Monday, April 22, 2013

Riptide vs 80 Acre: Maryland vs Missouri Hopped Wheat Beers

In 2007, the German Schneider brewery (famous for their wheat beers) teamed up with the progressive New York Brooklyn Brewery to produce the tangy hopped Weizen-bock Hopfen-Weisse.

In the past few months, two new hopped wheat hybrids have joined the stupefying and remarkable Hopfen-Weisse: Heavy Seas Riptide White IPA (Ale brewed with Spices) from Maryland, and Boulevard 80-Acre Hoppy Wheat Beer from Missouri.

Riptide is an IPA witbier hybrid, and so not only uses Belgian yeast, but is spiced like a Belgian Wit such as Hoegaaden. However, this beer packs considerably more punch than that ubiquitous Belgian Wit at 7.25% alcohol and 45 International Bitterness Units (IBUs). The Heavy Seas website states that the beer is brewed with "Czech Saaz, French Strisselspalt, Calypso, Centennial and Cascade hops to create a big citrus nose and flavor with floral accents. To complete the feel of the wit style, we push the beer through our hopback which is loaded with Spanish sweet orange peel, CuraƧao bitter orange peel, coriander, and a generous helping of hops." After a lemony, hoppy nose, I clearly tasted the orange peel and coriander, but also with notes of nutmeg, ginger and perhaps cinnamon. The beer had a creamy mouthfeel and a bready, warm alcohol finish. This is a refreshing but satifying beer that was the favorite at a recent beer tasting party.

Rating: 94

In contrast, Boulevard Brewery's 80-Acre Hoppy Wheat beer is based upon a German style wheat (weiss) beer that is then hopped. Surprisingly, it has a lighter color which is odd since it is a German wheat rather than the traditionally very light Belgian wit. It also has a lemony aroma and a generous frothy head: it actually smelled more like Hoegaaden than Riptide. It was lighter and sweeter than Riptide, with honey and melon notes and just a slight hop tang. This is not surprising since it weighs in at just 5.5% alcohol and 20 IBUs. Her indoors thought that it was "a good summer beer." I have to agree: pleasant, probably good for a session on the deck as the grill heats up, but not a beer to get excited about.

Rating: 83

So, that's a win for Maryland, which is a shame, since we are moving from Baltimore, Maryland to St. Louis, Missouri in just 6 weeks! I guess I can always seek solace in that most famous of St. Louis beers: Budweiser. (This is a poor and desperate joke.)