Sunday, February 23, 2020

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.

Saturday, February 22, 2020

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.

Sunday, February 16, 2020

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.

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

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.

Sunday, February 09, 2020

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.