Stillwater Artisan Ales - "Frond" double IPA

Today's beer is one I grabbed at Irving Wines & Spirits on Mt. Pleasant Street. From Stillwater Artisan Ales, this is an 8.00% ABV double India Pale Ale made with palm sugar. I must admit, one of the reasons I got this was because of the beautiful can. Stillwater is known for really neat artwork on their cans, and this is no exception.

So what's palm sugar? Palm sugar is made from boiling the sap of coconut, date, palmyra, or nipa palms, and while it's frequently used as a sweetener in Asia and the Middle East, this is the first beer I've had with it (to my knowledge.) But I imagine it acts like any other sugar in the brewing process, giving body to the beer, and I'm curious to see how this translates into flavor.

 It's hazy golden in the glass with thin white bubbles. It projects a fresh, juicy nose, a little sugar sweetness but not much.

Upfront there's some flavors of toasted malts and a bit of sugar sweetness, kinda like the "Sugar in the Raw" packets they have at coffee shops. I can definitely tell it's dry-hopped, though - there's a good showing of hop flavors (but not particularly bitter) that really defines the beer. As it sits on the tongue, slight herbal and grassy notes make an appearance, with much more of the sugar flavor on the aftertaste. Still feeling those hops, though. Texture-wise, it has low carbonation and is pretty light on the tongue.

Maybe I was expecting a lactic bomb, or something pretty sweet or tropical, but it's definitely more recognizable as an IPA. There's a nice tangy hop flavor - but not particularly bitter - so if you are a hophead in search of a slightly sweeter IPA, get into this. The sugar does not dominate the beer, and so I wouldn't define it as a "dessert IPA" per se. Regarding price - it's another one of those expensive four-packs...this costs $18.99 for pint cans at D'Vines and $4.99 for a single can at Irving W&S. So a bit on the pricier side, but fun to try.