Beer of the Week! 04/22/24

Grim Side Ponytail

Normally $18.99 / Now on Sale for $17.96
Hazy IPA

Four, count ‘em! Four hops go into this low-key hazy IPA from Brooklyn’s Grimm Artisanal Ales. So, immediately, we’re either hunkering down for a messy schmear of lupulinatiousness or settling in for a layered hop experience. Fortunately, what we get here is the latter.

Strata, Simcoe, Cashmere, and Idaho7 hops go into a light-bodied, off-dry malt backbone. So, we get the lemon and lime notes from the Cashmere with the Simcoe throwing in a some grassiness here and there. This duo’s flavors allow the strawberry notes of the Stata to stand out, adding a bit of fruitiness to the mix. Then there’s the Idaho 7, a hop we’ve seen before but have never really dived into.

So, turns out the Idaho 7 is not a hodgepodge group of protesters thrown into a kangaroo court for opposing the ‘68 Boise Democratic convention. Nope, it’s the first hop to have been released by Jackson Hop Farm (2015) in Wilder, ID. Idaho 7 is a strong, dual purpose hop that gives out zesty flavors and herbal notes. So, it’s right at home swimming with the Strata, Simcoe, and Cashmere.

Really, the Side Ponytail is the hop aficionado’s IPA. If you don’t feel like picking things apart like this, it’s fine. This brew is friendly and approachable enough. You can just drink it and enjoy the overall light citrus/lime-like rush. However, if you really want to get into the thing, this brew is complex enough to allow you to enjoy digging in.