Friday, 12 February 2016

My Bitter Birthday--Head Hunter India Pale Ale

The next installment of Pennsylvania's finest in my mixed six turned out to actually be from Ohio. Middleburg Heights, Ohio to be exact. That's where Fat Head's Brewery does their brewing, including the brewing of Head Hunter India Pale Ale. After my initial shock at seeing Ohio on the label, I went on to peruse the 12oz bottle and gleaned that this stuff contained a powerful 7.5% alcohol and 87 IBUs, as well as the fact that the suds in question have won multiple awards at both the World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival.

The beer itself was golden orange, hazy, and covered in a sudsy and thick off-white head. Its aroma was ample; packed with hops, tropical fruit notes, and a faint whiff of tin. To my palate, the brew proved quite fruity, with an emphasis on citrus elements. Bitterness was well represented without launching an onslaught. My only complaints came early--the mouthfeel proved a touch thinner than desired. Initially, I was a bit nonplussed by the finish, too, but as the beer went down, I found the dry and resinous notes nicely complimented the assertive fruit flavours to provide a hoppy balance.

Fat Head's Head Hunter was a strong IPA, both in terms of alcohol content and quality. I liked it a lot and immediately wanted more.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

No comments:

Post a Comment