There and Back

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: There and Back

• Brewery: Sierra Nevada and New Glarus

• Style: English Style Bitter

• ABV: 5.6%

• IBU: 40

• Pour Color: A very slightly hazed bronze color

      This one had a head that fought for just three sips. The color was a nice bonze that was fully see thru. A mellow scent of hops off the top. It almost has a pear scent. Tasting it you get a real range of flavors. Lemon and lime are mixed to make a nice bitter flavor. A slight sweetness of pears and a real mellow spice makes it easily palatable. The part that really gets me is the lingering on the pallet of those bitter parts. This really is a treat to taste and one of the best beers i've tasted from the pack.
      I have heard legend of New Glarus but never have had the pleasure. I'm really glad that Sierra decided to have a tour stop with New Glarus. An amazing beer that really makes me wonder what else is out there in ESBs. Honkers is the only bitter I've had consistently but after this one I may have a new style to explore more often. Really great beer!

Rating: *****

Exposed Cream Ale

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Exposed Cream Ale

• Brewery: Horny Goat Brewing (Wisconsin)

• Style: Cream Ale

• ABV: 5.3%

• IBU:

• Pour Color: Bright yellow color that was slightly cloudy.

      This one poured with little enthusiasm. I mean the head came and went but left some lacing on the top. It was a golden color with a little cloudy color. The scent off the top was mostly malt and biscuit. The taste was mostly those biscuit/bread tasting malts. The feel in the mouth really was fizzy and boring. Not really that creamy. This isn't one I'm going back to get again.
      On the website they list this as a session beer. Which is incorrect. If you're meaning it's easily drinkable then yes this is a "session beer". If you go by the actual meaning of "session beer" then you need a 5% or lower ABV . This obviously is not the case with this beer. This is important, cause a session beer is to be enjoyed over a long period of time and a 5.3% abv, may be a little high to bring on a hot day playing golf. It's easy to bathe in this beer cause it has such a mellow charicter with the 5.3%. That also lends to it being pretty boring in a world of craft beer. Really a everyday beer drinkers dream, in a craft beer bottle. If you've experienced craft beer, more then once, you probably left this kind of a beer in the review long ago!

Rating: *

Whole Hog

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Whole Hog

• Brewery: Stevens Point Brewing Company (Wisconsin)

• Style: Double IPA

• ABV: 8.5%

• IBU: 87

• Pour Color: A nice almost orange color that is quite murky.

      The head was fluffy and about a finger high. It held on the top as a film for the rest of the glass. You can smell the strength of this one off the top of the glass. On top of that is scents of citrus and wheat. I nearly curled on scent alone. The malts are a sweet taste in mouth. The hops are a lemon taste along with a nice grassy taste. It all comes together to leave a tangerine taste in your mouth. You also notice the taste of the alcohol in this. It seems to increase the IBUs beyond whats listed. A decent Imperial IPA really. 
      My first review of a Stevens Point beer. Haven't read a lot about this one, or seen it before this, but really quite good. It's stronger hitting then some and doesn't seem too ballenced but I'm a hop head. The bitter seems to me to be the highlight and not a lot of IPAs come out tasting this clean of fruit. If you like tangerines you get a clean taste of one here. I'll be getting a bath in this one again.

Rating: ***1/2