Tag: American Pale Ale

Sixpoint Brewery Hi-Res Triple IPA

Sixpoint Brewing Hi-Res IPA in a Tulip Glass
Hi-Res Triple IPA in a Tulip

Light copper colored with a thick ivory head of fine white bubbles.  Visually this is pretty much identical to the Resin Double IPA.

It’s got a strong pine aroma with some mild floral hops backing it up.

Up front I’m picking up some mango and grapefruit and a little orange peel but the main attraction is the earthy, resinous pine that follows it.  Rounding it out, and balancing things nicely, are some biscuity malt flavors.

At 10.5% I was expecting a bit of an alcohol kick in the finish but it’s not there. It’s smooth and medium bodied with just a hint of a sticky finish.

This is another strong one that’s easy to drink so be wary where it takes you!

Between the two, this and the Resin, it’s a hard fought race.  I think the Hi-Res narrows it out but both are excellent options!

Other Specs

  • ABV: 10.5% (previous releases look a bit higher)
  • IBU: 115
  • SRM: 11
  • Availability Varies
  • Available in 4-packs of 12 oz slim cans.
  • Best By Date located on bottom of can and outside of box

Why that Glass?

For imperial IPAs I prefer to reach for a tulip glass.  It’s great for displaying the beer’s color and clarity and tall sticky head.  The tulip is also great for helping me pick out some of the more subtle aromas and flavors that these stronger beers have.

In a pint glass my palate would likely be overwhelmed too quickly. Despite this Imperial being so well balanced I’d miss those delicate citrus notes and get stuck on the pine and hops.

More About the Hi-Res Triple IPA

As I mentioned in my post on the Resin Double IPA, Sixpoint Brewery is fast becoming one of my safety breweries.  If I hit up a liquor store and can’t make up my mind I can just grab anything from Sixpoint and I know I’ll be happy.

Unlike the Resin, which is a regular offering, the Hi-Res falls under Sixpoint’s line of “cycliquids” – that is, beers that essentially come out when they come out. The Hi-Res appears to have had a few releases, it’s just not on a regular schedule.

If you’re in or around Worcester you can find this at Total Wine (as of 3/4/17) it’s worth checking out!

The Tulip Pint Glass or Irish Imperial Pint

Tulip Pint with a Nitro Beer
Tulip Pint with a Nitro Beer

The tulip Pint is also known as the Irish Imperial Pint or Guinness Glass. While you’re likely to see this glass a lot it’s not quite as versatile as some of the other  styles of pint glass.

This glass gets its name from it’s familiar tulip shape.  Unlike shorter stemmed tulips its top lacks a flared mouth and instead ends with walls pointing straight up.  These glasses are almost always 20 ounces but some mild variation can occur.

Benefits of the Tulip Pint Glass

Like other pint glasses the most immediate benefit is volume.  The Imperial Irish Pint holds about 20 ounces which is plenty of space for a large pour while still leaving a generous amount of space for a beer’s head.

With it’s smaller base and more pronounced bulb some people might also find it a little easier to hold than the nonic pint.

These glasses also provide a good look at a beer’s deeper colors while the wide mouth helps support head retention.  Of course it also helps with taking large sips of “Nitro” beers that have thick frothy heads.  For nitros keep a napkin handy ’cause a milk beer-mustache is in your future.

Other Notes

There are smaller versions of this glass floating around in various different sizes.  Many will be branded “Guinness” but will only be 16 ounces.

You want to be looking for a 20 ounce glass.  Due to a quirk in how we deal with fluid ounces there might even be some small variation there but that’s OK.  A true imperial pint will measure just over 19 US ounces and for our purposes that’s pretty OK.

Just avoid the 16 ounce ones.

What  Beer Goes with a Tulip Pint Glass?

Most people know this glass as a Guinness Glass so that’s a good jumping off point.  Irish Stouts are so tied to this glass it almost feels wrong to drink them in anything else.  The same goes for Irish Ales.

After that any beer billing itself with the term “Nitro” is a safe bet. The wide mouth at the top of the glass makes a beer’s creamy head and body that much more tantalizing.

This glass also works well as a utility glass for any ales or lagers poured from a large bottle.  Personally, I’d avoid lagers and keep them in something like a large pilsner or a stange but it’s not a huge deal.  You’ll have to go back to the fridge to retrieve the bottle more often but it’s worth it.

I’d also avoid beers with really active carbonation, sour beers, or beers with higher ABVs.  Those are better suited to other glasses.

Where Can I Buy Tulip Pint Glasses / Irish Imperial Pints?

These are going to be some of the easiest glasses for you to get a hold of.  Every liquor store, box store, and some supermarkets are going to have them.  Just check for either a 20 ounce volume marker or the imperial crown either on the bottom or lip of the glass.

They’re also a common inclusion in most craft beer glass sampler boxes.

Sixpoint Brewery Resin Double IPA

Sixpoint Craft Beer Resin in a Tulip Glass
Sixpoint Resin Double IPA in a Tulip Glass

Copper colored like a brand new penny and sporting a slight haze.  The Resin Double IPA has a frothy white head which leaves sticky lacing along the glass as it settles.

As soon as I poured this beer I picked up an aroma of floral hops with hints of pine. The smell bursts from the glass but it’s not overwhelming at all.  It’s very inviting.

First taste is spicy, floral hops with hints of sweeter malts.  They linger slightly as mild malty sweetness follows. It’s the perfect balance of hops and malt making it easy drinking. There’s virtually no trace of alcohol to warm of the beers higher ABV.

