Pale rider

No, that is not my nickname during the winter months.  I'm talking about Pale Ales, and IPAs, that kind of Pale.  I know this time of year I should be at the liquor store buying seasonal "fall/Autumn" style beers, but I just cannot quite my love affair for the hoppy hopped up Ales.  Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of the Porter, the Stout and of course the Amber Ale, and this time of year the Oktoberfest seasonal.

I just rode the fixie over to the liquor store and picked up Avery Brewing's IPA.  Avery is out of Boulder, Co and have been brewing what they call "eccentric ales and lagers that defy styles or categories" since 1993.  I don't know what it is about the craft beers that come out of Colorado, but there is something special about them, at least for me.  It might be the Northeast for you or the Northwest, but give me a good craft beer out of Colorado and I am a happy man.

Avery's IPA by the numbers:  6.5% ABV 69 IBU's  So for you that know what those mean, pat yourself on the back.  For the rest of us, it means that this beer has twice the alcohol that an Oklahoman beer has, and it is a fairly bitter beer.  The Bud Light drinker should change the channel at this point, if you made it this far.  This IPA has four varieties of hops Columbus, Chinook, Cascade and Centennial.  I believe, (correct me if I am wrong. to lazy to google this right now) that these varieties are all from the West and Northwest.  With the four hops going into this beer you will experience a very hoppy beer -go figure.  The flavors and aroma are very complex with citrus and floral overtones.  Even with the complexity of the hops, this beer is an exceptionally smooth beer, for an IPA mind you.

As the label on the bottle says "Our IPA demands to be poured into your favorite glass to truly appreciate the citrusy, floral bouquet..."  In a glass you notice the smell right off, a crisp sharp clean jab to the nostril, that changes once the IPA hits your tongue.  The hops come alive while you take a sip, and you are left with a subtle but not overly bitter finish.  This is a complicated beer that is masquerading as a simple "have a few" beer.  I had a nice pasta dinner with bologease sauce lots of garlic salt and some Parmesan cheese, and I could taste the differences that this beer has to offer.  It was three different beers, the before meal, during, and after dinner dessert.

Words are fun to play with when trying to describe something that needs no words to describe.  Take a drink and you will come up with your own opinion of Avery's IPA.  My opinion plus $4.00 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks.  But a trip to your local liquor store and $8.00 will get you a six pack of one of my favorite IPAs.  I know it is not IPA season, but this pale rider is hooked on the Pale Ales.