AleSmith IPA
From bomber to pint glass. Purchased at Hawthorne's (when first released in PA) for $14. No date or batch number indicated on bottle. A: A huge frothy and rocky head slowly rises to 3 1/2 fingers. The color is the whitest white imaginable and lasts impossibly long, riding unevenly down the glass in chunky, lop-sided mountain peaks as my enjoyment continues. Each pour over the course of an hour (plus) produces an enormous head. Excellent but erratic sea-foam lace throughout. The body is light in color, peachy orange and pretty clear with just a slight haze. Leaves nothing to be desired. S: A firm and sweet malty backbone of cookie and caramel support a heavy hop load with orange and grapefruit aromas. Definite yeast contribution. Phenomenal. T: Building from the nose are flavors of additional tropical and summertime fruits: juicy tangerine and peak of the season peaches. The flavor duration is excellent. Sweetness is a touch below medium. Moderately bitter. Alesmith's IPA tastes incredible at first, and gets even better as it warms, and better still on the last pour with the inclusion of the yeast sediment (which dials back the bitterness as a result). M: The body is full for the style with a thick, creamy texture. Carbonation level is somewhat average, with fine tonic water like effervescence. Finishes chalky and bitter. D: Drinkability is remarkable. In case it went unnoticed, the 7.25% ABV keeps this one safely below the DIPA range. (This website and the bottle itself state 7.25%, even though Alesmith's website adds a half point.) I'm amazed by how the flavor is even more impressive than many respectable DIPAs.