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Dead Soldier
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Modus Hoperandi India Pale Ale
Ska Brewing Co.
225 Girard Street
Durango, CO USA
Est. 1995
www.skabrewing.com
Brain Damage Quotient = 6.8 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0
Postmortem Brew Review
Golden amber color.
Sweet malts, then a copious amount of pine hops aromas.
One and a half finger of off-white head.
Rings of sticky lacing down the glass with each sip.
Malt sweetness with citric zinging hops element.
Medium amount of carbonation.
Medium bodied, medium mouth feel with a slight oily hops finish.
Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Modus Hoperandi IPA is a bang-on pine/citrus sticky hops ale. It is very flavorful and well balanced with sweet malt that rounds it out, but rest assured the hops are there from start to everlasting sticky finish.
This is probably one of the best dozen or so west coast American IPA's that I've come across. Fun too, cause' The Reaper likes the skull dude - this time leading the pack in a snazzy suit and tie combo. As he takes the pony-tailed bobby-soxer into a dip, the words "Lip Up Fatty" are emblazoned above the dancing couple. It pays homage to the ska band "Bad Manners" which managed to bust a record into the UK charts back in 1980.
I also found many other "Easter Eggs" on the can. The word 'recycle' is listed not once, not twice but three times around the can neck. Subtle word choice such as 'walk', 'kite', 'hide', 'seek' even 'shower' are reminders to do good and have fun along the way in life. Something that this beer and brewer, seem to be all about. After all, even the name Modus Hoperandi is a play on Modus Operandi. Hops is how they roll, down in Durango. And having fun seems to be in their nature.
The best hidden word gem was found on the ingredients list. It seems the folks at Ska have found a way to get around the German Purity Law of 1516 by adding a fifth ingredient and still keeping it Reinheitsgebot. What's that fifth ingredient? Love.
No German Brewer would fault them for that brewing addition. Thanks Ska!
Dead Soldier
Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Euphoria Pale Ale
Ska Brewing Co.
225 Girard Street
Durango, CO
USA
Est. 1995
www.skabrewing.com
Brain Damage Quotient = 6.1 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0
Postmortem Brew Review
Burnt brown/orange in color.
Copious amount citrus hops; resiny to the nose.
Quickly foaming two finger slight white head fizzes out in about ten seconds.
No lacing present.
Big malted backbone. Well balanced hops and malts at play.
Medium amount of carbonation.
Medium bodied, medium mouth feel, dry finish.
Grim Reaper's Eulogy
A fellow after my own heart, the Ska Skull guy. Wearing the suit and ski cap complete with pom on top, this recently caught my eye, on a beer shopping expedition out west. I have enjoyed their bottle beer and now see that they can as well. That is fortunate for me as it saves weight during the plane trip back, allowing a few more to slip into the travel coolers.
So, Mr. Ska Bones with his jazz hands is all up about the Euphoria Pale Ale. And for good reason. it is a delicious example of an American pale ale. Something about the western breweries that bring pale ales up to the level of IPA's and then the IPA's go so much farther. This has nice balancing of hops aromas that don't peter out in the taste. In all, it's an aggressive little pale ale, and that's fine with me. Very noticeable presence on the tongue that will make you happy if you like the hop.
Back to the can art...if you want to know how the Reaper feels about his beer, just look to this delightful fellow. That pretty much says it all about how I feel about this pale ale.
Dead Soldier
Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
True Blonde Ale
Ska Brewing Co.
225 Girard Street
Durango, CO
USA
Est. 1995
www.skabrewing.com
Brain Damage Quotient = 5.3 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0
Postmortem Brew Review
Hazed pale yellow color.
Malt grain affronts your sense of smell up front with little hops present.
Quickly foaming two finger slight white head fizzes out in about ten seconds.
No lacing present.
Dray malted grain taste. Crisp and a bit of fruit noticed. Mild hops.
Active amount of carbonation.
Light to medium bodied mouth feel.
Grim Reaper's Eulogy
So far, the Ska bunch have made me a fan. The Steel Toe Stout, the Pin Stripe Red and the Buster Nut Brown were all fab. This one was a bit of a clinker for me. Not really a fan of blondes, (the ale types that is), and it didn't really register with my taste buds. I suppose it is okay for the style, but I was underwhelmed.
