Southern Tier Hoppe

Brewed by Southern Tier Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
Lakewood, New York USA

Very lightly hazed golden color with a full head of big off-white bubbles. Small isles of lace. Strong hoppy aroma. Heavy scents of grapefruit and cedar. For me its just too much hops and not much of anything else in the scent. Plus the woody aspect is not that appealing to me. Cedar comes out in the flavors as well. Slight hint of malt sweetness followed by the hit in the mouth of a cedar plank. Hot and spicy in the finish with alcohol and white pepper. Seems raw and unbalanced. If this was in an 8 ounce bottle I may think more of it, but to slug it out with this bomber is too much work.

Bright golden amber appearance with a medium size, off white head and decent lacing. Spicy, floral, herbal hop aroma gradually replaced by more familiar notes of citrus and resin. Full bodied, nicely carbonated mouthfeel. Taste is firmly controlled by the huge hop profile with only a passing nod to the moderate malt presence. Some interaction between bitterness and sweetness followed by a mild alcohol burn. Durable, long lasting, spicy finish.

22 oz bottle. Pours cloudy golden with a bubbly white head, leaves nice lacing on the glass. Aroma is nice, hoppy, some subtle peachiness, balanced... a lot of malty caramel sweetness in there, too. Tastes like biting into a mango infused with hops. Definitely tastes good, but it’s a little strange. Maybe it’s the aftertaste (unexpectedly bitter/dry)? Maybe the way it feels in the mouth is throwing me off a little... it’s very thick and rich, but then it’s a little powdery/grainy too. To the point where my lips and the roof of my mouth feel a wee bit powdery after taking a big gulp. Huh. Odd beer, nice try for Southern Tier, but I’m not a big fan of this one.

Bomber. Pours hazy, light golden yellow color with an immensely creamy white head that leaves tremendous sheets of lace down the entire glass. Aroma is strong, malty, hoppy, wheat, balanced. Candy. Hops are somewhat piney and earthy. Sweet. There is a strange taste in here I cannot put my finger on. A sharp, cloying sweetness that is unusual in a way that other cloying sweetnesses are not. Cotton candy? Bad fruit? Alcohol? Kind of like eating the white part in an orange peel. I do not know. But it’s distracting. This distraction is not evident in any way in the aroma. Other flavors present are a mild bitterness, citrus, orange. Medium bodied. As I drink more the bad flavor disappears. Either it improves as it warms up, my palate is shot from the bitterness, or I am drunk. Maybe all three. All in all this was pretty good.

Orange gold color. Modest hops in both aroma and taste. Hops contribute some citrus, but not much bitterness.

Bomber bottle (available in Illinois) and served in my GI IPA tulip: First pour was a clean golden hue, second had a bit of haze but both were topped a lush creamy heads and left outstanding lace on glassware. The aroma reminds me a lot of a fresh GI IIPA, juicy fruit, grapefruit, pine resin, floral and grassy, doughy bread and hints of pepper and anise, lovely and inviting!

The taste has a moderate bitterness, acidic fruit and balanced pale malt combination. Much more modest than the nose let on. Yummy and I guess it is a Double Pale Ale after all. The finish is grapefruit rind and peppermint with a dash of fresh oak. The mouth feel is lively and nicely refreshing with absolutely no signs of 10% ABV, R U sure bout that?

This is one excellent brew, a big ale without crushing you with either hops or alcohol, MIKEY LIKEY!

22 oz. brown bomber bottle. No freshness date seen. Poured out a hazy straw yellow color, with a sticky white head. Aromas are of piney hops, some grapefruit also. Sweet malts in the background. Flavors are of sweet malts, piney hops. Alcohol is well hidden. Medium mouthfeel, decent body. Finishes bitter & smooth.

Bottle courtesy of foureyedgeek. Very nice hoppy & floral aroma. Notes of grapefruit and sugary caramel, too. Pale amber yellow clear, with light lacing head. Medium bodied with medium-light carbonation. Starts with good hit of caramel and malty sweetness, subtle alcohol warming and candied grapefruit hoppiness. Bitterness grows throughout, leaving you with a medium bitter nutty finish. Nice ale.