400 Pound Monkey (bottle) - 3.4

400 Pound Monkey
India Pale Ale
Left Hand Brewing Company
Longmont, CO
ABV: 7%

Jon:
Really fizzy, sudsy head. Slightly sweet, spiced nose; malty brown sugar notes. The flavor is subdued. I thought that this was some really heavy-handed stuff at the Keystone Beer Fest, but it's not nearly as complex in the bottle. Very acidic mouthfeel, which I don't mind. Awesome bottle art!

3.8	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 8/10 4/5 8/10 2/5 4/5 8/10

Mark:
Creamy, clumpy head with little lacing. Toasty English malt with a strange bitter coppery metallic aftertaste.

3.2	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 5/5 6/10 2/5 6/10 3/5 4/5 6/10

Jere:
I don't really care for the taste of alcohol in my beer, and this one is pretty strong in that department. On the bright side, that's the sort of problem that goes away once you get to the second pint!

3.3	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 7/10 3/5 7/10 2/5 4/5 6/10

Hop Czar (bottle) - 3.4

Hop Czar
Imperial India Pale Ale
Bridgeport Brewing Company
Portland, OR
ABV: 7.5%

Jon:
Reddish and coppery. Smells... soapy? Not sure what to think about that. First sip... Holy hell that's bitter. Tastes kind of soapy too. Not distinguishing a ton of flavors, just mucho bitter. I'm on the fence, but this amount of hops is worth it for $7 per 6-pack.

3.1	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 3/5 5/10 3/5 6/10 4/5 4/5 6/10

Mark:
Slightly floral, bitter aroma. Bitter, bitter, bitter! Not a lot of flavor beyond the hop. I do detect a slight coffee overtone. Bitter floral finish.

3.5	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 5/10 4/5 7/10 4/5 4/5 7/10

Jere:
Perhaps the color/appearance factor is influencing my judgement, but I do like this particular brew. It also could be my thirst factor enhancing my enjoyment level. Not detecting quite the same bitterness as my bandmates... perhaps a touch of hazelnut.

3.6	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 7/10 3/5 7/10 4/5 4/5 7/10

The Tap Hunter Approacheth

TapHunter.com now has a Denver/Boulder channel up and running, and Jon has been spending some time over there. Check out his posts:

• Keystone Bluegrass and Beer recap
• Jon's Denver Beer Fest picks to keep you occupied until GABF

Beer on the brain!

-Jon

Lagunitas Maximus (bottle) - 3.5

Maximus IPA
Double India Pale Ale
Lagunitas Brewing Company
Petaluma, CA
ABV: 7.5%

Jon:
I'm pretty sure that this qualifies as an "extreme" IPA at +70 IBUs, but honestly, this is not nearly as face-meltingly hoppy as I expected it to be. There's a fair amount of caramel and molasses sweetness going on here; maybe that's what's starting to balance this out. This would be a really great intro for a new hophead into the world of extreme IPAs who doesn't want their face to melt off just yet.

3.6	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 3/5 6/10 4/5 8/10 3/5 5/5 7/10

Mark:
Nice creamy head, clean amber color. Lots of bitterness nicely balanced by an understated caramel malt. Nicely crisp with a slightly mineral finish.

3.5	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 7/10 4/5 7/10 2/5 4/5 7/10

Jere:
I probably shouldn't have sampled the Republic Organic Tequila first, as it has colored my palette somewhat. Still working on my first pint, which would seem to indicate the high potency of this "Double" IPA. Hopefully I can get through this one.

3.3	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 3/5 7/10 3/5 7/10 2/5 4/5 7/10

Ranger IPA (bottle) - 3.9

Ranger IPA
India Pale Ale
New Belgium Brewing Company
Fort Collins, CO
ABV: 6.5%

Jon:
Light-colored and fizzy, foamy head. I love the flavor: herby, fairly bitter, with a pleasantly lingering bitterness and just a hint of sweetness. This is the kind of IPA that bridges the gap between easy-drinking and heavy-duty; it's complex and full-flavored, but not overwhelming.

4.0	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 8/10 4/5 9/10 3/5 4/5 8/10

Mark:
I love this IPA! It really seems to be a departure from the malty/toasty characteristic of many New Belgium beers. Very balanced, citrusy, floral nose, with a slightly bitter finish.

4.1	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 5/5 8/10 4/5 9/10 3/5 4/5 8/10

Jere:
Not having had the benefit of trying this on tap (like Mark and Jon got to on its first weekend out), I think it's still right in New Belgium's wheelhouse. Quite hoppy, with an average bitter aftertaste; I do like how it goes down. Will have to try the draft version someday soon.

3.6	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 4/5 8/10 4/5 7/10 3/5 3/5 7/10

Lucky U IPA (bottle) - 3.2

Lucky U IPA
India Pale Ale
Breckenridge Brewery
Denver, CO
ABV: 6.2%

Jon:
This is a nice, easy-drinking IPA. Very subtle nose, with just a hint of citrus and tea leaf. There is a bit of sourness here - not enough to be detrimental - but it still doesn't seem to fit with the other flavors. If this were cheaper it might replace Long Hammer as my pick for best value IPA.

3.5	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 3/5 7/10 4/5 7/10 3/5 4/5 7/10

Mark:
Slightly sweet to start with a bitter, sour finish. Almost non-existent head and very little aroma. I liked the second one better than the first.

2.8	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 3/5 5/10 2/5 6/10 3/5 3/5 6/10

Jere:
It's very average to me, but in a good way. After finishing over half, I barely feel like I've had any at all. Perhaps I'll feel differently after another.

3.3	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 3/5 6/10 3/5 7/10 4/5 3/5 7/10

Carrabassett Pale (bottle) - 3.2

Carrabassett Pale Ale
American-Style Pale Ale
Casco Bay Brewing
Portland, Maine
ABV: 4.2%

Jon:
From Beer of the Month Club. Not too hoppy at all, even for an American-style pale. Very refreshing, with a crisp bite, but the flavor profile leans more toward sweet molasses rather than the brighter flavors you would usually find in an American pale. Very nice for summer.

3.1	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 3/5 7/10 4/5 6/10 3/5 2/5 6/10

Mark:
Nice, refreshing summer pale. Not a whole lot else to say.

3.2	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 3/5 7/10 4/5 6/10 3/5 3/5 6/10

Jere:
Reminds me of some kind of amber, which is a bit of a slam against its hoppiness... It's not terribly offensive though, but it's a good thing I'm only having a third of a pint.

3.2	Appearance Aroma Palate Flavor Price Buzz Overall 3/5 7/10 4/5 6/10 3/5 3/5 6/10