweet malt that will take you home again.”

I drank the first one out of the can yesterday, and it was…not unpleasant, exactly; but it tasted big, and wasn’t all that enjoyable to drink. I also got a lot more pine than fruit. Today, I poured one into the mug, and it was a much better experience. Still tastes a little bit big (because it is, at 8.6%), but the flavors are more balanced.

181. Guggman Haus Brewing Co. (Indianapolis, IN) - Azacca’s Secret

“We’ve collaborated with Black Circle Brewing Co. for the latest IPA in our experimental series. Azacca’s Secret offers a medium body with flavors of ripe pear, sweet orange and passion fruit, with an aroma of peach, apple, strawberry and mango. For the first time, we’ve highlighted Vic Secret and Azacca hops along with a more fruit-forward yeast that creates a hybrid between the appearance of an American IPA and taste of a New England IPA.”

The description makes it sound like more of a Guggman Haus joint than a Black Circle joint, but I don’t know how these collaborations work—whether it’s Lennon-McCartney or McCartney-Lennon, you know what I mean? I picked it up in an aluminum crowler at Black Circle earlier this week. I don’t taste any specific kind of fruit on its own, but it’s definitely a fruit-forward IPA, with a lingering sweetness and moderate bite (7.7%)—both of which are a little heavy for me, but not really bad.

180. Black Circle Brewing Co. (Indianapolis, IN) - Mama Trye’d

“Our Carney Rye’d Rya IPA brewed with Centennial, Citra, Azacca, and Simcoe hops.”

I feel like this one lands somewhere between Dan’s original and Philip’s more bitter version. This one has a bitter finish, but a lingering sweetness.

179. Upland Brewing Co. (Bloomington, IN) - Juicy Beast

“Juicy Beast is the first beer of the 2020 Side Trail Series. This Imperial IPA is brewed with a monstrous amount of hops and enough malt to give it the highest ABV to date of our New England-Style IPAs. Two of our favorite hops, Citra and Galaxy, make up the hop profile for this beast. Two dry hop additions, one at the beginning and one at the end of fermentation pack in a gratuitous amount of rich tropical flavor. A healthy proportion of oats and wheat along with a fruity English ale yeast help to ensure a full body and a succulently sweet finish.”

It’s fairly light and easy to drink for something so big (8.5%), but too sweet for me.

178. Sun King (Indianapolis, IN) - Keller Haze

“Keller Haze is an IPA with pronounced flavors of pineapple, citrus, tropical fruit, and orange peel finished in a slightly hazy kellerbier style.”

I would not have noticed this if I hadn’t tried this one right after I had an Osiris, but they both have the same light finish. Neither the tropical nor the citrus flavors qualify as pronounced, but the tropical ones stand out a little more. I thought it was a little bit dank and sharp at first, but that might just be in contrast to how bland the Osiris is. Sun King needs to take a lesson from Indiana City and can some of the more interesting beers that they’re currently only serving in the taproom.

177. Sun King (Indianapolis, IN) - Osiris

“Osiris Pale Ale is an assertive West Coast-style Pale with a distinct citrus hop punch.”

There’s a little bit of citrus there, but it’s certainly not a “punch.” And the use of the word “assertive” here is akin to Vizzini’s use of the word “inconceivable” in The Princess Bride. Not bad—just boring.

176. Metazoa Brewing Co. (Indianapolis, IN) - Chairman Meow

“Crisp, clean, and commanding with robust tropical fruit notes and a dry, tart finish.”

There is some tropical fruit and citrus up front, but the high alcohol (8.5%) hangs heavily over the proceedings. That and the (very) dry finish become more pronounced as it warms up. Interesting, but not especially enjoyable.

Deep Thoughts #186 - Special Topical The World Has Lost Its Fucking Mind Edition

Part of me wants to get a six-pack of Corona and go drink it on the sidewalk in front of a Chik-fil-A, just to scare the right-wing retards.

Deep Thoughts #185

Can you believe that an unfit, unqualified moron doesn’t even know how to respond to a crisis, much less handle one? Who would have guessed?

175. Sun King (Indianapolis, IN) - When the Lights Go Out

“When the Lights Go Out is a porter brewed with locally roasted coffee for maximum aroma balanced with creamy malt sweetness and a dry finish.”

Yeah, okay. Just not particularly impressive.

174. Single Cut Beersmiths (Queens, NY) - Jenny Said

“There’s good reason IPAs are the favorite child of us Beersmiths; so many new hop varieties are becoming available annually and we love digging through these options hunting for great original lupulin expression. JS IIPA is brewed exclusively with a variety of these newfangled flowers for a unique spin on the tropical stone fruit/bright citrus/dank resin profile that is our trademark.”

