Cranky Reviews

B is for Badass Belgian Bitters

B is for Badass Belgian Bitters

Mystery Beer B

Nickel Brook Brewing C0.

5.5% Alcohol

Challenge accepted

The COMDB NB Mystery Pack challenge continues with an assortment of alphabetized IPAs to sample and score. The previous mystery pack pint, let’s just call it “A”, because that’s what it’s called, is done and dusted. Time for Plan B, and as Tom Robbins tells us, B is for Beer. * This one is a Belgian IPA, a genre that mixes Belgian wheat with American hops hoppiness for what we hope is the best of both worlds.

Nickel Brook’s mysterious white IPA pours a bright light golden with a new snow white head, one fat finger high. A big-time hoppy aroma pining for bitters. The first taste is a smooth mild juice, almost session like in its presentation, with big bold and bracing pine bitters. It has a flat dry slightly bitter finish and aftertaste. A salty snack is strongly recommended. Session juice, badass bitters, and a smooth finish. It’s not balanced, it’s Belgian. Very refreshing, if your go to is a bitter IPA you’re in the right place.

It turns out B isn’t for balance, it’s for big, bad to the bone, Belgian bitters. But in this case bad is good if you know what I mean.

And now COMDB will give a name for beer B, a Belgian that kicks ass: We dub this beer: JC van Damn!

*Editor’s Comment: The 2009 novella “B is for Beer” by Tom Robbins (one of DT's fav authors) is described as both “A children’s book for grownups” and “a grownup book for children”. It is the story of Gracie Perke, a young girl exploring the world of beer. She learns why every adult enjoys it and why she is not allowed to drink it. The book was adapted into an animated musical “B is for Beer: The Musical” with such notable voice performers as Belinda Carlisle, Jon Cryer and Rose Byrne.