THREE NOTCH’D FANDOM OF THE HOPERA- AN OUTSTANDING RED IPA
Dry Hopped, 7.8 % Abv 90 IBUs
It’s hard to generalize about red ales. In beer parlance, there’s not much difference between red and amber, for few “red ales” are all that red and many “ambers” are pretty ruddy. A good many American breweries have produced a Red Imperial IPA and there is a world of difference between them. Some darker malts, Crystal, for example, can give flavors of burned sugar and leather that we find downright unpleasant.
Three Notch’d’s spacious taproom is a great place to drink fresh beer.
Three Notch’d has hit the style out of the park with its Fandom of the Hopera, however. The Caraamber from Weyermann, Germany’s premier specialty maltster, strengthens the malt foundation enough to hold up to an onslaught of American hops. There’s little that’s revolutionary here—it won’t corrode your stomach and you can see through it, but it serves as a reminder that “beer that tastes like beer” can still be exciting and fulfilling if it’s done really well.
If you’re near Charlottesville, check out Three Notch’d’s new taproom and restaurant overlooking IX Art Park. It will soon be the home of a new larger brewery, but already it’s pouring fresh and interesting beers.
Tasting notes: The rich dark caramel color promises a ton of flavor and the taste does not disappoint. A chewy dark caramel shows some sugar flavors, but they’re clean, and there are notes of chocolate by the end. Hints of brownies –maybe the “good” ones— blend well with the tried and true American west coast hops. Cascade and Amarillo bring spice, leaf and citrus to the mix. All in all it’s a brilliant blend of flavors. Our only complaint is that at 7.8%, we can’t drink as much as we want for as long as we want.
Food Pairings: This huge beer could hold up to almost any culinary adventure, but we couldn’t help dreaming about a thick medium rare steak—lightly seasoned—while we drank it.
NEXT WE’LL FEATURE WEIHENSTEPHEN’S DEFINITIVE HEFE-WEIZEN:
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