Why We Picked It: What we said before about session IPAs, and I'm not sure our D.C. colleagues have been exposed to much beer from the Dundalk brewery. Also, 24DOBer Theodore is currently obsessed with this beer (per photo below).
What Key Brewing Company Says About It: "This is the first beer in a series of customized batches. The Bustin Boards crew and the Key brewers dropped in a gnarly combo of Amarillo, Mosaic, Simcoe, and Chinook to land this satisfying IPA that you can ride with all day."
ABV: 4.6%
IBU: No
Website: https://keybrewing.com/
About Key from Key: "Key Brewing Co.—its name a nod to the national icon from our native Baltimore area, Francis Scott Key—is the only brewery in Dundalk, Maryland. Key joins a burgeoning tradition of skilled brewers in the region and, of course, the incredible movement of skilled craft brewing across America.
We are purists of sorts, but not elitists. Key beers are true-to-style: True blue. Traditional. There should be nothing complicated or intimidating about craft beer. To us, craft emphasizes a thoughtful yet straightforward approach and commitment to the highest quality. Key beers are deliciously drinkable. They are supernacular.
Since our launch in Summer 2015, we’ve had the privilege of sharing beer we love—beer we make—with our neighbors and enthusiasts all around the region. (Eventually, the nation!) Simply put, we’re brewing, drinking, and living the dream."
Drank this more than 5 hours ago, but was perfect for a sunny afternoon by the pool. Confused how an IPA (even aca session) canhcan no IBUs, but I don't taste them either so it must be true. A nice crushable beer, but prefer the Homegrown in the head-to-head. 3 out of 4 pool floaties.
ReplyDeleteScott I am starting to think this is just a reason for you to start drinking at noon everyday at home. Honey! I am an organize I need to list first!
DeleteAccording to an online dictionary, 'supernacular' means "Of outstanding quality; that one would wish to drink to the last drop." I enjoyed the light, refreshing flavor. With so few bubbles, the last drop came quick. I wish I had more. 3.4/4
ReplyDelete-Jason
Had it tonight with dinner, some grilled Nathan’s hotdogs wrapped in bacon and a side of corn boiled in a chili lime butter bath (a house favorite).
ReplyDeleteI was surprised at the warm golden color as I poured and had a decent head. Given the depth of color and long lasting head for a session I was expecting the IBU rating to just be wrong (turns out I was wrong). It was very light drinkable beer, as I would hope with any session (and maybe finished it a little too quick).
Even though I really enjoyed it, nothing really stood out. It was a great - I want to pound a sixer after mowing the lawn beer but don’t think I’ll remember it much or could pick it out of a line up.
For that reason I give it a 3.25 out of 5 mother (corn) shuckers.
I blame myself. I see a beer with wobbles in the name and as a corgi owner, I get very excited. But this is a bit disappointing. If yesterday's beer was "dank" then what is this? I would describe this is danky which is unusual in a session IPA which usually seems to pile on the citrus hops to barely tolerable levels to compensate for the lack of kick. Ro agrees with me. Good but yesterday's was definitely better. I'd buy a sixer of the Homegrown, this one probably doubtful.
ReplyDeleteLooks like we've got ourselves a little Likert scale showdown here. Adam and I are both using the 5 point scale. Scott and Jason are using the 4 point scale. Although Jason is going with decimals on his 4 point scale which seems like cheating. I will continue with 5 points and nothing but halves and give this 3 out of 5 spectacularly awesome corgi butts.
I did finish my half beer in under ten minutes again and am now compensating with the 9% sour that we were gifted by the fine proprietors of Maple Lawn when we bought this beer. A 9% sour seems almost cruel. And awesome. Which is another reason that Oliver and Aslin are my favorite local breweries.
I just spent 15 minutes reading about the development of the Likert Scale. Thanks.
DeleteAlso, I "strongly agree" Homegrown was better.
Reasonably good but definitely a step back from yesterday's which was a similar concept. Great can art though.
ReplyDeleteAs Scott pointed out, this is one, I repeat, one of my favs right now. Why? It's smooth, light, refreshing and "I" think a very balanced session ipa.
ReplyDeleteIn a way, that "forgetable-ness" is what makes it awesome. I don't have to do fancy crap to out do someone else.
