Review: Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA

I just came back from a 2 day vaycay in the States, and brought back a bunch of beer, first beer I'm sampling is from Flying Dog Brewery out of Maryland, USA. Some of their beers have gotten a bit of attention due to their beer names - they aren't afraid of using not-so-rated-G names for their beers, but since they seem to make some pretty tasty beers, it didn't stop them.

I bought their mixer pack so I could taste a variety of their beers, the first beer out of the case is their Snake Dog IPA

Appearance: Pours a clear amber/caramel yet golden ale, lighter in appearance than some India Pale Ales out there, but looks like a tasty beer anyways. Thick creamy foam, a light beige foam, like whipped cream.

Aroma: Lighter than I was expecting, but after having a wide amount of West Coast IPAs in the last few months, that could have done it for me. It's a light hopped India Pale Ale. A bit musky, a bit of a lemon citrus and that's aboot it.

Taste: Starts out light and citrusy but the bitterness of the hops really sneak up on you, leaving a bitterness tingling on your palate long after you've sipped on this East Coast IPA. The backing of this beer is a mild alcohol taste to it, which isn't all a surprise as this is a bit stronger than the standard IPA at 7.1% ABV. Light pine, was expecting more hoppiness, but for those who aren't generally a fan of IPAs, this may be a gateway beer as it isn't too bitter nor is it too light.

Overall Thoughts: Not as hoppy and bitter as I would expect, so it's not a hop forward IPA, so if you're not a fan of overly bitter IPAs, you may enjoy this. I enjoy it because there are times when I just want a smooth and creamy (to the palate) IPA, which is exactly what this is. It's 7.1% ABV, and for a 12 pack (mix case), it's only $16, so I'd buy this again.

flyingdogales.com/beers/snake-dog-ipa/