This past week, Dogfish Head brewery released an "inbetweener." In between 60-Minute and 90-Minute, there lies this beer review: 75 Minute IPA. Yup, on the label with Groucho Marx (Originally, it was Johnny Cash, but the Cash estate put forth papers). It also says it is brewed with maple syrup. Interesting. okay, let me take this further.
The color is a little on the light side, sort of like a yellow-orange-tan. At first sniff, it has those DFH style dry hop style all over it, but you smell a little whiff of some maple bark goodness. As I sipped it, I can taste slight hints of the maple connecting with the citrus of the hops, thus having a little syrupy pickup to the citrus flavor and characteristics of the hops. Kind of close to having some tasting characteristics of a berliner weisse, but not quite.
Would I drink this beer again? Sure. But will I really recommend it? It is a hard sell that's for sure. Why? Some more advanced palates may be turned off by the maple-enhanced hops. Others will clamor for the less intense 60-Minute or the more citrusy but bigger 90-Minute, or the super-charged power of the dry 120-Minute. Dogfish Head is known for taking odd and exotic ingredients to make some very impressive brews (SahTea, Theobroma), and not so impressive (Ta Henket). Also, like many craft brewers, they take the time hear and read feedback. To this, I say the 75-Minute IPA is a high risk maneuver.
