Top Tastings 2008. A shorter version appeared on facebook, January 2009.
Beer sellers: Bierkraft
ABV: 10%
Origin: Lakewood, New York, USA
Website: www.southerntierbrewing.com
Southern Tier hoppe extra pale ale
‘Southern Tier’ is the informal geographical term for the southwest counties of New York state, and was also the name chosen by Phineas DeMink & Allen “Skip” Yahn when they set up this micro in 2004, using kit from the defunct Saddleback brewery. It’s since expanded rapidly, with many of the beers making a virtue of hops in a style more reminiscent of brewing on the opposite coast.
Hoppe, pronounced simply as ‘hop’ by the brewers, is a delicious and outstanding example from the brewery’s Imperial series, well-hopped but, unlike some West Coast examples, not too forbiddingly bitter, which is achieved by being attractively floral throughout. It’s a rich clear golden beer with some fine off-white head, and strong pineapple and tobacco resin, hopsack and malt on the aroma. A smooth malty peach palate has cleansing pine striking through on the swallow, and rounded but complex resins on a slightly mouth-numbing but elegant floral finish.
It’s described as an “exercise in minimalism”, using simple but well-chosen ingredients, and they’ve pulled it off brilliantly. Once again thanks to Bierkraft in Brooklyn for pointing me in its direction.
Read more about this beer at ratebeer.com: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/southern-tier-hoppe/70146/
Being from Buffalo, NY, I sample many of the offerings from Southern Tier Brewing as it is a few hours from my home. While I love their seasonal offering, the Pumpking, which is a Pumpkin ale mimicking a pumpkin pie, their regular offering Unearthly is an exception Imperial IPA.
I even made an ice cream out of the Pumpking Microbrew Ice Cream using Pumpkin
Sure in the UK it is tough to get your hands on this stuff though, cheers and happy drinking