Boulder Beer Hazed & Infused

Brewed by Boulder Beer Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Boulder, Colorado USA

Deep amber color with a cream colored pillow of foam. Very floral hops in the aroma. A very floral taste, more what I’ve come to expect from a Dogfish Head IPA. I personally loved it but I can see how some might be put off when they pull out this ’pale ale’ only to discover they’ve jumped in a pool reserved only for hop heads.

I chose to pick up the sixpack of this beer instead of the 22 oz. bombers the store also carried. The labeling on both was the same (i.e., quite psychedelic). When poured into a pint glass, the beer formed a large foamy head that dry hopped ales seem to be pretty good at. The head was thick enough to form a volcano cone above the rim of the glass. The body was amber in color and looked a shade or two darker than the average APA. It was however pretty clear, and did not exhibit much of the touted haze until I vigorously swirled the last bits of beer into the glass. The smell was hops of the pungent, earthy, resinous, and a little smoky kind. The taste of the beer let me down after all that buildup. It was not very bitter, and seemed to have a peaty, sour, and chalky taste. These flavors typically work well in a Scotch or old Ale, but the body here was too thin to have them be the main attraction. I am glad I got to try it, and finishing the six pack will be no big deal, but it’s not all that I was hoping for, and I will probably not seek it out again.

Aroma is fairly strong and overwhelmingly hoppy. It pours a rich, coppery amber with a thick, fluffy, off-white head. Flavor is richly hoppy, mildly bitter, with a strong evergreen component. This ale fairly dances on the tongue and leaves a hoppy aftertaste. I recommend it to all "hop heads."

Pours with an off-white frothy head. Has a nice hazy copper-honey color. Initial taste is hoppy with a grassy flavour. Well balanced beer.

Metallic orange-copper pour, with a chunky off-white head that leaves soapy lace. Floral and citrus notes in the bouquet. Flavors integrate well, with nice citrusy grapefruit, slight caramel malts, and a finish of weaker Crystal hops than I had initially thought. Almost an "IPA-light", it certainly makes its mark and has decent complexity, a smooth palate and soft carbo levels. Good offering, and got better as I delved further into the pull.

Copper pour with a big, rocky, white head and great lacing. Nice solid grapefruit aroma with a very earthy caramel malt background and a little spice. Flavor is straight forward from the aroma but dulled down a bit with a creamy smooth medium body and subtle carbonation, albeit a touch aqueous on the finish.

Orange-copper with a huge off-white head. Wonderful--if rather familiar--hop aroma. The flavor isn’t quite as hop-heavy as the nose suggests. It’s rather sweet, lightly fruity, and caramelish. The hops peek in at the end but get spooked quickly and run off.

Nice idea, sort of a super-hoppy amber ale... however, I thought that it was sort of plain. I think that of a lot of Boulder brews though. Nice aroma, good but not great hop flavor.