Visiting my brother Brett and trying some new IPAs. Its the first warm day of the summer (its only July 11th) and the fruity, citrusy cascade hop flavor makes a refreshing counterpart to the afternoon.
My first is the Mendocino White Hawk Select IPA. Mendocino Brewing Co has been around forever- I've been drinking Red Tail Ale as long as I've been drinking craft beers, but I can't remember trying White Hawk - memory can be a funny thing when it comes to beer.
Its got a nice orange color, a pretty good head with amberish foam. The nose is more malty than hoppy to my nose - a little bit of caramel sweetness and earthy notes. The hops come in nice and strong from the start - its bitter on the front of the tongue and finishes hoppy, with a pronounced lingering dryness. Mendocino's website describes the beer as an English IPA, with a blend of Cascade and Fuggles hops - which explains the earthy, malty notes in the nose with the citrus hop flavor.
The body is pretty well balanced, given the hop content, but simple - just a touch of caramel to give it some depth.
A very nice IPA, one I don't see much in Massachusetts.
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