Blue Frog Last Hop Standing

Brewed by Blue Frog Grog and Grill
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Fairfield, California USA

Tasted on tap at the 2007 Bistro Wet Hop IPA Festival. This IPA pours a light gold color. Small sized white foamy head. Aroma begins with strong floral hops and then gives way to some yeast and esters, very fruity. A medium bodied IPA. Malts are fruity and sweet. Hops are floral and citrusy. Interesting beer. A hoppy Belgian blonde or a fruity IPA? Take your pick. Fruity with a bone dry finish. Nice balance, but a touch sweet. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and crisp and fairly dry. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

Tap @ O’brien’s during wet hop fest. Blue Frog really sucks from what I’ve had. Pours yellow with a bright white head. Nose is light and dead. Taset is light and crappy, not surprised that this ain’t good.

Draft. I was told this was a fresh hop lager using wet Willamette hops. Amber beer with an off white head. Slightly smoky aroma with some grain. Slight citrus/grass/lager flavor with light malt. Fresh hops. Lingering mineral/citrus tones.

On Tap @ The Wet Hop Event at the Hayward Bistro. It pours a hazy deep gold with a copper hue running through the middle and thin bright white head. The aroma is mild with hints of sweet malts and vague hoppiness but also with pretty big Belgian yeast notes of banana and bubble gum. The hops show up first in the flavor but are quickly outshined by banana and mild bubble gum notes. Midway the Centennial hops break free of the Belgian influence and bath the flavor in subtle hoppiness. Interesting offering.

Tap. A little bizarre in terms of the flavor and aroma. Aroma was malty and BOish. Gold color with a white head. Fruit and strange flavor. A bit watery. Not very good.

Tap, O’Brien’s Wet Hop Fest. Pours a golden brown color. Very skunky hoppiness. Very bitter piney hops going on. Overall, quite bitter and good. If this is a pale lager I expect it to be #1 when it gets the ratings.

Tap @ O’Brien’s. Pours clear gold with great lacing. Nose was kind of funky, grainy, and fruity........not bad.

Draft at O’Brien’s. Actually pretty nice. Spicy aromas. Some banana on the flavor suprised me a bit. More spice on the flavor mixed in with the fresh hop flavors. Pretty hoppy on the finish. Good.