I'm still in a state of sheer bliss following the holy-crapballs-why-is-it-gone Flying Monkey's Smashbomb Atomic IPA. How in the world do you follow up that? With another IPA, of course. In fact, it's a Double IPA from Ithaca, the makers of the super yummy Flower Power. Sure, it's bitterly cold outside and an IPA seems a little out of season. Eh, we're a little rogue like that. We like our hop bombs year round.
So that I might get to bed at a decent hour and still be a productive mommy tomorrow, let's get on with this. It pours a hazy, pale orange-yellow color, almost the color of a blond maple wood, with a diminutive white head that has dissipated since we poured it. This clocks in at 9% ABV, so this is not unexpected. The aroma is fantastic: a burst of pine needles, orange, grapefruit, and a bit of tangerine with some faint alcohol esters sneaking in to singe the nose. The flavor is just as intriguing and wonderful as the aroma. The tangerine hits the taste buds first, then fades into pine resin, grapefruit, and the alcohol sting floats in and out, as do notes of caramel sweetness. It finishes rather dry. At times, there's almost a soapy note to it, but I think that's just the alcohol peeking through the complex flavors of this. It's really good. It's not as floral as Flower Power, but it's equally fantastic and, in my opinion, more complex. Each sip is just enough different from the last to keep you intrigued.
This is available as part of Ithaca's IPA mixed pack, although it seems that it can also be found on tap. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for this on draft.
I'm pretty well stupefied into a state of sheer hop bliss right now, so I'll turn this over to my hop-lover-in-kind, and let him praise Hopsus once or thrice.
5/5 caps -- I really love tangerine
-Jennie
Ah, Ithaca, your Flower Power has brought me joyous moments of IPA-fueled drunken karaoke. Now I get to try it's bigger brother, The Creeker. Thank you for that.
We purchased this at Wine & Brew Emporium off the recommendation of the owner (who is also a hop head). He has yet to steer us wrong, especially with the Flying Monkeys. To be honest, I'm still in a state of bliss from the Flying Monkeys.
The aroma on this is Pine, Citrus and almost, well, pineapple and something dank. A little boozy in the nose, which doesn't shock me with the 9% ABV. The appearance is already described by my beautiful Hop-Loving-Partner (HLP). Onto the taste, which saddens me that I have to rid myself of the still resonating stickiness of the Flying Monkeys (even after a Burger Classic). And those sad feeling are gone, now replaced with a new happiness. Wow, hop bomb as well. Well, there's tangerine, grapefruit, pine and a hints of boozy notes. This has a medium mouthfeel as it goes from the lips to the throat, followed by a heavy hop resin left on the mouth and tongue, making you smack your lips and pry your tongue off the roof of your mouth in sheer bliss (unless you don't care for hops, then it's in sheer terror).
This... This beer. This and the Flying Monkeys in one night. This is one of those nights where you happen to look up to the sky, a choir of angelic beings singing in perfect 5-part harmony draw your attention to the black clouds that are opening, revealing a giant, beam of the purest light you've ever seen. An outline of a figure appears on the other side of this beam of light. This figure has no hate in it's heart. It's accepting of all. You realize that the glorious Hopsus has blessed you with a state of bliss and ecstasy. The resiny feel in your mouth makes it so you're unable to even thank him, but he knows. Oh yes, Hopsus is omnipresent and is aware of your thankfulness. Hopsus be praised!
5/5 caps
-Nathan-
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