Archive for December, 2009

Up next: Long Hammer IPA by Red Hook. A capable IPA, but a little mellower than the others I’ve tried. It does go down fast and smooth, but maybe that is because of how thirsty I was!

At the end of a long weekend, after a good day of Christmas preparations, playing with the boys, and watching some football, I saved the tasting for a quiet moment. With my complete attention, I sat down to drink this beer. It felt good to sit back, relax and enjoy.

As for my IPA, the carbonation phase is done, I’ll let it condition another week while I finish off my 6 pack of Long Hammer, then I’ll pop my first Home Brew IPA!

I was in the beer aisle, undecided about my next selection for IPA tasting. I was leaning towards Upland’s Dragonfly IPA, but then my eyes rested upon the ‘Two Hearted Ale’ from Bell’s Brewery. Although I’ve had this before, it struck me as the perfect choice for this cold December night.

After a short run and some cleaning up in the garage, I popped open my first bottle. This is a truly good beer. It had a citrusy taste, which combined quite nicely with the hops. I have to agree with the label here: It had a very crisp finish. This will definitely become a regular choice.

I just realized that Bell’s Brewery is the same brewery that creates Oberon Ale, a very tasty beer that I experienced at The Ambassador in Haughton, MI. during a fishing trip with Bob and the Gang. The Ambassador is an experience you won’t soon forget!