Evolution Lot No. 3 IPA

For those of you that are not familiar, Evolution is a craft brewery from southern Delaware, who are quickly gaining a reputation within the craft beer community. I've toured the brewery twice, and their Rise Up! Stout easily makes it worth the trip every time. Recently they've begun some experimental beers with their Menagerie series, and from talk from the brewers, they have barrel aged, sour, and buggy beers on the way as well. While their normal beers are good, these future brews promise to be something extra special, and should be worth the effort to obtain. Unfortunately that generally means being at the brewery for the release, which for some reason tends to fall mid-week during work hours.

Upon pouring, Lot 3 is a clear copperish golden color, with a small dusting of white head on top. This head doesn't last long, and soon there is only wisps of bubbles floating on the top of the glass.

The aroma is a mixture of bready malt and a mixture of citrus and spicy hops. It's a sharp smell, with the hops cutting through, lending a leafy goodness to the mixture. Still, there is a balance of sweetness in the aroma, rounding it out nicely.

At first taste, one experiences a touch of orange peel, a bit of toasted bread, and then a strong peppery bitterness from the hops in the back of the mouth. This spiced sensation lingers for quite a while in the back half of the mouth, while the sweeter qualities dissipate almost immediately. Despite being almost 7% ABV, there's no alcohol flavor or warmth to it.

The beer is well carbonated, prickly without being overdone. It feels medium bodied, and leaves a build-up of stickiness in the back of the mouth. It does seem to have a certain dryness to it as well.

While it's not quite a standby for me, this is a beer I've gotten for myself before, and one I'm certainly planning on having again. Certainly when I want a peppery IPA, it would be among my first choices. Although the flavor leans strongly to the hoppy side, it still has good balance, and the flavors work together well. It's absolutely worth a try if you happen to be in the area.

- Adam

Evolution Exile ESB

One of the (few) really great things about living in Delaware is the many breweries we have in the state despite our relatively small population. Dogfish Head is obviously the most famous, but we also have Stewarts, Iron Hill, Fordham, Twin Lakes, Old Dominion, 16 Mile, Delmar Brewing Co, and Evolution Craft Brewing. Tonight I'm taking a look at Evolution's ESB.

The initial smell is malt dominant, with notes of caramel. There may be a touch of citrus hop aroma, but if so it's well buried, and the impression I get from it is more like the smell of ice tea. The aroma isn't terribly strong, so it's hard to pick much else out.

The beer's appearance is an orangish-copper color, clear, with no head to speak of. Just looking at it it seems very lightly carbonated.

The first flavors apparent in the mouth are a light caramel taste, with a bit of fruitiness. This gives way to a roasted quality and a rather strong bitterness in the back of the mouth. The bitter flavor is a bit dominant, and lingers for quite a while. There's a definite toasted quality to the beer as well. Other than the bitterness, there doesn't seem to be any hop profile to the beer.

In the mouth, the beer has a rather up front prickly carbonation. It seems to have a medium body, with a bit of coating in the mouth. It seems a little bit like hop resin. In any case, the beer definitely seems to have some substance to it.

Overall I found it to be fairly enjoyable, although not the best ESB I've had. As I understand it, the key to an ESB is balance, and the bitterness in this beer seems overly dominant. I'm actually wondering how old the beer is since the bitterness comes through without any hop character to it at all. I think I'd like to try this one again at some point when I know I have a fresh bottle.

- Adam