No Foolin' Hopsy Likes Them Hazy and Dank

April Fool’s Day is a bit dark and dreary, but Hopsy was happy to be back outside with a hazy, dank IPA from Lumen Beer Co. called Lumenati. For those who like a dank IPA, this one is for you! Subtle pineapple and stonefruit notes quickly transition to dank, grassy, bitter notes. The hop profile is Citra, Mosaic, Citra Cryo, Columbus Cryo, and El Dorado hops in this hazy 7.2% ABV, 35 IBU IPA.

When making your way to Omaha, Nebraska, a trip to Little Bohemia and Lumen Beer Co. is a fun experience!

Cheers!

Hazy and Bright On a Cold Snowy Night

When I think of Deschutes Brewery, the first words that come to mind are “fresh squeezed.” The Fresh Squeezed IPA set a very high bar for Deschutes. When I found this Hazetron Imperial Hazy IPA, it was time to put it to the test!

Today was a snowstorm, and I needed something to remind me of warmer days. Hazetron is a perfect warmer, coming in at 8.0% ABV. The orange and stone fruit notes are what I get upfront. The body is soft, transitioning smoothly to a mild hop finish.

The hop profile consists of Simcoe Cryo and Experimental 630 hops. The one thing that is always difficult is getting a beer, not knowing how long it has been on the shelf. When I made my purchase, I checked the canned date, which was three months. Amazingly, Hazetron is still extremely fresh with no sediment flakes after 90 days!

Give this one a try to shed those winter blues.

Cheers!

Hoppy Heat

When you say them out loud, there are combinations of flavors that you think are crazy or ingenious! Kinkaider Brewing from Broken Bow, Nebraska, is the genius behind the Mango Habanero version of the Rambler IPA!

The sweet mango notes are predominant up front, and something catches the back of your tongue - the habanero heat! The first taste was faint, but as this IPA warmed up, the heat was more present, which I loved. For me, habanero is an excellent clean heat that works well in stouts, and now I know in IPAs, too.

This Rambler is 6.6% ABV and is a great IPA any time of the year, but remarkably warming on this cold December night.

Cheers!

A Colorado State of Mind

Clear blue skies on a warm summer day in the mountains. Does that put you in the mood for a Citra IPA? My good friend Gerard was recently in Buena Vista, Colorado, and made it to the Eddyline Brewery. He brought back some of their brews and shared the Colorado State of Mind IPA with me.

For me, the nose on this one is earthy and a bit dank. The body is very light, letting the citrus and subtle hint of stone fruit come through. The finish is slight dankness from the hops, which I find welcoming in this refreshing 6.75% IPA! The hop profile is Citra, Mosaic, and Motueka.

Eddyline Brewery is definitely a brewery that I would like to visit!

Cheers!

Are You a Yooper?

Can anyone identify the location of the where this picture was taken?

I never knew there was this thing about Yoopers and Trolls in Michigan. It seems it has a lot to do about what peninsula area you live in.

In the name of research, I had to try the Yoop Juice IPA from Site-1 Brewing! This American IPA was made with only hops from Michigan. The hop profile is Mackinac, Emerald Spire, and Michigan Copper hops. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, but oh my was there some delightful peach, apricot, and canteloupe notes in this IPA!

The color reminds me of when my dad would cut a nice ripe canteloupe from our garden! Medium, soft body for this 6.5% ABV, 66 IBU IPA. The finish is somewhat dank, which adds to the experience of this American IPA.

I think I could be a Yooper!

Cheers!

Do You MoZee?

How often do you slow down in life to take a pleasant stroll or to spend several minutes taking in that latest Toppling Goliath Brewing IPA? If you are pondering this question, then it is time I show you how to MoZee!

Looks can be deceiving as when I see a hazy-bodied IPA. My mind immediately thinks this is going to be fruity and somewhat sweet. I have been spending a good deal of time with this IPA trying to enjoy the complexity of the hop combination of Nelson Sauvin and Mosaic hops. The first impression is that this is a drier IPA pulling in grapefruit, tropical fruit, and white wine notes. The finish has a decent level of bitterness that lingers on the back of your tongue.

MoZee comes in at 6.2% ABV and 30 IBUs and is delightful for those of us who truly enjoy IPAs.

Cheers!

Sunshine, Flowers, and Haaazy Daaang!

There is nothing like springtime when the weather is warm, the flowers are in bloom, and you have a glass of liquid sunshine!

Zipline Brewing Co. from Lincoln, Nebraska has captured the essence of spring in their Haaazy Daaang! A nice nose of citrus as you raise your glass. The citrus notes, especially grapefruit, start off this wonderful IPA. The next thing that grabs my attention is the light body. It is so refreshing even though this is an 8% ABV beer!

The finish brings in those dank notes and just rounds out this IPA. The bottle talks about Zipline’s hazy yeast strain. Looks like more research for another post!

I highly recommend checking out Zipline Brewing beers!

Cheers!

