Oh, happy day. Oh, happy happy day when there are two boxes from Deschutes waiting for me. And on a Friday. Excellent. One of the wee gifties floating in the styrophome chip was this fresh hop pale ale. At 5.5%, a fairly modest proposal as to the style.

The beer pours that Irn Bru orange amber under a white froth and rim fed by the fairly high carbonation. The aroma is a bit like a herbal candy, sweet and even a little musky. On the swish around the gums, the texture is the first thing you note - a bit sticky like a tripel but in this case I think or suspect that it is the resinous hop creating the effect rather than residual sugars. There is a spruciness to this beer that is hard for me to put in other terms. There is bitter and apple raisin fruit in the malt but also this barky spruce unctious resinous note that is really evocative for me. Lew triggered a good discussion but was not happy with this one. I see his point but would love it with cold water oily fish like herring or sardines. Maybe smoked cheese, too. Plenty of BAer love.

By the way, Stan points out that some think this sort of personal relationship to one's own tastebuds and brain can be troubling or even a fault. Hogwash. This is why your memory, smell and taste are so interconnected. It is the human way to experience a new beer.