Trade, Oklahoma edition

By Matt Schreiner in Beer, Lounge on Sunday, March 25th, 2018

So today’s blog is about ALPHA HIVE, a double IPA from Coop Ale Works out of Oklahoma City, OK. It was acquired from a gentleman named Jason, and there are three things I want to mention about the trade I made with him that netted me this beer:
1) I found out about Jason being a willing trade participant because he traded with a certain beer dude in the recent past
2) I sent him a couple of local barrel aged beers, and that’s because
3) the “main event” of his part of the trade was the three Founders’ Canadian Breakfast Stouts he sent me

Alpha Hive is very reminiscent of a much more well known beer, one called Hopslam, as this is a double IPA with honey. It’s listed as 100+ IBU and 9.1%ABV.

The beer is a brownish gold with mild head and lacing. It’s got a haze that’s caused by the considerable particulate presence. Smell is dank and hoppy with a definite honey background. Taste? Delicious. Hoppiness is there in the bitter forefront, but the sweet honey asserts itself and it leads to a taste combination that works together, not against each other. Feel is dominated by the strong alcohol, kind of juicy, well balanced, easy to drink for a beer that’s strong in a couple different ways.

Overall, I’d say this one gives Hopslam pretty good competition as a quality double IPA with honey.