Written by Dean Zarbaugh

Saucy Brew Works – Who Is This?

The latest release in the Saucy Brew Works hazy IPA series, Who Is This? cuts down the bitterness in favor of a blend of tropical juicy citrus hop flavor, that is followed by a slightly sweet creaminess that leaves you longing for another sip. This haze bomb of an IPA lives up to its “murky” billing. In a crowded field of hazy IPA’s, Who Is This? truly stands out. A must try for every fan of New England style IPA’s. Smooth, juicy, and quite refreshing.

RATING:

4.75/5

Written by Dean Zarbaugh

Rhinegeist – Cloud Five

Rhinegeist fans, be on the lookout for Cloud Five, a hazy imperial IPA brewed in commemoration of the Cincinnati brewery’s 5th anniversary. This smooth, hazy imperial IPA is packed with tropical citrus flavor, that bright hoppiness Rhinegeist is famous for, and a deliciously bitter finish that leaves you thirsty for another sip. Cloud Five clocks in at 8% ABV, and maintains a nice smoothness throughout that makes it incredibly easy drinking. Cloud Five comes in four-pack cans, and is available for a limited time only! Rhinegeist continues to amaze with how well they brew beer.

RATING
4.75/5

Written by Dean Zarbaugh II

MadTree Brewing Company – Mad Pils

This easy drinking pilsner clocks in at a cool 5.3% ABV. Mad Pils is crisp, clean, and refreshing with a nice snappy finish. It is light in body, but full of flavor. If you’re looking for a smooth, delicious beer to enjoy while relaxing on your porch, doing yard work, or cheering for your favorite baseball team this summer, this is the perfect beer for you. Mad Pils is available in 4-pack 16 oz cans.

RATING

4/5

Platform Beer Company – Seeing Sounds

The latest small batch IPA release from Platform is a delicious haze bomb. Seeing Sounds is a well balanced IPA that packs a ton of juicy tropical citrus hop flavor complimented by a smooth creaminess and a crisp bitter finish. Another great small batch IPA release from Platform that any hazy IPA fan will love!

RATING
4.5/5

Written by Dean Zarbaugh

MadTree/Fat Head’s – Lupulin Effect Imperial IPA

This hop-forward imperial IPA is a collaboration between Fat Head’s Brewery in Middleburg Heights and Cincinnati’s MadTree Brewing. It sports an 8.1% ABV and 85 IBUs. Lupulin Effect is everything you’d expect from these two breweries joining forces; hoppy, juicy, and full of flavor. It has a slight sweetness to it and packs a deliciously bitter finish. Crisp and clean. An easy drinker for an 8.1% ABV. Excellent imperial IPA.

RATING
4.5/5

Written by Dean Zarbaugh

Sibling Revelry – Barrel Aged 2XRED

This was a special bottle release earlier this year for Sibling Revelry’s Two Year Anniversary. I was fortunate enough to attend and pick up a couple bottles. This was bottle number 28. Bourbon barrel aged beers can scare some people off, but this beer was well balanced in its flavor. Some barrel aged beers tend to overdo it with the bourbon, but Sibling’s barrel aged 2XRED keeps things in check with a nice hop bite, and a rich malt flavor. I’ll be sitting on my other bottle for a while to see how it ages.

RATING
4.5/5

Written by Dean Zarbaugh

Masthead Brewing Company – Brute Force Double IPA

This double IPA is incredibly smooth, and full of flavor, with notes of floral and citrus on the nose. Upon your first sip, your tastebuds are met with a burst of citrus flavor that continues throughout and finishes slightly bitter with notes of resin.  Brute Force is 8.7% ABV with 90 IBU’s.

RATING
4.75/5

Written By Dean Zarbaugh

Columbus Brewing Company – Uncle Rusty Imperial Red Ale

This is a full-bodied red ale. Uncle Rusty packs a hefty 9.3% ABV and 90 IBUs. Despite the high alcohol content, Uncle Rusty is a smooth red ale, with nice balance of malt and hops. The hops hit you first, with the malt coming in at the end. The malt gives it notes of toasted bread and a touch of sweetness to compliment the hoppiness. This is every red ale lover’s dream.

RATING
4.75/5

Written By Dean Zarbaugh

Photo Credit: Dean Zarbaugh

Masthead Brewing Company – Extra! Extra! Double NEIPA. I stumbled across my last can of this special edition double New England IPA from Masthead’s last canning release. Bursting with tropical citrus hoppiness, with notes of mango, guava, pineapple and melon, and finishing delightfully smooth. At 8% it can sneak up on you a bit too. You wouldn’t know the ABV is as high as it is just from the taste. It’s deceptively smooth. This was my absolute favorite out of the two releases; Extra! Extra! and Shoot from the Hip. Both are excellent beers, but I think I liked the Extra! Extra! a bit more. If you can find this on draft still, I highly recommend trying it. Masthead knocks it out of the park with their beers, especially NEIPAs.

RATING
4.75/5

Written by Dean Zarbaugh

Saucy Brew Works – Love You, Bye. This hazy imperial IPA is bursting with tropical citrus flavor; mango, guava, and pineapple. It finishes with a pungent bitterness that leaves you wanting more. It clocks in at 8% ABV, but you wouldn’t know it from tasting it. Love You, Bye will definitely sneak up on ya if you aren’t careful. This is a limited release from the Cleveland based Saucy, and the first in their new “Hazy Series” so if you’re lucky enough to find a 4-pack, don’t pass it by! I’m looking forward to the next in the series.

RATING
4/5