Tröegs Blizzard of Hops Winter IPA

To level set, I originally wrote this review at the tail end of 2017, so it was the dead of winter when I wrote it. This is, then , completely appropriate for the time of year that I was drinking it. I just have a massive backlog of beers that I reviewed and didn't bother to publish until now. I'll try to do better in the future.

The pale yellow beer has only the slightest bit of mistiness inside of her and the white cap is patchy and sticky - just like the best IPAs have. Given the very light color of the beer, I anticipate this drink with a bit of trepidation. The aroma is a bit weaker than I would have liked, but it's definitely lemony.

First sip is watery on the front end and acidic on the back end. It's not terrible for a lemony drink, but it is definitely not a sipping IPA; it's just too much like an unbalanced see-saw with the front and end fighting each other, and the middle not bringing very much.

Tip-in is lemon zest and carbonation burn. The middle is better, with the lemon being joined by some pine and a little grapefruit, but it's a bit weak in the middle. The finish is a harsh bite of bitterness and dust from the pine needles.

Bottom Line: Blizzards aren't too bad when you prepare for them, but they often are not great.

2.0/5