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by snebbu

Endless Beer: The Focal Banger

If you know craft beer, you know the Alchemist out of Vermont. They brought us the famous Heady Topper and now this. The Focal Banger brings with it claims of superiority even over the Heady Topper. It is an American IPA with TONS of hops jammed into each pint-sized can. Thanks to a good friend, I was able to try a can of this out myself. Otherwise, take a trip up to New England and find out when they hand this stuff out. Here are our thoughts:

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Close your eyes and think of the senses of walking through a hop garden. That’s what this smells like – fresh hops surrounding you.

Appearance: The can says “Drink from the can!” so I have no idea.

Mouthfeel: CRISP. A very refreshing, clean, and crisp mouthfeel from start to finish.

Taste: HOPS. Then some more hops. Some sweet malts, and finally more hops. But these are flavorful hops. Juicy citrus hops lead the way, followed by pine and other earthy hop flavors. This is the hoppiest beer I’ve had without losing the integrity of the beer of tasting too bitter.

Overall: Find this beer! It’s true – this is better than Heady Topper. Focal Banger gives you everything you want in an IPA. It is crisp and refreshing, has fresh, juicy flavors, and tastes like the can is actually filled to the top with hops. Try it for yourself.

Endless Pairings

Cheese: Aged gouda with dried apricots, fig jam, and crackers.

Appetizer: Truffle fries.

Main Course: Fish tacos with a side of guacamole

Dessert: Key Lime Pie

Cigar: Gispert Toro

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by snebbu

Endless Beer: Top 10 Beers of Winter

Happy New Year, folks. Time to pretend that you’ll hold to those healthy resolutions and become a “better you.” I’m right there with you, as the fiance and I try out “clean eating” for a while. Except for beers — I will NOT stop drinking beers. Which is why I bring you our top ten winter beers of the season. Note that even though Christmas is behind us, those tasty Christmas brews are still available as well as the special winter seasonals. Get ’em while you can. Here ya go:

10. Sly Fox Christmas Ale

ABV: 5.5% (canned), 6.5% (bottled)

A leader in the beer canning industry, Sly Fox offers their annual Christmas ale. The ale is a very “spiced forward” brew with Cinnamon and Ginger at the forefront. Flavors of clove continue throughout, complementing a sweet malty flavor.

9. Victory Winter Cheers

ABV: 6.7%

For those of you that don’t enjoy a winter warmer or strongly spiced ale, the Winter Cheers is a tasty and sweet wheat that takes away some of the booze flavor associated with winter warmers.

8. Deschutes Brewery Jubelale

ABV: 6.7%

Jubelale includes the traditional Christmas spices, but then has a pleasant sweetness of caramel and toffee with fruity flavors of cherry and raisin. The award-winning brew is a solid warmer that gives you a nice warm feeling all the way down. A great brew for after a hard day’s work on the slopes.

Endless Beers: Stone Ruinten IPA

ATTENTION HOPHEADS: the most recent release of the Ruinten is out. If you like the aroma and flavor of a hop garden, this is your brew. Stone describes the craft beer as a dare to craft beer lovers, promising that drinkers ” brave enough to plunge headfirst into this glorious mosh pit will revel in a blend of abundant lemon, nectarine and pineapple notes found in the aroma.” The bomber-sized container of hop flavor carries a bitterness that will scare away the novice beer drinker. Hops take over throughout the entire drink, with subtleties of citrus and fruit lingering behind. Those of us who enjoy hop flavors, however, welcome the “dare to drink” attitude of the Ruinten IPA, the bold ABV, and the full flavor and feel of the brew.

I liken this beer to a Sylvester Stallone flick. If you go into the movies expecting an action-packed non-realistic film, you will be entertained. If you go in expecting a theatrical masterpiece full of drama, some comedy, and lot of words–you will be disappointed. The Ruinten IPA is not a balanced beer–it’s not supposed to be. Instead, it is in your face with hops in every way with a full feel and an ABV that will leave you quite relaxed out on the porch on a summer night. If you are expecting the “in your face” attitude from the brew, you won’t be disappointed. If you are expecting a light, balanced IPA with just as much malty sweetness as there is hop bitterness, you will be overwhelmed.

Endless Whiskey: HOP-Flavored Whiskey

I’m talking to you, hopheads. Sons of Liberty previously brought us two of their staple whiskeys and they did not disappoint. If you remember, a hop=flavored whiskey was teased when I mentioned their selection. The hopped-up one arrived in the mail shortly afterwards, and I finally had a chance to tip one back.

Sons of Liberty owner Mike Reppucci explains that the craft distillery makes their whiskeys based on the recipes of their favorite beers. So, it should not surprise us that they offer a whiskey infused with hop flavor. After they age the spirit in oak barrels, they dry hop this son of a bitch. YES—dry-hopped whiskey. For those of you unhipsters, that means that they pour a bunch of hops right into the whiskey. The happy hops then marinate in the spirit to share their flavor with the rest of the world.