57. Yee-Haw - IPA (Johnson City, TN)

“This IPA is the best of both coasts, with its West Coast style hop flavors and unfiltered New England style look. It packs a bitter punch while still being beautifully balanced. Medium bodied and straw colored, our IPA is true to style, with a strong fragrance of citrus and pine. For those who just can’t get enough hops, just say Yee-Haw!”

Balanced yes, but big and hoppy, not so much—though not in a bad way. The citrus is strong up front, and gets bigger as the beer warms up. I was impressed with almost nothing on our trip to the Smokies, at first (to be detailed in a National Novel Writing Month practice piece I still need to tinker with a bit); but now that we’ve been home a week, everything about the trip, including the beer, is beginning to reveal its charm.