Bell's Two-Hearted Ale

From the website:

"India Pale Ale style well suited for Hemingway-esque trips to the Upper Peninsula. American malts and enormous hop additions give this beer a crisp finish and incredible floral hop aroma."

Let's put those first impressions out there. This beer has a nice, thick head that clings to the glass. There is a strong aroma of very fragrant hops, and it's got a very nice, golden color.

A full flavor up front leads into a strong alcohol taste on the back end.

This is by far the best IPA I've ever had, and it's sad that I can't yet get it in Tennessee. If I ever want some Bell's, I've got to get it when I visit my parents just outside of Lousiville, KY. A check of their website reveals that they've got a huge selection to choose from, so I guess I've got a great excuse to visit more often.

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Listening to: Motion City Soundtrack - Point of Extinction
via FoxyTunes

Michelob Pale Ale (Beer Review)

From the label:

"An English style pale ale dry hopped with Cascade hops from the Yakima Valley."

Yeah, I don’t know what that means.

So far this is the most flavorful of Michelob’s craft beers that I’ve tasted, but that flavor is all hops. The taste lingers for a bit, longer than the others, but that’s not saying much. This really tastes like a hoppy American lager.

I think it’s a kind of funny that the beer I expected to like the least is, so far (I’ve still got the Porter and Amber Bock to go through), the one that tastes most like a high-quality beer rather than something watered down.

I’ve heard lots of good things about the Porter, and Amber Bock has always held a soft spot in my heart, so I hope I’m not disappointed in these last two.

Flying Dog Double Dog Double Pale Ale (Beer Review)

Double everything is right. Double hops, double malt, double alcohol, double kick. I’d probably like it more if it were less malty. I’m finding that I’m not a malt guy. Hops I’m good with, malts in moderation. I’ll probably be staying away from anything with a double or triple in its name for the foreseeable future.

That said, I wasn’t expecting the maltiness of this beer. Regardless of the double, since it’s a pale ale, I guess I was just expecting more hops.

The alcohol kicks you in the mouth almost immediately. This is a strong beer at 10.5%. That was probably the saving grace for this beer to somewhat take your mind off of the malt.

And now that I look at the description on the webpage, I wonder if I actually know the taste difference between malt and hops. I associate sweetness with malt and more bitterness with hops. This beer is described as having "an insane amount of Cascade and Columbus hops," but I get nothing but syrupy sweetness. Looks like I have to do more research.

All in all, I think I’d rather have two pale ales than a double pale ale.

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Listening to: Weezer - American Gigolo
via FoxyTunes