Again at one of my favorite places doing one of my favorite things. Brewforia in Meridian, ID trying a couple beers that I have never had before. It’s the day before Thanksgiving and I got a growler filed with some Scuttlebutt Brewing 10 deg Below Zero porter. At least I think it’s a porter. I had it 4 years ago at the brewpub and it was not classified there or on Ratebeer.com the beer rating site I hang out at. I think that its full bodied and roasty flavor will go well with the feast that is online for tomorrow.
On tap here at Brewforia is Brewdog Hardcore IPA. It is a “double” which basically means it is a ramped up IPA. Meaning more barley was used as compared to a “regular” IPA/ More barley means more sugars in the wort which means more alcohol in the finished beer. It also usually means a bigger malt body and feel as the finished product usually has more residual sugars after the yeast has consumed as much as it can. whereas a regular IPA may finish at a final gravity of 1.015 or so, a “double” may finish at 1.020 pr 1.025. the result is a beer that just feels heavier and a little sweeter and has a “wet” or full mouth feel.
In general brewers aim to have as much of the sugars in a wort ferment out or “attenuate” and this is express as a percentage. 70 or 80 percent attenuation, for example is how this is expressed. It goes without saying (but i will say it now) that if 70% of the sugars are fermented, then a double IPA will have a lot more sugars left over that a regular IPA will. But since a lot more was in the unfermented beer to begin with, you also get a higher alcohol component as well. All things being equal.
So this is a double. The Brewdog “Hardcore” IPA is in fact “HardCore”. Served in a tulip glass and having a very big up-front hop aroma, it is easily identified as a Double IPA. Moderate malt flavors and plenty of residual sugars making for a full bodies almost slightly sweet beer. Big hoppy bitterness that is more grassy and piney than the grapefruit and tangerine that is more prevelent in “smaller” single IPAs sometimes, but big and bold. Nice.
The second was a Lagunitas “Fusion IV” Listed as an American Strong Ale it has a definite Belgian character. The yeasty fruity spiciness betrays this. The “Strong” part, yes! It is 9% and has a kick. I am surprised in fact that they served it to me in a pint glass. Rather pale yellow, and lots of active effervescence with a nice thin but thin off-white head makes for an attractive glass. The ABV is evident, even if it takes 20 min to feel it… It is like a fuller bodied Belgian Strong. I am curious what yest was used to make this and the yest is often the distinguishing characteristic of Belgians. Stl pretty good even if it is one of the beers that tends to straddle styles.
Time to head home. Cheers !
