USA 2012-2013: football, guns and beer

You're at a bar. You order an IPA. You watch the NFL highlights on the big screen. You hear a very detailed fifteen minute conversation about guns. You know when you're in Minnesota when you hear that. I guess it's very typical of the psyche of normal citizens here in the United States of America.

But it isn't normal to me. What is normal is craft beer, not that mega swill rubbish they sell in bucket loads here. Thanks to Jenny, it was with great anticipation that I continued my beer journey with Old Chicago's World Beer Tour.  It took me a few minutes to calm myself down and look at the menu.

Odell IPA 7%

What I eventually chose was an Odell IPA. At 7% abv this beer kicks butt. A thunderous beer at 60 IBU. Remember my "perceived bitterness" cautionary tale in my previous blog? Well, same goes for this beer. A great beer and an excellent way to start but I was sure I was going to have problems dissecting the hop profiles for each individual IPA. 

To a certain degree, I need not of worried about this next beer. It had a darker texture and a greater viscosity to it.  Fulton's Sweet Child of Vine has to rank as a favourite of mine. A much more maltier beer than most IPA beers out there, which had me in love. Indeed, it was an IPA I'd be happy to drink all night

Sweet Child of Vine 6.4%

In reality, the beers I had so far in the US were all very good. My main theme, apart from trying different beers, was to find that special beer, that outstanding, fresh brew that stood out like dogs balls. I wanted to find that uniquely sensational craft beer that would make you sell your gorgeous wife to a homeless person just for a sip of that amber goodness.

I knew this was going to be a challenge, and I knew at times there would moments of ambiguity in terms of referencing and trying to differentiate all these beers. By the same token, I knew by doing all this craft beer tasting I was going to hit the jackpot in beers. The trails and tribulations of a craft beer taster, right?

Surly Furious 6.5%

As the journey continues, the next beer in my list was was one I had already tried. However, it ranks as one of my favourite IPA's. The Surly Furious was a beer I tried for the first time back in 2010. Oh what a beer this is. A marvelous array of malts and hops that are so well balanced that it'd make a tightrope walker blush.

What made me blush was a beer I recall having in 2010 called; Odell's Original Gravity Black IPA. It was a limited edition release and I was lucky enough to have that as part of my World Beer Tour (WBT) at Old Chicago. Additionally, Pliny The Elder from Russian River Brewing made me blush as well. Another beer I'd love to try again.

Alaskan IPA 6.2%

But as beer journey's go I needed another unique beer. Well, I say unique in the sense that although I had the next beer back in 2010 it was fortuitous that it wasn't on my WBT card at the time. Luck was obviously on my side. The Alaskan IPA is a great beer. Fruity and citrus up front with a solid malt profile. Certainly a solid contribution in my continuation of my WBT. 

Indeed, my love affair for Old Chicago hasn't dwindled. In fact, it's gone to greater heights. The beers were great, the atmosphere was good and the service was first class. Now that is definitely the psyche of the United States of America I really like.

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The Journey continues.....