El Nino Double Hopped IPA (Fitger's Brewhouse, Duluth, MN)

Growler Jan 2012

Fitger's adventure growler

Characteristic El Nino hops catch my senses as soon as the growler (Thanks Kat!) pops the seal.  Even with a hard pour down the center of the glass, it's tough to create a solid head, which doesn't last long at all.  Beautiful hazy orange color still supports the great hop aroma and taste of this beer, but it's not up to par for some reason.  Not sure if it was the end of the keg when filled or my adventure growlers, but this isn't the beer of my memory.  Still very good and just fine for a Sunday afternoon beer.  Next time at Fitger's, I may have to buy a regular growler and do a comparison to see if the adventure growlers don't hold up, or if it was my cleaning of the growler that I sent up.  At any rate, a good argument for giving beer more than one glass of a chance.  Still a great beer that I wouldn't hesitate to get a pint or growler of again.

First glass of El Nino from
growler

Draft on site Apr 2007
Love this beer. Unfortunately, I have a nose that's never going to make me judge of the year, so I like an IPA the reaches up out of the class and grabs it square and won't let it go. En Nino gives a good grapefruit hop wallop and doesn't disappoint. Amber colored IPA with a light white head is sharp and pleasant in the taste as well, and very dry on the backside. Mouthfeel is light, not overly heavy, and could see where some would think that's the body is too light to balance the big hop, but I'm ok with it. The only downbeat is that the beer, for me, makes me pucker up dry near the end of a pint, so I generally only do one at a time. But what a great one

El Nino from later in the
growler.  

Cask Oct 2006
Sunset burnt orange under an off white, creamy head is beautiful--like a Van Gogh haystack, almost. Sweet malty base gives a good fight against the hops, but ultimately losing by a ways--which is the point. Double hopped with a great spicy, sharp aroma, it is a very cool, creamy cask ale with enough hop to set you on your ass. The cask just lets you suck up all the hop and aroma directly and coats your mouth so you're ready for more. A unique cask experience and one worth the trip.