As I start moving into the 200’s for “beers in a row” I just wonder how long I can keep it up!  This has been difficult — I’ve been sick a couple of times and just had to drink through it … and other times I’ve just not really felt like a brew … but I have persevered.  So, today, I’ve sampled beer #201.

Tonight’s brew was another Southern Tier: Phin  & Matt’s Extraordinary Ale.

I like this beer … I just don’t love it.  If you’ve read some of my other posts/comments you may have read that I notice a difference between East Coast and West Coast “American Pale Ales (APA).”  This is an East Coast APA.  I know there is a subtle difference between IPAs and APAs … the APAs tend to be more hopped up.  However, when you drink a west coast APA, you get HOPS!  Lots of them … and the balance is more pronounced toward the hop.  With the East Coast APAs, you get MALT.

In actuality, the East Coast APAs are probably more balanced, but I just don’t like it when I have an APA/IPA and don’t think “HOP!”  To me, an APA (or an IPA) should say you love Hops and, oh by the way, there’s some malt in there too.

So, while I like Phin and Matt’s Extraordinary Ale … I’ll stick with the more hopped up ones … especially Southern Tier’s Imperial Collection … Yummy!

Beer Mentor