This one is for the little guys.
I never heard of Keegan Ales, a small Kingston, N.Y. brewery that’s been around since 2003, until I randomly selected their IPA, oddly named Hurricane Kitty, for our random six-pack series. Little Keegan Ales has but around 800 followers on Twitter, which is on par with their lineup, just three year-round offerings.
Well, let’s raise a glass to the little guys.
Hurricane Kitty – as you might guess, you’ll think about that name the entire time you drink this – is a legitimate IPA. It’s a dark orange, hoppy, crisp beer. It’s not very full bodied, nor does it boast a ton of outside flavor. But it’s well hopped and well brewed. What it tries to do, it does well. It’s like a Honda Civic, no one’s dream car but a ride many people are happy to have.
The grainy, hoppy flavor is easily the most prominent in this brew, which isn’t bad, as long as you’re not expecting a lot more out of it. It’s a good, solid example of what an IPA should taste like. I would imagine it would taste just a bit fresher on tap, which would take it from a good beer to a very good one. Hurrricane Kitty – go ahead, try not to chuckle internally just thinking about the name – it may not be a beer you’ll rush to tell your friends about, but it’s enjoyable.
It finishes clean and crisp, which is probably its best quality. It begs to be sipped again, it’s an easy beer to finish, and it would make a very enjoyable six-pack if you can’t find it on tap. Because it’s oddly refreshing for an IPA, it would work well as an outdoor beer, possibly on a picnic or during a spring barbeque.
Pick some up if you see it and make it part of a day/night of tasting. Support the little guys, help them grow. You get the idea that Keegan clearly knows what they’re doing and it would be nice to see them put our more year-round beers. Snobs say there can never be enough craft brewers, especially good ones.
Musical Pairing – Fall Out Boy – Sugar, We’re Going Down