Apr 16, 2010

Full Sail Hop Pursuit

Label: Full Sail Hop Pursuit

It’s that time of year again. The sun is out longer, the days are getting warmer and, while I still enjoy my fair share of stouts at this point in the year, I have been enjoying some really tasty IPAs.

Full Sail Brewing’s latest in their Brewmaster Reserve line of beers, is Hop Pursuit, an extra pale ale that packs a pretty decent amount of hops into a 22oz bottle. Brewed with Cascade, Willamette, and Mt. Hood hops, the beer is hoppy, but not overly so.

Appearance

Hop Pursuit pours a golden orange in color with a large fluffy white head.

Aroma

It’s got a wonderful hop presence on the nose that’s not too citrus-like, but instead leans more toward a piny resin. There’s a small bit of malt mixed in there as well. Overall, Hop Pursuit has a well balanced, smooth aroma.

Taste

This brew has a nice piny and earthy tone with a good bit of malt balancing it out. The hops have a bit more of a citrus/grapefruit character in the taste than the nose, but for the most part the beer isn’t too fruity in that regard. The finish is on the drier side with a welcome bitterness.

Overall

At about 6% ABV, I found this one quite drinkable. It’s got a well rounded, traditional and earthy hop presence with a great crisp, bitter finish that suited me perfectly on a warm afternoon. I don’t recall what I paid for the bottle, but I don’t believe it was high enough to scare me away from another couple of bottles or five.

Rating: 3.5/5

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