Instead of a whopping pint of his annual brew, the crew at O’Meara Bros. Brewing Company pour a dainty half. But there’s a reason Tim O’Meara chose to cut his Triple IPA down to size.
Call it wisdom — the potent little beer packs a 10 percent alcohol wallop, but hides its wrath under balanced flavors and a light, smooth demeanor. It is capable of ambushing the unwary drinker after four or five easy rounds.
“Our thing is about balance,” O’Meara said. “It’s sneaky — and that goes the same for the alcohol.”
The Triple IPA presents itself as a passive, almost demure beer at first. The aromas are naturally sweet, buffered by a hint of light rye and honey. It opens on the palate as a languid brew — smooth and rich — before a juniper bite rolls in.
The bitter flow cannot blunt the engaging savor of the beer. A balance of light grain and buckwheat honey fends with brisk grapefruit until the finish, when the sip subsides into pine and hearty grain.
Even though O’Meara reserves the Triple IPA for July of each year — this being his second batch — the process was relatively simple.
“Basically what we do is take our Elk Mountain IPA and bump the bitterness up,” he explained. “We also mash at a cooler temperature.”
That step parches the finish, allowing more citrus to show through. It’s a clever approach, as it also tempers to alcoholic burn.
Not that any of this matters after one takes that first sip and realizes a broad, satisfied smile.
Of course, that smile might fade. You see, O’Meara Bros.’ Triple IPA will be erased from the menu board in a matter of weeks to make room for the fall lineup.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
