Begyle Don't Bring Me Down, Zeus

Since I just recently mentioned how I need to spend more time on Chicago beers, I figured I should actually follow through for once.  My friend from college has been telling me for a while to check out Begyle Brewing because he knows one of the guys who helped start it up.  And seeing as the nice guy I am, I painstakingly went out of my way to sit down and drink a beer.

Begyle Don't Bring Me Down, Zeus

Appearance- Dark Golden orange, almost a tint of amber in color with a hazy body.  An off white to light brown head that sticks around in a very thin head, almost turning patchy.  Moderate lacing left behind.

Smell- Very resiney hop smell with some sappy pine and a bit of grass.  Behind the hops is a decent amount of caramel malt.  Slight amount of alcohol is noticeable towards the end, but it is not hot.  Some slight fruit esters (maybe grapefruit?) lingering way back.

Taste- Tons of the resiney/piney flavors, feels as if it is almost stripping the tongue.  Expected a twinge of citrus to hit somewhere in the middle, but the resin was there to stay (not saying that is a bad thing).  Hop flavor seems almost earthy and spicy on the tongue.  Although there is a decent amount of caramel malty character, it never seems to compete with the hops. Bitterness picks up in the middle in moderate amounts as it quickly turns up to high bitterness into the finish.  Bitterness lingers and almost seems to tickle the tongue, if that can even be a description.  Alcohol seems a little hot in the end of the beer.

Mouthfeel- Thick mouthfeel with a prickly carbonation that seems to be enhanced with the spicy hop flavor .  Could possibly use a little more a little more carbonation.  Warming alcohol, a little too hot for my taste.

Overall- Although not my favorite DIPA, a very enjoyable one nonetheless.  A nice switch up from the citrus-centric DIPAs that you normally see, nice to see a new brewery not just jumping on that ship.  If you like that piney and resin type flavor, this is a good one to pick up.  Also, maybe don't piss of Zeus. Just my opinion though.

Also, you can say whatever you want, but my sad excuse for a mind has already locked on the pronunciation "bagel", no matter how wrong it may be.