So I hit up my local specialty beer store and picked up a mixed sixer of IPAs. A bit of history with me and IPAs: I used to hate them. I thought they were bitter and boring, but they're all my dad would drink before I turned 21 and could go out and get my own beers. But y'know what? I've come to like the hoppy little guys. There's a distinct power they hold in their delicious varieties of hop combinations and flavor additions.
So here's the first review of this six pack: Atlantic's New Guy IPA. It's not the newest guy on the block from Maine-based Atlantic brewery, but it is named in honor of one of their newest employees, hence "New Guy". So let's get to the breakdown, shall we?
Appearance: 3.5/5
New Guy pours real nice. It's a handsome golden-amber color that really makes me say, "Hey, this looks delicious!" Some IPAs can be rather light and bland in color, but this one looks thicker and more interesting. The head isn't spectacular, but it does leave some nice lacing. And another note is the carbonation: it's very present, and that's a nice little plus.
Nose: 3/5
The aroma of New Guy isn't very strong, but it can be broken down. There's a simple, earthy smell from the Columbus hops used to make this brew. This also makes me intrigued by the brew, because a lot of the time brewers try to find two (or sometimes more for imperial IPAs) hop varieties to create a more diverse taste. But Atlantic went the simple route, and I'm glad they went for an earthy hop and not something floral.Although I like citrus and floral hops, earthy ones are nice for a change.
Taste: 4/5
This IPA tastes surprisingly malty. The first thing I taste is definitely the earthy, bitter hops, which is nice. This is an IPA after all. But there's a thick, bread-like malty flavor behind the hoppiness. Though the flavor is limited to those two aspects (the earthy Columbus hops and the bread-like malt), which for some could be a little boring, the flavor is nice. It's powerful to make up for its limitations.
Mouthfeel: 4/5
As I said, this IPA feels very thick. This is due to the bread-like biscuity malt. The malt makes this beer awesome.
Finish: 3/5
New Guy finishes beautifully. It leaves a strong hoppy taste in my mouth, which is welcome after the malty taste. It's like the beer balances out its two components by starting with hops, going to the malt flavor, then finishing with hops.
Total Score: 72.5/100
So New Guy sizes up to be a pretty average, but still very nice "guy". This isn't a top-of-the-line IPA, but it is quite nice and balanced. Pick up a bottle (or six) and enjoy one for yourself!
Until next time, cheers!
-Blake
No comments:
Post a Comment