Moylan's Double IPA

by Joe Gelman
(CA, USA)

Moylan's Double IPA: not your average keg stand beer

Moylan's Double IPA is for the initiated, says Joe Gelman

Within any art medium there can be found expression that only a fellow artist can appreciate. This may sound elitist, but sometimes only someone who's reached a certain level of involvement in a community can understand what a certain piece is trying to accomplish, what boundaries it pushes against, what pillars of the status quo it quakes under.

When talking about beer, perhaps these are overstatements. And yes, I know, get to the point already, Joe.

I've been a fan of Moylan's for years. In my opinion, definitely one of the all-around best breweries, and Moylan's Double IPA defends this title with a sturdy efficacy.

The purpose of above rant about nebulous art theory is a preemptive rebuttal to those who might say the hops are overdone, the beer undrinkable (as some of my friends posited after cracking open a couple 22s).

In my opinion, Moylan's Double IPA is one of the most accessible IPAs I've ever drunk; it's boasted "double the hops, double the malt" blends and exudes itself through a smooth brew. It's a wonderful beer for the beer-enthusiast to sip on slowly and to enjoy.

But to some who claim they're beer drinkers because of the case of Natural Ice they finished on their own last weekend, it might be too much flavor. My advice is this: save the game of quarters and keg stands for one of the cheaper beers, the type that leaves you with a metallic flavor in your mouth and portions of the night that slip into oblivion.

Moylan's IPA a beer that won't be ignored. Upon the pop of the top even the fragrance of the brew is undeniable.

Now, I will be the first to admit, this beer is not for everyone, and not for every situation. As stated before, buying a whole keg of Double IPA might be a tad overzealous.

Food pairing might also be a challenge, because the indomitable will of this brew could be the monster truck to your paltry Honda chicken breast. I recommend this beer with an oversized burger and garlic fries with seasonings that give your tongue a slight sizzle and give you a three foot radius into which no one would dare enter. It is in this take-your-time, watch-the-game, talk-over-past-times environment that an ambling beer drinker can really appreciate another one of Moylan's award winners.

Finally, I'd like to note that if you've never been a fan of Double IPAs, you're not the only one and it doesn't make you any less of a beer enthusiast; I myself don't regularly choose them either.

Before you write them off completely, you might want to consider the way in which you toss back this challenging type of beer. And if all else fails, tell your Beer Delegate friend to stop getting so damn philosophical about the whole thing and order a pitcher of amber ale.