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It’s been nice having a long, relaxing weekend, and I’ve been meaning to know a few more beers off the list. I’ve been trying to find and drink all of the IPAs in the beer fridge, knowing that the flavors in those will fade the fastest. I picked this one up as part of a mixed 12 pack of beers from Mankato Brewing when I was up in Minnesota at Mayo clinic. So far, I’ve only had their Leaf Raker Nut Brown ale. The bottle says, “With the hops and malt fighting for contention, Haymaker IPA won’t back down. The rich, malty base provides the windup for the hops’ crisp, bright citrus flavors. Go toe-to-toe with this well balanced and devilishly drinkable IPA, and this double dry-hopped phenom will knock you out.”
Location: Poured into a Sam Adams Perfect Pint glass at my home in Bloomington, IL
Numbers: 6.8% ABV, 92 IBUs, 1.062 OG, ~220 Calories
Appearance & Aroma: It’s copper in color and very clear. The head was a finger-thick and fluffy with good retention and lacing. The aroma is citrusy and piney hoppiness with some caramel maltiness.
Taste & Feel: The body is medium and the mouthfeel is creamy. The flavor up front is slightly malty sweet with a citrusy hop juiciness. The hop flavors grew in the middle, along with the bitterness. The citrusy-piney hop bitterness really strikes in the finish, but the sweet hop juiciness is in the background. The hop oils coat the Moorhead and the bitterness lasts a couple minutes in the aftertaste.
Food Pairing: I had this beer with a cheesy pasta and the hop flavors paired nicely with the cheeses. I think the hop flavors and bitterness would also go great with a cheesy pizza or cheeseburger.
Overall Impression: This was a solid IPA with a nice malty backbone and a mix of hop flavor and bitterness. I enjoyed the smooth and lightly creamy body as well. Overall, this was a good beer and I think I have another couple of their beers in the fridge I’ll have to crack open soon.
My Rating: 
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