Hogwild IPA - Aviator Brewing Company

    Hogwild IPA is an American India Pale Ale created by Aviator Brewing Company which is located in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. After writing my previous beer review (Caged Alpha Monkey), I've come to fear beers with psychotic animals and lots of hops flowers on the label. You might say that I'm once bitten by a rabid hops animal, twice shy.

    I received this beer as part of my beer club's all cans month. I have mentioned before that I really like canned beers.

    The IPA pours a light golden orange with a large, thick head. I very lightly poured the beer and still ended up with the head nearly overflowing the glass.

    The beer smells like sweet citrus fruits, mainly grapefruit. Light malts can also be smelled.

    Hogwild is medium-light bodied with a medium-high level of carbonation. I was expecting there to be even more carbonation the way the beer exploded in my cup, so this is somewhat of a relief. There is no alcohol harshness to the beer which has an alcohol content of 6.7% ABV.

I've never really thought of pigs as "wild"...

    Aviator's IPA is actually quite well balanced. Sweet malts keep the piney bitterness from becoming unpleasant. While I would have liked more of a flowery hops profile to the beer, I have to admit that the more classic IPA flavors are very well done in this beer.

    Apparently when you feed hops flowers to pigs they become muscly ex-military slavering beasts! I can't believe that this isn't taught to us at an earlier age. I mean, imagine how easily a farmer could plant his hops near to his pig sty. All it would take would be one loose gate screw and BAM! ARMY OF CRAZED WILD HOGS! Terrifying.

    I was very relieved to find that this IPA was much better balanced than my previous experience. I have to keep in mind that I am rating this beer as itself, rather than rating it in comparison to other beers. Hogwild is a well done IPA, but doesn't add anything to the tried and true formula.

Amulets and Ale Rating:

Devil's Tramping Ground Tripel - Aviator Brewing Company

    Devil's Tramping Ground Tripel is a Tripel (imagine that!) created by Aviator Brewing Company which is located in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. No, I didn't make that city up. I received this beer as a part of my craft beer club membership. Last month the club ran a special "beer in cans" month which featured four beers packaged in the sometimes looked down upon aluminum can. I, for one, am a huge fan of beer in cans as they keep the beer fresher and protects it from light extremely well. Not to mention the fact that beers cool down much faster in aluminum.

    Devil's Tramping Ground pours a pale gold with a finger or two of an off-white head. The foam is quite bubbly and quickly dissipates.

    The Tripel smells lightly of sweet banana as Belgian styles tend to. There is a distinct yeasty smell to the Tripel as well as a generaly sweet scent. A slight hint of cloves can also be smelled.

    The beer is moderately carbonated and features a medium body. There is a bit of alcohol warmth to the 9.2% ABV Tripel as well.

The only beer served in hell?

    Devil's Tramping Ground Tripel floods the tongue with sweet malts and funky banana-like Belgian yeast flavor. There is only the slightest bit of hops in the mix which keeps the sweetness from becoming overbearing. As well as the warmth, the beer's alcohol content causes there to be a slight jet fuel-like boozyness to the Tripel which causes some of the flavor to be lost. There is also a somewhat metallic tang to the beer.

    From what I've heard, people in hell want ice water. At least that's what I was told quite often when I explained to my parents that I really wanted that new video game that just came out. Apparently, as it turns out, people in hell want water because all they have is beer. Which wouldn't usually be a bad thing, but think about it, it's super fiery hot down there. Alcohol is extremely flammable. Therefore, these poor souls are attempting to find refreshment, only to combust into even hotter flames! These guys can't get a break! But then, I guess that's why it's called hell...

    I'm by no means saying that Devil's Tramping Ground Tripel is a bad beer and is given to evil souls as punishment. In fact, Aviator's Tripel is a good representative of the Tripel style. The beer is a little bit thinner bodied and too boozy tasting to be a perfect beer, but it is still one worth trying. If you're in the North Carolina area pick some up, but watch out for the horned beast!

Amulets and Ale Rating: