Friday, April 22, 2011

April 19, 2011

Beer: Ace of Spades, Hopworks Urban Brewery

HUB is often one of the forgotten breweries in Portland. Everything is organic and completely renewable, making it Portland's first eco-brewpub. I've tried a HUB beer before, but I don't recall the name. I have their 7-Grain Survival Stout aging in the cellar.

I'd heard of Ace of Spades, but nothing more than the name. Then, some of the guys at work from the Portland Timbers mentioned how incredible it was. When I spotted it in a store, I had to give it a go.

Ace of Spades poured amber with a 1/2 finger head and minor lacing. Using the ol' olfactory, I could detect the hops and malt - very floral. The taste was out of this world! As an Imperial IPA, I expected a lot of hops flavor. Not only did I get that, but I my palate was greeted by a whole host of other flavors that really mellowed out the hops. Was it strong? Yes, but certainly not overpowering at all. It was really hard to drink this slowly because it tasted so dang good. The most amazing thing about Ace of Spades was how FRESH it was. My bottle had been sitting for a little over a month, and it tasted like it was the first drink from a freshly-tapped keg.

Overall, Ace of Spades is easily one of my favorite beers ever. It's a seasonal, so it'll be difficult to find. I picked up 2 more bottles before they're gone for the year. Search this one out, and enjoy one of the freshest, most flavorful drinks you've ever had.

Music:

Today's offering is "Losers" by The Belle Brigade, a brother-sister combo from L.A. that has recently hit the scene. This is the first song from them that I heard, so I had to use this as the example. I dare you not to compare their vocal delivery to Paul Simon.



 

2 comments:

  1. Bummer on the seasonal-ness. I'd totally have bought this one if for no reason but the label! I'm glad it tastes good because its a great asset for a themed party!

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