Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA (through 2007)

Beautiful pour - candy amber hue in the beer with an above average meringue jiggly head that retains well. Nice bready and hoppy aroma. The NOSE is very balanced. On the palate this beer screams American IPA. Unbalanced, mostly hops, little malt, and slightly thin mouthfeel. It’s almost like... sucking on a dry tree leaf from the ground in October. The malt just doesn’t compliment the hops very well. I feel teased because the nose is so inviting, but then on the palate it snaps at me with the hops. Yes, I know it’s an IPA, but that doesn’t mean balance can’t be a part of the equation. Not very drinkable either. Takes some effort to finish the pint, and it just doesn’t make me yearn for the next sip like other IPA’s often do.

Old record... I didn’t even know they changed the recipe until I went to log this entry... I’ll have to try the new one. Not all that different from their classic pale ale, just a little bit more bitter, but lacks the balance and complexity of an awesome IPA.

On Tap at the Flying Dog Brewery Tap, Denver 12/10/2007 (Hopped with Warrior & Columbus ABV 6.4%) Very hoppy and fruity aroma. Clear golden coloured and very hoppy with a citrus fruit flavour. Crisp and bitter malt finish.

***review from Nov 14, 2007***

Standard light amber - very clear with no hint of haze at all. Poured a large off off-white / tan, long lasting creamy head with good lacing. The aroma is of peppermint....no, more of a mint - a sharp fresh mint with a definete herbal touch. some candied grapefruit and thick malt. The taste is very herbal and needs more hop flavour (where’s the grapefruit?). Large mint. Some bready malts. Nice carbonation, soft and smooth. Just above medium bodied, long lasting bitterness. This is not a fair comparrision but I put this head to head against Stone Ruination and this stuff is no where near Stone...or no where near most other AIPA’s I’ve had.

Poured yellow with fluffy white head. Aroma of pine. Good pine flavor with a nice balance of malt and some citrus in the finish.

This beer poured a dark honey brown with a hint of red thrown in; just a tiny skiff of head was produced and that disappeared very quickly. The aroma was all hops, grape fruity hops to be more specific, good hop smell strong but not overpowering. Just like the aroma the taste is all grape fruit hops but its not to bitter until it has left your mouth then there’s an intense bitterness left in your mouth. I like this IPA a lot more then most I would be able to drink more then a couple in an evening

Bottle. 5.6% ABV. Nice head with good duration. Color is amber. Aroma and taste are hops, grass, flowers and malt. Nice bitter finish.

355 ml bottle. Clear, golden orange body with a dense off-white head. Sweet and heavy hoppy/citrus + hay aroma. Flavor has a sharp, prompt bitterness, giving a dry feeling even realizing this is a quite sweet beer. Balanced but not much malt flavor here.