Beer of the Week! 06/06/23

Ten Bends Cream Puff War

Regularly $16.99 / Now on Sale for $15.96
Double Milkshake IPA with Peaches

Some people have issues with Milkshake IPAs, and we get it. There comes a point where you have to ask, “You’ve made this beer so creamy and sweet, is there any point in calling it an IPA anymore?” However, trust us when we say that’s not what’s going on with this Peach milkshake IPA from Ten Bends. We first had this beer a few years ago, and it’s just as good as we remembered it.

Ten Bends was founded by brewing buddies Mike Scarlata and Jason Powell, who began brewing together in a shed near the ten bends of northern Vermont’s Lamoille River. Now Ten Bends is headquartered in Hyde Park, VT (near bends five and six) while using a separate production facility to make the beer that they distribute outside the state.

They brew the Cream Puff War with honey malt and lactose, which they tease into a sweetness mild enough that it doesn’t hide the hops. The most notable feature is the effect of the peach puree they ferment with. It’s impressive how the peach is such a persistent and foundational flavor in the beer without being overwhelming. You fear it’s going to be a hot mess, but it turns out to be a cool cucumber of cautious and canny craft beer creation.

Bonus Beer of the Week (‘Cause you know one beer won’t get you through all the shows you’re binging right now!)

Vibrissa Park Pass

Regularly $12.99 / Now on Sale for $11.96
German Style Helles Lager

Front Royal’s Vibrissa goes traditional with this appealing Helles Style Lager, which is a daring thing to do. How do you stand out with a traditional take on this style? Vibrissa’s not doing anything wacky or adding anything special. You’ve got your malts, your Noble hops. That’s the gig.

Well, the way the Park Pass stands out is in its malt character. Folded into the biscuity and bready notes that are typical of the style is a slight sourness, a rye-like note that fattens the flavor.

Actually, we were split. Some of us thought it was the hops, some the malt. We all agreed that those notes made the Park Pass a little more complex than other helles lagers without losing its refreshing nature.

Remember!

You can see our entire beer inventory on Untappd.com!