A Year of Craft Beer, Vol. 16, Flying Fish Red Fish

One fish, two fish?

Just one.

Ah the picture is not that great, but you get the idea.  Condensation on the glass makes the beer look cloudy but it is not.  It is, in fact quite clear!

Knowing nothing about this beer (I did read the informative label, is that how you spell lable?  This word tricks my dislexia) I'd probably call this an amber ale with lots of hop.  They call it a red ale as it appears a bit more red than an amber.

The bottle is great for re-use!  I bet the label comes off well if soaked.

The beer poured nice with a thin wispy off-white to tan coloured head and beautiful carbonation.  It is a very clear beer and has sediment on the bottom so take care with your pour.  The colour is a fantastic reddish amber!  It is really pretty!

Gleaning info from the label, I can smell the grapefruit of the various west coast hops.  Maybe the pine, but that may be my brain thinking that I smell it because I read it on the label.  I do, however, smell a bit of the caramel like malt.

Upon tasting, the bittering hops completely overpower any malt flavour that may be present.  Any respite from the bitter comes from a slightly watery finish and then a definite dry end to the beer.  Some malt may peek through during the watery stage of the drink.  Mouthfeel is bitter as all get out.  To me at least.  And the body a little light at the end.

I don't like this beer.  I wouldn't seek it out again, but that doesn't mean that it is not a good beer.  This is NOT my style of beer but I have to be fair in my judging.  Personally, I would give this a 6.5.  Fairly I would give this a fairly higher rating, but would deduct a few points here and there for not being exceptionally balanced and being slightly watery.  Aroma, head, color, carbonation are exquisite though.

I will give this an 8.  

If you are a west coast cascade and centennial hop head give it a try!  I would definitely love to get some feedback from all of you folks on my comments!  You might really like it.  At 7% ABV you may not want to drink these all night, but because of the body, you might be able to help a drinking establishement empty it's keg and move on to the next, hopefully, brown ale!

Good night everyone!

-Fish (as in about to be wet to the gills like one)