June has arrived and with it comes the best month to be a beer enthusiast in Rochester, NY. The Rochester Real Beer Week is full of amazing events and incredible tap lists. I look forward to this week every year and this year is no different. So for the month of June, I want my blog to mirror how big this month is to “The Flour City”. I am going to be blogging about some of the most popular and sought after beers in my hometown. To do this, there is perhaps no better way to start than reviewing a beer from Grimm Artisanal Ales.
The popularity of Grimm, especially the IPAs and Stouts in Rochester is undeniable. I recall going to a bottle shop without the thought ever crossing my mind that a Grimm IPA was about to be released. When I arrived, the parking lot was full and the line to buy beer was practically out the door. Needless to say, I did not buy beer there that day and sought out another place for a readily available six-pack. To get a can of Grimm IPA in Rochester, you have to look in the right place at the right time. If you are not able to find a can, your only real chance of trying it is looking for it on tap.
I have had a lot of Grimm IPAs. Some I think are fantastic and some I think are worth a lot less than 5 dollars a can, to put it nicely. My favorite one from them is Tesseract Double IPA. I know I am not alone in thinking this, it seems to be the most challenging one to acquire. When I read that they were releasing a Double Dry Hopped version of Tesseract, I basically started drooling. I had to come across a can, I just had to. Lucky for me I was able to find one. When I got home, opened it, poured it and after a moment of staring at it lovingly, I took in the aroma. The aroma was big, dank and piney. There was also a hint of lemon and tropical fruit. The first sip was delightful, resinous, tropical and light on bitterness. After the initial hint of resinous pine, Double Dry Hopped Tesseract softens with the flavors of mango, melon, pineapple, and gummy candy before a nice dry finish. At 8%, this is dangerously easy to drink. The alcohol is hidden wonderfully. This is the kind of beer that can sneak up on you. One minute you are thinking, 'sure I could open that second can.' Then you do and the lights start getting just a little bit dimmer. These things happen when a beer is this well-made.
Much like the Tesseract I know and love, this beer is fantastic. Due to Grimm's unpredictable brewing patterns, it has been a while since I have had Tesseract. I wish I could do a side by side to better explain the difference between the two a bit better. I can say I do not remember the aroma being as big or as dank as it is. However, I do remember it tasting juicy but not as tropical and soft as it is here. Then again, the point of dry hopping is to add to the aroma and flavor without adding to the bitterness. Well, mission accomplished here, Double Dry Hopped Tesseract is a beautiful beer that you should seek out immediately(or during the biggest beer week of the year).
Overall rating 4.5/5. A Grimm beer that lives up to the hype.
Rating Scale:
1 - Repugnant and undrinkable
2 - Acceptable but forgettable
3 - Good, worth a purchase
4 - Excellent, a step above the norm
5 - Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!
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Thanks for reading. Sláinte!
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