Fat Head's Head Hunter

Brewery: Fat Head's Brewery
Style: IPA
ABV: 7.9%
Country: USA, Pennsylvania

Mar and I were in Pittsburgh for the Winter Classic on New Years day and had gotten a recommendation to check out Fathead's Saloon located down on Carson St. This place was absolutely fantastic. Fathead's boasts 42 different beers on tap from places such as Stone, Dogfish Head, Founders, and Bell's. They also include about half a dozen house brews on tap from a wide array of styles. Food here was fantastic as well. Lots of different burgers and sandwiches including sandwiches picked by Maxim as the best in the country.

The first beer I had here was the Head Hunter IPA which was a silver medal winner at the 2010 Great American Beer Fest. It poured a bright amber color with a hint of orange. The head was thin and wispy that didn't linger long.

This had the most unique aroma of all the beers I've had so far. A big wave of sharp pine with basil, thyme, and other herbs in the background. I'd always heard of pine hop aromas before, but this was the most pronounced by a mile. A wonderful smell for sure.

Taste was as pine filled as the aroma. If you managed to turn a Christmas tree into a beer, it would taste a heck of a lot like this beer. Fruity hops made an appearance as well with plenty if pineapple, grapefruit, and lemon present. A mouth puckering wave of bitterness finished this off and lingered around a long time. This was listed at 89 IBU but tasted almost as bitter as the Stone Ruination IPA which is listed at 100+ IBU. This goes to illustrate how important the malt sweetness and hop bitterness balance out. A bit more malt would go a long way to make this a bit more balanced. Overall though, this was a fantastic beer that I would drink again in a heartbeat. If you are ever in the Pittsburgh area, do yourself a favor and check this place out and get yourself a glass or two (or three). A