Alaskan IPA

Alaskan Brewing Company
Juneau, Alaska

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Honey-gold, effervescent—lots of big bubbles. White, creamy head that fades to lace the glass. Pretty.

AROMA: 3/4
Earthy hop–grassy, meadowy. Some citrus, more piney. Malty. Brown sugar notes, like raisin bread.

TASTE: 8.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.25/4: All hop flavor–woody, floral. Fades to nice bitter. Grassy, earthy, some nutty maltiness.
Aftertaste: 2.5/3: Subtle but lasting hop bitterness—a nice degree of bitterness.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Surprisingly light-bodied. Crisp, refreshing, not heavy or big, just nice.

OVERALL: 2.5/3: A good meadowy, earthy, bitter IPA. Atypical–doesn't have the citrus you find in most American IPAs. Eminently drinkable, though at 6.2%, might not be the best session beer.

TOTAL: 16.75/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: This surprised me–lighter than I expected, meadowy hop vs. citrusy, just a different IPA. And do I like it? You bet I do—well done.
Ben: Piney, grassy hop flavors nicely offset by hop bitterness. A little too light-bodied, the only knock I can give it. A great brewery–try any of their beers and you'll be pleased.