I've had Long Hammer quite a few times, especially while I was living in Washington. I've actually been to the brewery a couple times... it was 10 minutes from where I lived. It is color is very light for an IPA, but what it lacks in hoppiness, it makes up for in smooth taste and drinkability. It's not going to win any IPA contests or anything, but not bad for a budget IPA fan.
This is a solid effort by Ballast Point Brewing Comapny. It's dry and hoppy with good balance and a crisp taste. Being 7% ABV, it's close to tasting like a double IPA and packs a good punch. I see more of this IPA in my future...
Tony, Mark and I got together to bottle IPA batch #1. Tony and I picked up the 1 liter clip top bottles and arrived at Marks just as he was getting home. Sanitizing the bottling equipment and bottles turned out to be quite a bit of work.
Next we transferred the beer to the bottling bucket and the additional corn sugar for carbonation. Before starting we did take out a sample and gave it a taste... it was pretty good. This step took a minute to get right... getting the siphon to start without using your mouth on the hose was a challenge. Filling the tube with water first solved the issue and soon we were ready to put the beer in bottles.
Finally Tony and I started putting beer in bottles. Soon we had 17 1 Liter bottles of Homebrew IPA. Now the hardest step, waiting for 2 weeks before opening one!
I'm on my 4th Ranger and I'm feeling good. I like this IPA, although it's not as rich or complex as many of the IPAs I've been drinking lately. Being from a larger brewery, it's got more of a middle of the road feel to it. There are hops in there, it's just not ridicules. It is on the more affordable side, as I only paid $8.99 for a 6 pack. The label could be better too, but that's just a minor cosmetic observation. All in all, drinkable... I'll be back for more I'm sure.
Tony, Mark and I decided to add a batch of yeast to our first batch of IPA this weekend. While at the brew supply shop, we decided to get another fermenter and brew a second batch of beer. We got another IPA beer kit, but not the Rogue brand this time. We also purchased extra hops to add to our brew for that extra punch.
We pitched the yeast and added it to the first batch. We also put the fermenter into a water container to help keep the temperature down. It's been over a day and it's not bubbling aggressively, so it was probably ok. The second batch of yeast shouldn't cause any issues.
This batch was a similar process, although we used liquid malt extract this time. We steeped grains for 30 minutes, then added the malt extract and hops, boiling for 45 minutes before adding the finishing hops and a final 15 minute boil.
Once the wart was chilled to below 80 degrees, we added the activated yeast to the fermenter and poured it in. We sealed the lid and air check valve tight for the transport to Tony's house. For the second time, I forgot to get a good original gravity reading... argh. Oh well, other than that everything seemed to go great. Lets hope for a successful second batch.
This was my first taste of Hop Ottin' and I'm on the fence. It has a crisp taste, but could use more hop influence. This IPA comes off a bit more bitter and floral than other IPAs I've had. I think it has more of an English IPA influence, which is something I'm not that used to. It is strong though, and as I drink it down, it's starting to grow on me. I'd drink it again, but don't think I'll be making a special trip to BevMo just for this one.
This is possibly my favorite IPA. Technically it's an Imperial IPA which is basically a "double" IPA. They are usually supremely hoppy and high in alcohol content and this beer doesn't disappoint. It is lighter in color than you would expect and has a citrus overtone... strong but very smooth. It's a bit expensive but well worth it.
I drank many new IPAs in the past few days. They were all great, but I was to preoccupied to do proper posts on these, which include(but not limited to): Bear Republic - Apex IPA, Bear Republic - Racer 5 IPA, Dogfish Head - 90 Minute IPA, Stone - Cali-Beligique IPA, Redhook - Long Hammer IPA and Rogue - Brutal IPA. I specifically wanted to try the Brutal IPA since we are making a homebrew version of this beer as our first batch and I wanted to see what it should taste like if brewed properly. It was smooth and balanced and was not overpowered by the hops. I hope our version (pictured above) turns out similar to the real McCoy. We'll find out in a month...
Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA has the honor of being the first beer on IPAlove. It's a solid IPA, with great hoppiness, good balance and smooth finish. For thoes looking for a more extreme IPA experience, the 90 Minute IPA may be a better choice for you. I picked up a 6-pack for $11.99 which puts this beer in the slightly pricy category, but overall a solid value.
