Brewing success in Mexico

My first IPA using local honey

I uncapped my first bottle of mexican homebrew last night. I was very anxious as I began to pry the cap off. I held my breath as I listened for the sound of carbonation. The bottle hissed and I exhaled with relief that the bottling process worked. Next I poured the beer slowly into a clear glass being careful not to molest the thin layer of yeast sediment that rested at the bottom of the bottle. Once in the glass I noticed that the carbonation was a little heavy aned the bubbles large. The head was thick and full and fell slowly, and the clarity of the beer was slightly hazy. The aroma from the cascade hops was prominent and enticing as I raised the glass for my first taste. Wow, beer with flavors. My mouth was struggling to pass on the abundance of flavors for my brain to enterpret. Grapefruit and tangerine to start with a floral and honey background. The malt came across with caramel notes and drifted away slowly. There is evident sweetness up front that quickly blends with a balanced bitterness provided by the Columbus hops. The bitterness lingered for only a moment after the swallow leaving a clean pallet that craved another mouth full. My wife Susan took a cautious sip followed by another and then asked for a glass full, which is a real testament to the drinkability, especially since her least favorite style is IPA. I poured another for myself and quickly repeated the process of accute sensory awareness, then sat back in the warm mountain air of Mexico and just enjoyed the time spent savoring the fruits of my labor of love.