Tuesday, May 6, 2014

My Conundrum

I've had more than a few Mother Earth Hop Diggity Double IPAs, and I've tried without success to slide it into one of my IPA style boxes.  No matter how times I try Hop Diggity, it refuses to cooperate.  It's clearly not a piney IPA, nor an earthy IPA, nor a citrusy IPA -  my three definitive IPA flavor characteristics.  So other than confused, where does that leave me trying to describe this beer?  Because I have to describe Hop Diggity's flavor, I'd say it's more floral than anything else, but it's hard for me to call a beer with such strong bitterness "floral" with any authority.

To go with its floral hops and bitterness Hop Diggity is sweet, which arises from its strong dose of malts.  The big malt presence, in addition to providing a full mouth and balance, gives the beer its deep orange color.  At just over 8% abv, Hop Diggity is more along the lines of lower alcohol double IPAs like Stone Ruination or Pliney the Elder, where you can appreciate various flavors other than just the extreme hopping of higher abv double IPAs.  I've given up trying to classify Hop Diggity and have moved on to where I can just drink it and appreciate it for being what it is - a delicious double IPA.

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