Try?
Yes, I know, I’m a little late with this one. I say this because Longshot Friar Hop Ale, the entry from Georgia’s Richard Roper into the Samuel Adams Longshot competition, was released in the 2011 sampler of six beers. As I type, it’s only a day after I bought the 2012 Longshot sampler at Total Wine. So as I said, I’m late.
Really,
though, Richard Roper deserves a shout out not just for brewing up such a
great beer, but also for donating to the Beer Hunter the Movie project on
Kickstarter. Also really, the Longshot line of beers more often than not now
includes a strong beer or two, and as you are probably already aware I like
to age these to see how they develop over time.
Longshot’s Friar Hop Ale is indeed a strong beer at 9% alcohol by volume. It’s a hybrid beer, ostensibly between an India Pale Ale and Belgian Golden. It was released along with Rodney Kizbey’s Blackened Hops Ale and Caitlyn Declerq’s Honey B’s Lavender Ale. From the neck label:
Richard Roper’s brew combines his love of hops with his affinity for spicy Belgian ales. The toasty caramel sweetness from the malt and Belgian candi sugar are balanced by distinct citrus hop notes, spicy yeast fermentation and hunts of orange and coriander.
Longshot
Friar Hop Ale pours to a bright orange amber color
with a thick and creamy head formation and a fruity, funky yeasty nose. A thick
layer of Brussels alce clings to the side of my glass and follows the liquid all
the way to the bottom. The beer has a moderate malty palate up front, a lot like
a Belgian Tripel but with a bit of caramel thrown in for good measure. Rich
sweet malt from the candi sugar is apparent, along with a hint of fruit (pear
perhaps, definitely banana), spicy coriander, and in the finish a gentle burst
of citrusy hop aroma and a lingering gentle bitterness. The beer is deceptively
drinkable, and doesn’t seem at all as potent as it is at 9% alcohol by volume.
I really enjoyed Friar Hop Ale when it debuted almost a year ago. I enjoyed a bottle as soon as I bought it, and found it to be more of a hoppy Tripel than a “Belgian IPA”. The hops seem to have mellowed a little in the past year, but this one is still a delight, and I think I might like it even better than I first did. My bottle says “best by” September of 2011, but here I am sipping it in April 2012-and it’s great.
A bit pricey as this sampler is now $9.99 a six-pack, but not so bad to try three very worthy beers.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
