Isn’t life strange? Why just the other day, I was thinking about the Maumee Bay Brewing Company of Toledo, Ohio, when I found an old review I had scribed of their Major Oliver’s Red Ale. As I am wont to do, I added a page to my website honoring this beer. Seemingly, it impressed me more than the only other two Maumee Bay beers I tried, Major Oliver’s Brown Ale and Major Oliver’s Pale Ale, since I don’t seem to have taken notes on them.

None of those beers are made today, although Maumee Bay is still very much alive and kicking. I found this when I Binged the company to check and see. As fate would have it, not too much later I received a bottle of Maumee Bay Amarillo Brillo from the always gracious Dave Coulter in sheer coincidence. As I said. Life can be strange.

Amarillo Brillo is a double IPA featuring, you guessed it, the Amarillo hop variety. It’s not a single hop beer, however. The brewery says the following about the beer on their website:

This divinely delicious brew is Maumee Bay Brewing Company’s assertive double India Pale Ale featuring a bouquet of Centennial, Columbus, Simcoe, and of course a hefty dose of Amarillo Hops. Delivering a delicate balance of citrus and pine hop presence with a malty sweetness, Amarillo Brillo is a pleasure to drink. Expect a raw, crisp mouthfeel with a boldness that lets you know it’s a serious brew. We suggest pouring this beer into a snifter at 50-55 degrees. Enjoy the finest from Maumee Bay Brewing Co.

Maumee Bay Amarillo Brillo has an alcohol content of 8.4% by volume with a very impressive 101 IBUs.

Maumee Bay Amarillo Brillo pours to a bright orange color with a thick rocky head formation and a sunny citric orange, herbal grassy green hop nose. A thick layer of Brussels Lace clings to the sides of my glass as the liquid descends. Taking a sip, the beer is full of rich delicious caramel up front followed by more of the juicy citrus orange the nose promised, then some grapefruit peel, herbal grassy aroma hops and a long dry, very bitter hop finish.

This is an excellent DIPA, extremely well balanced between malt and hop. I know the trend these days is to have less malt and more hops, but trust me when I say that you won’t miss the hops here, and you’ll actually enjoy some malt as well. If I lived in Toledo, Maumee Bay Amarillo Brillo would be a staple in my beer fridge.

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