Beer Review: Vicious by North Peak Brewing Co.

Vicious, the American Wheat IPA offering from North Peak Brewing, is one carbonated little IPA.

Be observant when pouring, it took me three separate pours due to the aggressive head that kept coming back.

Once you finally get the whole bottle poured you will smell strong pine and hints of citrus, I think that the citrus is certainly grapefruit, but reasonable minds may differ.

The coloring is opaque peach; a true unfiltered beauty.

I have a hard time getting the wheat taste out of this beer, most of the wheat that I get is right as the beer hits the mouth, there is a split second of sweet. However the wheat is quickly overtaken by the hops. Holy cow! Hops for days with this beer. The floral hops that are used provide a pleasant, crisp kick to the taste buds and alert them that this beer is not done with flavor yet! 


The first hoppy flavor unmistakably provides you with the citrus flavor that was smelled upon pouring. After that your mouth will be treated to a soft caramel blanketing by another style of hops. Clearly this beer was made to refresh and please; two things that it accomplishes with each sip.

The stubby bottles that Vicious comes in are cool in a nostalgic way. The lycanthrope that graces the label pays homage to the dogmen that roam the woods of Northern Michigan. Not that that makes the beer taste any better, but it is cool to see a nod to local folklore.

This is a great beer with any sort of burger, pizza, steak, sandwich or anything for that matter. I prefer to drink them at room temperature.

-J

Beer Review: Founder's Centennial IPA

(Check out that sweet Love(Micghigan) glass!)

I believe that everyday should be IPA day.

That being said, let's dive into Founder's Centennial IPA.

This beer has recently popped up on my radar as an easy drinking IPA that has a multitude of complexities going on under the foam.

The pour of Centennial produces a light copper beer that is clearly unfiltered (being unfiltered really adds to the grainy texture).

As you pour you will definitely notice a piney scent mixed with hints of citrus. Once in the mouth the pine flavor expands across the pallet, you will also notice that the citrus is clearly lemon which helps the beer to finish with a very specific crispness.

The bitterness of the hops is slightly sweetened by toasty malts.

I generally prefer my IPA to really blast my mouth with carbonation; however, the mellow amount of carbonation of the Centennial is refreshing.

If you are looking for a crisp IPA that is as good with a hearty meal as it is by itself, then I would pick up a sixer of Founder's Centennial IPA.

Let me know what you think of it when you do.

-J

(Check out the last review:New Holland: Ichabod)

New Holland Brewing: Ichabod

Chilly Autumn evenings call for bonfires, good stories and appropriate beer.

I'm talking about some pumpkin ale, rich, spicy pumpkin ale, make it from Michigan.

New Holland's Ichabod is the perfect companion for a cool Autumn night.

Rich amber color in the glass with a decent head that hung around for a bit.

The first distinguishable thing with this pumpkin ale is that it seems to fill your mouth while holding a syrupy consistency. Through the thick feel you get hit with a mellow malts and definite spices: nutmeg being the most prevalent. Once you taste the nutmeg hold on because the pumpkin will soon follow. Though the pumpkin flavor is mild and mellow it is there, and quite easily discernible.

Ichabod finishes a bit acidic with coppery hints that sort of cleanse your pallet for another drink.

I find it enjoyable and quite easy to drink, though one per session might be enough so that the acid doesn't get to you.

-J