Firestone Walker 'Easy Jack' Session IPA. 4.5% 45-50 IBU. Gold-yellow color. Clear. Finger of white foamy head. Excellent retention and lace. Nose is tropical, sweet bread, floral hop bouquet, light fruit, distant grapefruit. 

Front taste is bitter floral hops, light malt, botanical herbal on the back end. Aftertaste is bitter hoppy, grain, grassy, vegetal, round citrus, dry finish. Light-medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, clean, bright, thin, effervescent.

This is a good category IPA, a true West Coast creation that firmly plants its flag in its subcategory. The floral hop tastes tips the scale over the light malt, with a light body and feel that makes it easy to drink. 

I admit, I was pleasantly surprised. I expected a watered down version of the lawnmower-to-order 805. Instead, a found more flavor here than most beers this sessionable. Recommended.

From the brewery:

"Easy Jack came about when Brewmaster Matt Brynildson went to the mountain top and returned with a vision for a different kind of Session IPA, one that would be brewed and dry hopped with a globetrotting selection of newer hop varieties from Germany, New Zealand and North America. He foresaw a beer that would deliver massive hop aromas, surprising dimension, a signature malt balance and an empty glass before you knew what hit you. And so the newest member of our Jack IPA family was born."

[source: firestonebeer.com]

Samuel Adams 'Fat Jack' Double Pumpkin Ale. 8.5% abv. 25 IBU. Black in color. Finger of tan thick creamy head. Outstanding retention and lacing. Nose of nutmeg, allspice, pumpkin. Front taste of sweet dark malt, heavy pumpkin, cloves on the sustain. Aftertaste is pure pumpkin pie, nutmeg, cinnamon, nutmeg. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, creamy, sweet finish.

This is an outstanding beer. The aroma is spicy, sweet, promising plenty of pumpkin. The taste delivers with a ton of pumpkin and a dark warm spice bouquet. Most pumpkin beers are lacking, but this is one of the few big bold pumpkin beers that offers a rich, complex autumn beer. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Pleasantly plump and satisfied. This rich and luscious brew indulges in flavor with over 28 lbs. of pumpkin per barrel, for a full bodied sweetness and deep russet color.  Classic pumpkin pie spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice ignite a warmth and spark that’s deepened by an undercurrent of roasty smoked malts.  The result is a delectable brew full of enveloping layers of flavor and spice."

[source: samueladams.com]

Firestone Walker 'Union Jack' IPA. 7.5 abv. 70 IBU. Clear light honey color. Pours a thick frothy head that slowly recedes to a long-lasting 1/4 inch surface. Good retention, excellent lace. Nose is floral hoppy, notes of citrus, light caramel.  Front taste is balance of roasted malt, fresh ample herbal hops, toffee, background citrus peel. Aftertaste of sweet bread, bitter herbal hop bouquet, roasted sweet malt. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is warm, round, small-bead carb.

This beer is a solid example of its category, surely above the fold. It's well crafted from nose to finish, with a nice mix of different hop flavors, fresh and bright, fruity and herbal, with a slightly sweet malt backbone. Very good stuff. Well recommended.

From the brewery:

"An aggressively hopped West Coast-style IPA. Union Jack showcases exceptional dry hop character with stunning pineapple, citrus and piney aromas on the nose accompanied by honey-like malt aromatics. Double dry hopping brings bold grapefruit, tangerine and citrus flavors that are contrasted by pale malt sweetness to balance this intense brew. A true tribute to the style that put the West Coast on the craft beer map."
[source: firestonebeer.com]