This has almost the same taste profile as the Full-Stack DDH, but with more citrus and a bit less alcohol (7.2%). Also a bit more bitter on the back end. That bitter finish is more pronounced as it warms up. More interesting than the Full-Stack DDH, but both are excellent.

173. Single Cut Beersmiths (Queens, NY) - Full-Stack Double Dry-Hopped IIPA

“Ah, good ‘ol Full Stack. So smooth, tropical, citrusy, just such a friendly IIPA. Well, no more—we gave it our DDH treatment for a mega-assault of what you loved about this brew in the first place.”

At 8.2%, this isn’t the kind of thing I want to drink more than one of at a time, but it’s awfully good. I don’t get much citrus, but it’s got nice tropical and stone fruit flavors. I don’t find it aggressively flavored or hopped. The only assault I feel is from the alcohol. Stoney’s has Single Cut on sale at $8.99 for a four-pack of tallboys, so I may be posting about more of these in the next week or so.

172. Indiana City Brewing Co. (Indianapolis, IN) - Mosaic, Yo!

“The first release of the Yo! Hazy Pale Ale series featuring Mosaic hops!”

The series itself is described on the can as “Juicy, hazy pale ale series brewed with lactose and featuring massive whirlpool & dry hop additions of super aromatic hops.” The flavor profile changes dramatically between drinking one out of the can and pouring one into a mug. Out of the can, it’s almost all pine; but in the mug, the tropical flavors open up a lot. There’s a little bit of citrus in there, too. All of the flavors are light, and along with the low alcohol (5.5%), that makes this a very drinkable beer.

171. Black Circle (Indianapolis, IN) - Ghidorah

“Derreck, Dustin & Paul’s birthday beer. Obscene amounts of Oats & Lactose create a rich & creamy base, while Coffee & Chocolate added post fermentation replicate the flavors of roasted malts. Vanilla, Almond, and Strawberry were added to this version to give the beer the flavor of a classic Birthday Cake.”

Nice light strawberry notes, and a little bit of a bite from the alcohol. I’ve never had a white stout before, but I think I like the idea—moderate to high alcohol with lots of non-hops flavors that come from sources other than the usual chocolate malt, coffee, and roasted grain.

170. Indiana City Brewing Co. (Indianapolis, IN) - No Bones

“Our Craft Brew Doodle Crew series continues with this juicy tropical hazy IPA with massive whirlpool and dry hop additions of Azacca and Trident hops.”

The first sip was very sharp, and tasted a little bit like horseradish; but then it settled into a nice tropical flavor with a bitter finish. I haven’t had anything from Indiana City for a while. I had begun to convince myself that all of their Craft Brew Doodle Crew stuff was basically the same beer with different names and different art on the labels; but this one is definitely new territory, and it’s good to be reminded of why I’ve always liked Indiana City so much.

169. Cannon Ball Brewing (Indianapolis, IN) - Midsommar Ale

“Lemon honey beer inspired by Swedish Sima. skål!”

Not very strongly flavored in either direction, but drinkable and refreshing.

168. Bad Dad Brewing Co. (Fairmount, IN) - Pull My Finger

“Dank and lemony with a tropical fruit nose to help clear the air.”

*Giggle.* Pull My Finger. Damnit, Beavis, this video sucks. Heavy caramel maltiness up front almost kills this one for me, but that’s straight out of the can. I get a little more of the tropical flavor when I pour it into the mug. Actually, that tropical flavor is pretty nice once it gets to breathe a little bit. Just a touch of lemon zest there on the back end. Way more interesting than I originally thought.

167. Taxman Brewing Co. (Bargersville, IN) - Frozen Assets

“Frozen Assets is a rich Belgian-style cocoa milk stout that features a generous amount of roasted barley, chocolate malt and lactose. Full-bodied with complex malt undertones, subtle Belgian esters and aged on cocoa nibs, Frozen Assets is a decadent treat on those cold winter nights.”

Exactly as advertised, though the cocoa and lactose seem to cancel out some of the usual Taxman funkiness. Really good balance between the dark flavors and the lactose. The funk starts to peek its head out as it warms up. Possibly my favorite of all the Taxman offerings I’ve tried.

166. Sun King (Indianapolis, IN) - Hop Tickler

“Hop Tickler is a crushable American IPA with Citra hop character and a touch of wheat.”

Surprisingly light for a Sun King offering. Bright flavors of citrus, stone fruit, and pineapple, with a crisp smooth finish. Wasn’t sure I liked it at first, but now it’s growing on me. As I get into the second one, I’m finding that the 6.2% alcohol is sneaking up on me a little bit—in a very nice way. It’s been a minute since I was impressed with something from Sun King, but I’m digging this one.