Beer of the Week

Hailing from the microbrew rich state of Michigan, New Holland Brewing first impressed me with their over the top setup at the Great Taste of the Midwest (aka Beerfest), a tasting event held anually in Madison. Next, they impressed me with their delicious IPA. I'm not a huge IPA fan, but I certainly appreciate a good one, and New Holland's "Mad Hatter" is certainly that.

Established in 1996, New Holland has a nice selection of mainstays (I've been told the Kolsch is good) as well as some seasonals and high gravity selections. Mad Hatter is a year-round brew, dry-hopped to bring out that floral hop character. Besides the flowery smell, there's some citrus in the nose too, and the beer pours with a medium sized head. At 5.8% ABV Mad Hatter is in the right range for the style and has a medium body and mouthfeel like a good IPA should.

One thing I really like about this IPA: the hops are definitely assertive, but not aggressive. This isn't a hop-bomb double imperial IPA; it lets the hop aromas and flavors swirl around your palette and slowly deliver a rich sophisticated taste backed with subtle malts. Well Done.

Links of Interest:

New Holland Brewing