Visiting Ann Arbor

JP Belipago (Belgian IPA)

This last weekend I visited Ann Arbor to take in a Michigan basketball game. Anytime I'm in Ann Arbor and I have the time, I like to visit a few of their fine breweries they have dowtown. This time the group decided on two. We first hit up Grizzley Peak for a sampler and a pizza. The food there is delicious and the beers are solid as well. Their dry Irish stout on nitro really stood out as a favorite for me. I was also impressed by their Pale Ale. They had some specials on tap as well. One was a Belgian Dark ale called the Titanic. I thought it lacked a little body but was a decent offering.

Next we traveled down the road to Jolly Pumpkin. This has become a favorite spot of mine and I try to eat here as often as possible. Their food is some of the most outstanding in AA. The beers are bad either. I split a pitcher of the Belipago IPA with my buddy while my wife had the North Peak Siren Amber Ale. I really like the Belipago because it's a very drinkable beer and won't destroy your palate after one glass. I also asked for taster of the Noel de Calabaza but I don't think the server brought the correct one to me. I've had Noel before and loved it but what I had was much lighter and more sour. Still very good but not what I was looking for. The now have Furry on tap as well, which is my favorite Black IPA, but they didn't have it while we were there.

Next time I would like to visit Wolverine's new location and taste some of their lager offerings.

Double Crooked Tree IPA

Described as a true "Double" IPA, there is nothing small about Dark Horse's Double Crooked Tree (DCT)IPA.

Appearance - This beer just looks gorgeous in a snifter glass. The deep orange hue just screams drink me.

Smell - Full of citrusy, resinous hops, DCT has "punch you in the nose" kind of aroma with it. I also pick up noticeable amounts of alcohol in the nose of the this beer and at 12 percent ABV, I should.

Taste - At first DCT seems like it might be a tongue wrecker of an IPA but it quickly lets its' guard down to become on of the more drinkable double IPA's I've ever had. I could easily drink 2 of these along with good conversation and not be too worse for wear. The alcohol is noticeable, but not overly so. The hops are up front as would be expected but are followed by hearty maltiness playing backup.

Overall - This beer fits somewhere in between a 90 Minute IPA and a Pliny the Elder as far as drinkability goes. I like that after having one of these I am not afraid to go back for another. I would be careful though because at 12 percent, this is one of the bigger beers in this category and could quickly sneak up on you. I would not only buy this beer again but I routinely seek it out every year.

Beer Reviews

I haven't made any posts to this blog in quite awhile and I never had many to begin with. I am going to start trying once again and I'm going to start small. This weekend I'll start posting some beer reviews. My first review will probably be Darkhorse Double Crooked Tree IPA. Stay tuned!