So... we made a beer run yesterday and picked up a sixer o' what you see below.
My bad: I didn't read the fine print on the package. I knew that Accumulation was New Belgium's seasonal winter offering but I failed to read the fine print: this is an IPA and we do NOT like IPAs. I had one of these yesterday and we shall drink no more of 'em.
That said, here's what one of our go-to guys say about the brew:
You'll note the beer we poured in this picture is a Fat Tire. We might be dumb once in a while, but we ain't stoopid.
My bad: I didn't read the fine print on the package. I knew that Accumulation was New Belgium's seasonal winter offering but I failed to read the fine print: this is an IPA and we do NOT like IPAs. I had one of these yesterday and we shall drink no more of 'em.
That said, here's what one of our go-to guys say about the brew:
Perhaps more of an IPA than White Ale, tasty none the less and a good switch up on the whole seasonal thing.Yeah, well... OK. YOU might think this is a good switch-up but MY mileage varies, and considerably, at that. And for those o' you who might be considerin' dropping by for a beer over the holidays: this is what you'll be drinkin'. I won't throw it out, but I'll damned sure pawn it off on the unsuspecting or on those folks who actually LIKE IPAs.
You'll note the beer we poured in this picture is a Fat Tire. We might be dumb once in a while, but we ain't stoopid.
I do enjoy the hoppy brews, but some of those IPAs are a bit much. We used to have a local micro-brew that called itself a Pale Ale, sans the 'I', that was really good, but the outfit that made it went out of business (I've actually got a fairly long track record of products I really like going abruptly away; one of the oddities of my life. . .)
ReplyDeleteI prefer a balanced brew, leaning more toward malt than hops. The classic British Bitter (which really ISN'T) is what I cut my beer teeth on, leading me to the porters and the stouts later. Speakin' o' Michigan breweries... do you like Bell's beers? I used to drink a lot of their Third Coast Beer in the summer.
DeleteYeah, Bell's is kinda THE Michigan craft-brewer these days; their Oberon is pretty popular. And I do like the Third Coast; don't know exactly where it falls on the beer spectrum, but it is pretty hoppy. The Two-Hearted Ale is extremely hoppy; I usually get the Midwest Pale Ale. Michigan Brewing Co. (MBC) was the brewer I referred to in my previous comment; their Mackinac Pale Ale was about the perfect beer for me. But alas. . .
DeleteAnd thanks for clarifying for me; the first time I had an IPA, I wondered if it was what the Brits called 'bitters'. Now I know. . .
You sent me off to The Wiki... just to make sure I had my ducks lined up properly... where I found this. It seems The Wiki thinks "British Bitter" DOES encompass the IPA style but I always viewed them as two distinct entities. Courage Directors Bitter was my beer o' choice while drinking in Courage pubs or in a free house that carried it. I'm actually rather surprised to find the beer reviewed at BA; I didn't know it was available in bottles. Too bad we can't get it here in the USofA.
DeleteThird Coast is about as hoppy as I ever get... or got, btw.