It’s got a medium body and the mild bitter finish you expect from an IPA – not nearly as bitter as I expected.

All-in-all it’s well balanced, easy drinking, and easy to recommend.  Up next, the Hi-Res!

Resin Double IPA Specs:

  • ABV: 9.1%
  • IBU: 103
  • SRM: 9.5
  • Available in “sleek” 12oz cans packaged in 4-packs and 6-packs.
  • Best By Date located on the bottom of each can.

Why That Glass?

With a name like “Resin” I had a pretty good idea of what kind of flavors I should expect from this beer.  A tulip glass (especially one with a taller neck) serves well for showcasing a beer’s more delicate volatiles and it helps retain the kind of dense sticky head you expect from an Imperial IPA.

More About the Resin Double IPA

Sixpoint Brewery is located in Brooklyn, NY but their beers are readily available at many Central Mass liquor stores.  You’ll recognize them instantly for their cans which feature their sixpoint star logo and brightly colored metallic schemes.

The Resin Double IPA is part of their core line of beers including the Sweet Action, Bengali, and The Crisp.

Along with the Resin Double IPA, Sixpoint also brews a Triple IPA that they call Hi-Res.  The Hi-Res is part of their Cycliquids line – we’ll be reviewing that in the next couple days.

 

Cold Harbor Indian Summer IPA

Cold Harbor Indian Summer IPA in a Snifter
Cold Harbor Indian Summer

This juicy, or New England-style, IPA pours a murky golden yellowish-orange.  The head is a frothy off-white color composed of small to medium bubbles.

First smell is grapefruit and citrusy hops. Behind that are some hints of grain and, rather distinctly, corn kernels.

Sipping from the glass reveals bright citrusy hops with hints of orange peel and grapefruit.  As the beer warms I’m getting more of that grain / corn aroma and flavor.  It’s not overwhelming or off-putting but it’s definitely there.

This beer is thick bodied and almost pulpy with the occasional hint of some grit in the finish.  There aren’t huge pulpy particulates in it, it’s more like a thick orange juice.

Other Specs:

  • ABV: 6.5%
  • IBUs: 61
  • Available in the tap room as snifters, 32oz and 64oz growlers.
  • No brew date was easily visible in the tap room or on their site.
  • Growler consumed day of purchase.

Why That Glass?

Cold Harbor serves this beer in tulip glasses at the tap room so we decided to follow suit.  Because of the visual aspects associated with this beer I think either a seidel or a pint glass would also work well.  Both provide a good look at the beer’s thick, dense, haze and showcase it’s rather frothy head.

About this Juicy / New England Style IPA

Indian Summer is brewed by Cold Harbor Brewing Co. in Westborough, Ma.  Cold Harbor dubs this a Juicy IPA on their website but in their tap room they list it as a New England Style IPA.  Given its relative newness I believe that either of these terms applies.  I’ve also seen them referred to as Hazy IPAs, Hazy Pale Ales, and Milkshake IPAs.

Cold Harbor sells pints in their tap room along with 32 & 64 ounce growlers.  (I had a pint and brought a 32 home.)  I couldn’t find any reference to whether it was a seasonal, special or year-round offering.

Other Notes

Cold Harbor’s Indian Summer IPA is kind of serving as my introduction to this particular style.  As a result I wasn’t 100% sure what to expect.  Standing in the tap room, sipping a pint and chatting with friends I found it to be a really interesting beer.  As the smell of fresh BBQ wafted in from the food truck out in their parking lot I was quite content.

Getting home and tasting the beer in a more controlled setting I was still interested by the beer but was also slightly surprised by what I was tasting. Still an intriguing brew, but less inviting and kind of leaning towards “not my style.”

Not bad, just maybe not for me.  Of course that’s kind of how I felt the first time I drank a beer or had coffee.  Of course I’m still intrigued by this style, though, and am looking forward to finding more AND trying more of Cold Harbor’s Brews.

The Right Glass for an American IPA

American IPA
American Double IPA

For an American IPA start by reaching for your nonic pint glass.  You could also reach for a seidel or mug.  The wider mouths and bodies will allow for bigger sips and better enjoyment of the beer’s aroma.  These glasses can also showcase the different colors and clarities that an American IPA may exhibit.

For higher ABV or more flavorful entries go with either a tulip glass or snifter.  These glasses help focus the beer’s more subtle aromas making for better enjoyment of the bolder versions of the style.

About the American IPA

American IPAs have strong floral or citrusy hop flavors which can include piney and resinous notes.  These bright flavors are often followed up by a malty backbone which gives the beer a bit of a sweet, sticky finish.  The beer can be smooth or sticky bodied and on stronger versions the head can stick to the glass almost like a foamy syrup.

American IPAs range from 5.5%- 7.5% ABV.  Stronger versions are also split into the Imperial IPA category.  These beers can be clear to slightly hazy and pale to reddish in color.

While the style is immensely popular on the craft brew scene I personally find it to be a bit overpowering at times.  I usually find it best in warmer weather and in limited quantities.  There’s something about the strong hop characters (especially in the bolder takes on the style) that overwhelms my palate very quickly.

Sub-Styles

Imperial IPAs or Double IPAs are American IPAs with higher ABVs.  These beers range from 8% ABV up to a whopping 15% depending on ingredients and brewing techniques.

Notable American IPAs

  1. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery: 60 Minute IPA
  2. Ballast Point Brewing Company: Sculpin IPA
  3. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.: Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
  4. Anchor Brewing Company: Anchor Liberty Ale
  5. Lagunitas Brewing Company: Lagunitas IPA