Tag: white IPA

Beer Review: New Belgium’s Accumulation

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From the bottle:

Accumulation White IPA was inspired by the white beauty that falls each winter from our Colorado sky. Flurries of Mosaic and Amarillo hops bring soft fruit and citrus flavor, followed by a layer of bitter.

 

Piled high in IBUs, Accumulation will make your winter brighter.

From my notes:

 Lots of hop, spice and fruit on the nose. Taste is opposite of how the brewer describes it! I get hops and bitter at first in the mouth followed up with spices, citrus and some pine. Very crisp, with some hints of melon and fruit in the finish.

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I’ve got to say this came as surprise as New Belgium’s other two seasonals (Rolle Bolle and Pumpkick) from this year were pretty bad in my opinion so I was keeping expectations low. Accumulation is a good white IPA; a nice blending of hops and grain, bitter and sweet.

Rating (out of five):

Beer of the Week 50: Chainbreaker

Deschutes Brewery’s Chainbreaker White IPA

From the bottle:

What if wheat wasn’t the goal in itself? But a route to something awesomely new?

You pair wheat, hops and Belgian yeast and suddenly ‘bingo, a wheat like nobody  else’s.’ With real depth, coriander and sweet orange peel, it’s citrus-packed and silky smooth going down.

From my notes:

Cloudy straw white color with thick, creamy looking white head that leaves a light lacing on the glass. Citrus, pine, and spices on the nose. Yeast and wheat when it first hits the tongue with hints of citrus, grapefruit specifically, and some spices, coriander I assume. This is quickly followed up by the crisp hop flavor as it goes down. Smooth and dry finish. Surprisingly juxtaposition of a Belgian and an IPA.

The smoothness of a Wheat beer with the intensity of an IPA?!

I’ve already reviewed a number of Deschutes Brewery’s beers, and they’ve become one of my favorite brewers, Chainbreaker cements my opinion further. The fact that it’s a Witbier and an Indian Pale Ale makes for some interesting questions. IPAs are generally paired with robustly flavored foods that can hold their own against the strengths of the beer. Witbiers are usually paired with lighter fare: seafood, salads, citrus dishes. Chainbreaker is both. So what would it go well with? I think both. Chainbreaker won’t overwhelm delicate, subtle foods but it will stand up to spicy, strong and bold flavored dishes. This beer was a real surprise and a real treat.

Rating (out of five):

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