Over the years on #beersaturday, I have always endeavored to try new and different beers, to venture outside of my comfort zone. If it was up to me, every #beersaturday would be a Kolsch or a Helles with the occasional Brown Ale.
Never, in the early years of my beer journey would I feature an IPA unless it was a gift or an error.
However, as life goes on and the beer journey forges forth my tastes have expanded. Two years ago, as a Christmas gift I received several IPAs.
Now, at the time I was not a fan of IPAs, a little too bitter and a little too hoppy for me.
Buried in the midst of these IPAs were several beers called West Coast Style IPA. A laid back, lazy hazy IPA worthy of California cool vibe.
A new appreciation for the IPA was born. And believe it or not, the @handofzara is enjoying a wonderful lazy, hazy, West Coast Style IPA brewed right here in the Old North State aka North Carolina.
BEER NAME: Cloud Rise
STYLE: Hazy West Coast IPA
ABV: 7.2%
BREWER: Blowing Rock Brewery, Hickory North Carolina
APPEARANCE: medium amber, cloudy, pours with a rich foamy head
AROMA: hops and fruit
TASTE: mild hops and pineapple
MOUTHFEEL: medium body, great bitters and light carbonation
FUN FACT: Blowing Rock Brewery was founded in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, which is a tiny village nestled deep in the Appalachian Mountains. The sort of place that unless you want to go there, you could never find it! As the brewery grew in popularity, the main facility was moved to Hickory, North Carolina which is not in the middle of nowhere, although not exactly in the middle of somewhere, if you know what I mean.
Did you know that in America there is a great rivalry between East Coast and West Coast IPAs?
As far as I am concerned the West Coast lazy hazy wins hands down. And none of this growth would have been even conceivable without #beersaturday and a Christmas gift. Thank you @detlev and the #beer community on HIVE.
TRIVIA TIME!
I have a #beersaturday tradition of asking a trivia question and the first person to answer correctly in the COMMENTS wins a BEER TOKEN!
QUESTION: What country does the letter "I" stand for in the name IPA?
Good luck and I will see y'all next #beersaturday!
