Flying Dog Wildeman Farmhouse IPA: Like a tasty mullet made of beer.

As I’ve mentioned previously, my beverage preferences have long fallen solidly on the malty side, with bocks, stouts, and porters prevailing. Shockingly, as this endeavor progresses, it seems that my tastes are beginning to shift (or at least expand) a bit. Take today’s selection, for instance. Not so long ago, anything with IPA in the name wouldn’t have elicited much excitement on my part. In fact, mild whining would have been more likely. On this occasion, however, Flying Dog Wildeman Farmhouse IPA was my first choice from a mixed six-pack brimming with malty goodness.

A familiar face on the craft beer scene, Flying Dog has been perfecting its art for over twenty years. Back in 1990, Flying Dog opened as a tiny brewpub in Aspen, CO. Six years, a few awards, and a cross-country move to Frederick, MD later, Flying Dog is a nationally distributed brand with a capacity of about 100,000 barrels per year. It comes as no surprise, then, that Flying Dog puts out some pretty tasty beer.

The elusive beer mullet

Despite Flying Dog’s respectable reputation, I was a bit skeptical of Wildeman Farmhouse IPA, since mixing wildly disparate flavors can be a unpleasant game. While some concoctions, like chocolate-covered bacon and twist soft-serve, are pure brilliance, others, like Chicken n Waffles Vinaigrette, are simply appalling. Fortunately, Wildeman fell into the former category. An expertly-executed melding of styles, Wildeman is the mullet of beers – classic, mild-mannered farmhouse at the front; raucous hoppy, bitterness at the back. The facts:

Flying Dog Wildman Farmhouse IPA