Game Day Beer Review: Revolution Anti-Hero American IPA

(6.50% ABV) Anti-Hero poured a burnished copper color with a white head that really stuck around. We drank this beer at Reilly's Daughter, an Irish pub located at Midway Airport in Chicago, Illinois, during a recent business trip. We poured the beer from its can into a plastic cup; not the ideal presentation, but hey, sometimes you have to play the hand you've been dealt. 

We smelled primarily hops and pine emanating from the cup. We got much of the same upon tasting Anti-Hero, with the strong flavor of grapefruit also mixed in. There was a nice malt backbone that ran throughout the flavor profile and served to take the edge off.  

It's wasn't near as harshly bitter as some of the west coast IPA hop-bombs, but also not as mild and restrained as the east coast versions of the style.  Instead, Revolution played this one right down the middle -- befitting its location in the center of the country. 

This is a very good beer: A-

Game Day Beer Review: Birra Amiata Contessa American IPA

(7.00% ABV) Poured at the home office from a 22 ounce bomber on a lazy weekend afternoon. Contessa appeared a hazy orange/gold color with a massive head of soapy white bubbles. The beer was so well carbonated that some of the foam made its way out of the bottle even before the beer made it into the glass.

 

The beer displayed grass and lemon notes on the scent. The citrus notes made themselves apparent as soon as the bottle opened.

It was fizzy on the tongue, and just bitter enough on the finish to keep the initial lemon and floral freshness honest. It's nowhere near as bitter as some of the west coast hop bombs that currently rule the American scene, but we loved it nonetheless.

Contessa was highly carbonated and very light on the tongue. The beer was seriously refreshing: why anyone would choose to drink a macro beer over something like this little Italian gem is beyond our comprehension. A-

Game Day Beer Review: Tyranena Brewing Company Bitter Woman American IPA

Ed Likes His Beer:

It's grim up north. But is it bitter? Well, yes if you're drinking some Tyranena Brewing Company's Bitter Woman IPA (5.75% ABV, Lake Mills, WI) on Stormy Lake in Conover, Wisconsin. The beer hits you with a hardwood IPA hops punch in the mouth, and when you back away from the shock, it goes right at you again for some more. A few sips and you start looking exactly like the woman on the label.

Exactly.

This beer ain't for delicate hors d'oeuvres and don't even place it near a dainty dessert or there will be tears. But when you're roughin' it up in the north land, when you're beat up from too many hard nights in a tent, or too many cold days on the lake, well then this beer may be just what you need.

Or maybe not. B