Indicators - Kane Brewing

Released this past Saturday, Kane Brewing's Indicators is another in a long line of very solid IPA's added to the breweries catalog of delicious brews. It had been released on draft about two weeks before it saw a can release, so I had already been able to give this beer a try. Kane Brewing describes their beer as follows: Indicators is a 7.4% IPA brewed with Golden Promise, Honey malt and oats and hopped with Citra, Galaxy and Waimea.

I've always been a fan of anything with Citra, but in the last year or so have really come around to Galaxy and definitely have seen the growing presence of Waimea in some of Kane's beers. As you can see, the beer pours a cloudy orange color. As the beer gets poured, the hop presence and the citrus aromas come right through. Upon tasting, it's a welcome departure from IPA's that most everyone keep trying to pump out. It's delightful, yet not bitter. It's not a NE IPA, it's almost sweeter. It's not a juice bomb, it's something much more subtle and yet refined. 

At 7.4% ABV, it falls right into that desirable range for an IPA. Although I'd probably still prefer Party Wave over Indicators, I can also recognize that they are both different beasts within the world of IPA's. If Kane were to can this again, I'd jump all over it in a heartbeat. For now, I just have one can left and am trying to pick the right time to embrace that bittersweet moment. Salud!

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Regular Coffee - Carton Brewing

By December 31st of each year, I'm already looking at January with reckless abandon because I know it's coming... Regular Coffee from Carton Brewing. An Imperial Cream Ale boasting a deceiving 12%, this beer is guaranteed to make you feel fantastic if you have more than one. I prefer to have just one and to sip slowly, enjoying every single second of it.

Sadly, it is released just once a year and usually with one or two variants to go along with it. Yet, I love to follow through with the tradition of at least once a year, having one with a classic New Jersey pork roll sandwich, as Augie Carton has intended. The coffee flavor from Fair Mountain Coffee Roasters comes through brilliantly and creates the perfect blend of coffee and beer to the point where you don't know if it's a coffee-beer or a beer-coffee.

You haven't seen true joy until Carton announces the can releases or until I walk into a bar and realize that they have it on tap. Drink Regular Coffee because I love it!

Singlecut Mo'Shuggie Soulbender IPA

The Mo'Shuggie Soulbender IPA is a 7.4% American IPA from New York Brewery, Singlecut Beersmiths. Not available in New Jersey (that I know of), I've been searching for this one whenever I visit another state. Finally able to purchase one in Boston, I was more excited to try it and it did not disappoint. This one didn't even make it back to New Jersey - instead I just had it right at the hotel a mere two hours after buying it.

The taste is somewhat piney in a good way, and there are strong notes of tropical fruits in it. It's a very well made beer. It's very easy to drink. As soon as you crack the bottle open and pour it, the aroma just smacks you in the face. It's the type of beer you want to drink out on a sunny day at the beach or a BBQ. It's such a shame I can't get this regularly. The price of it was reasonable and if I ever find it, I'll buy it again.

5/5 Bullhorns.