National IPA Day

It turns out August 1 is National IPA Day... All we needed was a reason.

Beer: Great Divide Hercules Double IPA
ABV: 10.00%
Home: Denver, Colorado, USA
Slogan: "Great minds drink alike"

Definitely a hardcore beer, so I should thank my lucky stars that it came in a 12 oz bottle! I just learned the alcohol content of this beer after looking it up online, which explains a lot. Awesome pour with large bubbles on top of a two-finger head. A very subtle sweetness, which I would appreciate more in another beer - In this one, though, the hops are just too strong.

Beer: Spaten Optimator
ABV: 7.60%
Home: Munich, Germany

In this dimly lit bar, the Optimator is dark brown in color with an off-white, bubbly head. The taste is semi-sweet with some caramel and raisin flavors. At this point I texted one of my best friends from HS, who once famously downed a half-yard of the Optimator at The Yard House while we were celebrating my college graduation. I've never forgotten what he said about his experience: "You have to drink it while it's ice fucking cold, otherwise it tastes like soy sauce!" After texting him the picture below, he was excited to see this old friend, but he was relaxing with a Bud at home. Ah how things change! Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the label says "Malt Liquor" on it. Confused, I did some more reading. This Examiner article has a broader definition of "malt liquor" than what we've learned so far (it includes anything over 5% ABV), proving that there isn't a single correct answer to the "What is malt liquor?" question. I guess you just have to know what you're drinking!

Beer: Ballast Point Longfin Lager
ABV: 4.60%
Home: San Diego, California, USA
Slogan: "Get the point"

First impressions: This one is in the lager category, so I wasn't really expecting much. The color is a pale gold with a bit of head that didn't give off much aroma. Once I tasted it, though, I was pleasantly surprised! Very clean and crisp with just a hint of sweetness. I tried looking for it outside the bar this weekend, but wasn't able to find it among the other Ballast Point beers at the Wine and Cheese Cask or the Craft Beer Cellar!