I rarely win the riches on the #beersaturday challenge but I am not in it for the bountiful prizes. Beer is reward enough. Title image courtesy of https://www.pinterest.pt/goldensaintbeer/ with a little Zeke design on top.

This week, I am pitting 2 new beers against eachother in an epic showdown for the favour of the Steem Beerologist! In this installment, it is 2 East Coast IPAs I have never sampled before today. What they REALLY mean is New England IPA as there really is no other distinct IPA from the east coast if North America. https://vinepair.com/wine-blog/what-is-new-england-ipa/ I can't remember a New England IPA I didn't like with its hipster haziness, smooth slightly sweet taste compared to the other awesomely bitter styles. The one you would have heard me crow most often about would be Jobsite Impact New England IPA https://jobsitebrewing.ca/beers/ as the brewery is just over a kilometer from my house, I implemented and support their technology, and they are great guys who make great beer.

Today, we have New England IPAs from over 155 KM away from the Pickle Palace on......

Battle of the Beers!

In this corner! Hailing from Collingwood Ontario, we have Sidelaunch Gateway IPA from Sidelaunch Brewing https://www.sidelaunchbrewing.com/brewery It traveled 171 KM to make it into my mouth.

This brewery hasn't impressed the hophead in me all that much over the years but they brew a solid beer. The sour has been underwhelming and the session IPA was watery and uninspired in my not so humble opinion. Their branding is distinct but not overly amazing with the sideways logo (yah I get it,) and tiny little beer name in the top of the can as almost an afterthought.

The beer itself is described with all of the key words you would use to optimize your website to attract the IPA searchers
with "aromatic, citrusy,pine, juicy" Despite the run of the mill packaging, the beer is actually good. Creamy and slightly sweet with a smooth unfiltered texture. At 6.3% alc/vol, it is no slouch in the alcohol department but drinks a biteasier than you would expect.

Overall rating: I like this beer and will ignore the can. Would buy again though not close to the top 10. Maybe the top 10 recent finds.

In this corner! Hailing from The Niagara Escarmpent, we have Short Hills East Coast IPA from Bench Brewing https://benchbrewing.com/ This one traveled 151 KM to make it into my face.

I remember having Ball Falls IPA https://benchbrewing.com/our-beer/#balls-falls-session-ipa, thinking how silly a name that is, and cannot remember what it even tasted like. I suppose I get that way with some IPAs under 5%abv unless they are fantastic like http://www.redlinebrewhouse.com/ Clutch APA. This one packs a punch at over 6% ABV and is hazy as all hell. It has a neat aroma to me mainly because it is different. Then, it gets into your mouth and I went through the following sequence: okay, hmmm, alright, ah man, what is that rotten taste? blech! There is something off but it couldn't be the hops as they are the typical and good compbination of Azacca, Amarillo, and Citra. Almost like a bad cucumber swam around in the bright tank? I dunno.

There is a huge block of text on the can which I had to photograph and zoom in just to read. It tells of a really neat history of loyalists,Mennonites revolutionary war, and the 1800s. It boasts juicy and tropical fruit and generic other descriptors but makes no mention of the odd taste that makes up the round body.

Overall rating: Getting to the bottom of this one made it a little better, will not buy again.

🍻And the Winner is: Sidelaunch Getaway IPA with its great texture and taste!🍻

https://steemit.com/beersaturday/@detlev/beersaturday-week-122

Join my drinkin' buddy @detlev and the rest of the crew weekly for a story over a couple beers. Buy some Beer Tokens with your liquid steem and post up your Beer Adventure!

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