Four IPAs to Keep the Stress Away for #BeerSaturday

 ___ I am starting to stress for my oral defence for my PhD. So, what better way to get away from the stress than drinking some wonderful IPAs, especially one called "the graduate"? There is to my mind nothing better than to drink the stress away (responsibly) with some beer. The goal is to shift my focus away from the studies to something else, and beer sounded like the best option. ___  ___ So, I grabbed four interesting and new IPAs which I have not yet had before to try over the weekend, and I have to say I did not once think about the PhD! Until now, having to write about how I forgot. How interesting again the contradiction! Either way, I had four very distinct but yet so similar IPAs, and I think I have fallen in love with all of them. If I could have them each day of the week, I would not complain in the slightest. But sadly, these beers are not available in my local beer shops, so I will have to enjoy them twice: first, when I drank them, and second, with my writing of this post (thinking back to how I enjoyed them without thinking about the PhD). Without further ado, please join me as I muse about the tasting notes of these four IPAs. ___ # CBC's West Coast IPA (Special Edition) ___ IPA | 6.0% ABV | 55 IBUs ___ ___ This was by all measures, a wonderful beer. So wonderful that I bought more of them (as my one beer shop had one or two extra in the back of the fridge). The first pour was a bit carbonated, but this did not take away from the beauty of this beer. The nose was fruity and zesty, almost smelling like a NEIPA. It was hoppy and classic fruity IPA nose. The first taste was so refreshing and hoppy; and it was actually not too carbonated. The taste was warm with the slightly high ABV. It was very bitter with no sweetness; there was no malt at all just hops. As the beer warmed up a bit, beautiful caramel malt came through on the nose.  ___ # Woodstock's Californicator ___ IPA | 6.5 % ABV | 65 IBUs ___ ___ I was lucky. The shop where I bought this beer, had a sale on this beer. So you already know I bought myself not just one. This was such a good beer. In hindsight, I needed to buy all of their stock because when I went back they did not have anything left. It had an incredibly hoppy nose because of the 65 IBUs. It had some slight caramel malt notes, but the hoppiness overwhelmed it. The first taste was nice and hoppy, but very bitter with a nice and slight sweet taste. There was more maltiness than sweet though, but a very nice balance with the bitterness. It was such a nice beer! ___ ___ # 1000 Hills' The First in Class: The Graduate ___ IPA | 6.4% ABV | ?? IBUs ___ ___ This was another favorite. It was the first time seeing this beer, and since then, I have not yet seen it in any shop again. Sadly, because I really enjoyed it. It had a wonderful hoppy but with caramel malt notes nose. It only had slight passionfruit (fruitiness-sweet). The first sip was full bodied, with some nice and bitter notes. But in the end, they did not lie about it being basically a passionfruit bomb. I really loved this beer. Incredibly well brewed. ___ ___ # Outeniqua Brew Co's Harvest IPA ___ IPA | 6% ABV | 40 IBUs ___ ___ The last beer was sadly also last in place, if the four beers had to compete against each other. The nose had an incredibly toasted caramel malt nose (again that mash tun smell). It was incredibly pleasant, but not the nose of an IPA in any sense. The taste was also a malt overload, really not usual IPA taste. Nonetheless, it was still well brewed and enjoyable. They say in the bottle malt forward so there is that - they warned us! But also some fruits but not really that much. Sadly, it was also a bit watery (mouthfeel). ___ ___ # Postscriptum, or So Long to These Beers These beers did not stand a chance. I needed them more than they needed me. In the moment, drinking them, I completely forgot about the PhD stress. But now, anticipating this week, I am again beginning to feel the stress. ___  ___ For now, I have to clear my mind, remain focused, and think about the future. Happy drinking, and keep well. *All of the musings and writings are my own, albeit inspired by the stress. The photographs are also my own, taken with my Nikon D300.*