WSU vs. EWU football: Baxter’s beer of the game

Football is back. Football is back. Football is back! You know what else is back? Dog beer reviews, courtesy of everyone’s favorite fluffy white beer snob: Baxter.

But Baxter is not alone this season. Due to rising rents in Olympia, he was forced to bring on a new roommate. He’s been around for a week and has already learned important Baxter-approved games such as “fetch” but not others like “bark at every sound.”

The roommate’s name is Schooner, like the beer glass not the sailboat. In that spirit, the beer in the cover photo is sitting in a schooner.

Make no mistake, this is still Baxter’s column, Schooner is just here as beer-blogging understudy. Perhaps he will branch out on his own someday, but not before completing the requisite 3,000-hour apprenticeship.

Anyway, let’s talk about beer. For the season opener against Eastern Washington, Baxter has chose Melvin IPA, from Melvin Brewing in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Why a beer from Wyoming? Between this football season and last, Melvin started distribution all along the West Coast. They hyped up their IPAs before coming in, and they certainly deliver.

The three beers you’ll see most often—in beer stores, Total Wines and nicer grocery stores—are 2x4 Double IPA, Hubert Melvin Pale Ale and of course, the Melvin IPA. All are supremely hoppy, but not overly bitter and tend to be on the “dank” side of hop flavor (dank as in the hop’s cousin, cannabis, not dank like a moldy basement).

One more reason why I’m highlighting Melvin: The brewery is working on opening a brewpub in Bellingham, so it will soon be making its delicious brews in Washington state. Fresh hoppy beer is the best hoppy beer!

Anyways, on to the review.

Craig’s Review: Clearly heavy dry-hopping, because the nose is strong, probably some Simcoe or Mosaic in there. The flavor is slightly sweet, but not overpowering on maltiness. Finishes with a nice hop kick which not too bitter and more nuanced.

Baxter’s Review: Excited for more beer reviewing! Not excited to have to share this yummy beverage, who does little dude think he is?

Schooner’s Review (Not Official): (inaudible whining)

One more note: I’ll be at the game, tailgating before. I bring fancy bottles and share, if you are a craft beer nerd and want to partake, hit me up on Twitter and we can sample some good beer.

So, Melvin IPA will be what That’s what we’ll be having to celebrate the start of Cougar football. What will you be drinking?