Battle of the Beers!! Double IPA Edition

Alpine Pure Hoppiness
"A West Coast Double IPA
So mega-hopped it will take you to hop heaven. We’ve used hops in the boil, more hops in the giant hopback, and added to that, an incredible amount of dry-hopping for that cutting-edge “hop bite.” Once you’ve tasted this unique beer, all others pale in comparison."

                                              - Alpine Beer Company

Karl Strauss Big Barrel   
"When we kicked-off this series of intense hoppy beers, we wanted to go big. Imported New Zealand Nelson Sauvin hops provide a vibrant tropical aroma that raises eyebrows and expectations. Aggressive amounts of Warrior and Ahtanum hops produce an assertive bitterness that stands out against a firm malt backbone. Balanced even at 90 IBUs, Big Barrel leaves a considerable first impression that serves as a prelude of things to come."

                                                     - Karl Strauss Brewing Company

            VS

       Alpine Beer Company              :Brewery:    Karl Strauss Brewing Company

           Pure Hoppiness                       :Beer:                             Big Barrel

             Double IPA                             :Style:                       Double IPA

                     8%                              :ABV:                              9%

Today we feature a battle from 2 hop heavy double IPA's brewed right here in San Diego. Karl Strauss's Big Barrel boasts using the tropical and fruity Nelson Sauvin hops, and while Alpine beer company's famed IPA Nelson is named after the New Zealand hop, I believe Pure Hoppiness utilizes the tasty hop as well. Which is another reason why I felt this would be a great head to head battle. 

Most of you already know my love for Alpine Beer Company as they have done my palate no wrong and the streak continues as Pure Hoppiness an excellent double IPA. Rich gold body capped off with its pearl head gives the beer an very inviting appeal. Hints of pine, grapefruit and peach fill the nose. The taste is a tropical ride full of sweet fruity flavors followed by a smooth bitterness. Definitely worth the find and the trip out to Alpine. 

Aroma: 9

Appearance: 5

Flavor: 9

Palate: 4
Style Rating: 10/10

Overall: 27/30

Karl Strauss's Big Barrel is my favorite beer from the historic San Diego brewery. It was the first beer I had tasted that used the Nelson Sauvin hops,  although at the time I wasn't aware of my eventual love for the hop. Citrus and floral scents fill the aroma with hints of peach. The malt bill gives the beer an amber body, crowned with a slight off white head, as well as strong back bone to pair with the fruity, sweet flavors that transfer into a slick bitter ending. Big Barrel is top notch and is highly recommended. 

Aroma: 8

Appearance: 4

Flavor: 8

Palate: 4
Style Rating: 9/10

Overall: 24/30

The Winner?: Pure Hoppiness takes this one. While both double IPA's are worthy of your time and money, PH takes your palate to a whole new level of stellar beer. What blew me away, and probably what makes Alpine Beer Company's tiny brewery so incredible, was how fresh the beer always is. With most IPA's, you should drink them as fresh as they come as the longer they age, the first thing that starts dissolving is the hop flavors. When I went up last Tuesday, they had JUST bottle Nelson the previous day. If you go up today, they JUST bottled Pure Hoppiness this past Monday. I guess that is the perk of having such a small brewery. So go to Alpine, get some amazingly fresh beer and follow their motto: drink Alpine of go to bed. 

DAR. KCCO!

Karl Strauss Brewery - 24th Anniversary Ale

"When we cut our teeth in the beer biz back in ’89, the thought of wild or spontaneously fermented ales left more than a sour taste in people’s mouths. Twenty-four years later, the mouth-puckering tartness of sour ales is craft beer’s newest obsession – an obsession we’ve been perfecting over the past few years. So, as a tribute to the times, we’ve brewed a Flanders-style Sour Red Ale to commemorate our 24th Anniversary. Keeping with Flemish tradition, our 24th Anniversary Ale is an expertly blended combination of oak barrel-aged and freshly fermented sour red ales. The resulting brew is both tart and complex, boasting layers of cherries, pomegranate, currants and toasted oak"
                                                   - Karl Strauss Brewery

 

Brewery: Karl Strauss Brewery

Beer: 24th Anniversary Flanders Style Ale

Style: Flanders Red Ale

ABV: 7.5%

Founded in 1989, Karl Strauss is San Diego's oldest surviving brewery and is credited with launching the county's craft brewing industry. Many of my first craft beers were from Karl Strauss such as Red Trolley, Endless Summer and Tower 10. These beers were consistently in my rotation while in my youthful craft beer career. But as my craft beer repertoire expanded I lost touch with these San Diego classics. 

What better way to revisit Karl Strauss's beers than by enjoying their anniversary ale celebrating 24 years in the craft beer industry. This years anniversary ale was a Flanders-Style ale, which is a type of sour red ale originally brewed in Belgium. Other examples of this type of beer are Rodenbach's Grand Cru and Duchesse de Bourgogne. 

A distinct sour scent, shared by most sours, was prevalent but was also followed by hints of oak. The murky reddish body was capped off with a small off-white head. Initial flavors are great as tart cherries ease the pallet but the beer ends with a sort of . . . sweetness (for lack of a better word) uncommon in sours. It's as if the sour flavors are flowing smoothly and about to climax but then suddenly drop into a flavor I really cannot put my finger on. Although it is worth a try, Karl Strauss's 24th anniversary didn't really satisfy my sour taste buds. 

Aroma: 6

Appearance: 4 
Flavor: 6 

Palate: 3

Style Rating: 7/10

Overall: 19/30

Chive Everywhere. RAK! KCCO!!