Cambridge Brewing Co. Audacity of Hops [Beer Review]
Sometimes I wonder if the rarity of a beer makes me predisposed to like it. Do I subconsciously want to like a beer just because it was so hard to get, or so rare that very people will ever try it? Normally this would be a philosophical question left to the ages (or perhaps a good pysch experiment) but in the case of Audacity of Hops I can actually answer it. You see this beer started as a collaboration beer between Cambridge Brewing Company and Mayflower Brewing (and several other Massachusetts breweries) for the 2009 Craft Brewers Conference. Everyone who attended the event was given a bottle of this beer, and at the time it blew us away. But that bottling was limited to that very, very small run for the event. Sure it’s been on tap at Cambridge Brewing Company from time to time since then, but now it’s in 22oz bottles and I couldn’t wait to try it again. I have to admit, though, I had a bit of fear. Had I over hyped this beer in my head because it wasn’t readily available to purchase? In a word...NO.
I sat down on my couch and started filling my glass. Immediately nearly all my concerns were washed away as the citrusy aroma of hops poured out. Audacity of Hops is more than a clever name, the hop aroma leaps from the glass to let you know you’re in for some serious hop goodness. It pours a rich, hazy gold color with a fluffy white head that stays for a shockingly long time. Any tiny doubt of how good this beer is was eradicated in the first sip. A rush of grapefruity hops coated my tongue, instantly everything I remembered about this beer was confirmed. I let out an involuntary satisfied sigh as I put my glass down, a tell tale sign of tasty beer. This beer isn’t just about the hops though. There’s a fantastic balance of malt sweetness that follows up which then gives way to a perfect spiciness imparted by the Belgian yeast. If it sounds like I’m swooning over this beer it’s because I am. What started out as concern that it wouldn’t live up to my expectations resulted in the blissful realization that this amazing beer is now available whenever I want it, and that’s a great thing.
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Backlash Declaration Belgian-Style IPA [Beer Review]
As I believe I’ve mentioned about twenty times on this site lately, 2011 was a huge year for beer in Massachusetts. We saw the release of so many new breweries that it was tough to keep up! One of those was Backlash Beer Company, a Boston-based but Holyoke-brewed beer that, with this release, counts three Belgian styles under their belts. The latest, a Belgian-style IPA, has come with a lot of hype on the back of Backlash signing a state-wide distribution deal that will expand their reach from the Boston-area to all of Massachusetts.
Clearly unfiltered, Declaration is a dark, hazy tawny beer! Crowned with one of the biggest, sturdiest eggshell colored heads I’ve ever seen, this brew stands a solid 2 fingers taller than the pint glass that is trying to contain it. It seems that the beer is much in line with the ethos of the brass knuckles on every bottle of Backlash. The real question, though, is does the taste stand up to the imposing appearance?
Citrusy hops and very-well-complementing Belgian yeast aromas are definitely getting us started in the right direction! I’m looking for the malt, but all I come back with is the spiciness of the yeast and those damned hops! They’ve seemingly Houdini’ed any smell of the base grains away...eh, to hell with it. Who needs malt in a Belgian IPA anyway?
I read on the Backlash Blog that they claim this is the hoppiest Belgian IPA they know of. Is that true? I don’t know...there are definitely contenders out there who I’d have to try at the same time to really know (after all, beer is super subjective based on the experiences going on all around you...that’s one reason it’s so great!). The important question, though, is: “Is this a good beer?” My answer! I sure as hell think so! I have a checklist (OK, I don’t actually have a checklist, but now that I’m thinking about it, here are the things I think make a great Belgian-style IPA): (1) Big hop bitterness, taste and aroma, (2) dry malt (3) Belgian yeast spice notes, (4) none of that oily hoppiness that many American brewers have put out lately...the Belgians are more sophisticated than that (they’re European after all). This beer nails that in spades! It’s bitter, but balanced, with a great hop taste and a funky Belgian/hoppy nose; it’s super dry; and it’s completely devoid of the oiliness that works in some American IPAs but not in this style (in my humble opinion). The conclusion? Delicious beer! And, luckily, Backlash just inked a statewide distribution deal in Massachusetts. That means all you people in Western Mass can finally find out what us Easterners were talking about (and what’s been being brewed in their own back yard).
Jeff’s Note: Normally I’m a big opponent of wax on bottles. It doesn’t make the beer taste better and it’s a pain to open. That said, Backlash founders Helder and Maggie hand dip each bottle, then hand stamp each, so I had to include that in the picture! Also, it’s really not hard to open. You guys are doing something right even with the packaging!
I bought a 22oz bomber of this craft beer at Craft Beer Cellar in Belmont.
Add a commentWachusett Imperial Black IPA [Beer Review]
I have a soft spot for black IPAs so when we heard Wachusett was launching an Imperial Black IPA as their latest beer, Jeff and I knew we had to go check it out. Black IPA as a style can mean so many things, sometimes it’s purely an IPA with some darker malts, other times a hoppy porter and in a few cases a hoppy stout. If the word imperial normally scares you off, don’t let it this time. At 7.3% abv it certainly comes in higher than the average IPA but it’s not a massive booze bomb like some other imperials on the market. In fact I tried to taste the alcohol in the beer and couldn't.
What you do get is an insanely smooth and balanced black IPA. There’s a nice hop aroma that comes from the use of Zythos, Falconers Flight and Calypso hops. Not familiar with those strains? Yeah we weren’t either, they’re new west coast strains. What we can say is they taste really really good, imparting both citrus and pine notes into the beer. This beer is also most definitely an IPA first. They use midnight and chocolate wheat malts, which turn the beer pitch black but don’t make it overly sweet or too roasty. The use of wheat also adds an incredible smoothness to the finish. Both Jeff and I kept commenting how easy the beer was to drink, which could be a bit dangerous because, while you can’t taste the 7.3% ABV, it’s still there. While there’s no doubt this is a very hoppy beer it’s also incredibly balanced, and in our opinion it’s one of the best beers Wachusett has put out. We were told the beer should be hitting stores starting today (Friday, January 27th 2012), so if you’re reading this go pick some up!
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