Midwest IPAs: Hops From The Heartland

Zeno's has recently had Founders Centennial IPA, Darkhorse Crooked Tree IPA, and Bell's Two Hearted Ale (also an IPA) on tap. All three of these are from Michigan and all three are high quality India Pale Ales. But which of these three is the best? ... well that's up to you... I'd had the Centennial and the Two Hearted before, but my only experince with Darkhorse was their Perkulator Coffee Dobblebock. To be honest, I'm not a coffee fan, and I didn't really enjoy the beer, so i really had no idea what else to expect from the brewery. However, when I ordered a pint after a shift at Zeno's and one of the bartenders also gave me a taste of the Bells Two Hearted to compare it to, it impressed me greatly. This comparison gave me the idea for this post. I figured why not throw in the third brewery, Founders, and try all three.
I have to admit, it took me three or four attempts to detect the subtle difference between the Crooked Tree and the Centennial. They both share a very similar color, aroma, and taste. Their tastes are flowery and citrus notes are both the bulk of the flavor and the aroma. The largest difference here is the finish, with the Crooked Tree having a slightly more pine flavor to the finish. Bell's Two Hearted is probably the boldest of the three flavors with the strong grapefruit flavor. All three of the beers have great flavors that linger a while, allowing the smooth, yet dry, finish to become more present.


As far as appearance, from dark to light: the Centennial is the more typical Amber colored AIPA, followed by the more orange colored Crooked Tree, with and the Bells coming in as the lightest.


The Bells is certainly the most balanced and strongest flavor of the group, with the other two not far behind. The Centennial was the smoothest, with the Crooked Tree somewhere in the middle.


So - long story short... the decision for these beers comes down to what flavor notes you want to experience... For me, I typically like the citrusy notes and the mouth feel of the hops, but in this case the transition from the citrus flavors to the pine in the Crooked Tree was just too nice for me to vote against. So, personally, I'd have to give it to the Crooked Tree in this one.


- Nathan