ABV – 7.3%
IBU – 82

Let’s face it, it’s hard to find a microbrewed beer that isn’t just downright good. As a general rule, if it’s ONLY available in a six pack, you’re probably pretty safe when it comes to taste and quality. A unique or catchy name gets one bonus point. Make it come from somewhere else and BOOM, you have the perfect basic microbrew equation – the Uinta Hop Notch IPA, an equation used and perfected by many of the vastly growing microbreweries. Why then, even when absolutely enjoying the culmination of doing the math correctly, does a very small part of the back of my brain begin to utterly loathe it? What could have possibly gone awry?

In short, this beer is…better than me. Or rather Uinta Brewing is. I guess both, really. Hop Notch itself is a classic clean, with strongly subtle notes of hops, not overpowering like another equation seeming to gain popularity in the beer world. The poignant potency at 7.3% ABV could be called baby bear (just right). Personified it would be a suave, suit-wearing, classic cool Barney Stinson type, minus the cheesy pick-up lines. Uinta has been powered completely by alternative energy since 2001. I crank my gas heat and leave lights on constantly because the utilities are included in the rent. Uinta FTW. That’s fine. I can admit when I’m defeated. I didn’t threaten the bottles with bott-ily harm, or anything…I’ll just sit back and quietly enjoy and maybe someday learn to not be jealous of a beer and brewery that is better than…me. Ouch.