Dang This is Dope!

Zipline Brewing Co just keeps on creating the most interesting and delightful IPAs! Dope has been on my list for a few weeks now and I snagged a six pack to see for myself what everyone else was saying about it.

I love how the front end grabs your attention with a burst of citrus and tropical notes. The finish starts out with a dankness and slowly fades into a subtle bit of sweetness for me. I like the carbonation levels in this one, I think it really enhances the flavor profile!

Dope is made with these two hops:

• Lotus brings orange, vanilla, and tropical fruit notes. Orange is a big factor in the aroma also.

• Cashmere brings overtones of lemon, peach, and melon. The aroma is citrus and tropical fruit.

This IPA comes in at a healthy 7.7% but definitely doesn’t drink like that. Looking forward also to having this one on tap!

Cheers!

Mountain Standard IPA

It is not a West Coast IPA nor is it a New England style IPA. It is described as a Mountain style IPA. Odell Brewing Co. has come up with an excellent slightly hazy IPA that says I am what you need to quench your thirst after a long hike!

Mountain Standard IPA has light citrus and fruit notes up front. The back end is more piney and earthy. A nice level of carbonation makes this such a refreshing IPA! The IBUs come in at 39 and the ABV is 6.5%.

The bright color of this IPA matches your thoughts of a warm, colorful, and enjoyable day! I am glad I picked this one this weekend. It is a delightful beer!

Cheers!

Star Snake Dank IPA is Out of this World

A close encounter of the dank kind

If it weren’t for a cold December night and an Ashland, Nebraska patrolman having a close encounter, this beer may never have been created. The Los Angeles comic book author Michael Jasorka’s comic book, “December 3rd 1967: An Alien Encounter” was the inspiration for this Kinkaider Brewing Co. IPA.

Star Snake Dank IPA is in its second year and l was excited for the spring release. A beautiful golden color greets your glass. Not too much aroma with this one, it is very light. The front end of this IPA is malty and a little sweet. Quickly that fades into a grapefruit and piney finish. The bitterness of the hops lingers and stays with you.

A super fresh IPA that transitions from sweet to bitter in a genuinely nice way. This year’s version is lower in ABV than last year coming in at 6.5%. Not sure on what hops were used, but the IBUs come in around that 80 mark.

You will find Kinkaider Brewing Co in Broken Bow, Nebraska. They also have a restaurant and taproom in Grand Island and another taproom in Lincoln.

Always farm fresh when it comes to their beers!

Cheers!

There is Nothing False With This Idol

Some New England style IPAs claim to be hazy and juicy but when you pour them into your glass suddenly you realize you might have been oversold! False Idol from Pint Nine Brewing will exceed your expectations in what a good hazy IPA should be like.

The hop profile in this IPA includes:

• Citra provides a nice citrus and mango flavor

• El Dorado gives some nice stone fruit flavor

• Idaho 7 lends to citrus and pine notes

I really like the balance of the flavors in this IPA. I get the fruit flavors up front in this soft bodied beer. The finish is more on the earthy side but is not bitter. A very approachable IPA at 30 IBUs and 6.7% ABV.

Definitely one to keep in mind when you are truly after what a hazy IPA is meant to be!

Cheers!

We Have a Jailbreak!

Such a Modest Hop

How could I resist a Juice and Desist from Kros Strain Brewing Company! The first little thing I need to share is that this is my first canned beer from Kros Strain, and it was so fresh and amazing! This hazy double IPA is masterpiece of mango and citrus flavor in a completely approachable IPA. As I was drinking this beer, I completely forgot that it was a 9.4% ABV beer!

I was taken in by the soft and full mouth feel and the flavor provided by the hop blend of Amarillo, Simcoe, and Citra hops. So glad to have this one locally!

When it comes to extraordinary IPAs, Kros Strain Brewing has you covered!

Cheers!

The Real Champagne of Beers - Bridges in the Sky

Cosmic Eye Brewing - Cheers to Your 1 Year Anniversary!

You know the one-year anniversary beer needs to be a pretty special. Cosmic Eye Brewing choose a great style of beer for the occasion! The Brut IPA is a style that hasn’t been around for a very long time. This slightly hazy and bright IPA is dry, crisp, and just a wee bit tart. The science geek in me wants to tell you all about the special enzyme used to gobble some of those extra sugars that helps make this beer nice and dry. Well as a disclaimer, I was lucky to get out of high school without having to take chemistry so you’re on your own for the technical details!

I love the hoppiness of the beer, but it is really hard to tell what type of hops were used. This builds the intrigue around Bridges in the Sky! Maybe someday, I can get the Master Brewer to let me in on the secret.

If you haven’t tried a Brut IPA, it is a style definitely worth getting to know. Cosmic Eye definitely nailed this one!

Make your way to Lincoln, Nebraska and get to know the beers of Cosmic Eye Brewing. The taproom has a great atmosphere and I challenge you to leave without grabbing some beer to go.

Cheers!