A beckoning pour of Gun Hill Silvis DIPA
The guys at my local beer store finally got me trained. They shoot me a text and I hop in my car like Pavlov’s dog’s chauffeur to go stand in line half an hour for a rare release, and end up paying more than I swore I ever would for a sackful of cans or the rare growler fill. And you know what? At $54 a 16 oz. can*, it’s totally worth it.
When I think of why Gun Hill Silvis double IPA tastes so good, it’s a matter of breadth. There is that initial hit of the hoppy citrus aroma, the welcome bitterness with the first sip. But then it expands. There’s a lot to chew on, an abundance of depth and flavor nuances. It’s like, instead of making a burger just out of ground chuck, you add in some short rib or brisket, maybe a little finely chopped onion or garlic. Your guests will wonder how you made it so different and complex.
I have never made beer from scratch (though I do have a few bags of home-grown hops mouldering in my freezer) so I have no idea how the Gun Hill folks achieve this magic. They describe Silvus as “a coniferous creation dense with resinous hop aromas and flavor. Miles of pine, musty pineapple, herbaceous earth, and black currant. Sticky. Hops Used: Chinook, Simcoe, Denali, Equinox.” Yeah, I guess that’s it. STICKY.
In researching this beer, I found out the brewery is in the Bronx, which is a lot more convenient for me than Brooklyn where all the other flannel-wearing hipsters are. There may even be street parking. Who’s up for a road trip?
*Turns out the $5/can stuff was from Finback, also excellent. A 4 or growler of Gun Hill was a bargain $15.99.
I’ve made a lot of beer and built a lot of brewing equipment. Craft beer is too often overhopped, over malted and overpriced.
I’ll agree with the second one and the third is a matter of opinion, but I have never met a heavily hopped beer I didn’t like.