It’s become fairly obvious that the world is going down in flames. Heat waves in June, earthquakes, tsunamis, oil costs over four dollars at the pump and grains and hops are in short supply. Breweries have reacted in different ways. Some have cut back production on their big hoppy beers. Some have embraced more malt forward styles (my predictions that this was to be the year of the Sticke have proven false.) No one has been able to ignore it.
Smuttynose rather than having to deal with the headache of getting the hops they need (and possibly being unable to get some of them) for their double IPA, The Big A, decided to rework the recipe this year to utilize the hops they had on site. It worked out nicely. It pours a familiar deep amber, with a fluffy, almost cottony head. The nose favors fruity hops, citrus, pineapple and passion fruit all jump out at you. Definitely medium bodied, the bitterness is relatively mild, the hop additions were largely late in the boil and produce big pineapple and passion fruit notes. Very little piney hops which is a nice change of pace after all the west coast doubles I’ve been drinking lately. Most importantly for me it finishes dry and clean. No huge syrupyness to hang you over for a week. Another great one from Smuttynose, grab and drink these asap before those late hop additions fade away forever.
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