Today's beer adventure: Anderson Valley Brewing (California, USA). 355ml can. 7.0% ABV. Served in pint glass. Purchased at Willow Park Wine and Spirits in Regina. ~$5.00/can.The pour is medium coppery amber with an impressive white head. Great retention. Medium-high carbonation.
Aroma is mostly pine and grapefruit hops, but I was surprised to detect a substantial sweet malt backbone. If an IPA can have a gentle nose, this would be it.
The flavour is not what I was expecting. Pine and grapefruit hops blend effortlessly with the sweet-but-not-too-sweet malt, then the bittering hops kick in..but not too much. Incredible balance. The medium-long finish is both sweet and hop bitterness..just like the flavour.
Rating is 8.75/10 dogs. Wow. I had been told to try this beer at all costs and now I know why. It isn't the great big hop-monster that some west coast IPAs can be. It is a beautifully balanced hop-forward IPA. Sweet without being cloying. Bitter without being too much. This beer BEGS you to take another pull, and then another, and then another. World class IMHO. Anderson Valley is putting out some incredible beers and is rapidly becoming one of my favourite breweries.
What other people think: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/193/611
Brewer's website: https://avbc.com/our-beers/hop-ottin-ipa/
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