Beer Thoughts - Stone/Sierra Nevada NxS

Stone/Sierra Nevada North by South (maybe)

Barrel-Aged Double IPA

Bottled: 11/21/15

Disgorged: 12/31/15

ABV: 8.2%

    The official bottle-front description for this beer is "A DRY-HOPPED INDIA PALE ALE BLENDED WITH AN INDIA PALE ALE AGED IN RYE WHISKEY BARRELS AND GIN-INFUSED BOURBON BARRELS". What else do you need to know?

    Long story short. A damn good beer. While it may nose like your run of the brewery IPA, this beer is far from boring. Citrusy hop feel up front. The limeyness balances nicely with any gin flavor you may pick up. I get a little every other sip. A little sweeter than straight IPA, and I think the aged portions have added a little savory-ness to the whole frame. Subtle spicy, this beer feels complex, without blowing out the palate in one direction. Slight lingering glow for a minute.

    All together; a very well rounded beer topped off the almighty hop. Maybe not $10, but it seems someone put a lot of effort into brewing, aging, and blending this beer. So take the ten dollars, its yours. 

Beer Thoughts - Long Trail Space Juice

Long Trail SPACE JUICE

Double IPA

Canned: No Idea

Consumed: 12/12/15
ABV: 8.7% 82 IBUs

    I am drinking this one from the can, as a personal policy on 16-ounce double IPAs.

    Not the propulsive hop explosion I had envisioned. Melon, honey, and light citrus notes. Real smooth, the 8.7% really doesn't seem to jump out and bite at all. This seems to be a pretty dangerous can. It used to be that an IPA of this caliber would let you know the alcohol was coming with a burn or an unrelenting hoppy bitterness to mask it. Now-a-days with beers like Sip and Heady, the precedence has been set that these strong IPAs no longer have to warn you. This beer certainly falls into the category of deceptively smooth doubles.

    I think this is a great beer. My only criticism is that it could be a little more hop forward to compete with other DIPAs, though it seems incredibly well balanced. Then, on a personal note, I am not a huge fan of this melon-y bit, I like my hops piney with some citrus.