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Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/537558
www.cheersonline.com 43 July/August 2015 • FOUR STARS (92) Hop Hunter IPA (Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, CA) 6% ABV, 60 IBUs. The appearance is pale orange with a fresh and floral nose. Quite inviting. Nothing unique about the head. The taste has a definite creamy citrus follow-through. Lush on the tongue, but not heavy. A sessionable beer. Aftertaste is fairly clean, doesn't linger too long. (92) Peak Organic IPA, (Peak Organic Brewing Co., Portland, ME) 7.1% ABV. Golden color poured to a half-inch head. Aroma is not overpowering, and there is smoothness to the taste. Easy going down. Hoppy flavor comes at the finish. The sneak- iness of the alcohol content is a reflection of the smoothness. IBUs in the 40s. (92) Summit Unchained Hop Silo Double IPA (Summit Brewing Co., St. Paul, MN) 8.3% ABV. A nose full of citrus-and-pine- hop accents jumps out of the glass as you pour. Color is a rich bronze, backed up by a sweet, malty body. Rich malt flavors balance out the 101 IBUs very well. (91) Drake's Hopocalypse Double IPA (Drakes Brewing Co., San Leandro, CA) 9.3% ABV, 100-plus IBUs. A sweet and extremely bitter beer. Pours a clear gold with hues of orange and a small, white head. Pine, mango and orange peel aroma and taste with a biscuit quality. Oily mouthfeel with prickly carbonation makes for a deceptively smooth and fruity IPA. (91) Yard's Brewing Co. Rye IPA (Philadelphia) 6.2% ABV, 55 IBUs. Pours dark amber, with a full head that dissipates quickly. Medium-intensity aroma of spice and citrus. Medium intensity on the palate. Medium - to full-bodied texture that has a bit of creaminess, notes of citrus, spice and pine—well balanced. Unique overall, a very good beer. (90) Great Lakes Commodore Perry IPA (Great Lakes Brewing Co., Cleveland, OH) 7.5% ABV. Quietly one of the best bang-for-your-buck IPAs on the market, a three-time Gold Medal winner in the World Beer Championships. The Commodore isn't flashy, but this medium-bodied brew carries a slightly sweet malt that leads into a dry, citric and tropical fruit finish. (90) Nerd Alert Pseudo Pilsner (Monday Night Brewing, Atlanta) 5.2% ABV. Light amber color with a light, soft mouthfeel. Lower IBU with a nice citrus taste. Low bitter and a wild Belgium finish. (89) Hop Nosh IPA (Uinta Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT) 7.3% ABV, 82 IBUs. Pours a cloudy amber color, leaving about an inch of white head. Smells of earthy malt with hints of lemon and pine hops. Hops come forward with this beer, hitting the palate with that resiny pine bitterness and hints of grapefruit. Overall, a delicious IPA at a nice value. (88) Easy Jack IPA (Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA) ABV: 4.5%, IBUs: 35-40. Pours a light golden color with a thin white head. Nice balance between malt and hop bitterness. With a low ABV and light feel, this will make for a great summer beer. (87) Gubna Imperial IPA (Oskar Blues Brewery, Longmont, CO) The IPA has an alternating recipe—this batch is 10% ABV with more than 100 IBUs. Pours a deep gold color with minimal head and nice white lacing. Smells extremely sweet, with notes of pineapple and candied oranges. Taste is similar to the smell. Very thick and oily, but better than the last batch. (87) Lakefront IPA (Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee, WI) 6.9% ABV. This is an entry-level IPA that features subtle hop aromas, a solid malt core and some residual hop bitterness. At 44 IBUs, a great beer for those looking to transition to hoppy beers and not be overwhelmed. It's also a great match for food. (87) Soul Style IPA (Green Flash Brewing Co., San Diego) 6.5% ABV, IBUs: 75. Pours a medium head with a light, orange-yellow color. Malt-forward finishing, with a strong hop assertiveness. Simcoe, Citra and Cascade hops lend pine resin and tropical fruit flavors. REVIEWERS' CHOICE: BALLAST POINT'S GRAPEFRUIT SCULPIN IPA A number of panelists chose to review Grapefruit Sculpin IPA from Ballast Point Brewing Co.in San Diego (7% ABV, 70 IBUs). All gave the beer five stars, with slight differences in scores and tasting notes. (98) Sculpin pours a beautiful golden color, forming a nice fluffy white head. Aroma is big hops and wonderful citrus and tropical fruitiness. Taste is wonderfully balanced between bitter, piney hops and an enjoyable grapefruit and mango fruit finish. (97) Pours golden with hints of reddish orange with a steady white head. Smells of citrus, grass and honey, which are present in the taste, just like the grapefruit. There is a lighter mouthfeel. (97) Sculpin delivers as one of the most well-balanced IPAs on the market. This light, golden beauty shines with nice citrus notes blended with a light caramel malt flavor. Smooth from start to finish. (96) Ballast Point has long been a leader in IPAs, and this Sculpin IPA one-off is a line extension worth the hype! A citrus lover's dream, Ballast Point has taken their world- class IPA and added fresh grapefruit. (94) Pours an orange color with a medium head. Grapefruit aromas abundant, nice balance of bitter, tart grapefruit and floral hops. Medium mouthfeel, refreshing and highly drinkable.