“Tapping the Keg” is a weekly review of craft beers brought to you by staff writer Dan Wood.
Founded in 2012, the young but prominent Half Full Brewery is located in Stamford, Connecticut and has been making some ripples in the pond that is New England micro brews.
Although they don’t typically distribute a large portion of the beers they create, they make a good point to keep their quality and likability high across the board.
Let’s jump into the tasting. It should be noted right off the bat that Pursuit IPA is one that benefits from being very cold and should be poured out properly into a pint glass. Better yet, chill the glass before serving for optimum flavor and drinkability. When this beer begins to get warm, it opens up to a much stronger malty flavor that dominates the beer. When it is nice and cold, a pleasant bouquet of floral and citrus flavors are ready to greet you.
When poured out, this beer is a warm, orange-amber color with very fine carbonation that initially creates a fine head, but fizzles out to only a thin layer resting on the surface. The nose of this beer is slightly tropical, but not like many over-hopped IPAs. The nose gives us flavors of elderflower, apricot, tangerine, lemon grass and fresh cut spring flowers, almost like lavender that just bloomed: piney yet subtly sweet. The top of the beer does not confirm much of the nose at first. The top is very mellow and almost nutty and creamy, which transitions quickly into the middle notes of Meyer lemon, lime peel and a hint of malty sweet corn to round out the acidity. The finish is where the floral/piney notes hinted toward in the nose shine through the most, but without being too bitter.
This beer would be great to drink just as spring rears its head here in New England. It has the brightness that you crave in a spring time beer, but with the 7 percent ABV, it’s certainly enough to keep you warm after the sun goes down on a pleasant sunny day. It would pair nicely with Mexican food, as it is strong enough to stand up to bold flavors without destroying them. A taco salad on bitter greens and sharp cheddar would be an excellent pair. This beer would also go well with swordfish, tilapia, shellfish, or grilled shrimp. A sweet or spicy marinade on a grilled shrimp skewer coupled with the first veggies of the season should be first on your list to try alongside this beer.
The beers that you will most likely get your hands on from Half Full Brewery on a typical retail level is this beer (Pursuit IPA) and Bright Idea Ale. Both are very delicious and easy to drink and come exclusively in cans for around $10. Pursuit IPA is available locally at Price Chopper, Storrs Wine and Spirits and Village Spirit Shoppe.
Overall Rating: 8/10
Dan Wood is a staff writer for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at daniel.wood@uconn.edu.