What does make this beer fun is that Ska includes more of the comic book style branding on the bottle, a-la the Buster Nut Brown label. Here we find a rather 'amply endowed' blond. A young lass, roaring off on her scooter to who-knows-where, (the Ska brewery, perhaps?) Her pony-tail is flying in the breeze and she's giving you the prom queen wave and a smile, all decked out in her checkered flag mini-skirt and snug fitting sweater.
The good news for me is Ska has other offerings, and happily I am headed back west soon. I will be scouring the bottle shops in search for more of their skull banging nectars.
Dead Soldier
Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Steel Toe Stout (Working Class Milk Stout)
Ska Brewing Co.
225 Girard Street
Durango, CO
USA
Est. 1995
www.skabrewing.com
Brain Damage Quotient = 5.4 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0
Postmortem Brew Review
Toffee brown color. Ruby highlights when held up to light.
Chocolate malts up front. Roasted malt background. Slight bread scent.
Nicely foaming two finger tan head with decent lacing on glass.
Creamy sweet malt taste up front. Some vanilla (?)and a bit of hops.
Nice amount of carbonation.
Medium bodied mouth feel.
Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Another great brew from those cool cats at Ska. Make no 'bones' about it, I really enjoyed this Milk Stout. This was another nice surprise from the mixed 12-pack brought home from my recent trip to Colorado. The milky sweetness is just right and plays nicely with the chocolate maltiness. Add a bit of vanilla hints, you've got yourself a nice "working class" milk stout. Nothing over the top, just a no-nonsense ale.
Lace up your boots and go get one.
Dead Soldier
Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Pin Stripe Red Ale
Ska Brewing Co.
225 Girard Street
Durango, CO
USA
Est. 1995
www.skabrewing.com
Brain Damage Quotient = 5.15 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0
Postmortem Brew Review
Amber color.
Malt aromas with a nice hops smell.
Nicely foaming two finger off-white head with decent lacing on glass.
Nice malt taste up front with tasty finishing hops flavor.
Fairly active amount of carbonation.
Light to medium bodied mouth feel.
Grim Reaper's Eulogy
I have to admit it, there were only two reasons the mixed 12 pack of Ska came back with me from the 2010 Beer Bloggers Conference...
For one, I was looking for variety. The store I went to did not allow the breaking up of six-packs to choose singles. The mixed 12 pack allowed me several different beers in a box by a single brewer. Since I had never tried Ska's beers before, that appealed to me. (Note to all you beer marketing guru's out there that these introduction boxes are worth continuing.)
Reason number two, really requires no explanation other than IT HAS A SKULL ON THE LOGO! Have you been paying attention? I love when I find a beer with grim markings. like this ale. The skulls seem to be a fairly common element on their labeling. Not certain what the bowling pins (and accompanying collision animation), and the chapeau have to do with it, but I like it! I guess it's what the"frame" of mind these slick hipsters from Ska are up to, when enjoying this refreshingly great Red Ale.
I certainly do get the idea of clenching a few hops buds in his teeth. The hops flavor is nicely done in this ale. And it's also sweet that the image runs in relief, as a watermark, on the white parts of the rest of the label.
Seems like Ska and I have a lot in common - - - skulls, bowling, lids (c'mon...#23...the headgear definition), beer and an off centered appreciation for all four! Grab your hat and some PinStripe and I'll meet you at the lanes.
Dead Soldier
Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Buster Nut Brown Ale
Ska Brewing Co.
225 Girard Street
Durango, CO
USA
Est. 1995
www.skabrewing.com
Brain Damage Quotient = 5.15 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0
Postmortem Brew Review
Toffee brown color with some ruby highlights when held up to light.
Deep bready aroma with nutty notes. Roasted malt background.
Nicely foaming two finger tan head with decent lacing on glass.
Creamy sweet malt taste up front. Some nuttiness and a bit of hops.
Nice amount of carbonation.
Medium bodied mouth feel.
Grim Reaper's Eulogy
New brew for me straight outta the west. I returned from Colorado in November with a mix 12 pack of Ska and this is the first one opened for review. They are a funky fine brewery; just take a tour of their website. Try not to bust into a ska dance snit while the music blares over your PC speakers! Very cool attitude from this bunch.
The Buster Nut Brown is a great English style brown ale done pretty straight up. It's easy to sit around all day with a bunch of these. Enjoy the music, enjoy the commentary and by all means, enjoy some Buster Nut!
Gotta get out to Durango one day and meet these cats!
Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
