Tasman Red IPA
Beautiful pour - thick tan head over a deep, rich ruby body. Carbonation comes up slowly. TONS of lacing. Aromas are pretty fresh. Light citrus hop bite, and lots of toffee sweetness as it warmed. Flavors were a bit of a turn-off at first... too one dimentional on the hops. But as I got deeper, it became a really nice, and fairly well balanced Amber Ale. Sweet grapefruit and floral hops. Lots of white pepper as it warmed. Light smoke in the finish. Could use a bit more sweetness. Mouthfeel is fairly rich for the style, and finishes with a nice sharpness from the carbonation and hefty hops. This is a solid Amber Ale, and should be tried by anyone who's into the style. Well done, Sam Adams!