So, it's kegged up, and last night it started to come into the "Carbonated enough" phase. So here's a quick A,S,T,M,D review, for which I'm trying to be objective. I've put IPA in quotes above, because this beer doesn't strictly fit the IPA category, being too light in color and too high in alcohol.
About this beer: NEPAtism (stands for "New England Pale Ale", and is a riff on the latin derived "nepotism" which is favoritism.. and my beers are usually my favorites) is a lightly colored "stout" IPA, sporting a huge alcohol content, fruity notes of citrus and grapefruit, moderate bitterness, and a sweet bready backbone. Clocking in at 9% ABV, the moderate hopping balances well with the lighter malts used to make this beer.
A(ppearance) - Golden. Unfiltered, and somewhat hazy. Expecting that this will settle out over the next few days @ 30*F. Decent head formation, considering it is under-carbonated at the moment.
S(mell) - A hint of the Amarillo hops kisses the nose, and then an almost sugary malt presence fills the nostrils.
T(aste) - Starts with notes of grapefruit and citrus. A warm bitterness fills the palate, and is then swept away by sweet notes of bread and malt.
M(outhfeel) - Light, like a cream ale or a pilsner, which is surprising considering the grist to water ratio. Somewhat like grapefruit or pineapple juice.
D(rinkability) - The high ABV makes this beer not sessionable. Probably at most two pints of it a night, or else the morning will be... you know. Goes does smooth, and crisp, with each sip showcasing different notes. Slightly fruity in some sips, and malty in others. Bitterness is smooth and almost "warming" (NOTE: different from a hot alcohol flavor). Definitely will have no trouble quaffing this beer.
Overall impression - for my first winter-brewed IPA using Lowell water, I'm quite impressed. It's malty, hoppy, citrusy, and will certainly make an impression on ones inhibitions. Even the biggest beer drinkers will have trouble handling the alcohol, and the fact that it's not detectable on the palate means it's easy to put a few away. Quite happy with this beer.
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