February 15, 2009
Beerhunter Meeting convened 5:55 PM for Feb 1, 2009. Present: Ben, Dan (secretary), Tom (curator) Absent: Andrew (unexcused) Only three beers this week, but in three big bottles. No music this week either, as the Nadal-Federer Australian Open final is on, and then the Superbowl. Also Ben makes his famous guacamole which is delicious. A) Port Brewery Wipeout IPA This is an India Pale Ale with 7% alcohol by volume. It is described on the bottle as a “West coast IPA brewed in the San Deigo style”. I have no idea what that means, but I do know that IPAs are generally considered to be very hoppy. Tom gives us a quick history of the IPA - hops work as a preservative, so Brits who wanted their beer to survive the long trip between India and England loaded up their beer with hops. Hops also tend to give beer a citrus flavor, although since there are many different kinds of hops the flavors they impart can also vary. This beer has golden and amber hues, and becomes more opaque the further down you go in the bottle (hops sediment?). Tom mentions that he has never seen an IPA cloud up like this (like a hefe). Flavors that are mentioned: orange and floral. Bitter flavors last on the tongue, with a good mouth feel (light). General consensus seems to be this is a good beer, but not necessarily a re-buy. Time to move on to a beer with the second highest beerhunter alcohol % of all time. B) Southern Tier Unearthly Imperial IPA We’ve had good experience with Southern Tier (their Oatmeal Stout was a re-buy from the last meeting) and this beer has an 11% alcohol by volume so we are all excited to try this IPA, even if the description on the bottle is beyond pretentious (“To underestimate Unearthly is to trifle with the mysteries of the universe.”) Thankfully it’s also described as their “most aggressive offering yet” and it does not disappoint. For an IPA, this beer has a very fruity aroma and as Tom says a “very sweet” taste. I still think the bitter hop flavors overpower the sweet ones, but I can see where Tom is coming from. The consensus is that while the Wipeout has more floral notes, this beer is slightly fruitier. The alcohol is beginning to work its magic and deep into the 5 setter Tom declares that tennis is now his favorite sport to watch.  C) Seigneuriale by Unibroue Bruce Springsteen demands that I put down my guacamole for some reason, but I most certainly will not. Our final beer is not from the US, and is not an IPA. It is a European style wheat ale from a French Canadian brewery with a 7.5% alc/vol. Tom boldly declares that this will taste like the Weihenstephaner Dark from a couple meetings back. Ben is not sure about this beer, he doesn’t dislike it but it’s not his favorite. It is however, Tom’s favorite of the night. I happen to agree with Tom, but I’m afraid my judgement is a little impaired at this point. For some reason we start listening to Fleetwood Mac and get into an argument over whether the lead vocals on go your own way are male or female. Wikipedia settles it (they are male). This has officially become the least manly superbowl party ever. Meeting adjourned. Re-buys: #2, #3 (voted in by majority) Ben’s favorite: #1 Tom and Dan’s favorite: #3

Beerhunter Meeting convened 5:55 PM for Feb 1, 2009.

Present: Ben, Dan (secretary), Tom (curator)

Absent: Andrew (unexcused)

Only three beers this week, but in three big bottles. No music this week either, as the Nadal-Federer Australian Open final is on, and then the Superbowl. Also Ben makes his famous guacamole which is delicious.

A) Port Brewery Wipeout IPA

This is an India Pale Ale with 7% alcohol by volume. It is described on the bottle as a “West coast IPA brewed in the San Deigo style”. I have no idea what that means, but I do know that IPAs are generally considered to be very hoppy. Tom gives us a quick history of the IPA - hops work as a preservative, so Brits who wanted their beer to survive the long trip between India and England loaded up their beer with hops. Hops also tend to give beer a citrus flavor, although since there are many different kinds of hops the flavors they impart can also vary.

This beer has golden and amber hues, and becomes more opaque the further down you go in the bottle (hops sediment?). Tom mentions that he has never seen an IPA cloud up like this (like a hefe). Flavors that are mentioned: orange and floral. Bitter flavors last on the tongue, with a good mouth feel (light). General consensus seems to be this is a good beer, but not necessarily a re-buy. Time to move on to a beer with the second highest beerhunter alcohol % of all time.

B) Southern Tier Unearthly Imperial IPA

We’ve had good experience with Southern Tier (their Oatmeal Stout was a re-buy from the last meeting) and this beer has an 11% alcohol by volume so we are all excited to try this IPA, even if the description on the bottle is beyond pretentious (“To underestimate Unearthly is to trifle with the mysteries of the universe.”) Thankfully it’s also described as their “most aggressive offering yet” and it does not disappoint.

For an IPA, this beer has a very fruity aroma and as Tom says a “very sweet” taste. I still think the bitter hop flavors overpower the sweet ones, but I can see where Tom is coming from. The consensus is that while the Wipeout has more floral notes, this beer is slightly fruitier. The alcohol is beginning to work its magic and deep into the 5 setter Tom declares that tennis is now his favorite sport to watch. 

C) Seigneuriale by Unibroue

Bruce Springsteen demands that I put down my guacamole for some reason, but I most certainly will not. Our final beer is not from the US, and is not an IPA. It is a European style wheat ale from a French Canadian brewery with a 7.5% alc/vol. Tom boldly declares that this will taste like the Weihenstephaner Dark from a couple meetings back.

Ben is not sure about this beer, he doesn’t dislike it but it’s not his favorite. It is however, Tom’s favorite of the night. I happen to agree with Tom, but I’m afraid my judgement is a little impaired at this point. For some reason we start listening to Fleetwood Mac and get into an argument over whether the lead vocals on go your own way are male or female. Wikipedia settles it (they are male). This has officially become the least manly superbowl party ever. Meeting adjourned.

Re-buys: #2, #3 (voted in by majority)

Ben’s favorite: #1

Tom and Dan’s favorite: #3

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