Dan cracks open a Lampoon-inspired seasonal from Smartmouth Brewing, Lotta Sap, via a Christmas care package from Hamilton and Michelle.
Smartmouth Brewing Company Lotta Sap
STYLE: India Pale Ale
INGREDIENTS: Spruce tips; Lemondrop, Cascade, and Centennial hops
ABV: 7.0%
IBU: 35
AVAILABILITY: 16oz Cans, Draft (Limited/Seasonal)
Stats above taken from the brewery’s can, website, and Untappd.
Appearance
Amber in color and fairly opaque with a small, off-white head and some lacing on the glass.
Aroma
Pine, spruce, resin, malt sweetness, and hint of citrus peel and pith.
Taste
Leads with pine and resin, with a hint of grapefuit-like notes/acidity mixed with an orange note, leaving a nice balance between the malt and hops.
Mouthfeel
Smooth, medium mouthfeel and light carbonation. This coats the tongue like a blanket by the fire and the hops/spruce tips provide a drying note on the finish.
Overall
This is a tasty, seasonal beer for sure. I do not see many spruce tip beers out on the market anymore, so I will definitely need to keep an eye out. I drank this on Christmas Eve in the afternoon, and I think that was a good time to do so. Pairing-wise, you could go turkey, goose, chicken, or other poultry/fowl for sure with a seasonal preparation.
Thanks again to Hamilton and Michelle for this and the other brews and treats in their lovely Christmas care package!
Cheers and remember:
Life’s a tap…drink up ’til it’s dry.
All music on this show came to us from the now defunct Music Alley.
Intro: “Meet Me At The Bar” by The Beer Drinking Fools
Outtro: “Bubblegum and Beer” by The Supersuckers
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