Thomas Creek Up the Creek Extreme IPA

Another beer I received in a beer trade with with Lance Martin (Beers of the Night) and Alfred Hugh Leonard III was the Thomas Creek Up the Creek Extreme IPA. The beer pours a cranberry-tinted brown color with a lofty and frothy tan head, which was not what I was expecting to see. The aroma consists of cherry, caramel, lemon, and sweet malts. The taste is malty and sweet with lots of caramel up front, hints of cherry and honey, orange, and a dry lemon and pine finish. The alcohol content is 12.5% ABV. I would say this is not a conventional IPA, especially since it is noted as “extreme,” but it is wonderfully crafted and I can’t express how much I enjoyed the cherry accents found in the beer.

Thomas Creek Deep Water Doppelbock Lager

I picked up a bottle of Thomas Creek Deep Water Dopplebock Lager when is Greenville, SC, as the beer is brewed there. The beer has a dark brown color with a foamy white head. The aroma consists of fig and dark fruits. The taste is malty and sweet with a heavy dose of fig and raisins and other dark fruits. It has a light, slightly watery finish that is also a bit dry. The alcohol content is 6.25% ABV. I didn't think that this beer was terrible, but not an overly impressive dopplebock. I would be willing to try other beers from Thomas Creek is I was in the neighborhood, but I would not go out of my way to get some, based on this beer.