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West Coast IPA

ninth

  • por

On the ninth day of Beermas I went and got for me
Nine priestesses priesting
Eight pirate maids a-sailing
Seven boney swimmers
Six geese post-laying
Five gold nuts
Four obvious non-kiwis
A three-time remade masterpiece
Two guarding lions
And a crow glaring silently

There are fewer beer labels with women on them than you’d think, given how women are used to sell things. I’d say it’s a mark of the integrity of the craft beer sector, but we all know that is unfortunately not true. Yes, there are duchesses and queens, but this is the first time I’ve seen a priestess. Given the experience I’ve had with people from Segovia (which is little), it’s not such a surprise that Sanfrutos would find it fitting to name a beer after such a character. It is a West Coast IPA, so something light and sharp, connected to nature and spirit, is what I’m expecting to find. Let’s see what kind of fortune teller I am.

It’s darker than expected but still clear golden hue. The head starts out fluffy, but bubbles away rapidly. It smells like honey, like a hopped mead almost, which certainly goes with the color. The taste is bittersweet, a one-two punch delivered in a mouth-filling liquid. Knowing it’s a West Coast style makes me look for pine and spice, and in a ghostly aftertaste I think there’s a little pine forest there. In spite of its aleness, it feels right for the time, heavy and covering, with notes of field and forest, not as refreshing as some less, let’s say spiritual brews. Of course, less refreshing is not less enjoyable, and there are times when you want a little weight to let you know you’re alive.

Supplier: La Mundial
Price: €6.10

siebte

  • por

On the seventh day of Beermas I went and got for me
Seven boney swimmers
Six geese post-laying
Five gold nuts
Four obvious non-kiwis
A three-time remade masterpiece
Two guarding lions
And a crow glaring silently

It’s not swans, but it’s definitely swimming. Or at least it’s something that used to swim, until being snatched up by undead hands. Somehow I think O Fortuna has several levels hiding in its name. It’s a complicated beer, DDH West Coast IPA, and to go with that it’s a collaboration between three, count ’em three, breweries. The magic of working together on a concoction has a fairy tale ring to it, three witches brewing up a potion that can only be counteracted by seven feathers of seven swans from seven seas, or some mystical folk numerology like that.

We’re back to clear, golden, blinding white headed brew, with a heavy and spicy aroma fitting of West Coast IPAs. There’s a mix of snappy hops and pine, and a sort of hot marmalade. The blend of perfume is reflected in the taste, although there’s more sourness and grain on the tongue. It dances and sparkles on the tongue, like fingerbones tapping. There’s a sweet center hiding in a ball of roughage and savory herbs, hard to identify exactly, but always peeking out. It’s like the setting sun in a mostly cloudy sky.

Supplier: La Buena Cerveza
Price: €7.40

make you smile

  • por

It’s summertime, for fuck’s sake. Streets are baking, heads are sweating, beers are calling. I even saw my first heat mirage! I’m not sure why I haven’t seen one yet in this town, I’ve been here through many a summer, and even hotter temps than these days. Must be something about the road composition in different neighborhoods. Since it is hot, hot summer, I relent on my stout obsession for a West Coast IPA. It’s national, though, from Caleya, a reliable brewery. And also, how can you resist Mola Lisa? Just look at that smile! She belongs in a museum.

Bright and golden looking, abundant and clean white head, firm but delicate tropical fruit aroma. It feels like a blend of whatever’s in season, it’s hard to pick out a particular one. It’s not more citrus or peach, for example, it’s just like walking past a fruit store. Does it translate to the flavor? Not quite, it’s a little sweet and hoppy at first, but suddenly you’re rolling through a pile of grain. There’s a strange distance between the light sweetness and the heavy, toasted base. After a bit, you start to get a little sourness, just for some variety. The flavor is stronger, and I would say more forceful, than the aroma, and while not quite what you expect from West Coast IPAs, it has a wildness that you might associate with the area. The pine isn’t very noticeable, that pine you might expect from a West Coast, but it’s scratchy and rough, a forest of a beer. There’s even something a little punk and/or New Wave about its sneakiness, with the whispered aroma and the punch of taste. A surprise, and a pleasant one.

Supplier: Más Que Cervezas
Price: €4.27

so what?

  • por

That’s the beer, and there’s no need for any other title I think. It’s the call of a generation, several generations in fact. It’s the lament of those in the middle of a long road with no end in sight. That’s just the kind of design that appeals to me too, such a reminder of, well, all my past. You’d think Naparbier would have more optimistic offerings, being one of the most successful craft breweries in Spain in terms of longevity and reputation, but we can imagine a more positive interpretation. It’s the monster itself that elicits the phrase, from the traveler, not the viewers response to the situation. We may find difficulties in our way, but they might only be phantoms. We create problems for ourselves and use them as excuses to avoid making an effort. And that sucks, because there are real things that we can overcome if we actually invest some energy in it. Thanks for the push, Naparbier!

It’s a bright, happy yellow, with piney and citrusy scent to match, but doesn’t hold its head very well. Flavorwise, it’s also bright and bubbly, with a light sheet of bitter across the tongue rather than a rolling boulder that you might get from a stout. It’s very much a West Coast style, with little to no fruit in the taste but still maintaining a sunny and modern quality. It smooths out with time and warming, gaining a touch of citrus sweetness, and a little more weight in the mouth. If you’re fast it’s a good warmer weather treat, with the sharp bitterness to jab you out of lethargy, but if you’re patient it’s a little more of an all-year choice, sweet and summery but also warmingly full. No apathy at all!

Supplier: La Buena Cerveza
Price: €5.20

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