Beer of the Weekend #423: Watch Man IPA
The beer tonight is a Christmas party leftover that has been chilling in my fridge for about a month: Watch Man IPA, brewed by the Empyrean Brewing Company of Lincoln, Nebraska.
I am tasting upstairs tonight for the sake of variety. I am also indulging in a little West Coast Conference basketball. Oh, the WCC. I have fond memories of watching epic battles between Gonzaga and St. Mary’s.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. The notched, “BEST ENJOYED BY” month is “JAN.”
Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is hazy honey amber. A little more than a finger of fluffy, off-white head left a spotted, bubbly lacing, a ring around the edge, and trails of foam along the glass.
Smell: Very faint scents of grapefruit, orange, and pine. The strength improves a little as the beer warms, though. However, a hint of Tang becomes apparent. There is also a nice pale malt, caramel, and toffee foundation.
Taste: Very nice, full-bodied mouthfeel. The taste is pretty weak but mostly mirrors the aroma: grapefruit, orange, lemon, pine, pale malts, caramel, and toffee. The bitterness is adequate and lingers on the taste buds after each sip. No Tang, thankfully.
Drinkability: It is pretty good. There are better IPAs, and hopper pale ales, but it will do.
Fun facts about Watch Man IPA:
-Style: American IPA.
-Price: No clue. (By the way, the Loud Sister hosted the party. I had nothing to do with it except drinking the leftover beer.)
-Serving temperature: The label says to “Store and serve cool, below 40ยบ.” That is really cold for an IPA.
-Alcohol content: 6 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: The Empyrean website suggests pairing Watch Man IPA “with flaky grilled fish, creamy pastas and hearty salads.”
-IBU: 58.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
I am tasting upstairs tonight for the sake of variety. I am also indulging in a little West Coast Conference basketball. Oh, the WCC. I have fond memories of watching epic battles between Gonzaga and St. Mary’s.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. The notched, “BEST ENJOYED BY” month is “JAN.”
Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is hazy honey amber. A little more than a finger of fluffy, off-white head left a spotted, bubbly lacing, a ring around the edge, and trails of foam along the glass.
Smell: Very faint scents of grapefruit, orange, and pine. The strength improves a little as the beer warms, though. However, a hint of Tang becomes apparent. There is also a nice pale malt, caramel, and toffee foundation.
Taste: Very nice, full-bodied mouthfeel. The taste is pretty weak but mostly mirrors the aroma: grapefruit, orange, lemon, pine, pale malts, caramel, and toffee. The bitterness is adequate and lingers on the taste buds after each sip. No Tang, thankfully.
Drinkability: It is pretty good. There are better IPAs, and hopper pale ales, but it will do.
Fun facts about Watch Man IPA:
-Style: American IPA.
-Price: No clue. (By the way, the Loud Sister hosted the party. I had nothing to do with it except drinking the leftover beer.)
-Serving temperature: The label says to “Store and serve cool, below 40ยบ.” That is really cold for an IPA.
-Alcohol content: 6 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: The Empyrean website suggests pairing Watch Man IPA “with flaky grilled fish, creamy pastas and hearty salads.”
-IBU: 58.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
