While taking in the festivities of Southern Tier Weekend at Peek n’ Peak Resort there were several exciting insights aside from the obvious: it was really friggin’ cold, and winter must end soon. I am not a skier, snowmobiler, ice fisherman, or anything else that involves prolonged exposure to snow. I assumed my favorite position at any ski resort: sitting inside, warm, and drinking beer. There were plenty of festivities to keep me entertained as my group passed from lodge to lodge while enjoying the music played by the DJ, Southern Tier giveaways, good food, and snow bunnies.
After drinking some of my all-time Southern Tier favorites, Phin and Matt’s and Old Man Winter, I found my hands around a glass of 2XSmash, which Southern Tier bills as a “Single Varietal Double IPA.” The concept behind that beer, which made its debut in Southern Tier’s 2XOne, is simple: use one type of malt and feature a single hop. 2XSmash features the Mosaic Hop which is stunningly delicious.
Now, I can appreciate a good IPA, but I do not consider myself an IPA fanatic. Many brewers get carried away with hops and hop combinations, trying to cram as many different hops into their beers as possible with the result often being a bitter mouth full of hoppy flavor. While this may be okay for some people, and in certain cases perhaps even enjoyable, I prefer the tack that created 2XSmash: featuring a single beautiful type of hop. The mosaic hops in the 2XSmash give this richly golden ale a full-mouth feel of fresh citrus, juicy blood orange, and pink grapefruit. They swirl together in a refreshing burst of intense drinking experience. It also sports a beautiful bouquet of pine and mint, along with its citrusy goodness. The beer is sneakily potent at 8.1% ABV, offering a ton of bang for your buck.
Loren Mayshark is the award-winning author of Death: An Exploration and Academic Betrayal. For more, you can visit his website lorenmayshark.com and you can keep up with him on Twitter at @LorenMayshark. Sign up for his newsletter and receive regular updates and a free gift.
