Feb. 29--What it is: A double India pale ale from suburban BuckleDown Brewing, which has quietly been one of the area's most consistent breweries since opening in 2013. Clencher has been on tap at BuckleDown's Lyons' taproom since last spring in various incarnations, featuring different hops. But this version, featuring Citra and Simcoe hops, is getting rolled out this month in cans for the first time. There's no style I find more hit-and-miss than double IPAs. Half are overwhelmingly one-note and bitter, but the other half are a joy, tapping into the hop glory of tropical fruitiness balanced against earthy pine. Clencher nails the balance.
In the can: The lush, fruity aroma alone makes clear that Clencher falls on the right side of the double IPA divide. The taste follows through, exploding with notes of ripe tropical fruit: mango, peach, pineapple and apricot, which meld in a big juicy bomb of a beer. An even keeled, earthy-grassy bitterness provides some depth and balance, but the tropical flavors return for a long sweet finish. Despite its immodest alcohol content, Clencher drinks remarkably smoothly. As approachable as a double IPA gets.
Alcohol: 8.1 percent
Drink it with: Don't pair this beer with food. You don't want anything getting in the way of those big juicy hops. Just drink and enjoy.
Find it: Available in six-packs of 12-ounce cans; the rotating versions of Clencher with varying hops will continue to be on draft at the BuckleDown taproom (8700 W. 47th St., Lyons).
More information: www.buckledownbrewing.com
