Do you suppose that we all have Two Roots since we all have parents? Maybe that’s where they got the name from, or maybe I’m just a baffling person! Either way, we will get to the bottom of this, and by this, I mean this beer can. We’re joined again by Two Roots Brewing Co., originally from California but since settled in the marvelous Midwest. We’ve tried multiple varieties of Two Roots beers, and when you think we’ve tried them all, they will likely come out with a new limited edition one cause they’re just that good.
This week we are drinking Straight Drank IPA by Two Roots. Even though they have a west coast IPA called New West IPA, which we’ve previously reviewed, this is another west coast IPA. What sets them apart? I don’t know. I really don’t. I know they taste different, but I don’t know what makes one a west coast IPA and the other a west coast IPA. I will say Straight Drank is supposed to be straight dank!
Straight Drank from Two Roots pours a golden yellow with a kiss of copper. The head bubbles up thick and with a slightly cream-colored. The aromas that bounce off the bubbles bang against your nostril receptors with a marinated scent of hops that border on the side of fresh cut ‘grass.’ I’m talking marijuana. Is that what they mean by dank?
Whether it’s centennial hops, eureka hops, or something entirely, I must say I love the flavor that slams my mouth in its guzzle hole. Two Roots puts its best foot forward with Straight Drank, and the hoppiness you have come to expect from an IPA lives front and center in your taste hole. It’s bitter and heavy in flavor with a light mouth feel. Two Roots claims to use terpenes, and as soon as I finish Googling what the hell that is, I will let you know how it impacts the flavor. Overall, I don’t know how much I would file this in a category of West Coast IPAs, but as far as hoppy flagship beverages, this one is living among greats.
Untappd gives Straight Drank IPA by Two Roots a 3.5 out of 5. In the overall beer world, that’s probably accurate, though; I think in the NA space, you could bump it up to a 4. Go try some and get your swerve on, or if you want, go to Michigan, and drive to Auburn Hills, where the Detroit Pistons used to play. Head down a creepy side road until you see a sign that says “Good Beer Here,” and turn. Then you can try some of this deliciousness on tap! Holy cannoli! If you order online, use code JL10 to save 10%
HAPPY EVERY HOUR: Sober Curator Justin Lamb is dedicated to tasting great (and sometimes not so great) NA beers and showcasing his amazing collection of memorabilia from the ’90s.
RECOVERY PODCASTLAND: Want more Justin in your life? We don’t blame you! Check out his podcast Friend Request Justin has in-depth interviews with people he follows on social media, as well as his own social media followers. Friend Request dives deeper than the likes and comments. With each episode, Justin tries to create a more meaningful conversation about each individual he’s connected with. Justin ties each interview together with the commonalities and struggles that not only are extremely relatable but also fall across the entire spectrum of the human experience.
