Good for them and you go, girls! Personally though I have always found Fat Tire a bit insipid and, after trying it again after more than a few years, I still do. I would hold it against them though as there are other beers in the line that may prove to be interesting.
Super India Pale Ale find them collaborating with California brewery the Alpine Beer Company who are best known for being the American contract brewer of AleSmith's McIlhenney’s Irish Red. Being fond of hops and this one sporting Amarillo, Columbus, Simcoe and Centennial it seemed to be a good place as any to start.
The color is a slightly hazy gold in tone with good amount of bubbles but not too much so even a medium pour didn't turn cause a mountain of foam on the top. The head was pretty slight but what it had held on tight all through the sipping with a good amount of lace all the way through the glass.
Scents of pineapple stand out high in the aroma with notes of other tropical fruits such as mango and passion fruit following it. A tart forefront as far as the nose was considered with a touch of biscuits, caramel and honey in the malt backbone. A slight bit of a boozy tinge too but nothing that would make you think it is hitting the over it's 9% abv range.
The flavor is very upfront in a tart juiciness. Pineapple and Guava are really pronounced at first along with some bitter lemon and grassy notes. In the middle the hop bite is tamed slightly with the malts taking on a bit of a roasted nuance. The ending is slighty piney along with a dint of strawberries. The finish is also brings on the alcohol bite which is muted up until that point.
All in all a pretty solid, well balanced and interesting Double IPA.
http://www.newbelgium.com
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