Day 15, 1.15.11, Coronado Brewing - Idiot IPA

This is what The Monk's Kettle looks like but not when I was there.

I stopped by The Monk's Kettle in the Mission, a beer spot I've been meaning to try out.  But I made the mistake of going there on a Saturday evening.  Every time I go out on a Friday or Saturday, I'm reminded about how much it sucks.  Amateur night.  So it was packed of course and I really didn't get a chance to chat up the bartender about the draught selections.  It's a really intimate space (that's pretty much the entirety in the picture.  I'd be surprised if it seats 40).
Since I was in the mood for hops, I picked Idiot IPA from Coronado.  Apropos, I know.
And by no means did it disappoint; on the contrary.  This beer is so packed with hops that I felt like I was drinking a bag of cascade pellets.  It's a very fresh hop character too: grassy, green, floral.  I assume it's fairly heavily dry hopped.  The beer is a rich amber/orange.  Body wise though, a bit thin.  I guess if you want the hops to stand out as much as they do in this beer, you can't allow them to be blocked by big malt.  It's a strong, aggressive Imperial IPA with 8.5% ABV.  And it's really ridiculously hoppy.  It's a very dry beer, and then finishes strangely mouthwatering.  It came in a 22oz bottle, but I'm sure I would have been just fine with just a pint, (or even a 12oz).
So although being there on a crazy Saturday (it was standing room only) is a definite thumbs down, Idiot IPA gets a thumbs up.  Might be a bit overly hopped for some palates, but that's what we expect from the style.  And I'll certainly be back to The Monk's Kettle.  Sometime midweek.  7 out of 10




P.s. I want you all to know just how hard I'm working here for you.  We went out to Korean BBQ on Saturday as well, and ordered the house Korean pisswater beer, O.B. (Oriental Brewery).  So I technically tried 2 beers in one day.  But that one was nothing to write home blog about, so I shan't.  I'll just chalk it up to research.  366 beers on 365 days?