After the long wait from last year, we finally got Mike McDole's Double IPA in the Samuel Adams Longshot series, the beers Boston Beer brews and distributes nationally as the result of a country-wide homebrew competition. McDole's beer actually won last year, but because of the hops shortage, the decision was made to hold off production till this year.
I got two samples, and cracked one last night. Yow. This is one wicked bitter beer, slicingly hoppy, chockful of pine and citrus...but without much body under it, or at least, not enough, it seemed to me. I do love me a hoppy beer, but this one's missing the malt it needs to keep it upright. JMO, but after all, it's JMB, you know? Some of you will love this, as it feeds your needs. Me, I'm looking forward to trying the Traditional Bock that came with it in the Longshot sixpack.
16 comments:
OK, so Lew, we are waiting with baited breath to hear the verdict on the growler of the Victory Yakima Twilight....another DIPA. Drum roll please!
Richard
Opening a growler of YT is going to be a commitment, Richard! But I already know I like it from the sip I had on Friday. Just a matter of how much and why. Tried to get some cask YT yesterday, but there were problems with the new cask, and I had to settle for two more pints of Uncle Teddy's, oh, damn...
I agree with you Lew. Two nights ago I drank the Longshot DIPA. Then, last night I (coincidentally) drank the Mendocino Imperial IPA. The Mendocino seemed to have more malt balance to go with the hops.
I'm looking forward to trying this beer. I wonder where it will be available locally? I've had trouble finding the long shot.
You know, as I drink and appreciate beer more I do find that I am enjoying IPAs more and more. I must confess that IPAs were my least favorite style, but now I'm beginning to enjoy them. I guess my palate is becoming more cultured.
So, on that note, I look forward to the Longshot Double IPA.
Hmmm. I've had the beer that Mike McDole made, brewed by Sam Adams twice, and it was fine with plenty of malt to balance the very aggressive hops. It's much like Russian River's Pliny the Elder, since it was based on Vinnie Cilurzo's recipe.
If the malt balance is missing in this batch, they've got it wrong.
Where did you have this apparently hop forward Double (triple actually) IPA? I'd love to try some. It sounds like it's pretty young.
Mike
William,
I've had Pliny a number of times, and I don't think this hits the mark; at least, not in this bottle.
Mike, if that is Mike McDole; I got two sample bottles from Boston Beer. And the label does say "Double" IPA.
I believe they had that Double IPA at Foxboro Stadium, only available on draft for Patriots fans.
I'll contact Boston Beer Co to see if I can get a bottle. Like William Brand, I've had the two previous pilot batches and they had decent malt balance and actually could have been a little drier.This beer is probably from the third pilot batch and not from one of the mega-batches out of the production brewery that will be distributed in February.
Mike (yes, the Longshot DIPA guy)
And yes, Lew, you should definitely try the other Longshot beer, When I tasted it, it was excellent.
For Rich... I can't speak for the Lancaster area; but last Long Shot winners I had (Grape Pale and Weizenbock) I had success picking up at Capone's in Norristown.
Rich,
The Stealery, err, the Foodery had the Longshot Weizenbock and Grape Pale last year, so I imagine they will have this whenever it is available.
Lew & Mike,
Vinnie seems to stress how important it is to dry out with tons of sugar (at least, that's how he and JZ explain it whenever they talk about this recipe). So... I'm a little confused about how it [Pliny-clone] isn't malty enough?
Okay. First, clone or no clone, this is not Pliny. It's this beer. In fact, that's a point which opens a can of worms: is cloning, a practice (or aim) that's completely acceptable in homebrewing, really a good idea in commercial brewing, particularly commercial craft brewing?
Second, my critique is not based on "how close is this to Pliny the Elder," it's based on one thing: how this bottle hit me when I drank it the other night. I was well aware it was a Pliny clone; I don't live in a beer cave. But I drank it, and tasted it, and wrote about it as that glass of beer. And, of course, YMMV.
Oh, and a side note: Bill mc, this is not the Patriots IPA, that's this one: http://lewbryson.blogspot.com/2008/07/samuel-adams-patriot-homebrew-ipa.html
Apologies Lew, I do stand corrected. My bad.
But, I was close...right church, wrong pew.:)
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