Epic Brewing Hip Check and Level Crossing Rising Hope 

• Mike Riedel

Epic - Hip Check: This new Imperial Pilsner was brewed to celebrate the state's new NHL team, the temporarily-named Utah Hockey Club. This beer was brewed to emulate the classic strong Canadian lagers from famed breweries like Labatt's and Molson. While not available at the Delta Center arena (due to its higher 7.5 ABV), it can be found at DABS stores and sports bars.

It pours a clear and pale-yellow color, with an initially rocky and foamy head of white, that settles down to some faint webbing and a mess of lace; the carbonation is fine and refined. Overall, it's a pretty suitable look for a pilsner. The nose is clean and fresh—leafy, with a slight apple peel aroma mixed with a pleasant clean malt and tinged with a pilsner sweetness. That's something of a surprise, and perhaps it's here that the extra body—or the "imperial" of the name—is borne.

The taste is very pleasant: clean malt character peppered with grainy overtones, balanced with a very crisply delivered whack of hop bitterness. A faint booziness emerges towards the back, almost a suggestion of higher alcohol, with a lingering, dancing, volatile floral note on the finish. The finish also has a pleasant uptilt in sweetness; it gives a slight sherbet sugar character that mingles nicely with the residual hop oils to provide a crisp, bright ending. Very nice stuff. Mouthfeel is light, fresh and pleasant but I wouldn't expect anything else from Epic.

Verdict: Despite my worries about the aroma, this is a damn good beer. It's clean, crisp, remarkably drinkable and very, very refreshing. Ignore the "Imperial" in the title, though, and take this as just a damn-good Pils.

Level Crossing - Rising Hope: Rising Hope is Level Crossing's annual beer release which benefits the National Pediatric Cancer Fund. Proceeds from every pint of this IPA are donated to the fight against pediatric cancer. This year's IPA is infused with white peach and is hopped with Centennial, Krush, Cashmere Cryo and Ekuanot Cryo.

It has a cloudy straw color, with typical-to-light carbonation. It keeps its creamy feeling while producing an active cap of foam. The aroma is very sweet and peachy, with some herbal hops; I also smell some bread—pleasant, but not overwhelmingly strong. Some fruitiness from the hops is also detected.

Peach hits immediately after it slides past the tongue. Citrus and a floral lychee flavor balance it out with malty/yeast breadiness. Most of the hoppy flavor is contained in the aftertaste, accompanied by floral notes and peach. If you've had peach tea, you'll be familiar with this taste, and it might taste somewhat herbal as a result. Bitterness is slight, similar to the perceived bitterness of some pale ales, which is less than most despite having a fairly light 14 IBUs (International Bittering Units).

Verdict: Some may say it's a stretch to call a beer like this an IPA, and that you should just classify them as fruit beers. I disagree: I think if your fruit compliments the present flavors that are naturally produced by the malt, hops and yeast, you're just providing an enhanced drinking experience. Plus, the white peach used here is quite subtle and pleasantly fruity. Pile on the donation to pediatric cancer research—you'll find this fruited IPA is a no-brainer.

This session IPA can be found at both Level Crossing locations and is available on-draft only this year. Hip Check from Epic is in 16-ounce cans and can be found all around town in beer pubs, sports bars and, of course, liquor stores.

As always, cheers!