The Best Thing I Swallowed on Sunday Episode 12

I'm Not Lonely Belgian Single, Hop Odyssey White IPA, 18th Anniversary Ale

Back with another wondrous episode of the Best Thing I Swallowed on Sunday. I had a lot to choose from this Sunday, as there were plenty of new beers on tap this weekend. After much pained deliberation, I finally settled on a local Belgian style single ale from Haymarket Pub and Brewery and two beers hailing from Southern California: Green Flash's Hop Odyssey White IPA and Stone's Eighteenth Anniversary Ale. As I'm kind of a sucker for white IPAs, the deck was definitely stacked in favor of Green Flash. On to the descriptions!

I'm Not Lonely Belgian Single is sessionable at 4.5% ABV. It has a hazy golden appearance with a fluffy head of foam. It also has a big sweet fruity aroma. This single is light bodied and coats the tongue with its sweet finish. It's not as crisp as the St. Bernardus Extra 4, but still a delightful beer, nonetheless. Another nice beer from Haymarket!

Another standout from Green Flash in the form of Hop Odyssey White IPA. This style of beer always piques my interest; but I think I'm a sucker for any variation of the IPA. Green Flash uses malted wheat in this beer, which gives it hazy golden appearance. At 7% ABV and 95 IBUs, this is a big, bitter beer that only the most citrusy of hops can counter. Simcoe, El Dorado, and Amarillo hops supply a huge citrus aroma and finish. As you can see from the above photo, I poured myself an entire pint, which I was all too happy to drink. Hop Odyssey White IPA is the best thing I swallowed on Sunday.

Another worthy entrant in today's event is Stone's Eighteenth Anniversary Ale. This is a golden-brown IPA that stands at 8.5% ABV and 75 IBUs. It is dark amber in appearance, with a head that dissipates quickly. The aroma is herbal, almost soapy. It has a really nice herbal flavor with a nice bitter finish that tastes like grapefruit. This is one of those beers that you like, but only in small amounts because of the unusual flavor profile.