Sierra Nevada _ Hop Hunter IPA

If I may quote (be lazy) the Sierra website: "Hop Hunter IPA harnesses the complex flavors of just-picked hops through an all-new method of steam distilling wet hops before they even leave the fields. This revolutionary technique captures and intensifies the natural flavors, creating a unique and intensely aromatic beer. Our custom process gathers pure hop oil which, when combined with traditional whole-cone hops in the brew kettle and in our Hop Torpedo, makes for an incredible IPA experience." I have a source that says they hired the guy at Crest toothpaste who distills the mint leaves. Who knows!

That being said, not only does this beer push new boundaries for brewing, the owner of Lagunitas was trying to sue Sierra over label likeness. Claiming Hop Hunters label looked too similar to the flagship Lagunitas IPA. You be the judge. The lawsuit was dropped because of all the negative feedback from the beer community. Either way, this shit is amazing. It smells like weed. That's always good. Cheers!

My Score: 98

Beer Advocate: 91

Rate Beer: 97

Beers 101

It's not that I'm upset. I'm just disappointed. I often am told, "I like stouts but not ales...". Well guess what fancy pants, a stout is an ale. So is that fruity beer your bff Jill likes to smash so when her boobs come out she can 'blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol'. To hopefully alleviate some of this confusion, I am going to give you the quick lowdown.

There are two types of beer: ales and lagers. Ales are any type of beer that is brewed at higher temperatures (60-75°F). It's the higher temp that allows the specific type of yeast to ferment and quicker than lager yeast. Lagers are brewed at lower temps (around 34°F) and then further stored in cooler temperatures to mature. Lager is a German word meaning "to store". Aside from obvious labeling, a lager will almost always announce itself with lighter, more crisp flavors. Almost always hay/straw in color. Pilsners, marzens and bocks are all prime examples of a lager. There's really not much more to lagers so that leaves just about everything else as an ale. Only a few random styles make an appearance in a 'hybrid' category.

So there you go. Next time your butthole friend says "Fuck IPA's! Give me a real ale!", you can tell him to go suck a randall. An IPA is an ale. CHEERS!