Name: Thank You… For A Real Good Time
Brewer: Half Baked Brewing Collective (Philippines)
Style: Double IPA
ABV: 8.4%
Review Year: 2021
Thank You… For A Real Good Time is a hazy Double IPA brewed by the Manila-based Half Baked Brewing Collective as a send-off brew for one of their close friends. Also a tribute to the Collective’s favorite band, Grateful Dead, this beer features Citra, Mosaic, Centennial, Columbus, and Chinook hops.
STYLE GUIDELINES
This beer is being evaluated as a Double IPA (22A) in the context of the 2015 Beer Style Guidelines of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). The most current version of the guidelines can be found on the BJCP website.
TASTING NOTES
Hazy pale gold with a foamy white head. On the nose: moderately-high orange citrus, lemon peel, with a touch of juicy peach. Medium-full-bodied; moderate carbonation and somewhat “pillowy.” The flavor profile is prominently piney with lime peel and orange citrus; bitterness a notch above medium. Backbone is bready but supportive; faint hop burn was noted. Finished very dry. No inappropriate oak character and harsh qualities.
THE VERDICT
The guys from the Half Baked Brewing Collective have outdone themselves again with this dry, bitter, and hop-forward hazy Double IPA. While the American-style and Juicy/ Hazy variants of the Double IPA have separate guidelines in the 2021 Brewers Association Beer Style Guidelines, the Double IPA (2015 BJCP) is not explicit on this distinction yet.
Thank You… For A Real Good Time may look like a New England IPA (21B), but it deviates from most examples of this style with its assertive bitterness and dry finish. It also lacks the “juiciness” the style is known for. The mouthfeel, which has been a significant improvement in Half Baked’s recent beers, is “pillowy.” This and the noted supportive bready backbone are also qualities associated with New England IPAs. Overall, this hazy Double IPA is an excellent brew, but the next versions could tone down the hop burn noted. Enjoy with Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza.
Recommended Reading
- Brewer’s Perspective: West Coast Haze (Craft Beer & Brewing, 2020)
