Tree Brewing Company - Hop Head Double IPA

In my last post I gave an example of an easy introduction to the world of hoppy beers, for those who might be hesitant.  Well this time I'm throwing down a suggestion for those who are seasoned in the hopped world.  Tree Brewing Co. produce one of my current favourites when I'm looking for a solid hoppy drink.  Their Hop Head Double IPA is well balanced and a very drinkable beer.  The hop aroma hits you right away and lingers nicely.  It has a nice copper hue and a dull body.  I love this beer; the hops are strong and constant and the bitterness keeps me reaching for the glass.  When the hops roll back, you get a soft fruity and floral side coming through.  Just awesome!  I see on the Tree Brewing webpage that the stock was sold out for 2010.  Hopefully they get another batch out to the shelves soon. I'll have to add a few more to my collection just incase.  

Cheers

Phillips Hop Box - Easy Pucker

By last week I had sampled just about every Phillips Brewery beer I could get locally,...except the Hop Box.  This had two Phillips beer I had not tried yet.  I only heard about it a few weeks ago.  This is a 12 pack of four of what I would call their mild or easy hopped beer (but still considered hoppy).  All the beers have a good hop note and taste but are far from overwhelming.  The 12 pack has four each of Hop Circle IPA, Skookum Cascadian Brown Ale,  Krypton Rye Pale Ale and Centennial IPA (the first in their new Grow Hop series (single hop IPA's)).  All of these selection are great for those looking to experiment with beers on the hoppier side, but not ready to quite dive in yet.  The alcholol is lower in these selections (highest = 6.5%) compared to other Phillips high hop beers. The Phillips Hopperation Triple Cross throws a little more pucker your way and an 8% alcohol content if your looking to dive right in!  The Phillips Hop Box is available at Frirefly Wines and Ales on Cambie Street in Vancouver .

Dogfish Head Bitches Brew

So, I finally got my hands on a bottle of Bitches Brew by Dogfish HeadCraft Brewed Ales.  Full details about this small batch beer can be seen on the Dogfish Head webpage (http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/occassional-rarities/bitches-brew.htm); as well as on the "Brewmasters" Discovery channel TV show Episode One (http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/brew-masters-videos/).

Getting my hands on a bottle in Vancouver proved a little harder than I thought.  I managed to track down a small quantity at Firefly Wines and Ales on Cambie Street (http://www.fireflyfinewinesandales.com/).  I have since realized that they are pretty much the first place to check for any craft brew you are looking for.  Fantastic selection.

Anyway, the beer was enjoyable.  Did a patient tasting to the soundtrack of Miles of course.  The aroma had expected characteristics of chocolate, caramel, coffee and a mild roasted note.  The head was tall, but surprisingly light.  This feel continued into the body of the beer which was surprisingly carbonated.  I  expected a thicker body due to the dark color, but it was a pleasant surprise.

All in all a really good drink in a really cool bottle.  The only down-side was the $37 price tag it came with.  Overlooked due to the very unique story behind this brew.

Cheers

Getting things going!

Hang tight!  Things are coming along.