Even Keel

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Even Keel

• Brewery: Ballest Point (California)

• Style: Session IPA

• ABV: 3.8%

• IBU: 40

• Pour Color: Dark golden color maybe even a bronze that allowed light thru.

      The face poured this one and the smell hit me quick. A nice citrus grassy scent off the top. The head was two fingers high to begin with and disappeared rapidly. The color in the glass was a bronze shade that allowed light thru. I imagine some kind of caramel malt is used to get that shade in a session ipa. It also had a nice little bit of hop haze to it. The flavor gives you a slight sweet taste of malts that coincides with a bitter almost tangerine, orange, grapefruit flavor. This beer is able to pack a punch that most session ales can't. A good beer to have a few when you can't get smashed. 
      I went to a tap take over from Ballest Point at the basin pub in my area of New York. They had alot of big beers but I had to drive home and I live a half hour away at the very least. This was the beer that got me through. Full of flavor and a real low ABV. Up till that night i didn't give many sessions a chance cause they were just so laid back. This one actually packs the flavor IPA drinkers are looking for. 

Rating: ****1/2

Citra Blonde 2013

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Citra Blonde (2013)

• Brewery: Widmer Brothers Brewing (Oregon)

• Style: Blonde

• ABV: 4.3%

• IBU: 20

• Pour Color: A Golden easily seen thru pour with a nice fluffy head!

      This one was a golden color and had a fluffy head. Seemed a little extra fizzy. The head disapeared quick and left no trace though. The scent off the top was more wheat scented malts then anything else. The citra hops lend a slight lemon scent. The flavor is slightly bitter citrus notes and a wheat malt flavor. Really a typical summer beer that's light and easy to drink.
      Another beer of summer that really just fits in instead of stands out. It's light and not overly bitter or overly sweet. Instead of using the lemon that all the other beers of summer use though they create it with the citra. Refreshing, crisp, and clean and would make a good golf course beer. Can't really see taking a deep in it otherwise though.

Rating: ***

All Day IPA

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: All Day IPA

• Brewery: Founder's Brewing Company (Michigan) 

• Style: Session IPA

• ABV: 4.7%

• IBU: 42

• Pour Color: Golden straw color easily seen thru

      The Face poured it and we found it was a nice see thru gold color. The carbonation seemed rather high as bubbles are seen all over the glass. The head sat at about a inch and hung around for a good while. The lacing went down the whole glass. The scent off the top was a piney/earthy combination. Much stronger and bolder then most session IPAs. The taste came through as a piney grassy taste. The malts, unlike alot of founders beers, stayed very mellow. It comes across as almost a wheat beer flavor.
      Normally I expect a session ale to be rather light and boring. Although in the vein of most craft beer types they just are too mellow to really be a everyday pick up. I find this one to be different. The hops that a IPA lover is looking for is strong in this beer. Both scent and flavor you get a nice kick. Although since the ABV is lower you can drink two or three of these and still golf. You really might have a hard time doing the same with two or three breakfast stouts! It's definitely worth spending all day with this IPA!

Rating: ****1/2

Summerbright Ale

The Beer Stats:

• Beer Name: Summerbright Ale

• Brewery: Breckenridge Brewing Company (Colorado)

• Style: Wheat Beer

• ABV: 4.5%

• IBU: 15

• Pour Color: Golden, light can easily pass through.

      This one poured like a champ for the Face and I was anxious to take a swim! The head was fluffy and actually quite thick for a summer wheat beer. The head hung around for a good while too. The color was light golden was nearly transparent. The scent off the glass was a wheat one of course. A slight hint of citrus in there too. The beer it self is very light bodied and ballenced well. It has a nice sweetness in the malts. A very wheat flavor too. The citrus kick is what makes this refreshing. It gives it a crispness in flavor that works really well to just give a little bitter. I really enjoyed this summer ale. 
      Another summer seasonal and another really good beer. With Sam Adams summer you get hit with lemon hard. Now, myself, I really enjoy it. This one doesn't do that though. The orange and the lemon peel mix well to give a great flavor.  Most the summer ales I've reviewed don't fall under 5% abv. This is a great easy drinking ale that won't knock you on your butt on those 95 degree days. Also a real delightful kick of citrus that gives it character. Treat your mustache (upper lip) to a dip in it today!

Rating: ****