Father's Day US Open Blog!

It's Father's Day.  Wife is working so I cleaned up the house, did the laundry, and now I'm sitting down to try some new beers for the rest of the day.  I have several to add and if John can join me later, he just returned from an upper midwest trip with a whole crapload of beer from breweries we can't get here.  So let's hope that happens.  On to the beer!!!

First beer (and it's really good)

Brewer:  Toppling Goliath
Beer Name:  Pompeii
Beer Style:  IPA
Price:  About $15 a 4 pack anywhere- Friar Tucks, Total Wine, etc.

Song Pairing:  "It's the End of the World (As we Know It) by R.E.M.

Appearance:  Super hazy- dark for an IPA.  It almost looks like a very hearty fruit juice which is very appropriate as it is a fruity IPA.

Aroma:  It smells like a pineapple and a guava mated and made a gaupple.  It smells fruity and delicious.

Mouthfeel:  Very peppy- a lot of tingle and fizz going on.  It's very busy for an IPA.

Taste:  The smell don't lie.  Pineapple and guave, orange, even a hint of lime maybe.  All that fruit on top of a very slight bitterness adds up to a delicious IPA.  This is fruity and smooth.  Right up my alley.

Overall rating:  4.5 from me.  It's the best Toppling GoliathI've had yet.  It's fantastic.

Beer #2

Brewer:  Toppling Goliath
Beer Name:  Fire, Skulls,and Money
Beer Style:  IPA
Price:  $15 or so for a 4 pack at any store.

Song Pairing:  "Fuel" by Metalltica

Appearance:  Looks the exact same as the last-- dark for an IPA and hazy as could be.  Possible a little lighter then the Pompeii.

Aroma:  Not nearly as fruity.  More of a rotten fruit odor then fresh fruit.  Still fruity- just not as up front citrus as the last.

Mouthfeel:  Way less happening here.  Very smooth and almost boring after the last.

Taste:  Quite a bit less fruity.  Still good.  This is more of the normal Toopling Goliath oat or grain taste then the fruitiness of the Pompeii.  As a fan of the fruitier IPA's, this is not quite as good as the Pompeii.  That being said, I'm not exactly rushing to dump it down the sink.

Overall rating.  I say 3.75.  Very solid and nothing wrong with it.  I just prefer the Pompeii a little more.

Beer #3

Brewer:  Left Hand
Beer Name:  Push Pop Party Nitro
Beer Style:  Ale
Price:  $10 a 4pack at Friar Tucks.

Song pairing:  "Suedehead" by Morrisey

Appearance:  Substantially lighter in hue then the 2 IPA's I had.  This is a much clearer, traditional looking ale.  Golden in color; not quite see through.  Given that there are no other push pop ales to compare it to, I would say it looks like a Budweiser more then anything.

Aroma:  HI-C fruit drink; I mean ORANGE. 

Mouthfeel:  Notro makes it smooth.  Not much happening here.

Taste:  I know this is obvious but it tastes like a watered down push pop.  I mean really.  Some beers advertise a taste but this delivers.  It's creepy how close this is and it still comes in at 5.4% ABU.  Amazing.

Overall Rating:  I'm saying 4.  Not my favorite beer overall but this deserves credit just as an art form thing.  They nailed it.