609. Southern Tier IPA
This is the last of the three beers in the Southern Tier mixed six-pack that I picked up a few weeks ago. I let this warm to around 40º F and served it in my Harpoon IPA glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): This is the best aspect of this beer. It pours a lightly hazy amber-copper with a thick, sudsy head that fades to a bubbly layer leaving lace coating the inside of the glass.
Smell (4.0): Upon opening the bottle I noticed a strong caramel maltiness, but once poured into the glass hops dominate. They're floral, herbal and lightly citric with a sweet underlying raw maltiness.
Taste (3.0): Sweet caramel malts upfront, toasty through the center with a lightly peppery finish with a light bitterness that grows in intensity in the aftertaste. The flavors are nice, but the hoppiness could be stronger and integrated into the beer better.
Mouthfeel (2.0): Light-bodied and watery with low-carbonation. Higher carbonation would have helped prevent the beer from feeling thin and watery.
Drinkability (3.0): Pretty easy to drink, but needs more body and integrated flavor.
Overall (3.3): An okay IPA. Nice flavors, but watery and a little dull.
This is the last of the three beers in the Southern Tier mixed six-pack that I picked up a few weeks ago. I let this warm to around 40º F and served it in my Harpoon IPA glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): This is the best aspect of this beer. It pours a lightly hazy amber-copper with a thick, sudsy head that fades to a bubbly layer leaving lace coating the inside of the glass.
Smell (4.0): Upon opening the bottle I noticed a strong caramel maltiness, but once poured into the glass hops dominate. They're floral, herbal and lightly citric with a sweet underlying raw maltiness.
Taste (3.0): Sweet caramel malts upfront, toasty through the center with a lightly peppery finish with a light bitterness that grows in intensity in the aftertaste. The flavors are nice, but the hoppiness could be stronger and integrated into the beer better.
Mouthfeel (2.0): Light-bodied and watery with low-carbonation. Higher carbonation would have helped prevent the beer from feeling thin and watery.
Drinkability (3.0): Pretty easy to drink, but needs more body and integrated flavor.
Overall (3.3): An okay IPA. Nice flavors, but watery and a little dull.
Labels: American IPA, Southern Tier
606. Harvest Ale
I really felt like a beer after getting home from lab at 10:30 tonight. I played Excite Truck on Wii for about half an hour then I opened this one up. It came in the same mixed six-pack that Phin & Matts Extraordinary Ale came in. I let it warm to around 40º F and served it in my NERAX pint glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.20%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): This looks very similar to Phin and Matt's Extraordinary Ale. It pours a lightly hazy golden-copper that's perhaps a shade lighter. The off-white head is thick and frothy and fades to a sudsy layer leaving patches of lace on the side of the glass.
Smell (3.5): The aroma is much stronger than Phin and Matt's. There are light citrus and fruit aromas along with a sweet maltiness that hit the nose before the hop aroma that is resiny and grassy.
Taste (4.0): Sweet malts upfront that become toasty with a lingering residual sweetness that lasts through to the finish. A strong hop bitterness appears in the finish, it's citrusy and grassy with a little bit of resiny character. The aftertaste is a nice lingering bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light to medium-bodied with moderate carbonation and a slick oiliness.
Drinkability (4.0): Tasty, hoppy and well-balanced.
Overall (3.85): I was disappointed with Phin and Matt's Extraordinary Ale, but this is a good APA. It's nice and hoppy without too much sweetness.
I really felt like a beer after getting home from lab at 10:30 tonight. I played Excite Truck on Wii for about half an hour then I opened this one up. It came in the same mixed six-pack that Phin & Matts Extraordinary Ale came in. I let it warm to around 40º F and served it in my NERAX pint glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.20%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): This looks very similar to Phin and Matt's Extraordinary Ale. It pours a lightly hazy golden-copper that's perhaps a shade lighter. The off-white head is thick and frothy and fades to a sudsy layer leaving patches of lace on the side of the glass.
Smell (3.5): The aroma is much stronger than Phin and Matt's. There are light citrus and fruit aromas along with a sweet maltiness that hit the nose before the hop aroma that is resiny and grassy.
Taste (4.0): Sweet malts upfront that become toasty with a lingering residual sweetness that lasts through to the finish. A strong hop bitterness appears in the finish, it's citrusy and grassy with a little bit of resiny character. The aftertaste is a nice lingering bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light to medium-bodied with moderate carbonation and a slick oiliness.
Drinkability (4.0): Tasty, hoppy and well-balanced.
Overall (3.85): I was disappointed with Phin and Matt's Extraordinary Ale, but this is a good APA. It's nice and hoppy without too much sweetness.
Labels: American Pale Ale, Southern Tier
605. Phin & Matts Extraordinary Ale
After wandering around Downtown Wine and Spirits in a state of indecisiveness for several minutes I decided to pick up a mixed six-pack from Southern Tier. I let this warm a bit and served it in my NERAX pint glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.60%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy golden-copper with a thick, sudsy off-white head that fades to a frothy film leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.0): Light malts with some citrusy hop aromas. Not bad, but pretty average for the style.
Taste (3.0): Lightly sweet and toasty malts upfront. The center has notes of fruity citrus, which moves into a light hop bitterness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (3.0): Light-bodied, moderate carbonation, watery.
Drinkability (4.0): Easy to drink, it's light and probably pretty nice in warmer weather.
Overall (3.3): This is a so-so APA. There's nothing bad about it, but the flavors are just too subdued.
After wandering around Downtown Wine and Spirits in a state of indecisiveness for several minutes I decided to pick up a mixed six-pack from Southern Tier. I let this warm a bit and served it in my NERAX pint glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.60%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy golden-copper with a thick, sudsy off-white head that fades to a frothy film leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.0): Light malts with some citrusy hop aromas. Not bad, but pretty average for the style.
Taste (3.0): Lightly sweet and toasty malts upfront. The center has notes of fruity citrus, which moves into a light hop bitterness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (3.0): Light-bodied, moderate carbonation, watery.
Drinkability (4.0): Easy to drink, it's light and probably pretty nice in warmer weather.
Overall (3.3): This is a so-so APA. There's nothing bad about it, but the flavors are just too subdued.
Labels: American Pale Ale, Southern Tier
