Flat 12 Bierwerks- Half Cycle IPA

Half Cycle IPA
ABV: 6%
IBU: 104
Color- Amber/Gold

When it comes to beer, as I've said before... I'm an IPA drinker.  I enjoy that hoppy bitter flavor in beer, and this Half Cycle IPA certainly has that going for it.  As RT and I were at the Bloody Blonde tapping party, I certainly couldn't settle for just one beer and one review.  Here I tried the Half Cycle IPA and think I found one of my new favorites. No doubt.

This beer is hoppy and bitter, which is exactly what you would guess when looking at its IBU over 100.  It was initially easy to smell the aroma of hoppy IPA flavor, and was reassured of the hop and malt flavor upon my first taste.  The thing about this beer, though, is it doesn't leave that dry bitter aftertaste every sip.  Its got a clean, refreshing aftertaste, which is what I look for in a hoppy IPA.  Making a bitter beer like the rest is easy, but pulling off a clean aftertaste certainly calls for praise.  This is the kind of beer that makes you wonder, "How did I finish this already?" and, "Why haven't I gotten another one yet?"

If you are ever in the downtown area, and feel like you need to try something new... I encourage you to drop by Flat 12 brewery and grab a pint.  With temperatures in the 70s all the way up to November, this has been quite the fall season for brewery visits.

Thr3e Wise Men - Centennial Martyr Double IPA

Double IPA

ABV: 8.00%

IBU: 92

SRM / Coloring : Pale to Amber

When you come to Thr3e Wise Men Brewery in Broad Ripple, this is the staple beer that they serve. I actually used to work here , and whenever people come in, it's the one thing I recommend and people rave about; intense, robust flavor, and who could possibly complain about 8% alcohol? Tastes like a win win situation.

A double IPA differs from a normal IPA in that it has more additives at work in the brewing process, thus it has a higher alcohol content and a more robust flavor. Also known as an imperial IPA, it has a rich color, full body, and thick defining flavor.

This double IPA is made with glacier and Falconer's flight hops, a mixture of hops from northern Indiana, as well as clover honey from a local farm in Martinsville. Looking at the beer it has a darker amber color than most single IPA's, and it has the distinct smell of hops, clovers, and flowers on the nose. Tasting the beer, it has a dense hoppy taste (as expected) but the honey infusion almost gives it a warming sensation on the back end like with whiskey or bourbon, eliminating any bite. It's the perfect beer for a cold fall evening, warming you up on the inside.