I fell in love with this beer at the Portland Spring Beer & Wine Festival (which happens to be coming up this April 22nd/23rd) in 2009, and it won my vote for the best beer of the event. In the last two years, it definitely has become more readily available, and I was quite shocked when the big grocery stores started carrying it regularly. Seems to be joining Moose Drool in the signature Big Sky category.
Not a huge IPA by any means at 6.2% ABV. It pours a dark orange and doesn't look to be very carbonated. It is as clear as they come and is a very pretty looking beer. A small head developed but drained before you could really get a good look at it. Definitely some citrus in the aroma; getting lots of orange zest. Definitely some spice and pine hops in there as well. Very light alcohol, a bit estery, and some sweet malt to round it out.
Definitely a strong sweetness to kick things off along with some nice caramel and toastiness. It quickly evolves into a very strong spice, pine, and woody hop character. The bitterness is noticeable but nothing too offensive. The sweetness and spice are the lingering note as are some sticky hop oils. It all blends and evolves very well and is a wonderfully balanced beer. Body is on the light side and is quite east to drink for an IPA.
I've always been a big fan and supporter of Big Sky, and I gotta say that this is probably the best they have to offer. Definitely some unique characteristics for an IPA, but it all works well. This is a very impressive beer in my book. I doesn't pack quite the punch as I remember, but it is one of the beers that will just always jump out to me when I think of IPAs.
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