Beer of the Weekend #452: Steelhead Double India Pale Ale
BotW took a break last weekend. I was camping, enjoying a long break from writing the story due today. Having just finished it, I thought I would try a new beer to celebrate.
(Speaking of new beer, my annual BotW retrospective is overdue. I plan to write it tomorrow.)
The beer tonight is Steelhead Double India Pale Ale, brewed by the Mad River Brewing Company of Blue Lake, California.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. No freshness date.
Appearance: Poured into a tulip glass. The color is cloudy, amber-orange. It looks thick; orange pulp-like specks are suspended in the beer. About two fingers of dense, eggshell-colored head settled slowly to leave trails along the glass, a thick ring, and clusters of bubbles and skim.
Smell: Invigorating and spot-on! Orange, mellow grapefruit, light lemon zest, peach, pineapple, mango, strawberry, and raspberry. I know it sounds demeaning, but it’s true: it reminds me of a strawberry Orange Julius, or maybe one of the banana and berry smoothies from Jamba Juice. As the beer warms, caramel sweetness becomes more prominent and the booze begins to sneak in. A tame floral hop aroma also emerges.
Taste: The mouthfeel is thick and creamy. The taste is a bit of a letdown compared to the smell, but it is still pretty good. The citrus, tropical fruit, and berries from the smell are less prominent. There is a touch of pine spice as well, but the flavor belongs to pale malts, sweet caramel, and light floral hops. The bitterness is very minimal and the alcohol is almost completely masked.
Drinkability: This is very good stuff, but the flavor lacks the compelling complexity from the aroma.
Fun facts about Steelhead DIPA:
-Style: Double IPA.
-Price: I do not know. J-Rod bought it last week for the NFL Draft. I watched him agonize over the thought of the Vikings drafting Manti Te’o.
-Serving temperature: 50-55ºF.
-Alcohol content: 8.6 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: The beer’s webpage said, “Goes great with red meats and life in general. Does not go well with driving or machinery.”
-Humbolt County-based band, Kulica, wrote a song in honor of Steelhead DIPA called “Sipa My Dipa!” The beer’s webpage features a link that I assumed lead to the song, but it instead leads to the band’s website and the song is unavailable.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+/A-.
(Speaking of new beer, my annual BotW retrospective is overdue. I plan to write it tomorrow.)
The beer tonight is Steelhead Double India Pale Ale, brewed by the Mad River Brewing Company of Blue Lake, California.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. No freshness date.
Appearance: Poured into a tulip glass. The color is cloudy, amber-orange. It looks thick; orange pulp-like specks are suspended in the beer. About two fingers of dense, eggshell-colored head settled slowly to leave trails along the glass, a thick ring, and clusters of bubbles and skim.
Smell: Invigorating and spot-on! Orange, mellow grapefruit, light lemon zest, peach, pineapple, mango, strawberry, and raspberry. I know it sounds demeaning, but it’s true: it reminds me of a strawberry Orange Julius, or maybe one of the banana and berry smoothies from Jamba Juice. As the beer warms, caramel sweetness becomes more prominent and the booze begins to sneak in. A tame floral hop aroma also emerges.
Taste: The mouthfeel is thick and creamy. The taste is a bit of a letdown compared to the smell, but it is still pretty good. The citrus, tropical fruit, and berries from the smell are less prominent. There is a touch of pine spice as well, but the flavor belongs to pale malts, sweet caramel, and light floral hops. The bitterness is very minimal and the alcohol is almost completely masked.
Drinkability: This is very good stuff, but the flavor lacks the compelling complexity from the aroma.
Fun facts about Steelhead DIPA:
-Style: Double IPA.
-Price: I do not know. J-Rod bought it last week for the NFL Draft. I watched him agonize over the thought of the Vikings drafting Manti Te’o.
-Serving temperature: 50-55ºF.
-Alcohol content: 8.6 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: The beer’s webpage said, “Goes great with red meats and life in general. Does not go well with driving or machinery.”
-Humbolt County-based band, Kulica, wrote a song in honor of Steelhead DIPA called “Sipa My Dipa!” The beer’s webpage features a link that I assumed lead to the song, but it instead leads to the band’s website and the song is unavailable.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B+/A-.
