Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA (through 2007)

Formerly brewed at Flying Dog Brewery
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Frederick, Maryland USA

Poured yellow with fluffy white head. Aroma of hops. Good hop flavor with a nice balance of malt in the finish.

Very flavorful IPA. The dry-hopping takes control of this drink as is it dominated by a sharp, pungent Hop flavor and aroma. Also very bitter upfront and through the finish. Very floral on the nose - lots of hops on the tongue. Very lemony and tart with a slight pepper twist. The malt is sharp and sweet and strangely heavy. I liked the drink overall; could benefit from a little aging, but it is perfectly quaffable straight from the store.

Nice IPA. Pours light orange with moderate head. Aroma nice but not too telling. Smooth bitter with nice hop flavors. Finishes with mild sweetness.

Bottle... Poured a clear golden color with a frothy white head. Sweet, malt and hop aroma. This IPA had sweet, tangy, fruity (apricots and citrus), yeasty, grainy, and chalky flavors. With a mild bitter hop finish. This is a really good brew.

Aroma: pine, grapefruit, pineapple, bit of lemon peel and tons of luscious sweet caramel malt Appearance: sparkling clear with tones of deep gold, caramel Flavor: caramel and biscuit malt, citrus peel/grapefruit and pineapple, with enough woodsy and herbaceous hop bitterness to stand up to the sweetness Palate: creamy but a bit thin - light for the style, smooth and easy to drink No licorice flavor in my sample. The only problem is it doesn’t seem like it’s quite an IPA, more like an extra-hoppy pale ale. It’s a tasty summer beer for hopheads in the heat. I haven’t really been a huge fan of this brewery in the past, even though I’ve been suckered in by the advertising more than once (Ralph Steadman’s artwork has been among my favorites since I was in high school). I’m glad I gave this another shot.

Bottle from a variety pack. Deep hop aroma first and foremost without much other smell noted. Dark, definite reddish tone not expected in the color. Not nearly as hoppy in the taste compared to the smell, light citrus taste very orange instead of typical lemon. Distinct licorice/anise after taste (too strong to be "pine") comes through and deadens out the hops. Some malt, too heavy for an IPA. But again over powered by a licorice bitter taste. That’s not right in any beer, let alone an IPA. Nice start, bad finish.

Bottle (mine says 6,4% ABV). Lemon peel, pine, soap in the aroma leading to a malty flavor with good balance between the different parts: Orange marmalade and caramel Long bitter "grapefruity" finish with hints of alcohol. Very clear copper colored with lasting cream colored head. Very nice and drinkable IPA with firm bitterness. Some more aroma would be nice though.

Pours a clear yellow with a medium white head. Nose is strong grapefruit hops with a hint of maltiness. Flavor of floral and grapefruit hops, grapefruit predominating, with a slight cookie dough malt backbone. Long bitter aftertaste. Oily mouthfeel. Excellent IPA... considerably underrated.