Holiday Season 2023 – Day 6 – Earmuffs from 4 Hands Brewing

My wife breaks out the earmuffs when it dips below 75 degrees. I would prefer the 4 Hands Brewing version myself.

“Earmuffs is an enchanting hazy winter IPA that embraces the season’s serene chill through the use of CRYO hops, a hop product created by freezing raw hop cones to sub-zero temperatures with liquid nitrogen before shattering them, sifting the lupulin and pressing that green goodness into pellets that provide accentuated aromas and flavors. Expect intense notes of lime, melon, bright berries, pink grapefruit, dried roses and pine resin contributed by a blend of CRYO Cashmere and Talus hops.”

Ecliptic Filament Winter IPA

Ecliptic-Filament-Winter-IPA-label

Talk about a cool and understated label with an intriguing beer from Ecliptic inside.  The name is an inspired choice.  Fits the brewery name and the season.  Though, I have started seeing the nomenclature of Winter or Fall IPA’s on some beers and I hope this sub-set of a style gets some clarification.  Otherwise we could be heading toward a free-fall come judging time.

Video Review – Natian Old Grogham

My mother is my Portland beer source and she acquired the two beers from Natian Brewery that I will review in April. We finish with Old Grogham Winter IPA…..

This is the short description from the brewery website, “Palisade hops were added throughout the boil and dry hop schedule, along with high alpha American hops for bittering, Noble hops for aroma and a few other varieties in-between to balance the heavy malt profile. Rum soaked Oregon oak spires added during the final stages of fermentation bring flavor notes of caramel and vanilla to complement the bitterness.”