Sam Adams used to be my go-to beer. I knew early on that Sam Adams was a step above other mass produced beers. However as time has gone on, along with my willingness to explore new beers, my taste has expanded and evolved. Up until a few years ago I was not a fan of IPAs, I felt they were way too bitter or hoppy. Unless I was eating something, I could not even imagine finishing an IPA. To me, Ales were the way to go. Blue Moon, one of my favorite ales, was the first beer I ever heard of whose flavor was enhanced by adding an orange! Then one crisp Fall day back in 2012 Britt said, “Hey, you need to go check out that new brewery! Let’s go!” and that “new brewery” happened to be Two Roads. Fast forward to now and here we are with a podcast and my new appreciation for IPAs; some of my favorite style beers!
This week I ventured back to my beer roots and decided to try out an IPA by Sam Adams. This one in particular is their New England style IPA. After trying it for the first time (on the podcast) I realized that if this was the first IPA someone had ever handed to me, my journey to enjoying an IPA would have gone very differently. This IPA makes a great gateway IPA for anyone wanting to try something new and find out what this IPA thing is all about. New England style means its an IPA infused with citrus which makes them juicy and hazy. You can drink it out of the can, but when you pour it into a pint glass, you see just how hazy it is. There are subtle hints of grapefruit and pineapple on the nose once you open the can. On the first sip you get a smooth flavor that’s filled with citrus. Once you have another sip you will get that juicy pineapple flavor on the back end leaving you wanting more. This IPA will not give you that dry mouth feeling you tend to get with West Coast IPAs.
The aforementioned New England IPA is an unfiltered IPA that is 6.8% ABV and has 35 IBUs which is on the low end of bitterness. This beer is very easy to drink (no meal needed for this one!) and its citrus kick reminds you of hanging out with friends on those warm Spring days. If you know someone who wants to get into IPAs or you are looking for an easy-drinking smooth IPA then this one should not be overlooked. Cheers friends!
Fignuts DFS Podcast and Beer Reviews 