It's been a while since I wrote one of these. I recently picked up a 6-pack from Hop Valley Brewing featuring three of their IPAs. Something about the brand seemed off, but hey, three review possibilities? Score!
Nah. I'm only going to bother with this one post.
Hop Valley Brewing Company claims to be a microbrewery, but it used to be owned by megacorporation Molson-Coors, and is now owned by a holding company called Tilray Brands. This company has also acquired other former microbrews which had been consumed by megacorps, including Redhook and Widmer Brothers. According to KEZI, Hop Valley shut down production in Eugene, Oregon. My can is still labeled with Eugene, but the box says Springfield, so make of that what you will.
Useless tangential fact: Springfield, Oregon is most likely the real inspiration for the town of Springfield in The Simpsons. Matt Groening grew up in the Portland area, and names in the show reflect the region.
Alphadelic IPA: 7.2% ABV, 90 IBU, heavy on the PNW pine flavor. Meh. I've had better. Unimpressive, even if you like the taste of evergreen needles in your beer. Others have done it better.
Citrus Mistress: 6.5% ABV, 80 IBU, more citrus than the prior brew. It's OK, I guess. Kind of a grapefruit tartness to it, but it's literally brewed with grapefruit peel, so no surprise there. Not well balanced, at least to my preferences. I find it a bit on the harsh side, and I prefer beer brewed with Citra or similar hops instead of having stuff added.
Nova Centauri: an "easy IPA," 4.2% ABV, 20 IBU. Honestly, if I think of it as a more interesting lager instead of a bland IPA, it's really not bad. Of the three, this is probably the best despite being weak in alcohol and bitterness. If you usually drink cheap lager, but wanted to try something different that is not a massive shock to the palate, this might be worth a try. It also didn't overpower my dinner. This was the unexpected winner!
For dinner, I made a sort of stir fry. I started brown rice boiling in a sauce pan, then put a skillet on another burner on the range. I cut up some leftover rotisserie chicken, added it to the skillet with some oil, splashed in some teriyaki sauce and liquid aminos, then threw in some frozen stir-fry vegetables to cook into something vaguely Asian.
After cooking everything, I poured the vegetables and chicken mix over rice and chowed down. Not bad, if I do say so myself!
Conclusion: buy actual microbrews from family-owned breweries and actual small companies if you can, but Hop Valley Nova Centauri Easy IPA was a pleasant surprise. And use leftovers to make creative meals. It's healthy, inexpensive, and fun.
