Episode Notes

It’s the Two Minute Beer Review!

I’m Andrew Burkum, and once again I’m your companion as we face down that massive craft brew aisle in search of the hidden treasures we’ve been missing out on all along.

This week we’re taking a look Maui Waui IPA by Altamont Beer Works in Livermore, CA. Is this one the Big Kahuna? Let’s find out!

Maui Waui pours clean and clear, almost the color of one of those mass-produced American lagers that we don’t talk about. It smells fruity and tropical. And maybe just a little bit. . .dusty? There’s definitely an earthy undertone in there somewhere.

But what about the taste? The aroma suggests a sweetness that is not present in the flavor of the beer. It does have lots of that earthiness that I detected in the scent, but none of the tropical flavors I was hoping for play into the taste at all so far as I can tell. The brewer’s website describes the hops used in this beer as giving “strong aromas and flavors of guava, pineapple and mango. I’m sorry, Altamont, but here at the Two Minute Beer Review we just aren’t tasting it. What is present is a very traditional beer bitterness that starts at the beginning of the sip and hangs around after the swallow. It’s not overpowering but is a very pleasant character if you’re a fan of IPAs.

Going back to Altamont’s website, they state that Maui Waui is one of their more popular beers, so maybe this is one time that my tastes are out of line with the larger public. But although I love Altamont and have tasted many fine products from their catalog, Maui Waui is neither a recommend nor a repeat for me. It’s a 6.5% in the ABV category, so if you like it you’ll be able to enjoy more than one without needing a rest in between.

Well that’s all for this week, but I hope you’ll join me next week as I try Velvet Merkin Bourbon Barrel Aged Oatmeal Stout by Firestone Walker brewing in Paso Robles, CA. Is this one . . . you know what, I can’t even come up with a clean joke about this one’s name. Just join me next week to find out more about it. Look for links to this week’s beer and brewery in the show notes.

Don’t forget to let me know what you’re drinking and what you’re thinking about the show. Tweet me @2minutebeer with the number two or drop me an email at [email protected]. And if you’re listening to the show on your favorite podcasting app, be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode and leave a review to help other people find the show. That’s all for this now, but I’ll see you next week as we continue on our quest to taste all the beer!

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Music: River Meditation by Jason Shaw used under Creative Commons License

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