HopCat Sage Against the Machine

Brewed by HopCat
Style: American Pale Ale
Grand Rapids, Michigan USA

Draft sample at MBGF Summer 2009. I sampled at HopCat when it was still in the tank. Poured a cloudy copper color with an average frothy off-white head that mostly lasted with good lacing. Moderate to heavy sage and small sweet malt aroma. Medium body with a slick texture and soft carbonation. Medium to heavy spicy bittersweet flavor with a medium to heavy bittersweet finish of moderate to long duration. Another good beer for this house.

On tap at HopCat. Hazy straw body, medium off-white head. Big sage nose. Creamy body with strong sage notes, backed by dry, toasty malts. I wouldn’t necessarily want to drink an entire pint, but a few ounces was enjoyable and interesting.

MiBG Summer Fest 2009, Saturday session: Clean golden hue with an okay head. The aroma is SAGE baby!!! You can detect some honey bread and caramel vapours too. Slightly displays an apricot esters at times. The taste indeed has a sharp sage character yet not too heavy to drown out the sweeter malts and the light citric tones. Actually once you get past the initial "shock" of the spice, the beer becomes quite drinkable (unlike say, Fantome Strange Ghost or that shall not be named abomination of a Pizza "Beer"). The mouth feel is sharp, lively and refreshing. It is different but still enjoyable.

On tap at MBG Summer Festival. Poured a hazy amber gold with white head. Aroma consisted of pine and sage notes. The flavor started piney with sage but became more of a citrus and sage combination. It was an interesting and fun beer.

On tap @ HopCat in Grand Rapids- shared by Brett in his generosity. Pours hazy caramel brown/ yellow with a white head. Nose is lt. malt, some bitterness, spice, and sage almost to the point of band-aid. Flavor is sage-forward; sage, malt, and some nice balanced malt and sweetness to the sage. Enjoyable beer when the occasion calls for it.