Hop Trip

Bottle stamped Best by: 1/9/2010, I'm drinking on 6/16/2010. Not fair for me to really rate a brew that's decent enough to date their bottles. We think this brewery puts out really excellent beers, just hard to get in Chicago, so willing to drink a brew past it's age stamp.

Let me preface by saying that the bottle was best by 2010-01-09 so it seems like the hop profile won't be as robust as it once was. Pours cloudy but not much foam fan fair. Aroma has that old, hop resin aroma with a big, sweet malt backbone. There is a little orange/citrus hop aroma but really mute. Taste is just about what I expected based on the aroma. There is some sweet malt that is competing with a large amount of resinous hops. Some orange and spicy hops in the finish but subtle. Light carbonation and body. Well balanced and really no bitterness that I could detect. I think this might really have a nice hop profile on a fresh bottle. I will try and get one come this fall/winter. Enjoy!