My Bitter Birthday--Weyerbacher Double IPA

The label on the 12oz bottle that houses Weyerbacher Double IPA is pretty well horrifying. It features what looks like a cyclops Siamese twin with an upsetting smile on the main part of the bottle, and to make matters worse, there's an evil looking clown/jester on the neck. It was with some trepidation that I uncapped this beer.

Brewed in Easton, PA by the Weyerbacher Brewing Co., this double IPA contained a no foolin' around 9% alcohol. The beer poured swampily--it was a dull orange-swill, hazy, and created with a thin, off-white head. It's potent aroma made me stand up and take notice--powerful woodsy and citrus notes in equal measures, along with the promise of silly amounts of bitterness. To my dumb tongue, murky, bitter grapefruit was the driving force, backed with a boozy sweetness and a whisper through the pines.

As I often complain about, many double or Imperial IPAs are too sweet, in an effort to get the percentage up. My favourite thing about this spooky nectar was that the sweetness was held in check to a serious degree. Three words to describe this beer?: hoppy, dank, and strong. Those of you who know me will recognize that those are all pretty good adjectives for me to assign a strong ale. This beer wasn't pretty, and a healthy head would have been nice, but it sure tasted sexy.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

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.

My Bitter Birthday--Good Vibes India Pale Ale

Good Vibes India Pale Ale comes from Meadville, Pennsylvania. It's a zesty IPA containing 7.3% alcohol and sold in 12oz bottles that's brewed and bottled by Voodoo Brewing Co. According to the label, this hoppy demon is "hopped five times in the kettle & double dry hopped" and contains 85+ IBUs.

It's a brown orange brew, slightly hazy, and topped with a thin covering of short-lived off-white head. There are colossal notes of tropical fruits in the nose, as well as substantial bitterness. The flavour is hearty and dank, with mango and pineapple juiciness. Hops are luridly present start to finish, in copious quantities.

This beer is pretty dang interesting--over-ripe fruit flavours, zealous bitterness, and pretty formidable strength make for a tangy and delicious ale.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

My Bitter Birthday--Madra Allta India Pale Ale

According to the label on its 355mL bottle, the "madra allta" in Madra Allta India Pale Ale comes from the Gaelic for wolf. Brewed and bottled by the Lavery Brewing Company, this 6.4% alcohol ale comes from Erie, Pennsylvania.

It's a dull, swampy brown beer--cloudy and with a creamy head that had some admirable longevity. To my nose, there are notes of tart citrus and resin. It's a sweet brew with a nice emphasis on malt, particularly for the style. As for bitterness, this manifests in politely resinous and tangy citrus elements. The label said that there would be pine notes as well, but I didn't find any worth writing about.

A touch on the sweet side, this ale isn't perfect. However, it really is v. good. A bit of a unique flavour in a world of very similar IPAs makes a beer memorable. I'd love to get my hands on a few more of these beauties, but alas I only had the one.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.

Over the Edge American IPA

My delightful friend KC is possibly the greatest of the Bitter World's many benefactors. Seldom does she darken my door without a couple of cans or bottles of something new and typically enjoyable. On her most recent visit, she brought 355mL cans of Over the Edge American IPA. Produced by The Unknown Brewing Co. out of Charlotte, North Carolina, this beer comes in at 6.9%. It pours a murky and attractive swamp orange, topped with a layer of loose, cream head. Cans are marked with an awesome hoppy question mark and the assertion that "[i]f you're not living over the edge, you're taking up too much space." This stuff is listed as an American IPA on the Unknown website, which makes sense, since it contains 6.9% alcohol.

O.T.E. has a sticky, resinous hop aroma that has a slightly floral quality. The beer itself has a hearty roasted malt skeleton that is dominated by bitter, hoppy musculature with a stanky, earthy bent. 

Strong for an APA and quite tasty, Over the Edge has a lot in its favour. I'd have enjoyed a whisper more crisp dryness as things roll to a stop, but that's a paltry whine.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10.