IPA

355ml from Beers of Europe, shared with jeevan. Pours clear amber, big off-white head. Big crystal malt aromas, followed by resinous and piney hops. Taste has a good whack of bitterness, with that crystal coming hard up the back. Not subtle in either regard, but decent.

Bottle at mother Kelly. Aroma is nice caramel, mineral, nutty malt. Flavour is nutty caramel, chalky dome NKVD pine hop. Solid beer.

Bottle shared during RBESG. Pours unclear amber with a foamy white head. The nose has melony hops, some bread, old pine. Medium sweet avor with some toasted caramel, grainy bread, leaves and pine. Medium bodied with average carbonation. Toasty ready malt finish with leaves, caramel, old citrus. So so.

Bottle during rbesg 2014. Clear dark amber lasting beige head. Oxidised hop aroma. Oxidised. Bitter on finish. Not great but would be better fresher. Toast. Some grapefruit. Mostly toast.

Bottle @ benzai. Clear amber colour with a medium sized white head. Smells hops, pine, christmas, fruity, grapefruit. Tastes hops, bitter, fruity, fresh, hint of pine and forrest.. Nothing extreme, but nice nontheless. Medium body, nice carbo.

Keg @ BrewDog Nottingham. Amber brown with a large creamy head. Aroma is odd: pine needles, overripe citrus and a shade of turpentine. Taste is a lovely bittersweet with a harsher bitterness in the finish. Body is surprisingly flat. I just can’t get into this beer.

It’s been a while since I’ve had an Anchor beer and I always liked the Liberty Ale so I was pleasantly surprised to see this today. Clear deep gold pour that holds up a generous rocky off-white head. The aroma is very flowery, somewhat fruity. Maybe a bit of bubblegum here. Different from the piney, citrus hopped IPAs that are the norm these days. Right off in the flavor, I get an earthy, dryness. Quite different than what I’ve had so much of recently, but I like something different now and then if it’s good in it’s own way. I may change this up with a re-rate as I get through my six.

12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 5/21/2014. Pours nearly crystal clear deep reddish orange color with a 1-2 finger dense light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of tangerine, peach, melon, pineapple, lemon zest, orange peel, floral, grass, caramel, bread, and floral/grassy earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of citrus/tropical hops and moderate malt sweetness; with solid strength. Taste of tangerine, peach, melon, grapefruit, pineapple, lemon zest, orange peel, floral, grass, pine, caramel, light toasted bread, and floral/grassy earthiness. Good amount of pine resin bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of tangerine, peach, melon, grapefruit, pineapple, lemon zest, orange peel, floral, grass, pine, caramel, bread, and floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice complexity and balance of citrus/tropical hops and moderate dark/bready malt sweetness; with a crisp malt/bitterness balance and no cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, crisp, and moderately sticky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is a very good IPA. Good complexity and balance of citrus/tropical hops and moderate dark/bready malt sweetness; and very smooth and crisp to drink. A nicely enjoyable offering.