More Tour!

I’ve done pretty well since I last posted about my World Tour progress. I’ve only had two additional beers off of the list so I haven’t dug my hole deeper. Today I’ll talk about five more beers to get you all to my 25 beer mark. I’m officially at 40 total so I’ve still got a way to go to get you completely caught up, but at least I didn’t write about six last week only to drink eight or ten more. That would not be progress on my part. Today I’ll look at a good mix of beers. I’ve got a variety of IPAs, a Brown Ale and a Cleveland favorite. Let’s get to it!

Number 21 on my World Tour 2013 was one of the best Hop forward beers available today, in my opinion. HopDevil from Victory Brewing Company (I know, I know, shocking that I love a Victory Beer) is everything you could ask for if you are a true hop-head. Whole flower American hops go into this spicy IPA to give it a distinct flavor that rivals many of the IPAs that are out there today. HopDevil is a middle-weight, in boxing terms, weighing in at 6.7% ABV. Victory doesn’t list the IBU for HopDevil on their website but I’d be shocked if it wasn’t close to the 80-90 range. The bitterness is balanced great by the malts used during the brewing process. I highly recommend HopDevil, especially if you’re going to enjoy some Buffalo Wings or anything with some spicy kick to it!

Always a great beer around St. Patrick’s Day, Great Lakes Brewing Company’s Conway’s Irish Ale was my next beer of choice from the tap. Named for Officer Patrick Conway of the Cleveland Police Department, grandfather of the co-owners of the brewery, Conway’s is a traditional Irish Red Ale with great malt character. The hop additions add some fruity and spicy flavors while not making it too bitter. Conway’s barely hits 25 on the IBU scale and has an ABV of 6.5%. This beer is great for St. Patrick’s Day and I enjoyed a couple of them myself while out on the town March 17th. I think I may need to get to the store to pick up some more Conway’s before it is gone until January rolls around again.

Next, I tested the waters of the Black IPA genre by having a pint of Heavy Seas Black Cannon. Six hop varieties and five malts makeup this Black IPA that is modeled after the Loose Cannon but with some roasted malt character to it. It really is a perfect mix of Hop and Malt. If you think you like one style over the other, give Black Cannon a try as I think it will satisfy both ends of the spectrum. The high alcohol content (7.25%) is balanced nicely by a smooth, semi-sweet flavor (45 IBUs) that starts and finishes equally well. The pine notes in the aroma of the beer blend nicely with the malt flavor for a great tasting brew. This is a seasonal offering so make sure to get some before it’s gone.

Smuttynose Brewing Company’s Old Brown Dog Ale was the 24th entry on my World Tour passport, a great American Brown Ale that definitely satisfies the taste buds. Old Brown Dog is a full-bodied ale that comes at you with some great sweetness that is crafted with strong caramel and chocolate notes. The toasted malt scent and flavor are prevalent as well. With just an 18 IBU rating, the sweetness is deceptive of its strong alcohol content (6.7%). I was enjoying a nice bacon cheeseburger while drinking this one and it was the perfect complement. While this beer is available year-round, I definitely recommend it more when there is a little chill in the air.

I hit the quarter-century mark of my World Tour with Revolution Anti-Hero IPA. This beer is wonderfully bitter with great hop character and kind of knocks your socks off at the beginning of the sip. By the time your swallowing it though, it has a nice, smooth finish that is preceded by some great citrus flavor. As you can see, it has a great golden color with a nice head that sticks around for most of the time you’re drinking this beer. At 70 IBU and 6.5% ABV, this is a normal level IPA but the flavor definitely stands on its own merits. Anti-Hero is a distinct IPA that deserves every ounce of recognition it has received.

I hope everyone is (safely) enjoying their 2013 World Tour as much as I am! I’m trying some great new beers that I may have never been introduced to. I’m very grateful to have Winking Lizard in the area and to be able to go on this great adventure! Follow me on Untappd (ExBEERienceCLE), Twitter (@mgvanwormer) and Facebook (facebook.com/beerinthecle) for all my World Tour updates as well as other blog updates. When I reach 100 “Likes” on facebook, a random person will win a $15 Gift Card to Rozi’s Winehouse in Lakewood!