I give this one (on the 5 scale) 4.33 "Dundalk hun"'s
Is this the 24 days of sessions? I'm in trouble then. It is not as good as yesterday's session, that's about all I can offer. Did not help that I got destroyed on my practice quiz for getting Comp Sci teaching licensure. 3.25 out of 5
ReplyDeleteAroma was promising but I found the first taste strangely surprising and not in a great way. Not what I expected from the smell. On further sips it became more enjoyable. Then after having put it down and left it for a while the next sip was again strange. Not what I would call a well balanced flavor. Hence the name, I spose. 3/5
ReplyDeleteHi, my wife and I really enjoyed this. It tasted more to me like my perhaps naive view of a "normal IPA," so what makes this a "session IPA"? and more particularly, what is a session IPA even? I embarrassed I have never stopped to ponder this before. I found this decent take on the matter: https://www.americancraftbeer.com/what-the-hell-is-a-session-ipa/. Anyway, I like this. The flavors worked well together despite their tout of a "gnarly combo" of four different hops. I could definitely drink a sixer in one evening, and who knows? perhaps I will upon my next encounter. I had never heard of Key brewing, and this was a good introduction to it. Yet another great aspect to these advent calendars :-)
ReplyDelete- Greg
I feel like the odd man out here. I liked this much more than the Burley Oak from yesterday. I've had this one many times, and on multiple occasions at Merriweather. Maybe it just tastes like summer and live music. I though it had great aroma, minimal bitterness, and just a touch of tartness to make you want another sip.
ReplyDeleteBut first, a true story.
ReplyDeleteYesterday, in what is part of the new normal, I told my family I had a totally awesome idea of what we could do this weekend. We could go for a walk! But not just _any_walk. No sir, this would be an exciting walk. To the historic Old Simpsonville Mill and Robinson Nature Center hiking trials!!! (Three exclamation points as I was really trying to sell it.)
“Hooray!” absolutely nobody said.
So, there I was, walking on the trails, and looking at trees, as well as the various plaques explaining what each tree is. I took in an American Holly, and learned that it is A VERY IMPORTANT tree, as it provides birds and animals needed food during the winter months. Hmm. I also encountered a White Oak tree. This tree is something of a big deal. I learned that in Wye Mills, Maryland, the biggest White Oak _ever_ was discovered – 450 years old. Also, White Oak trees are often used for barrels to store whiskey, beer and wine because the tree has some sort of special sap (or oil? bark?) embedded in it which creates a special seal ideal for storing these refreshments.
I paused a moment. I thought, Wow. While COVID is tough, this is something I would have never learned about but for going on a walk like this. I mean, learning about trees is sort of interesting. I did not know that, just a stone’s throw from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, the BIGGEST White Oak in America once stood. And that a White Oak tree is ideal for storing whiskey. Or something. I mean, wow this is interesting.
I looked up at the tall trees and felt a gentle breeze. I listened the flow of the Little Patuxent River nearby. And then I thought, “WTF is wrong with you? Everything sucks. Your idea of a field trip is to go look at the ruins of a mill, and admit it – you (I, that is) don’t even know what a mill is.
This is not very interesting.
Which leads me to “Speed Wobbles.” I really wanted to like it a lot. I feel like a bit of a jerk for saying otherwise. It is a “session brew.” It is local. Someone went to great care to conceive of the clever label with the young woman on the skateboard. But it was just there – not terrible, mind you, but just not that interesting. Smooth, but know of bland. Not offensive, but not comment worthy.
So, I am sorry Speed Wobbles. Maybe I was just having a bad day, but you are sort of the equivalent of a sign explaining a tree. “A” for effort and all that, but let’s face it – I just don’t care.
1.75/4.00 trees, or shrubs or natures.
For a moment, you had me very interested in white oaks and even mills... then it passed.
DeleteThis is an almost perfect Session IPA in my opinion. Good aroma, but not too overpowering. Easy to drink without being too 'hollow'. And just the right amount of back end bitterness to make you want to either enjoy another one right away or stop and enjoy a savory snack. I like the hop complexity a *lot* and the malt characteristics come out at the end. I think I need another to really evaluate. or another 6 ...
ReplyDelete