Judge's Review: 82 Rating - Snag & Drop by Cape May Brewing Co.

Snag & Drop by Cape May Brewing refers to itself as a Triple IPA, but this doesn’t exist under the BJCP guidelines, therefore it falls under the high end of a Double IPA and will be judged as such by BJCP 2015 Category 22A. It meets all of the parameters of the double IPA, just a bit boozier. It pours a light yellow color with a golden hue, fluffy white head and a slight haze. The aroma has a light crackery, grainy malt with a wide blend of hop character – pine/resin, floral, candied citrus (orange/lemon/grapefruit) and sweet tropical (mango, papaya). As the beer warms, the fruit fades and the pine resin and grassy notes come forward along with prevalent alcohol. The flavor features the same notes, pine forward and heavier on the candied citrus (orange/lemon). It has a high bitterness without an astringent, dry finish and medium-low body that keeps the malt restrained much better than most triple IPAs I’ve had. These elements, however, also let the alcohol build and overwhelm. 

This beer was a bit Jekyll & Hyde for me. On the positive side it was clean and smooth with lots of candied citrus & sweet tropical hops and light alcohol warmth. On a more negative note, it had an overwhelming booziness that overtook all of the complexity of the beer, leaving behind pine & bitterness to compete.